FHS grid history traced to 1923

(Editor’s note: the following is excerpted from the book, “Friona on Parade,” authored by Bill Ellis and scheduled to go on sale Sunday, September 10, from 2:30-4:30 at the Friona Public Library.)
Friona High School’s football program is traced back 83 years, to the fall of 1922, when recent graduate of West Texas “Normal,” Floyd Golden, who had been hired as FHS principal beginning in 1921.
Golden became principal after it was stated that “some of the big boys had run off the previous one.”
In his third year in Friona, Prof. Golden, who later played a role in the establishment of Eastern New Mexico University, decided that it was time for football in Friona.
The team nickname of Chieftains and school colors of red and white were also established that first year. Among those on the first grid team were Roscoe Parr, Sr., Milton Sanders, Bill Guyer, Elwin and Estin Crews, R.R., Tommy and Elwin Galloway, Johnny and Pool Hodge, Ralph Staley, Paul Taylor and Harold Schlenker.
No scores or team record from that first season survived, nor for the sport’s first three years at FHS. Finally, in the fall of ’27, it was reported in the Friona Star that FHS downed the Vega “Outlaws,” 7-0 and followed that up with a 12-7 win over the Happy “Jacks.” Center J.G. “Red” McFarland was singled out for his play. TDs were scored by J.D. Curry and Roy Hall.
Friona became one of the first schools of its size to play night football when lights were installed prior to the 1935 season. “The game showed up beautifully under the lights,” said the article in the Star. Friona downed Farwell, 7-0.
So anxious were FHS’ opponents to try the new “phenom” that the Chieftains were able to play their first seven games of the ’35 season at home! The team won five of the games.
Having to compete with such larger schools as Canyon, Hereford, Dumas and Dalhart for district honors, FHS didn’t taste a grid title until 1944, when the team was co-champs with Hereford. Hosting the Whitefaces on Thanksgiving Day for the outright title, FHS led, 13-7 late in the game only to fall, 14-13.
Raymond Cook’s 1952 Chieftains won the school’s first outright district crown, going 5-0 in District 3-B. Friona was finally the largest school in its “loop,” instead of the smallest!
Colie Huffman followed Cook as coach, and his 1957 charges won another district title, being 4-0 in District 3-A. The team fell to Ralls in bi-district, 21-12.
Don Light and Bob Owen arrived in Friona in 1963, to take jobs where the grid team had lost its past 27 straight games, longest streak going in the state at the time.
The duo orchestrated one of the biggest “turn-arounds” in the area’s history, tutoring the Chiefs to eight straight wins before dropping a 13-0 decision at Muleshoe in game #9.
Light and Owen coached FHS to a district co-title in ’64, losing only to Floydada, 7-6 in district. The following year, they won the championship outright at 5-0 in district.
Lonnie Phillips’ 1977 team tied for its district crown, as did Tommy Moss’ Chiefs of ’82.
The ’86 gridders were the first FHS team to win a playoff game. Tommy Moss’ troops won eight of their last nine games including a 19-13 win over class 4A Pampa.
FHS met Perryton in bi-district. Shy Burney’s 35-yard interception return brought the Chiefs to 10-7 at the half. Moss made a tough decision after Sam Montoya’s field goal tied the game 10-all late in the game. He decided to take the points off the board, giving Friona first and goal at the Ranger’ five. QB Daniel Echols validated his coach’s decision, running around end for the TD, which gave FHS the win, 13-10.
In the area round, Kermit kicked a late-game field goal to steal a 15-13 win after the Chiefs had led most of the way.