Tue Sep 10 13:17:00 UTC 2024: ## Kuemper Knights Relive Historic Upset Over Heelan in 50th Anniversary Reunion
**Carroll, IA** – Fifty years after a stunning upset over top-ranked Sioux City Heelan, former Kuemper High School football players and coaches reunited to celebrate their improbable 7-6 victory.
The 1974 game, dubbed “David vs. Goliath,” saw the Knights, under then-head coach Tom Hayes, outsmart and outplay the heavily favored Crusaders. Hayes devised a defensive scheme that neutralized Heelan’s powerful wishbone offense, holding them to a mere five total offensive yards in the first half.
“It was a game where Kuemper’s green people came of age,” wrote Dennis O’Grady, Sports Editor of the Times Herald at the time.
The reunion, organized by former middle guard Russ Hoffman, brought together 16 players, a cheerleader, and an assistant coach from the historic 1974 team. They were introduced at halftime of the recent Kuemper-Heelan game and later reminisced at a get-together at Carroll Brewing Co.
“It was one of those deals where we were big-time underdogs, but we came out on top,” Hoffman said. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime thing.”
The victory remains a defining moment in Kuemper football history, a testament to the team’s grit and determination against a formidable opponent. It was the only loss for Heelan in the 1974 season, while Kuemper finished with a 6-3 record.
Coach Hayes, who went on to a successful coaching career at various college and NFL levels, was praised by Hoffman for his motivational leadership and innovative strategies.
The reunion served as a reminder of the enduring legacy of the “Greatest Knight Win,” a victory that continues to inspire generations of Kuemper athletes and fans.
First Piper 