Hall of Fame
With a conference championship and national ranking, YVC’s 7-1 record stood as the most wins in the program’s 42-year history.
In his final season as head coach, Bill Faller and his assistants Bob Everson and Les Vierra led an offense that averaged 234 yards rushing and a defense that set a conference record with 16 interceptions. Marquette High School graduate Dave Wuitschick led the team in rushing, receiving and scoring and Steve Keeler from Davis earned two of Faller’s top awards. Those two along with Butch Grant, Tom Healy and Wilbur Langston were selected for first-team all-conference honors.
With a 12-7 victory in Week 4, Yakima Valley ended Columbia Basin’s 30-game win streak and handed the Hawks their first loss at home in five years. Powered by two 45-point games, the offense set program records for points and touchdowns. The defense matched the dominance with 27 takeaways.
Team members identified in the photo: Front Row (L-R): Tom Stephens, Tom Healy, Mike Hobbs, Chuck Dickens, Mel Hollis, Gerald Davis, Walt Pool, Ron Groff, Dave Wuitschick, Don Allen, Steve Keeler; Second Row: Unknown, Jim Simonsen, Louis Goodlow, Jon Lafferty, John Halfmoon, Les Payne, KO Trepanier, Ed McGrath, Terry Noble, Bob Robertson, Sam Beesley, Dale Tester, Bob Jarvis; Third Row: Dennis Westgard, Butch Grant, Gary Gove, Wayne Purdom, Jack Fouts, Jim Beck, Gary Martinkus, Wilbert Langston, Steve Vaughn, Richard Pratt, Bob Palmer, Mike Williams, Jon Rice; Fourth Row: Unknown, Unknown, Bob Klein, Bob Owens, Unknown, Tim Gilvary, Unknown, Unknown.
