Fastest players in PN-G history?

[IndianFan]

There have been some players at PN-G that possessed extraordinary speed.

Let’s hear opinions on who should be on the top list. Former players will remember this firsthand from their respective teams. Please share your thoughts on fastest of all time, and any subsequent list of other players.

Please include senior season, or the last season they played , and we’ll categorize by year and decade. Any stories would be great too. (I remember a story about Jeff Bergeron racing some other players on the team who thought they could beat him.)

 

[prepballfan]

I know Mike Simpson would be on this list. I have no personal stories other than hearing how fast he was. Based purely off of legend Jeff Bergeron would be at the top of the list.
Of course, in recent times, we would have to add the straightaway speed of Preston Riggs
Another would be Ron McGill.

 

[IndianFan]

In the 50s and 60s PN-G had some record setting track teams, including runners that also played football. Pngfanatic has some good info from that period.

 

[1989NDN]

Mike Simpson, Lyman Landry, Tommy Landry, Leyton Brown, and Jeff Bergeron. I would love to see the lists of other Indian fans.

Go Indians. Peace.

 

[Usedtocould]

My dad talked about Bergeron but fastest player I’ve seen recently at least was Riggs.

 

[1989NDN]

Mike Simpson was the 1965 state champion in the 220, the opening leg of a national record holding 1965 440 relay team, and he was a 1965 state finalist in the 100. I realize that 1965 was before the integration of the UIL and PVIL, but his accomplishments are still plenty fast. Mike Simpson in his prime vs. Jeff Bergeron in his prime. It would be an outstanding race...it would be over in a blink of an eye. Two of the fastest Indians over the past 90+ years. In his mid- to late- sixties, Jeff Bergeron still looks like he could suit up and play.

 

[PNGIndian75]

Jeff Bergeron is the fastest player I have watched in person back in the 71-73 time frame. But my brother graduated with Mike Simpson and he told me how fast he was and I watched him on TV when he played for the 49ers. He was quick as well.

 

[IndianFan]

Both amazing runners. And there are more. Robert Giblin played defense back in the NFL. He must have had serious speed as well. Here a photo of him tackling Rodger Staubach. https://www.museumofthegulfcoast.org/robert-giblin

Mike Simpson has not been inducted. I believe that is an egregious oversight.

 

[prepballfan]

Very cool I did not know that about Giblin

 

[pngfanatic]

I saw Mike Simpson and Jeff Bergeron play at PNG. Simpson may have been his equal on the track, but on the football field Bergeron is most definitely the fastest Indian ever. His acceleration was unbelievable - 4.3-4.4 40yd. He also ran a 10.4 100m at Lamar.

Here's an example I remember from the high school all-star game in 1973. Tommy Kramer (later QB for Rice and the Vikings) literally couldn't turn around quickly enough for a clean handoff to Bergeron. 2 fumbles because of that. And I think Jeff only got 5 carries or so in the game as a result. However, he did score the only TD for the South - a long pass, which he had to turn around and wait for.

 

[pngfanatic]

By Decade:
50s - Earl Sheffield (1953)
60s - Mike Simpson (1964)
70s - Jeff Bergeron (1972)
80s - Ron McGill (1989)
90s - ???
2000-2010 - Josh Cook (2004)
2011-2020 - Preston Riggs

 

[IndianFan]

A few more candidates:
Brian Cappadonna - 1996
Brandon Begnaud - 2006
Kenneth Tezeno - 2006

 

[IndianFan]

1965 High School World Record 440-Yard Relay Team: Mike Simpson, Kenneth Bernard, Lyman Landry, Randy Byrd.

Simpson, Landry and Byrd also played football.


Courtesy pngfanatic

 

[IndianFan]

Courtesy pngfanatic

 

[IndianFan]

Mike Simpson and Lyman Landry shared the school 100 yard dash record as of 1965.

Grand old times... Mid-County Chronicle, John Divillier, Coach Watson, Coach P.J. Granger...

 

[1989NDN]

Great find, Indian Fan. I don't know where you find these gems, but keep posting them. The 1965 relay team had some serious speed. Did Jeff Bergeron run track? Or did college football recruiting keep him too busy to run for the PN-G track team?

Go Indians. Peace.

 

[IndianFan]

Great find, Indian Fan. I don't know where you find these gems, but keep posting them. The 1965 relay team had some serious speed. Did Jeff Bergeron run track? Or did college football recruiting keep him too busy to run for the PN-G track team?

Go Indians. Peace.

Credit goes to pngfanatic for the track articles.

Surprisingly Bergeron did not run track.

 

[pngfanatic]

I think Bergeron was on the track team for a while as a sophomore - at least long enough to set the school record in the long jump at over 21 feet (not sure if that's still the record). I'll dig through my scrapbook and see if I can find the article about the long jump record. I don't know if he has any recorded times in the 100yd dash in high school. However, he did run a 10.1 100 as a 9th grader. He was also on the basketball team as a soph. I have a picture of that in my scrapbook too. He was only on the football team as a junior and senior as far as I know.

 

[IndianFan]

You are correct. Bergeron did run some track in 1970.
In football Jeff 'The Jet' Bergeron was an all-district running back and defensive back as a sophomore. He rushed for 913 yards.





He also played JV basketball as a soph. (#24)



After his sophomore year he focused on football.

 

[pngfanatic]

PA News May 24, 1971