Oelwein High School had a disappointing football season in 2024. A shortage of healthy players forced Oelwein to forfeit four games. Oelwein has had many memorable football seasons despite the struggles in recent years. In 1928, 1980 and 2002, the Huskies finished the regular season undefeated. The 1980 and 2002 teams ultimately lost in the playoffs. There was no playoff format in 1928.
On Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 29, 1928, Oelwein hosted Monticello in a mythical championship game of northeast Iowa. The Huskies were undefeated while the only blemish on Monticello’s record was a tie with Anamosa. The teams weren’t scheduled to play in 1928. Fans of the teams wanted to see which team was better and officials of the two schools created their own version of a playoff game.
Monticello wouldn’t agree to travel to Oelwein unless there were strong ticket sales to justify the trip. A group of Oelwein businessmen agreed to distribute tickets and the game was on! Originally scheduled for Friday, Nov. 16, there was going to be a parade in Oelwein at 2:30 p.m. followed by the game at 3. Rain washed out both events and the game was rescheduled for Thanksgiving Day.
Oelwein played its games at a baseball diamond south of town. The largest crowd in school history enjoyed its turkey on this Thanksgiving as the Huskies thrashed Monticello 37-0! Oelwein was led by the dynamic duo of quarterback Orville Pickering (senior) and fullback Everett Eischeid (junior). Eischeid ran for four touchdowns while Pickering ran for two. The Huskies finished the season 9-0 under the direction of Head Coach George Lee.
The 1929 Oelwein High School yearbook stated that the team had a just claim to the state title. The Huskies shut out seven of their nine opponents. The shut out victims were Waverly 26-0, Fayette 52-0, Cedar Falls 37-0, Decorah 35-0, New Hampton 31-0, West Union 20-0 and Monticello 37-0. The only teams to score on Oelwein were Dubuque and Independence.
The Huskies traveled to Dubuque for the season opener on Saturday, Sept. 29, 1928. Oelwein led 13-0 in the fourth quarter when Dubuque rallied with two long touchdown runs. Oelwein held on for a 13-12 win.
Oelwein hosted Independence in the sixth game of the season on Saturday, Nov. 3. Three days later West Branch, Iowa native Herbert Hoover would be elected the 31st President of the United States. Pickering, Oelwein’s team captain, missed the game with an injured knee. The Huskies trailed for the only time all season. Independence led 13-7 at halftime. Oelwein tied the game in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter the Huskies scored a touchdown to secure a 19-13 victory.
Oelwein scored 270 points on the season while allowing just 25. Orville Pickering was named the first team all-state quarterback by The Des Moines Register. He was the first Oelwein High School football player to be named first team all-state. Key performers for the team were ends Kenneth Berger (senior) and Paul Klebbe (sophomore), tackles Harold Kreth (senior) and Kenneth Strang (senior), center Clair Kraft (junior) and halfbacks Gale Henke (junior) and Robert Elliot (junior).
After a long and winding road during The Great Depression, Pickering and Eischeid were reunited as football teammates at Upper Iowa University in the fall of 1935. Fittingly, they closed their college football careers together on Saturday, Nov. 20, 1937, in Upper Iowa’s 12-6 victory over Luther. Upper Iowa finished the 1937 season 6-0 and were co-champions of the Iowa Conference. Thus, Oelwein’s dynamic duo played on undefeated football teams in both high school and college.
Eischeid returned to Upper Iowa University as an assistant football coach in 1955. He eventually served as Head Football Coach, Head Men’s Basketball Coach and Athletic Director. His men’s basketball team won the Iowa Conference title in 1957 and shared the title in 1958.
Eischeid’s 1964 football team shared the Iowa Conference title.
When Upper Iowa opened its new football stadium in 2012, it was named Harms-Eischeid Stadium after Upper Iowa alumni Steve and Diane Harms and Everett Eischeid.
