The 1953 Buccaneers went undefeated in conference play
Dale Miller, Brooten 1954 graduate, is shown in his football uniform next to the Brooten football field on a sunny October day in 1953. That fall, the Buccaneers won 5 of their 6 games while claiming a conference title.
The September 24, 1953 issue of the Brooten Review newspaper previewed the 1953 Brooten high school football team as they prepared for the season opener at home against Eden Valley. Expectations ran high for a strong season that fall on the gridiron.
The team's eight returning lettermen were Dale Solbreken, Quentin Barnes, Kenneth Hoff, Roger Nelson, Sherwood Trustheim, Desmond Sagedahl, Dale Miller and Clidus Anderson (two-year letter winner from Akron, Iowa).
Homecoming was scheduled for October 9 against Kimball. Unfortunately, the Cubs went home with a 34-13 win over Brooten after they led just 7-0 at halftime. Kimball benefited from a kickoff return for a touchdown and an interception return for a touchdown in the second half.
The Buccaneers finished 5-1 on the season. In Crow River Conference play, the Buccaneers went 4-0 to win the school's first football conference title. Against Belgrade, the Buccaneers won 21-19 for their first football win over the Redmen in eight years. Brooten outscored Crow River opponents by a total points margin of 113 to 32. A huge factor in that margin was a 47-0 win at New London in Week Two.
The front page of the October 20, 2022 issue of the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper included a large color photo of the football team with the Brooten Pavilion in the background. In that era, the Buccaneers played their 8-man football games at a football field located on the present-day site of the Brooten city park softball field.
The newspaper is working on additional looking back coverage of the 1953 Brooten football season to be published in the October 27 issue.
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