The 1969 Indy football team will be honored at halftime of the this Sunday's Neewollah matchup against Coffeyville. BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW AT INDYPIRATES.COM

1969: It's still Independence and Hutchinson racing at an unbroken clip towards the Kansas Juco football championship.

The front runners kept their respective conference records unblemished by posting big victories last week.

For the first time in 17 years, Independence clipped Coffeyville's Red Ravens in a football match-up. It was by a smashing 40-0 margin.

While the Pirates were taking Coffeyville by storm Saturday night, Hutchinson kept pace by subduing stubborn Pratt, 34-21.

Anytime Independence Juco beats Coffeyville in football it's worth a school holiday. And that was the case today. Needless to say, there have been only too few such occasions, just twice in the last 33 years.

Independence went into the game noted for its explosiveness on offense. But it was the Pirates' defensive unit that pressured the Ravens into a rash of errors to set up the Independence touchdowns.

The stalwart Pirate defenders kept the Ravens "hurried, harried and horizontal" most of the game.

The defense scored one touchdown, set up four TDs and on two other occasions turned the ball over to the offense 30 yards or less from the Coffeyville goal line.

Leading 14-0, the Pirates put the game out of reach with a four-touchdown scoring spree in the third period. A miscue on an attempted punt, a blocked punt that turned into an ICJC touchdown, an intercepted pass and a lost fumble sent the Ravens reeling and many their followers out of the misting rain and homeward out of the stadium.

Independence's only lengthy drive came in the opening period when the Pirates drove 65 yards in 10 plays to score. Gary Daughtery, sophomore from Ava. MO, carried the final three yards. The TD was set up on a 34-yard run by Cherryvale's Danny Goodwin. Byron Sierman, freshman from Fredonia, booted the first of his four conversions in the game.

Independence used a quick kick by Donnie Joe Morris to set the state for Coffeyville's first series of major errors.

Operating from their own 20, the Ravens fumbled. Tom Hardy recovered at the 12.

Independence got to the Ravens' four-yard line before running out of downs. But Coffeyville again coughed up the ball under pressure. This time Mike Byrd picked off a Raven pass and returned it 12 yards to the Coffeyville 30. Coffeyville held on its own 10 and a fourth down field goal attempt by Sierman was no good.

Even with a 14-point scoring bulge, Pirate followers were still apprehensive as the second half got underway and the Ravens briefly showed new life.

After taking the kickoff and reeling off a first down, Coffeyville was forced to punt from its own 37. The snap from center was high and the punter, after retrieving the ball, was downed by Steve Zimmerman at the Coffeyville 16.

After a running play lost four yards and a pass went incomplete, Morris scampered 20 yards for a touchdown and Independence went into a comfortable 21-0 lead.

Things went from bad to worse for the embattled Ravens.

After recovering a fumble on their own 27, the Ravens were unable to move and were forced to punt from the 28. This time Art Stefka broke through and blocked the punt. Big Zennie Parker, freshman defensive guard from South Hampton N.Y, scooped up the ball at the 12 and rambled in to score.

A few minutes later, the Pirates were on the way to their third TD of the quarter after Earl Perkins, freshman defensive back from Junction City, intercepted a pass and returned it 25 yards to the Coffeyville seven. Morris scored the TD on a four-yard run.

Independence tallied its fourth six pointer of the long and hectic "for Coffeyville" quarter. After Vyron Sierman recovered a fumble on the Ravens seven-yard line. Daughtery scored on a six-yard run.

Because of a snag in the ropes, the stadium flag was raised only to about half mast in pre-game ceremonies. It must have been an omen for the home team.

The triumph was the first over Coffeyville for Kayo Emmot, now in his third season at the Pirate football helm. As IHS coach he made a regular habit of guiding the Bulldogs past the south county preppers.

Speaking of the victory, Emmot said "It was one of the biggest highlights of my career."

Hardy, a co-captain for the game, led the charged-up Pirate front line defense. He was in on 12 tackles and was credited with 170 points on the defensive chart. Steve Zimmerman was in on 12 tackles and had 151 points on the chart. Art Stefka had 145 and Tim Brady 116.

Mike Byrd played his usual steady and dependable game in the defensive secondary. He played less than a half, because of an ankle injury, and was credited with 75 points on the chart. Steven Worl, an inside safety, chalked up 105 points.

"Our big job ahead will be to come down to earth and get back to work on our passing," Emmot pointed out.

 He had high praise for the defensive unity. "I just hope the defense will continue to play that way. It's something we have to have if we are going to think about a possible championship."