1983 NJCAA National Championship Team
Front row, left to right: David Dennis, Nolan Luhn, Pete Peltzer, Dick Foster, Michael Foster, Duane Dirk & Terry Beeson. Row two, left to right: Al Bell, Maurice Douglass, Jan Demby, Ken Stonebraker, Mark McCray, Mark Brinker, Russ Scott, Ricky Wells & Tony Cospy. Row three, left to right: David Gilkey, Tom Sesto, Jeff Rogan, Mark Seiss, Scott Petzel, Mark Gilfillian, DD Jones, John Randolph, Rob Kirk & John Thomas. Row four, left to right: Joe Stockton, Rick Passantino, Glen Campbell, Tevis Carpenter, Ken Price, Vernon Larry, Zeke Wintjen, Randy Cole, Eric Swister, Mike Smith and Herb Stogsdill. Row Five, left to right: Mike Bennett, Anthony Miller, Limbo Parks, Lance Flory, Mike Gillard, Rod Duncan, Jeff Gilliland, Lee Myers, Tony Leiker, Fred Hildebrandt, Rod Landon & Blaine Rathman. Row six, left to right: Tim Argo, Russ Neis, Wade Herbert, Terry Hanna & Wayne Warren.
A Championship Team
One of the best in Red Raven history is the 1982 team, which was ranked number one in the national pre-season poll and remained there ten weeks in a row. The Ravens lost their final game of the season to Northeastern Oklahoma (NEO) A&M by a score of 36-21. Proven twice by Red Ravens Head Coach Dick Foster, a team can go undefeated and not win a National Championship.
Finally, in 1983 the Red Ravens won their first NJCAA National Championship since 1956. Since there were only eight sophomores on the 1983 squad (only two were starters from the great 1982 team) this team consisted mostly of freshmen playing with a new offensive line, three different quarterbacks, and starting off slow with a win at Pratt 21-7, and a loss at Dodge City 7-17. The third game, the Ravens defeated Garden City 54-17, and continued the winning streak by defeating Independence 28-0, Butler County 28-14, Cowley County 42-7, and Fort Scott 63-0. The Ravens played Butler County again in the Conference Championship game. They pounded the Grizzlies 27-7. Coffeyville, now 8-1 and ranked tenth in the Nation, accepted a bid to host eleventh-ranked Dodge City in the first Jayhawk Bowl.
Before Bowl game day, the Ravens were scheduled to play NEO in Miami, Oklahoma. The Golden Norsemen, defending National Champions, were once again undefeated with a 7-0-1 record, and they were ranked #2 in the Nation. The Ravens defeated NEO 21-20 in front of a huge crowd - 6,700 people. It was NEO’s first loss on their home turf in eight years, and the first time Coffeyville had defeated the Norsemen in Miami since 1948. The Ravens went on to defeat Dodge City in the Jayhawk Bowl by a score of 27-20.
Coffeyville got some breaks in the post season. During bowl games, the upset of an undefeated team occurred, opening the door for either Coffeyville 11-1, Ellsworth, Iowa 10-1, or Jones County, Mississippi 11-2 to win the National title. The Ravens were selected with 100 points...five more than Iowa. Maurice Douglass, defensive back, was selected First Team All-American by the JC Gridwire and Honorable Mention by the NJCAA. He finished his college career at the University of Kentucky, was drafted in the eighth round by the Chicago Bears, and played 139 NFL games during eleven years. Other players continuing successful football careers were Al Bell, wide receiver - Alabama; Jan Denby, defensive back - Kansas State; Rus Scott, defensive back - Wichita State; Rob Kirk, defensive back - Tulsa University, and Lee Meyers, defensive end - Southwest Missouri State.
Two other key players on the 1983 National Championship team were Joe Stockton, center (Honorable Mention JC Gridwire & All-American) and Mark McCray, quarterback (Honorable Mention JC Gridwire). After the third game, McCray became the Ravens’ starting quarterback. He was one of the greatest leaders in Red Raven football and was instrumental in making the team what it was...A CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM.