Concordia Sports - The First 100 Years by Finn Grinaker

"Concordia Men's Sports - The First One Hundred Years"
by Vernon Finn Grinaker
| Return to Index | Chapter 1 | 1903-1921 | 20's | 30's | 40's | 50's | 60' | 70's | 80's | 90's |

Chapter 9-- The 80's

| 1980-1981 | 1981-1982 | 1982-1983 | 1983-1984 | 1984-1985 | 1985-1986 | 1986-1987 | 1987-1988 | 1988-1989 | 1989-1990 |

1981 Football

1981 was quite a year for Cobber football — Jim Christopherson coached his players to a
11- 0 - 2 season (8 - 0 in regular season conference play.) The record earned the Cobbers the MIAC title and advanced them to the NAIA Division II playoffs for the first time since 1978 and the fourth time overall. The Cobbers won the NAIA Division II title in 1964 and 1978.

In the quarterfinals, Concordia defeated Dickinson State and in the semifinals, they beat Westminster College at New Wilmington, Pa. The final game, played in Sherman, Texas against Austin College ended in a 24 - 24 tie, a compliment for two fine teams.

Following the championship game, Dwight Hintermeister, tri-captain for the Cobbers, was voted the top defensive player of the game. Captains Jim Klug and Dave Rosengren were named to the second team NAIA Division II all-American team. All-conference selections were Hintermeister, Rosengren, Dan Olson, Bruce Rimmereid, Robert Vangerud, and Jim Klug. Jim Christopherson was named the 1981 Coach of the Year for the NAIA and for the MIAC.

Other players on the Cobber football roster were Craig Samuelson, Neil Fuller, Reid Christopherson, Ron Rasmus, Brad Rasmus, Randy Jorgenson, Dan Olson, Jon Pratt, Bob Michaelson, Kent Kuball, Scott Sheldon, Mark Davies, Nelson Rotto, Kevin Arndt, Mark Redemske, John Solheim, Rich Lorenz, Paul Samuelson, Dave Borchard, Mark Anderson, Brad Peterson, Greg Brolsma, Brian Kirkhorn, John Burns, Roger Lindahl, Earl Mergens, Mark Wanner, Dave Schwartz, John Teeling, Jon Gadberry, Gary Gilbert, Mark Tommerdahl, Doug McMillan, Bruce Winter, Kris Lahren, Lee Crum, Mike Mergens, Craig Simmons, Tom Shepley, Doug Berglund, Dave Roen, Mitch Hofstedt, Dave Anderson, and Joe Gotta.

Season’s scores were:
Concordia 23 UW - Eau Claire 7
Concordia 3 Moorhead State 3
Concordia 24 Hamline 5
Concordia 47 Macalester 0
Concordia 31 Bethel 17
Concordia 17 St. Thomas 3
Concordia 17 St. John’s 7
Concordia 20 Augsburg 14
Concordia 42 St. Olaf 13
Concordia 17 Gustavus 3
Concordia 13 Dickinson State 9
Concordia 23 Westminster 17
Concordia 24 Austin College 24

Standings in the MIAC race were:
Concordia 8 - 0
St. John’s 6 - 2
St. Thomas 6 - 2
Gustavus 5 - 3
Augsburg 3 - 5
St. Olaf 2 - 6
Hamline 2 - 6
Bethel 2 - 6
Macalester 2 - 6

With the growing controversy in major colleges over recruiting and academic standards, it is a far cry from Concordia athletic standards. They are the same for the athletes as everyone else, according to registrar Donald Dale. “They are here to be students and are represented in all the departments,” emphasized Dale.

Of 42 juniors and seniors on the football team, 15 major in physical education, according to the Cobber football brochure. Of these 42 athletes, fifteen are double majors. Men’s Sports Information Director Sonny Gulsvig feels majoring in two fields will help a student get a job and also emphasizes participating in a sport will look good in the portfolio of that individual.

