The Messenger/Fort Dodge, Sunday, Oct. 10, 1993 3B FD native’s work ethic turns Bettendorf into dynasty (Bob Brown is a retired long-time sota Twins star Shane Mack. years to build it, but it can be lost in sports editor of The Messenger. His Habenicht went from FDJC to one year,” he explained. work will appear on these pages from Northern Iowa where he played guard “Our kids have tradition. When time to time). for two seasons under the late Stan they come out for football they don’t Sheriff. He graduated in 1962. think of making the team...they think Thirty-seven years ago he was lay- HABENICHT HAS developed a of winning state championships and ing the groundwork of his career, a bundle of talented football players in being all-state and all-American play- career founded on the assumption that his many years at Bettendorf. ers. They set high goals and they want hard work never hurt anybody and Probably the most heralded is to be better than anybody else. They along the way it didn’t hurt to be a , a fleet running back work at conditioning all year and we little hard-nosed, too. from the last two years’ state cham- encourage our players to remain com- How’s this for a schedule for a 20- pionship teams. Banks was sought petitive and go out for a minimum of year old getting an eduction and sup- after by virtually every major college one other sport. Competition is the porting himself and his wife? football program in the country after key,” he said. He carried a full load of classes at he was named first-team Parade and With that attitude, Bettendorf never Fort Dodge Junior College that fall Scholastic Coach prep all-American. has a down season. The players just of 1956 and at 3:30 p.m. Monday life I was the sister of Pat Halligan. He picked the University of Iowa and keep coming. through Friday he reported to football Then I became the wife of Merv is being redshirted this season. But Habenicht said there is one practice where he starred as guard on Habenicht,” she laughed. “Tavian is probably one of the fast- other factor, other than tradition, that the Ford Dodge JC football team Habenicht played for Forest Mar- est football players in America, I think is highly important and that is stabil- coached by the late Connie Goodman. quis at Fort Dodge High School, then he will be an all-American running ity of coaching staff. Former Fort Dodger Merv Habenicht sits atop the Iowa football coaching heap a After practice he rushed to the Geo. began coaching at Bettendorf 32 years back at Iowa,” Habenicht said. He head coach at powerhouse Bettendorf High School, which seeks its third straight “The coaching staff I have now has A. Hormel packing plant where he ago under Merritt Parsons. Habenicht had clocked the 185-pound Banks in state championship this fall. Shown with him is his wife, Evelyn. Habenicht has been with me for 15 years,” he said. worked the night shift. At 8 o’clock has been head coach at Bettendorf for :04.3 in the 40-yard dash in high coached No. 1 Bettendorf to 26 straight victories and five state championships. “I think they are all happy. They are the next morning his routine started the past 22 years. school. all given responsibility and I let them anew. INTERESTINGLY, there is a fab- “TAVIAN HAS GREAT hands Former Bettendorf punter, Jeff ing the Mississippi Valley Conference do their jobs. Obviously, the buck Certainly that work ethic had a lot ric woven through all three men. The and exceptional acceleration. He Nolting, is on the Iowa team also. in rushing,” said Habenicht. stops with me.” to do with elevating Merv Habenicht late Marquis and the retired Parsons could have gone anywhere he wanted. Two members of last year’s DOES HABENICHT believe Bettendorf has 1,480 students in to the highest level of his profession. were good friends and each one was Miami wanted him, so did Notre Bettendorf champions, Anthony Wil- Bettendorf has the top prep football four grades. The conference, the Mis- Today he’s in his 32nd year of foot- one time in his career judged the top Dame, Nebraska and Washington. liams and Eric O’Brien, both defen- program in Iowa? sissippi Athletic Conference, has ball coaching at Bettendorf, the No. active Iowa prep football coach. The They all put a heavy rush on him and sive backs, are playing at Iowa Cen- We’d like to think we are the top pro- three teams in the state’s top 10 poll. 1 high school program in the state of fact that Habenicht played under Nebraska was real close to getting tral in Fort Dodge this season. gram in the state,” he said. “Last year “I really believe