2022 season - 107th season of St. Joseph Bears football
First team 1913
No Team in 1916, 1917, 1918. (Flu epidemic, and WWI)


St. Joseph Football Conference/Division championships
1927, 1928, St. Joseph Blue Jackets
1931, 1932, 1933, 1935, 1938*, 1940, 1942, 1946, 1947, 1950, 1951, 1956, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971*, 1973*, 1974, 1975, 1980*, 1983, 1984*, 1986*, 1987*, 1988*, 1990, 1996, 1997, 2007*, 2008*, 2009, 2015, 2020
*Undefeated season

1988 Class B Football State Runner up
1988 Class B Region I Regional Champions
1988 Class B Region I District Champions
***St. Joseph Class of 1989 never lost a regular season game from 7th to 12th grade.

Retired Jerseys (1)

Rob Fredrickson (Class of 1989)

THE RECORD BOOK…

Victories
Consecutive, Regular Season only, No Ties
37 - 9/26/86-9/30/89

Consecutive Shutouts, No Ties
4 – 9/14-10/5/73 (Lakeshore, Muskegon Catholic Central, Dowagiac, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix)

3- 9/11-9/25/11 (Niles, Loy Norrix, Benton Harbor)

3 – 10/16-10/30/87  (Portage Northern, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix, South Haven)

3 – 9/26-10/10/86 (Benton Harbor, Portage Central, Niles)

Consecutive Winning Regular Seasons
11 – 1982-1992
8 – 2006-2013
6 – 1994-1999
6 – 2015-current

Ties
Lowest Scoring Tie Game
0- 9/30/55 vs. Grand Haven (0-0)
    10/4/68 vs. K. Loy Norrix (0-0)

Highest Scoring Tie Game
40- October 11, 1963 vs. Niles (20-20)

Season
2 - 1963, 9/20 vs. Buchanan (6-6), 10/11 vs. Niles (20-20)
2 - 1963, 9/21 vs. Buchanan (13-13), 9/28 vs. Dowagiac (6-6)

Consecutive Ties
2 - 1963, 9/21 vs. Buchanan (13-13), 9/28 vs. Dowagiac (6-6)

Last Tie Game
10/4/68 – SJ 0, KLN 0

Scoring
Game (min 45)
75 – SJ 75, Okemos 0 – 9/24/21
67 – SJ 67, BCC 35 – 9/19/08
62 – SJ 62, PN 42 – 9/30/22
62 – SJ 62, BCC 30 – 9/2/21

61 – SJ 61, KLN 14 – 10/25/85
59 – SJ 59, BH 8 – 10/3/14
59 – SJ 59, NIL 26 – 10/9/15
58 – SJ 58, SH 0 - 10/30/87
57 – SJ 57, SH 0 - 9/5/97
56 – SJ 56, KC 0 – 9/9/22
56 – SJ 56, GL 13 – 10/30/09
55 – SJ 55, NIL 7 – 9/6/19
55 – SJ 55, KLN 6 – 9/21/18
55 – SJ 55, NIL 26 – 9/27/13
55 – SJ 55, KLN 7 – 9/17/10
55 – SJ 55, PN 0 - 10/16/87
55 – SJ 55, MAT 7 – 10/9/09
54 – SJ 54, GL 14 – 10/16/20

52 – SJ 52, GL 6 – 9/3/15
52 – SJ 52, BUC 7 - 11/7/58
49 – SJ 49, Parma Western 13 – 11/12/21
49 – SJ 49, MAT 7 – 10/12/07

49 – SJ 49, LKS 14 –10/26/07
49 – SJ 49, PC 22 - 10/25/74
48 – SJ 48, KLN 6 – 9/1/16
48 – SJ 48, KLN 0 - 10/26/84
48 – SJ 48, PN 0 - 9/12/97
48 – SJ 48, NIL 0 – 9/11/09
48 – SJ 48, KC 7 – 8/28/14
47 – SJ 47, NIL 0 – 10/6/17
47 – SJ 47, PC 13 - 10/30/70
47 – SJ 47, SH 6 - 9/6/91
46 – SJ 46, KC 13 – 9/18/20

46 – SJ 46, SH 19 - 10/28/88
46 – SJ 46, MAT 6 - 10/17/08
45 – SJ 45, BCL 21 – 10/16/15
45 – SJ 45, BH 0 – 10/10/08
45 – SJ 45, CHI Luther 6 - 9/18/59
45 – SJ 45, NIL 21 - 10/11/96