Football assistant coach Bob Nick feels our society has put such an emphasis on winning that it has forced unscrupulous events to happen in some schools. Nick feels winning is good in one way — you have to be competitive, but it is bad if you’re not realistic.

1981 Cross Country

A fifth-place finish in the MIAC meet and a 21st place finish out of 34 teams in the NCAA Division III regional meet were the high points of the men’s cross country season in 1981. Top runner for the Cobbers in the conference meet was Kevin Johnson who placed 14th. Kevin Benson was the team’s top performer in the regional event. Paul Frederickson was coach of the team.

In 1981 golf became a fall sport in the MIAC and John Eidsness took over the reins as men’s golf coach. Highlighting the year’s golf season was the first place finish in the conference over eight other teams. Two golfers, Scott Steinbach and Tim Tingelstad, were named to the MIAC team for the 1981 season — as Steinbach was the medalist and Tingelstad was the runnerl-up. Also at the Erv Kaiser Invitational in Fargo, the team set a school record for an 18-hole round, shooting a cumulative score of 281 the first day of competition.

Tim Tingelstad, Cobber senior from Detroit Lakes, was named to the NAIA academic all-American golf team. Tingelstad, an outstanding high school athlete, combined a stroke average of 78.4 per round with a 3.52 GPA last spring to make the honored team. Tingelstad was one of twelve men on the team, the only one from Minnesota.

1981-82 Basketball

1981 - 1982 was an exciting season for the Concordia basketball team — they won their first MIAC title in 51 years. Head coach John Eidsness felt that the five returning juniors and five returning seniors had the potential for a very good year. The team’s hopes for a national championship were cut short when Moorhead State defeated the Cobbers 82 - 76 in the final NAIA District 13 playoff game. The season record for Concordia was 16 - 2 in the conference and 20 - 9 overall.

Three players, Andy Askegaard, Greg Strand, and Garrett Byrne, were named to the all-conference team. Garrett led the team in scoring averaging 15 points per game and in rebounding with 7.4 per game.
The roster included Greg Strand, Dale Moe, Steve Knutson, Ricky Simpson, Mark Streed, Brad Willis, Robert Booker, Jon Eide, Jim Knutson, Andy Askegaard, Kerry Nelson, and Garrett Byrne.

Scores for the season were:
Concordia 75 Mayville State 58
Concordia 60 Whitworth College 61
Concordia 47 Idaho   96
Concordia 79 Augsburg 78
Concordia 66 Bemidji State 65
Concordia 57 St. Cloud State 45
Concordia 53 Northern Michigan 59
Concordia 55 St. John’s 58
Concordia 59 Hamline 57
Concordia 56 St. Thomas 51
Concordia 74 St. Mary’s 53
Concordia 78 Gustavus 71
Concordia 77 Macalester 62
Concordia 58 St. John’s 57
Concordia 85 St. Olaf 55
Concordia 73 Bethel   56
Concordia 81 Hamline 72
Concordia 74 Moorhead State 76
Concordia 81 Gustavus 72
Concordia 69 St. Mary’s 55
Concordia 86 St. Thomas 80
Concordia 80 Augsburg 74
Concordia 44 Macalester 43
Concordia 61 St. Olaf 56
Concordia 81 Bethel   82
Concordia 83 UM Duluth 73
Concordia 76 Moorhead State 82

Conference standings were:
Concordia 16 - 2
Augsburg 15 - 3
St. John’s 13 - 5
St. Thomas 9 - 9
Hamline 9 - 9
Gustavus 9 - 9
Bethel 7 - 11
St. Mary’s 7 - 11
Macalester 3 - 15
St. Olaf 2 - 16

1981-82 Hockey

The 1981 - 1982 Cobber hockey team skated to a third-place finish in the MIAC, finishing the season with a 13 - 14 overall record and a 9 - 7 conference record. On the roster were Richard Larson, Brian Vatnsdal, John Mari, Andy Odegaard, Steve Nornes, Steve Baumgartner, Paul Bjorklund, Mark Jordahl, Lonnie Vatnsdal, David Larson, Mike Pitsenberger, Lyndell Vatnsdal, John Latterell, Sam Bakken, Scott Engum, Dave Noah, Jeff Goos, Mike Berg, Chip Ammerman, Kevin Johnson, Mark Hedstrom, and Brent Pietsch.

