by SHIPROCK — The Chieftains huddled together at midcourt during
halftime of Saturday night’s playoff win against Portales, put their hands together and let out a final cheer as the capacity crowd went wild.
Never mind these Shiprock players are in their 60s and haven’t played since losing to Eunice High School in the 1969 state championship game.
The most successful Chieftains boys team in the school’s history was recognized at halftime of the current team’s final home game of the season.
Much has been made of the 1969 team of late. Shiprock, a Navajo Nation town that knows basketball and has a famous girls program, is comparing the 2012 boys to the men from 1969.
The 1969 team was 26-5 and lost in the state championship game. The record included two wins in a regional tournament, which no longer exists, that followed the district tournament, said Willard Billey, the 1969 team’s point guard.
The 2012 Chieftains are 25-3 and preparing for the state quarterfinal game against Robertson High School. And one of Shiprock’s losses this year came in a game the team won but had to forfeit because a New Mexico Athletic Association ruled Shiprock player ineligible.
“I don’t even know anything about the records, we just play,” said Chester H. Atcitty Jr., Shiprock’s current head coach. “We have our own goals.
“But it was a special moment to see (the 1969) get their recognition. They’re kind of passing to these kids here.”
Before the start of Saturday’s game,nine of the 15 players from the 1969 team, including the five starters, met together for a meal at the high school and looked back at the season. Two players from the team, Larry Nez and Larry Keehah, are dead, as is head coach Dave Bowman.
The players talked of traveling to Crownpoint for a game. The team’s bus got stuck in snow. Shiprock spent the night eating bologna and cheese purchased at a trading post, taking shelter at a boarding school before heading to play Wingate the next day.
Shiprock had a 3-1 record against rival Kirtland Central that year. The first time Shiprock beat Kirtland was in Kirtland’s gym and Shiprock cut down the Broncos’ nets.
“It almost started a brawl,” Billey said. “The state police had to escort us out.”
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