Largest Margin of Victory
75 – SJ 75, Okemos 0 – 9/24/21

Lowest Scoring Win
2 – SJ 2, PC 0 – 10/4/85

Safeties in a game
2 – SJ 37, MAR 7 – 8/27/10

Touchdowns in a game
11 – SJ 75, Okemos 0 – 9/24/21

Total Yards in a game (Passing & Rushing)
706 – 9/30/22 vs. Portage Northern
517 rushing/189 passing,
3rd highest total in MHSAA History

Points Scored


Year

Points
Regular
Season

Points
Scored
Overall

PPG
Regular
Season

PPG
Overall

2008

344

389

38.22

35.36

1984

336

336

37.33

33.60

1987

319

329

35.44

29.91

2009

310

392

34.44

32.67

2015

304

383

33.78

31.92

2021

303

405

33.67

31.15

1997

300

377

33.33

31.42

2007

281

410

31.22

31.54

1988

279

327

31.00

25.15

2022

277

277

39.57

39.57

2013

267

304

29.67

27.64

2010

259

303

28.78

27.55

2020*

176

263

29.33

29.22

*2020 only 6 game regular season due to COVID

Fewest Points Allowed –
Regular Season (under 80)
43 – 1986
59 – 1961
62 – 1971, 2007
64 – 1973
65 – 1974
71 – 1980
77 – 1962
79 – 1960

First Downs
171 - 2007

Rushing Yards
2,272 – 2008
2,169 – 1987

Rushing Attempts
365 – 2017
358 – 2015
334 – 2008
333 – 2013

Passing Yards
1984 - 1984

Passing Attempts
232 – 2003

Passes Completed
102 - 1984

Fewest Yards Penalized
186 - 1978

Defense vs. Punt Return
-2 - 1987

Defense vs. Rush
484 - 1984

Defense vs. Pass
369 - 1995

Average Punt Return (Total Attempts)
20.0 (12) - 1994

Interceptions Allowed
18 - 1983

Fewest Interceptions by Opponents
1 (5 times) - 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 2010

Interceptions by
St. Joseph
19 (2 times) - 1968, 1969

Most Fumbles Lost
23 - 1969

Fewest Fumbles Lost
3 – 2002
4 – 2010

Most Punts
54 - 2003

Fewest Punts
16 – 2008
17 – 2007

Most Blocked Punts
6 – 1983, 2008

Most Blocked Kicks (XP,FG,Punt)
9 – 2008

High Punt Average
42.8 - 1988

Kickoff Average
53.55 - 1999

Most Shutouts


4 (3 times) - 1984, 1985, 1986

THE RECORD BOOK (CONTINUED)
INDIVIDUAL RECORDS…
Passing
Attempts
231-Andy Schueneman (2003)

Completed
98- Ethan Schweir (2007)

Yards
1793-Mike Gillette (1984)

Yards per completion
22.8- Dennis Patzer (1970)

Fewest Interceptions
1-Ebon Sanders (1988)/Phelan (1991)

Touchdown Passes
19-Ethan Schweir (2007)

Longest Touchdown Pass
84-Caleb Wright to James Barber (2001)

Receptions
45-Steve Preston (1984)

Receptions (Game)
11-Dan Lafond (2003)

Reception Yards
909-Steve Preston (1984)

Average Per Reception
34.5-Paul Gibeau (1987)

Touchdown Receptions
14-Scott Blasko (1996)

Special Teams
PAT Percentage
100.0-Brett Virgil (2005)
100.0-Ryan Kitron (2011)
95.8-Mike Gillette (1984)
95.0-Josh Akins (2009)
94.6-Sean Akins (2015)
93.3-Brett Virgil (2006)

Most PAT's
38-Josh Akins (2009)
35-Mike Gillette (1984)/Brett Virgil (2007), Sean Akins (2015)

Longest PAT Run (2 point conversion)
24-Nisbet (1971)
Field Goals (season)
9-Mike Gillette (1984)
9-Cullen Hoffman (2014)
9-Cullen Hoffman (2013)
9-Antonio Buhrfiend (2018)

Longest Field Goal
48-Brad Shushman (1999)

Longest Punt
71-Izak Ruddell (2016)

Kickoff Average
57.5-Cullen Hoffman(2013)
53.8-Sean Akins (2015)
53.6-Brad Shushman (1999)
53.4-Antonio Buhrfiend (2018)

Punt Average
42.8-Gary Layton

Field Goal Percentage
100-Greg Phelan (1990)/Jeff Smith (1996)/Ethan Schweir (2006), Josh Akins (2009)