Hockey honors were bestowed on coach Al Rice as he was selected to help coach the West all-star team. Steve Baumgartner was the first Cobber ever to be invited to play in the senior all-star game held in the Met Sports Center in Minneapolis. Named to the all-MIAC team were Kevin Johnson, Brian Vatnsdal, Steve Baumgartner, and Paul Bjorklund.

The season schedule was:
Concordia 4 St. Cloud State 1
Concordia 7 Bethel   4
Concordia 3 St. Mary’s 6
Concordia 9 St. Olaf 3
Concordia 3 St. Scholastica 5
Concordia 2 St. Scholastica 3
Concordia 10 U of Winnipeg 4
Concordia 5 U of Winnipeg 6
Concordia 3 U of Manitoba 6
Concordia 2 U of Manitoba 5
Concordia 10 Bethel   5
Concordia 4 Bethel   5
Concordia 5 St. Olaf 6
Concordia 3 St. Olaf 4
Concordia 5 St. Mary’s 2
Concordia 5 St. Mary’s 1
Concordia 8 Hamline 1
Concordia 6 Hamline 5
Concordia 10 St. John’s 5
Concordia 11 St. Thomas 4
Concordia 6 St. Thomas 2
Concordia 4 St. John’s 3
Concordia 2 Augsburg 6
Concordia 0 St. Cloud State 4
Concordia 2 Gustavus 10
Concordia 4 Gustavus 10

1981-82 Wrestling

The 1981 - 1982 Cobber wrestling team compiled a 5 - 3 dual meet record and placed third in the MIAC behind Augsburg and St. Thomas. Three of Coach Finn Grinaker’s wrestlers represented Concordia at the NCAA Division III finals. Wrestling in the nationals were DuWayne Kilbo, Malcolm (Molly) McLeod, and Doug Soderman. McLeod took fourth place in the national tournament and won his third consecutive All-American honor.

The roster included Phil Bungum, Larry Feldt, Jeff Neil, Doug Soderman, Leif Wallin, Wade Christensen, Dan Olsgaard, Gary Raedeke, Murdick McLeod, Craig Austin, Fred Knudsvig, DuWayne Kilbo, Todd Olson, Molly McLeod, Kevin Entner, and John Butenhoff.
Season’s results were:

St. Cloud Tournament: 10th place out of 16 teams
North Country Invitational: 3rd place out of 9 teams (Molly McLeod - 1st place)
All-Lutheran Tournament: 5th place out of 8 teams (Molly McLeod - 1st place)
MIAC Conference Meet: 3rd place out of 8 teams (Molly McLeod - 1st place)

Dual Meets:
Concordia 27 Valley City State 22
Concordia 7 NDSU   48
Concordia 24 Bemidji State 27
Concordia 24 UND   21
Concordia 30 Moorhead State 13
Concordia 22 St. Thomas 24
Concordia 45 St. Olaf 3
Concordia 34 Bethel   18

1982 Baseball

Coach Don “Bucky” Burgau’s 1982 baseball team collected a 10 - 7 conference season record to earn fourth place in the MIAC. They finished with an overall record of 15 - 16. Junior Dan Olson was the only member of the Cobber team to be named to the All-MIAC team. He led the hitters with a .380 batting average and led the team with 22 RBI’s and 11 stolen bases.

