Memories of a special football season 41 years ago in Two Rivers were rekindled late last week.
A book talk and signing for “That Championship Year” 1980, was held at Port Sandy Bay where author Jody L. Pritzl and Two Rivers Washington High School Football Coach Jerry Bonino shared their thoughts with many former Raiders players and their spouses last Friday afternoon (August 6th).
Two Rivers won the first of what would be its’ 3-consecutive state titles in November 1980 with a 17-15 victory over Rice Lake at Goerke Field in Stevens Point.
Bonino said he entered coaching to hopefully be a positive influence on young men’s lives, calling it the “best move I ever made honest to God. I never regretted being a coach and a teacher.”
Bonino also called it “an unbelievable feeling that I get when I see you guys and am able to talk over the old times. It’s really tremendous and I appreciate everything you’ve done for me and the city of Two Rivers. It was big. At that times guys it was big.”
As for the author of “That Championship Year”, Pritzl is a 1981 graduate of Two Rivers Washington and now resides in Colorado.
Jody said she’s a blessed lady to have grown up here.
“Obviously that was a great time in life and a great year,” she said. “I think we were so blessed to have the team we had in the town we had. I really do.”
Coach Bonino told the gathering “As years go by, it’s times like this I’ve forgotten, or maybe they just fade. Thank God for Jody Pritzl because the dream is going to stay alive for a long time because of her.”
You can buy the book “That Championship Year” 1980 on Amazon.
