Oil City Oilers-Tigers Football - Championship Teams

The Oil City Oilers-Tigers made Class B state football playoffs in 1939, 1946, 1948, and 1954.

1939

Here is a picture of the Oil City Oilers, as they were then known. Click on it for a larger view.

Source: Thom Butenhoff, from Margaret Pace Weaver Bateman collection

The Oilers defeated the Dubach Plungers 30-0 in a Class B state playoff game played in Arcadia. The star of the game was halfback Herve' Wilson who scored four touchdowns; two were runs of 70 yards.

Source: Ruston Daily Leader 25-Nov-1939

Stats from the game including full players' names:

After beating Dubach, the Oilers defeated Cotton Valley 20-19 for the  Louisiana Northwest Class B Championship and were set to play Clarks for the North Louisiana title. Regarding the Cotton Valley game, halfback Pat Lewis recalled that Oil City got behind early with its only first half score being his return of a fumble for a touchdown. Trailing 19-7 at the half, Coach Earl Nolan implemented a passing attack and Pat completed 20 passes in a row. Though his last was intercepted, the Oilers came back for the win.

Source: Baton Rouge Morning Advocate 07-Dec-1939 Sports Page 13 (OC to play Clarks)

Excitement built in both towns. Per J. W. Green and Pat Lewis, Oil City merchants commissioned a train so that local fans could make the trip to Monroe.

 

Source: Monroe News Star 06-Dec-1939 Page 11

Unfortunately, victory did not come as Clarks scored a 12-0 victory.

Source: Baton Rouge Morning Advocate 09-Dec-1939 Sports Page 14

At season's end, members of the Northwest Louisiana Champions were recognized as part of the Class B All-State team. Halfback Pat Lewis made the first team, while tackle Raymond Wyatt was named to the second team. Receiving honorable mention were end J. W. Green and center Daryl Bickham.

Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune 31-Dec-1939 Sec 4 Page 4

1946

The 1946 Oil City High Tigers were undefeated during the regular season and became Northwest Louisiana Class B Champs before playing Tallulah for the North Louisiana title and a chance to play the south champ for the state championship.

Bottom Row (All L-R): Clarence Boyter, Earnest Davis,Thomas Bunting, Glenn Burton, Elvis Walling,

 Lee Ellis Martin; 2nd Row: Jack Green, James Beene, George Riley, Coach Nolan, Claude White,

Alvin Densmore, Billy Cooper; 3rd Row: Gene Womack, Charles Reeves, Billy Pope, Donald Crain,

Jackie Wingo, O. L. Elmore; Top Row: Unknown, Bobby Friedel, Unknown, John Patrick

Contributor: Joan Robison

Here's their schedule and results:

Oil City - 13

Vivian - 12

Oil City - 6

Cotton Valley - 0

Oil City – 27 *

Byrd (B) - 13

Oil City – 13 *

Byrd (B) (2nd game) - 0

Oil City – 27 *

Fair Park (B) - 0

Oil City - 31

Plain Dealing - 0

Oil City - 37

Haughton - 0

Oil City - 6

Mooringsport - 0

Oil City - 20

Logansport - 12

Oil City - 27

Rodessa - 0

Tallulah – 46

Oil City -12

* At the time it was common for Class B schools to play the junior varsity or “B” teams of larger schools, such as Byrd and Fair Park out of Shreveport.

Any dreams of a state title were severely dashed as the Trojans scored an easy 46-12 victory on their home field.

1948

Pictured below is the 1948 team that tied eventual state champion Tallulah 26-26, but lost on first downs 23-14.

Source: 1949 Oil City Bengal (yearbook)

Monroe (LA) News Star 03-Dec-1948, Page 22

Here are brief details found about the game.

Monroe News Star 09-Dec-1948 Page 14

1954

The Oil City football team posted a successful season in 1954, going 7-2-1 and winning the District 1-B Championship.

Unfortunately, in their final football game as a high school team, the Tigers fell to Delhi in the first round of the play-offs.

Source: Baton Rouge Morning Advocate 20-Nov-1954 Page 21 (5-B)

Several players earned post-season honors including:

• All-State (First Team): Edgar Beene, Earl Nolan
• All-State (Honorable Mention): Wayne Bagley, J. E. Cagle, Thomas Mandina
• All-District (First Team): Beene, Mandina, Nolan
• All-District (Second Team): Bagley, Cagle
• All-District (Honorable Mention): Kenneth "Punt" Boyter, Roy Bridges, Billy Gaines, Mac Goodwin, Charles "Sonny" Lessenger

Standing (L-R): Mac Goodwin, Roy Bridges, Punt Boyter, J. E. Cagle, Wayne Bagley,

Sonny Lessenger, Billy Gaines

Kneeling: Earl Nolan, Edgar Beene, Thomas Mandina 

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