Bettendorf, Central Iowa. Marquis and learned the coaching him,” the coach said. Habenicht has turned out two prep we finished 14th in the nation in the Davenport and Assumption could “I was born on the first farm south craft as an aide to Parsons makes for “He liked Miami but he is basically all-Americans and a bushel of all- USA Today prep poll and this year we beat anybody in the state,” Habenicht of Rogers Park,” the 58-year-old a tightly-woven trio. an Iowa kid and I don’t know if he staters. Aside form Banks, the other are ranked 8th in the poll of 14 Mid- said. Habenicht said. “My dad, Harold, is To say the Bettendorf program is the could fit into that fast lane down there. all-American is Corey Ryan, 6-7 and west states.” Does Habenicht consider himself a 85 and is still farming. He’s about to state’s best is not a mere stroke of the Iowa looked good to him and he liked 270, who plays tackle at the Univer- His dad is one of Bettendorf’s big- tough coach? harvest 120 acres and then get ready brush. Habenicht’s teams have won Hayden Fry and Dave Triplett. He is sity of Illinois. gest fans. “I would say yes...we expect the best to plant again. He never smoked nor five state playoff titles and finished happy there, he is close to home and AT BETTENDORF, Habenicht “He comes to all of our playoff out of everyone, on every down. Do drank and he’ll probably live forever. second once. His team has won the that is a factor because his mother is doesn’t rebuild, he reloads. Playing games and he still drives himself,” that and winning will take care of it- He’s a tough old bird and I like him a class 4A state title the past two years a single parent.” the spot vacated by banks this year said Habenicht. self,” he said. lot,” the coach added. Habenicht’s and his 5-6 team is favored to make Habenicht said he never ever wor- is Ron McQuay, a blistering speed “He goes down to the Big Three DISCIPLINE HAS never been a mother, May, passed away two years it a three-peat. ried about getting beat with the for- back who carried 17 times for 226 Market (on First Ave. South) and talks problem for Habenicht’s Bettendorf ago. I HAD THE opportunity to renew ward pass when Banks was with his yards and five touchdowns against football with Sam (Camamo) and the teams. THE HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL a friendship with Habenicht in the end team. Davenport North recently. He only guys quite often.” “We elect six captains annually, and coach has been married nearly 40 zone seats we shared at the Penn “If the opposition had a good pass- played three quarters in Bettendorf’s Can Bettendorf win its third straight they act like Sgt. of Arms. Their job years to the former Evelyn Halligan. State-Iowa game. ing game we would put Tavian at the 49-22 victory. title? is to make the kids toe the mark. I Her brother, Pat Halligan, was an all- “I spent two years in the Army be- deep safety position and he would Against previously unbeaten Dav- “We think there are four teams who have never lost a kid for a disciplin- state linebacker and standout wrestler fore going to Junior College and we take care of it,” the coach added. enport Assumption McQuay was in- can win the state...us, Iowa City, Cen- ary reason,” he said. at Fort Dodge High School and later ended up having the first unbeaten TAVIAN’S BROTHER, LaVance, jured and fullback Paul Harnung took tral Davenport and Assumption,” he He said the team has no set rules. starred as a running back for Buck team in school history,” he said. “I and ex-Bettendorf standout Greg over and ran for 240 yards and four said. “Whoever gets out of this part “Our players are told to be good rep- Starbuck’s teams at Iowa Teachers recall some of the other players were Brown are now playing for Southern touchdowns in another Bettendorf of the state will face Iowa City in the resentatives of our team and our College, now the University of North- Chet Garth, Tom Messerly, Dean Illinois. Habenicht said LaVance rout. playoff.” school. We want them to do nothing ern Iowa. Horn, Gary King and Miles Duley. Banks is being seriously looked at by “Harnung is a 185-pound fullback THERE ARE REASONS for to disgrace our school or community. “I don’t have much identity,” We had a pretty good team.” the as a flanker and Nebraska is seriously looking at Bettendorf’s success under Habenicht. Habenicht’s discipline and winning Evelyn said. “The first part of my Dean Horn is an uncle of Minne- and punt returner. him. He and Ronnie take turns lead- “First it takes tradition. It takes ways certainly have built a dynasty.