Longest Kickoff Return for Touchdown
95-Griffin Shinrock (10/23/2020)
94-Mike Ryan (10/25/1974)

Longest Punt Return for Touchdown
96-Keith Demchinski (1994)

Blocked Punts For Touchdown
1-Fred Fenrick (1959), Johnston (1973), Jones (1973), Brian Kubicki (1989), Brandon Hobbs (1999), Andy Radde(1999), Ty Taylor (2010), Connor Robinson (2018), Briggs Mosher (2018), Hunter Kalamaros (2019),Trey McGinnis (2021)

Most Blocked Punts (season)
4-Kubizna (1983),
Josh Weaver (2008)
Rushing
Yards (season)
1,290-Ryan Haynes (2017)
1,289-Jamaal Jackson (2009)
1,215-Anthony Dunning (2002)

Yards (game)
391 – Jack Turak (11/1/13)
(Playoffs vs. Sturgis (43 carries)

Attempts (Season)
235-Anthony Dunning (2002)
Attempts (Game)
43-Jack Turak (2013) vs. STG
40-Jack Turak (2013) vs. PC
40-Henry Steele (1996)

Yards Per Carry Average
9.5 – Jamaal Jackson (2008)
7.5 – Justin Gambrell (2013)
7.5 – Tom Golba (1987)

Rushing Touchdowns (season)
21-Jamaal Jackson (2009)
18-Alex Smith (1980)/
Jason Sandusky (1992)

Rushing Touchdowns (game)
6-Drake Smith (2008)

Offense
Total yards (rush/receiving)
1573-Gary Layton (1990)

Total Touchdowns (run/rec)
21-Jamaal Jackson (2009)
18-Alex Smith (1980)/
Jason Sandusky (1992)

Scoring
Points (season)
139-Alex Smith (1980)

Defense
Tackles (season)
104-Bryan Brown (1978)

Tackles (game)
22-Adam Baske (1997)

Sacks (game)
13-Jeff Morris (1982)

Tackles (season)
70-Andy Radde (1999)

Interceptions (season)
8-Ebon Sanders (1989)

Interceptions for Touchdown
2-Frank Olson (1973)
Doug Lincoln(1973)

CAREER RECORDS
Total Yards
3533-Mike Ryan (1972-1974)

Total Rushing Yards
2985-Alex Rutherford (2009-12)
2366-Mike Ryan (1972-1974)
Rushing Touchdowns
35-Alex Rutherford (2009-12)

Total Rushing Attempts
530-Alex Rutherford (2009-2012)
440-Gary Layton (1988-1990)

Total Passing Yards
3,055-Mike Gillette (1982-1984)

Total Passing Touchdowns
29-Mike Gillette (1982-84)
28-Ethan Schweir (2004-07)

Receptions
72-Steve Preston (1983-1984)

Touchdown Receptions
14-Steve Preston (1983-84)/
Scott Blasko (1995-96)

Reception Yards
1368-Steve Preston (1983-1984)

Passes Attempted
376-Andy Schueneman (2002-2003)

Passing Percentage
63.5-Sean Guinane (2007-09)
60.4-Ethan Schweir (2004-07)

Interceptions
12-Mike Ryan (1972-1974)

Tackles
214-Bryan Brown (1977-1979)

PAT's Kicked
79-Brett Virgil (2005-2007)

Field Goals
19-Mike Gillette (1982-1984)
19-Cullen Hoffman (2012-2014)

Scoring
216-Alex Rutherford (2009-12)
212-Mike Ryan (1972-1974)


Coaching Records

Coaching
(records as of the start of the 2015 season)

Year Coach Record
1913 Whitehead 0-4
1914 Berry 2-6
1915 Gardner 0-6-1
1916-1918 No Teams  
1919-1920 Gordon Gabal 12-6-1
1921-1931 Henry Howe 50-39-11
1932 Fred Harrsen 1-7-1
1933 Henry Howe 4-3-1 (54-42-12)
1934-1935 Ronald Finch 12-3-2
1936-1946 Harry Lee 53-31-5
1947-1948 Jack Petosky 7-5-3
1949-1950 Jay Eldred 8-8
1951-1953 Walt Gephart 10-13-1
1954-1963 Dick Higgs 43-31-7
1964-1967 Willis Koontz 13-22
1968-2001 Ivan "Ike" Muhlenkamp 211-110-1
2002-2005 John Van Wagoner 7-29
2006-2010 Elliot Uzelac 45-13
2011-2018 Gandalf Church 53-28
2019- Andrew Pratley 24-12