Football Hall of Fame

Front Row: (from left) Joe Suffield, Dick Matarelli, Roger Thomson, Bruce Radley, Rich Hermann, Mike Duke, Paul Armbright, Greg Gardner, Gordon Wiss.

Second Row: (from left) Roger Sokolis, Steve Drury, Rod Grove, John Bradford, Larry Wood, WayneLulay, Bill Waibel, Phil DeArcos, Dick McDermott.

Third Row: ((from left) Don Tjarksen, Gene Carr, Bernard Wilson, Norm Marcus, Gerald Ashby, Fred Kowalske, Leonard Flynn, Gary Noble, Bernie Maher.

Fourth Row: (from left) Dick Jamieson, George Boucher, Brock Hessing, Jack Lulay, Rod Guthrie, Jim Swardenski, Bob Brown, Ralph Mason, Gene Toms, Skip Snyder.

Back Row: (from left) Gene Pike, head coach Tony Juska, assistant coach Dawson Hawkins, equipment manager William ìBabeî King, Tom Tingwall, Norm Green.

Not in photo: assistant coach Bruce Saurs, Fred Fisher, Fred Stuber, Frank Ragler, Dale Young, Wallace Haley.

The 1954 Peoria Central High School undefeated football team boasted a potent offense and one of the stingiest defenses in city grid history.

Coached by Tony Juska, the Lions finished with a 10-0-1 record to become the first unbeaten Central team in over 50 years, scored 297 points and allowed just 25.

The defense yielded just one touchdown in the first six games, in a 6-6 tie with Woodruff. In all, the Lions produced seven shutouts and never allowed more than one touchdown a game.

The City, Greater Peoria and Big 12 champions were led offensively by halfback Gene Carr who averaged nine yards a carry while producing 922 yards and quarterback Dick Jamieson who ran for 333 yards and passed for another 564.

The Lions honored in the post-season on the Greater Peoria team included:

First team offense: end George Boucher; tackle Brock Hessing; guard Roger Thomson; quarterback Dick Jamieson; halfback Gene Carr.

First team defense: linebacker Gene Carr.

Second team offense: end Jack Lulay; fullback Bernard Wilson.

Second team defense: lineman Brock Hessing; linebacker George Boucher; back Joe Suffield; safety Dick Jamieson.

Honorable mention: end Ralph Mason and Don Tjarksen; tackle Norman Marcus; guard Steve Drury; center Bob Brown; halfback Dick Matarelli.