Fastest players in PN-G history?

[pngfanatic]

 

[pngfanatic]

I also found this in a PA News article after the 1970 football season -
"In his only flat-out 100-yard dash last year, Bergeron was clocked at 9.9; he'll be gunning for a 9.8 this spring. That he wears his football armor easily was evident last season when Bergeron was thrown into a foot race with Frank (9.6) Zummo during the Forest Park game. He simply ran away from the District 21-4A sprint champion.".

 

[IndianFan]

I also found this in a PA News article after the 1970 football season -
"In his only flat-out 100-yard dash last year, Bergeron was clocked at 9.9; he'll be gunning for a 9.8 this spring. That he wears his football armor easily was evident last season when Bergeron was thrown into a foot race with Frank (9.6) Zummo during the Forest Park game. He simply ran away from the District 21-4A sprint champion.".

Wow. That’s equivalent to a 10.8 100 meter time. The current high school world record is 9.98 set by Matthew Boling. With the same modern diet and training available now, no telling what Bergeron could have run.

Will we ever see another Jeff Bergeron? Even so I don’t think any player can ever surpass the legend of #24 ‘The Jet’. In the 48 years since he last played, no player has come close to his speed.

 

[1989NDN]

When I was in school in the eighties, Coach Cobb had the PN-G track records posted in the field house and, if I recall correctly, Robert DuRutte (1977 or 1978) had the long jump record and the high jump record. I want to say the long jump record was over 24-feet and the high jump record was 6'7"...until Pat Abel broke the high jump record in 1988 at the UIL state meet clearing 6'9" or 6'10". I think Pat finished second at the state meet in Class 5A. Pat had some hops.

 

[1989NDN]

Wow. That’s equivalent to a 10.8 100 meter time. The current high school world record is 9.98 set by Matthew Boling. With the same modern diet and training available now, no telling what Bergeron could have run.

Will we ever see another Jeff Bergeron? Even so I don’t think any player can ever surpass the legend of #24 ‘The Jet’. In the 48 years since he last played, no player has come close to his speed.

Will we ever see another Jeff "The Jet" Bergeron? I would not rule it out, but I think the odds are against it. Per my group of old Indians, who have been watching Indian football games since 1950, they voted no. They said no one could go from zero to top speed like Bergeron. He could go from standing still to his top speed like no other athlete and when he reached top speed, he could run down Little Joe Washington.

 

[prepballfan]

Will we ever see another Jeff "The Jet" Bergeron? I would not rule it out, but I think the odds are against it. Per my group of old Indians, who have been watching Indian football games since 1950, they voted no. They said no one could go from zero to top speed like Bergeron. He could go from standing still to his top speed like no other athlete and when he reached top speed, he could run down Little Joe Washington.

I always hope that one day the next big one will come through. It only takes a moment to see a Roschon Johnson or a Jaylen Garth to walk or hallways. We have two Indians who are in Austin right now and one in College Station and numerous playing around the country. I would say that a resurgence in talent may be happening right before our very eyes. Maybe one day another Bergeron or McGill will come through. The 9th going to the 10th-grade team is very talented and maybe they will make a big-time mark. How lucky can we be to go from Morse to Roschon to Bost. Look across our area these three would start on any team in the last 6-7 years and we had them back to back to back. We have another one lined up after the great one we have now.

 

[IndianFan]

I always hope that one day the next big one will come through. It only takes a moment to see a Roschon Johnson or a Jaylen Garth to walk or hallways. We have two Indians who are in Austin right now and one in College Station and numerous playing around the country. I would say that a resurgence in talent may be happening right before our very eyes. Maybe one day another Bergeron or McGill will come through. The 9th going to the 10th-grade team is very talented and maybe they will make a big-time mark. How lucky can we be to go from Morse to Roschon to Bost. Look across our area these three would start on any team in the last 6-7 years and we had them back to back to back. We have another one lined up after the great one we have now.

Will we ever see another Jeff "The Jet" Bergeron? I would not rule it out, but I think the odds are against it. Per my group of old Indians, who have been watching Indian football games since 1950, they voted no. They said no one could go from zero to top speed like Bergeron. He could go from standing still to his top speed like no other athlete and when he reached top speed, he could run down Little Joe Washington.

He had elite speed. Track speed in pads. No one since has matched it at PN-G. Preston Riggs was probably the fastest in recent years. I also remember Kaleb Sparks being a real burner in 2014. He pulled away from the Ozen kid that played for Alabama.

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[png66]

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

Simpson, Landry and Byrd also played football.

View attachment 529
Courtesy pngfanatic

Kenneth Bernard also played football. He replaced Dwight William's on the 440 relay team after Dwight tore his hamstring. Dwight probably would have won the 440 in district. Mike ran the opening leg on the 440 relay team because no one could catch him with his running start on the anchor leg.

 

[pngfanatic]

The 1965 PNG track team had unbelievable speed. 5 sprinters that ran a 10 flat or better 100. Their best times -
Mike Simpson = 9.5
Lyman Landry = 9.5
Dwight Williams = 9.8
Randy Byrd = 10.0
Kenneth Bernard = 10.0

 

[IndianFan]

Incredible info. Thank you all for sharing. Sounds like several that preceded Bergeron were likely just as fast or faster. These are amazing historical conversations. Hopefully past great athletes will never be forgotten. That’s why we want to talk about them here.

 

[prepballfan]

Amazing

 

[IndianFan]

Interesting point of context; In 1963 the great Bob Hayes recorded a personal best and world record time of 9.1 in the 100 yard dash.

If Simpson and Landry actually ran a 9.5 that was near world class speed in 1965.

Pngfanatic, can you share the reference to the 9.5 time so I can update Mike’s hall of honor page?

