BUENA VISTA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAMS 1966 AND 1967

The Associated Press named Buena Vista High School the back to back state football champions in 1966 and 1967 in Class B under head coach Al Quick. The Knights were a perfect 9-0 in 1966 and outscored its opponents 403-37, racking up six shutouts along the way. The Knights toppled Bad Axe, 70-0, St. Andrew’s, 32-6, Lansing Waverly, 33-0, Bridgeport, 31-0, Alpena, 32-6, Mount Pleasant, 26-25, Arthur Hill Tech, 73-0, Standish-Sterling, 66-0, and Tawas Area, 40-0. Mike Benkert, a senior tackle, was the team’s MVP. One year later the Knights won its second consecutive Class B title by outscoring opponents 234-32. Buena Vista knocked off Lakeville, 39-0, St. Andrew’s, 38-0, Mount Pleasant, 13-7, Bridgeport, 54-12, Bangor John Glenn, 6-0, Cadillac, 38-6, Douglas MacArthur, 24-0, and Flint Carman, 22-7. Buena Vista finished the season 8-0, winning 17 consecutive games over two seasons and 20 over three seasons. For the two undefeated seasons the Knights outscored its opponents 637-69, averaging 37.4 points-per-game while allowing just 4.0 p.p.g during that span. During the 1967 season BV punted the football just two times all season long. In ’67, Art Burgman, an all-state tackle, was voted team MVP. Assistant coaches for the Knights were Don Schiesswohl, Bob Quinn and Ralph Schaeberg. Quick would go on to coach Midland Dow to a Class A state championship.