Stambaugh High School’s football team was awarded the Barber Trophy in 1949 as the Upper Peninsula’s best that year. The team is among four that will be inducted into the West Iron County Wall of Fame in October. As identified in 1949 are from left, back, coach Kukuk; Delago, Penkivech, J. Erickson, C. Erickson, J. Holmes, J. Meyers, Halveson, Rae, Plouvde, E. Erickson; middle, Lindsatrom, C. Choquette, Holme, Pangrazzi, Sherwood, Cederna, Holmes, Lapista, Waltee; front, coach Willard Anderson, Youngren, Basola, Wisuri, Duff, Sartorelli, Serbenski, Pennoni, Jurecic. (Courtesy photo)

IRON RIVER — The West Iron County Wall of Fame will honor four athletic teams in addition to the Class of 2025 induction class at its banquet in October.

The list includes one team from the former Stambaugh High School and one from the former Iron River High School and two teams from West Iron County High School:

— Stambaugh High School Football Team of 1949: Voted the best high school football team in the Upper Peninsula by being awarded the Barber Trophy in 1949, the team was coached by future Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame inductees Willard Anderson and Ed Kukuk. The team featured All-State running back Mel Holme on the 27-man roster. Future UP Sports Hall of Famer Jerry Pangrazzi was a teammate.

— Iron River High School Football team of 1954: The 1954 team ran off a perfect 7-0 record in the tough Menominee Range Conference. The team was led by two honorable mention All-Americans in Eugene Tomasucci and Eddie Vergera and also featured All-U.P. Jerry Gallagher.

— West Iron County High School Basketball Team of 1972: Led by coach Brook Smith, the 1972 Wykons endured a tough four-game stretch in the district and regional MHSAA tournaments to emerge as the Upper Peninsula Class B basketball champion, beating the Iron Mountain Mountaineers led by current Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo by one point, with Izzo missing the possible game-tying free throw. The Wykons then upset Manistee in Cheboygan to advance to the state semifinal game were they fell to Muskegon Heights.

— West Iron County High School Football Team of 1974: The 1974 Wykons ran off a perfect Great Northern Conference record and finished 8-1, only losing to Ishpeming. The team was named the Class AB Team of the Year in the Upper Peninsula for the 1974 season, but competed in an era when there were not yet any MHSAA playoffs, which began statewide in 1976. Also in Class AB, the Back of the Year award went to WIC’s Bobby Tomasoski, while his teammate Ricky Erickson was named Lineman of the Year.

The teams honored will join an already announced Wall of Fame class that includes Elmer “Swede” Anderson, Jim Cederna, Albert Holm, and Steve Contardi.

The West Iron Wall of Fame will hold its third-annual Induction banquet on Saturday night, Oct. 4, at Young’s Recreation Complex. The social hour will begin at 5 p.m. followed by a catered meal from the staff at Young’s at 6 p.m.

Reservations are now available to the general public by sending a check or money order for $30 per plate to West Iron Wall of Fame, Mr. Mike Berutti, 701 Nick Baumgartner Way, Iron River, Michigan 49935 as soon as possible but no later than Sept. 15.

Please indicate in a note with your payment if you are there for a certain inductee or team. Banquet attendees will be checked in at the door from the paid reservation list. No reservations will be sold at the door, organizers said.