Meet the Inaugural Bison Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2016
1974 Football Team
Led by then second-year head coach Larry Ireland, the 1974 Hot Springs Bison football team finished the season with an undefeated record of 9-0, and to this day, is the school’s only football team to earn a state championship following a vote of the South Dakota Sportswriters.
The 1974 Hot Springs Bison football team members included: Dale Cape, Don Olstad, Ken Peterson, Randy Hicks, Tim Hussey, Nate Romey, Robert McLean, Paul Moore, Preston Hofer, Rick Wass, Mike Hill, Greg Burg, Ed Broyles, Mike Frohman, Dan Olstad, Ed McClure, Mike Evans, Paul Oberpriller, Larry Baumberger, Tom Dyer, Carlos Cornay, Robert Krcil, Jef Field, Bryan Popescu, Dave Landers, Dean Cape, Calvin Dahl, Mark Schur, Jim Birdsall, Pat Homelvig, Randy Sieg, Jim Stevens, Bryan Hansen, Grant Rush, Roger LeBlanc, Tom McColley, John Lessard, Quentin Hofer, Dave Bruce, Jay Schuchardt, Richard Anderson, Jon Schuchardt, Pat Evans, Steve Hill, Tom McNaulty, Ken Fischer, Roy Fisher, Charlie Richards, Dave Landers, Dan Moeller and John Bray. Coaches: Larry Ireland, Steve Weisman, Brian Thies, Gary Glenn.
Chet Bruce
Chet Bruce was a multi-sport athlete at Hot Springs High School in the mid-1920s. In 1926, he ran the 220-yeard dash in 21.2 seconds, which is not only a current school record but also a state record that will never be broken, as the event is no longer run as a SDHSAA event.
Gerald Collogan
A member of the HSHS Class of 1970, Gerald Collogan competed in both cross country and track for the Bison and was the 1969 South Dakota state champion in the two-mile and held the Hot Springs High School record in that event for 39 years. He was also a member of the school’s very first cross-country team. Following high school, he ran for Black Hills State University and has the school’s third-fastest time in the 10,000-meters. He was selected to the school’s “Who’s Who” and also inducted into the BHSU Hall of Fame in 2015 as a member of the 1973 Cross Country Team.
Quinten Hofer
A member of the HSHS Class of 1978, Quinten Hofer excelled in many sports including football, basketball, track and summer baseball. In football, he was a two-time All-Black Hills Conference player (1977, 1978) and also All-State his senior year (1978). In track, he was a state champion in the shot put and also held the state record in the shot put for 10 years. He is the current school record holder in the event. Hofer went on to play football for South Dakota State University, where he also competed in track and field (indoor/outdoor). He was later drafted in the Spring 1982 to play professional football for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League.
Jim Tays
Tays came to Hot Springs in 1960 and served as a teacher, coach and administrator until his retirement in 1997. During his long and successful tenure at Hot Springs High School, Tays coached basketball for three years before becoming Athletic Director and Track Head Coach. His Bison track teams won the Black Hills Conference five times and also featured 18 individual state champions. As Athletic Director, he was a part of the school’s advancement from three sports for boys to what is now seven activities for both boys and girls following Title 9 requirements.
Paul Oberpriller
A member of the HSHS Class of 1977, Paul Oberpriller was a three-sport, multi-year letter winner in football, basketball and track. In football, he was a two-time All-Black Hills Conference player (1975, 1976) and a two-time All-State player (1975, 1976). He also held a number of the school’s football scoring records for nearly 30 years, from 1976 to 2003, including points in a season (161) and touchdowns in a season (26). In track and field, he was a member of the state champion mile relay team in 1977, along with fellow teammates Doug Fluke, Dan Moller and Jon Schuchardt.
Dave Scott
Dave Scott was a fixture at Hot Springs High School from 1971 until his death from cancer in December of 2005. During his 33-plus years at HSHS, Scott served as head coach of wrestling, cross country and track, amassing a combined 14 BHC championships, 23 region titles and five state championships. During a ceremony prior to his retirement, the school’s track was named in his honor and is now known as Dave Scott Track.