On the baseball team were Mark Redemske, Bob Schepper, Dan Olson, Steve Anderson, Dave Anderson, Jon Ahrndt, Doug Fick, Brent Helmeke, Greg Schmid, Dan Schroeder, Will Stearns, Guy Gilbert, Howard Berglund, Roger Degerman, Mark Gauger, Dan Hertel, John Kost, Craig Simmons, Mark Nelson, Craig Smith, Rick Melbye, Tim Tostengord, Tim Anderson, Ray Brekke, Kent Kuball, Craig Sawyer, and Dan Solbrack. Assistant coaches were Sonny Gulsvig and Howard Kangas.

Scores for the season were:
Concordia 3 Kansas State 8
Concordia 5 Kansas State   11
Concordia 4 Emporia State 3
Concordia 1 Emporia State 8
Concordia 1 Emporia State 11
Concordia 3 Emporia State 18
Concordia 2 Washburn 7
Concordia 2 Washburn 3
Concordia 11 U of Kansas 5
Concordia 3 U of Kansas 13
Concordia 2 Valley City State 6
Concordia 12 Valley City State 3
Concordia 8 NDSU   2
Concordia 5 NDSU   3
Concordia 4 St. Mary’s 5
Concordia 3 St. Mary’s 0
Concordia 6 Macalester 0
Concordia 2 Macalester 0
Concordia 6 Hamline 7
Concordia 7 Hamline 1
Concordia 1 Bethel   0
Concordia 2 Bethel   4
Concordia 9 St. John’s 2
Concordia 6 St. John’s 3
Concordia 1 Augsburg 6
Concordia 12 Augsburg 6
Concordia 1 St. Thomas 5
Concordia 3 St. Thomas 8
Concordia 7 St. Olaf 8
Concordia 4 Gustavus 3
Concordia 4 Gustavus 3

1982 Track

In Coach Jim Fischer’s second year at the helm of the Cobber track and field team, the 1982 squad produced some outstanding performances. Kevin Johnson advanced to the NCAA Division III meet where he missed qualifying for the finals in the 3000-meter steeplechase by only 1.07 seconds. His third-place qualifying time at the MIAC meet was 9:17:79 which was a school record and hearned him all-MIAC honors for the second consecutive year. Distance runner Kevin Benson was named the most valuable overall performer for the season, while pole vaulter, David “Buzz” Dahl was named outstanding field events performer and Kevin Johnson was the outstanding track performer. Track captains were Kevin Benson, Mark Dale, and Dave Jones.

The squad included Mark Dale, Eric Lund, Steve Danielson, Jay Peloquin, Pete Hennum, Dan Sheridan, Kevin Johnson, Dave Jones, Brad Bateman, Gil Irey, Kevin Benson, Mark Larson, Jeff Block, Ron Rasmus, Buzz Dahl, Nate Redlin, Phil Elkin, Greg Enerson, Larry Larson, Clay Loeffler, Pete Seljevold, Jim Bellefeuille, Bob Hinman, Tim Boie, Cris Miller, Lee Crum, Eric Nesheim, Jim Davig, Paul Yetter, and Matt Harris.

Results for the season were:
Concordia 9 NDSU 111
Concordia 57 Northern 79
Concordia 18 Moorhead State 112
Tri-College Meet: 3rd place out of 3 teams
Northern Invitational: 5th place out of 13 teams
Valley City Invitational: 7th place out of 8 teams
MIAC Conference Meet: 6th place out of 9 teams

1982 Tennis

The 1982 men’s tennis team finished their season with an 11 - 7 record, while placing sixth in the MIAC. Senior Mark Jordahl highlighted the season, even though he was injured for much of the action. Jordahl was named the recipient of the Arthur Ashe Award by the coaches in the MIAC, which is an award for an outstanding tennis performance combined with excellent academic achievement and extracurricular involvement. Despite his injuries, Jordahl held an undefeated singles and doubles record.

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These pages are maintained by Jerry Pyle - pyle@cord.edu and Finn Grinaker - cgrinaker@juno.com. These pages are copyrighted © and may not be published or reproduced without the express permission of Finn Grinaker.