Top of Heap – Forney Ranks No. 1
by Tom Williams
Dallas Times Herald
Saturday, 12 October 1966
FORNEY – Some people are never satisfied – and that includes high school football teams.
Last year, Forney’s Jackrabbits compiled a 12-1 record losing only to Keller in the quarterfinals of the Class A playoffs. To most teams, it would have been a good year, but to Forney it was disappointing.
“We thought we had a good chance to go all the way,” said coach Johnnie Henderson. “So we decided to work harder this year and try for it again. We’re determined to bring home the Class A title, but it won’t be an easy task.”
The Jackrabbits are making their 1966 opponents feel the brunt of their desires. They have rolled over five straight teams and have done it in such a convincing fashion that they are the No. 1 team in the Class A rankings.
“It’s an honor to be there,” said Henderson. “There’s a lot of pressure on our kids, but I think this makes the work a little harder. They want to remain No. 1 and then win that state championship.”
This year’s Forney team would make nearly every coach drool. The Jackrabbits have size, average speed and a defense which has limited five foes to 12 points – an average of 2.4 points per game.
Offensively the team has racked up 213 points beating Seagoville, 26-6, Wylie, 51-0, Wills Point, 49-6, Commerce, 41-0, and Rockwall, 46-0. Seagoville, Commerce and Rockwall are Class AA school and Wills Point is the defending Class A champion.
“I think the Wills Point game was our best,” said Henderson. “The Boys wanted to knock off the defending champs. Both our offense and defense did exceptional jobs in that game.”
Although Forney is a small school – 261 students – the Jackrabbits aren’t small on the gridiron. Their offensive line tips the scales at a 188-pound average while the defensive crew is two pounds per man heavier.
“We’ve got some good-size boys,” said Henderson, “And they have quickness. They’re big, but they are by no means slow. This along with the block of our offensive line, has been our key factors this year.”
In piling up 1,630 yards on total offense this season, Forney has called on fullback Larry Bush, quarterback Dale Penny and halfbacks Tom Chaney and Sammy Beeler to tote the mail. Bush, a 190-pound bruising runner, leads the team in scoring with 13 touchdowns.
Anchoring the Jackrabbits’ line is monstrous 253-pound Bunyan Humphries, who Henderson thinks is one of the finest tackles he’s ever coached. “Bunyan’s size will fool you,” he said. “You may think he’s slow, but he’s not. He moves real well for a big man.”
Line backer Gary Whitemore is another one of Henderson’s fine defenders. Against Rockwall Friday night, Whitemore was in on 16 tackles.
One of Forney’s biggest supporters is school superintendent O.B. Johnson. “He gets all fired up every Friday,” said Henderson. “He stars roaming the halls, talking about our game that night. Most of the time he gets to the field ahead of us.”
But Johnson is only one of many fans the Jackrabbits have. “We don’t have enough seats at our stadium,” said Henderson. “At the Wills Point game, we had over 3,000 and when we went to Rockwall over 500 supporters followed us. They’ve been great to us and we’ve appreciated it.”
Maybe Forney’s fans will be rewarded at season’s end with the state Class A championship. Then everyone in this town of 1,544 will be happy – especially Henderson and his Jackrabbits.