Mike Simpson - Class of 1965 - PN-G Indians Football

Mike Simpson was one of the fastest players in PN-G football history. Timed in the 100 yard dash at 9.8 seconds, he was also a star track athlete who helped set a state record in the 440 relay. Simpson was a 1964 All-District running back who later started at defensive back for the University of […]

www.pngindians.com

 

[Usedtocould]

The 1965 PNG track team had unbelievable speed. 5 sprinters that ran a 10 flat or better 100. Their best times -
Mike Simpson = 9.5
Lyman Landry = 9.5
Dwight Williams = 9.8
Randy Byrd = 10.0
Kenneth Bernard = 10.0

I’ve always noticed that speed is “contagious” in a group. I have theories about why that is. it seemed to catch in my town growing up - our track team (HS) had the second best mile relay in the nation behind Univeraity of Arkansas (who had the National best time) and tons of speed. All around. It’s always seemed (to me) that speed begets speed I guess is my point. (Something to be learned rather than in born)

 

[IndianFan]

I’ve always noticed that speed is “contagious” in a group. I have theories about why that is. it seemed to catch in my town growing up - our track team (HS) had the second best mile relay in the nation behind Univeraity of Arkansas (who had the National best time) and tons of speed. All around. It’s always seemed (to me) that speed begets speed I guess is my point. (Something to be learned rather than in born)

Iron sharpens iron. Teams and groups can push one another to the next level.

Of course without the physical aptitude to run that fast, it couldn’t happen.

 

[Usedtocould]

Iron sharpens iron. Teams and groups can push one another to the next level.

Totally I’ll never forget losing my first race as a kid. Totally busted my bubble but I IMMEDIATELY got faster realizing I wasn’t the fastest person in the universe and that faster was possible from what I was presently doing. The next few times I raced that kid I started keeping up with him and eventually beating him. Totally learned from that experience. Until then in my mind I was as fast as I could have possibly been. Haha.

 

[Usedtocould]

Also from our HOURS of playing (I’m sure everyone had this game) “kill the man with the ball” or shortened to “kill the man” haha. Sure we had other games that actually made sense but for some reason we loved “kill the man”

 

[IndianFan]

Also from our HOURS of playing (I’m sure everyone had this game) “kill the man with the ball” or shortened to “kill the man” haha. Sure we had other games that actually made sense but for some reason we loved “kill the man”

I remember that game! I had decent speed as a kid but relied more on the ability to carry 4 or 5 on my back or run over them. Later on in life, with a personal best of 4.9 in the 40, I was never destined to be a sprinter no matter how much I practiced!

 

[1989NDN]

I'm of the belief that some football players are "just fast enough." Take Justin Eicher, James Shipley, Ron McGill, Richy Ethridge, or Dustin Long, or Roschon Johnson. In big games, those guys were "just fast enough" to make big plays and win games. Eicher, Shipley, and McGill...I have no idea what their 40-time was, but in big games, those guys were "just fast enough" to hit the hole, make a move, run over a LB or DB, and then outrun everyone else for a TD. Richy Ethridge was a MLB or FB (ala Tim Tebow) playing QB. He was "just fast enough" to lead the Indians to a state championship. Dustin Long, was "just fast enough" to extend plays and throw a bomb. Roschon Johnson was a gifted and highly intelligent QB that was "just fast enough" to run for a 70-yard TD or to extend a play and throw a bomb. Now, he is "just fast enough" to play QB or TB for Texas. Some guys, are fast on a track. Some guys, are "just fast enough" on a football field to win games. PN-G has been blessed with guys "just fast enough." I'm not knocking the speed of Mike Simpson or Jeff Bergeron, but somehow, the Indians always find guys "just fast enough."

Go Indians. Peace.

 

[IndianFan]

I'm of the belief that some football players are "just fast enough." Take Justin Eicher, James Shipley, Ron McGill, Richy Ethridge, or Dustin Long, or Roschon Johnson. In big games, those guys were "just fast enough" to make big plays and win games. Eicher, Shipley, and McGill...I have no idea what their 40-time was, but in big games, those guys were "just fast enough" to hit the hole, make a move, run over a LB or DB, and then outrun everyone else for a TD. Richy Ethridge was a MLB or FB (ala Tim Tebow) playing QB. He was "just fast enough" to lead the Indians to a state championship. Dustin Long, was "just fast enough" to extend plays and throw a bomb. Roschon Johnson was a gifted and highly intelligent QB that was "just fast enough" to run for a 70-yard TD or to extend a play and throw a bomb. Now, he is "just fast enough" to play QB or TB for Texas. Some guys, are fast on a track. Some guys, are "just fast enough" on a football field to win games. PN-G has been blessed with guys "just fast enough." I'm not knocking the speed of Mike Simpson or Jeff Bergeron, but somehow, the Indians always find guys "just fast enough."

Go Indians. Peace.

Bergeron had track speed that translated to the football field. That’s pretty rare I think.

Eicher could run about a 4.6 @ 200 lbs. He was also ox strong and could run over people.
Shipley 4.5
Long 4.7
Johnson 4.55-4.6 but seemed slower his senior season than sophomore and junior years. But his strength then and now is great acceleration after his first cut.

There is a distinct difference between fast and quick. Emmitt Smith ‘only’ ran about a 4.52 40 but could cut and accelerate as well as any back.

The difference is being able to stretch the field and open up the passing and running game. We need at least one guy that’s a burner to keep the defense honest. Indians didn’t have that at WR after Riggs graduated and the offense was less potent.

 

[benchwarmer53]

I agree with pngfanatic on Earl Sheffield in the 50s. As a '53 football teammate I remember the story that he ran a 9.8 100 yd dash in the ninth grade.