Doug Rieder (middle) interviews Joe Gitch (right) and coach Bill Kibby (left) during the 1999 season. Image courtesy of Matt Lautner
A new documentary is now available as an homage to a particular time in Jefferson-based sports lore.
Matt Lautner played on the 1999 Jefferson-Scranton/Paton-Churdan state semi-finalist football team. He tells Raccoon Valley Radio he wanted to make a documentary to tell the story of his senior year of high school football and the team going from a 1-3 win/loss record to 8-3, along with beating Harlan, who was the two-time defending state champion, and losing in the semi-finals on a blocked field goal. Lautner recounts making the documentary and reliving those glorious moments.
“ It’s fun to remember just all of those memories and the fun we had, and how we came together as a team. Darn sure was unexpected being so poor at the beginning of the year. But it’s a fun story to think back on. (I) think the current Greene County (football) players might get a kick out of seeing (and) you don’t always have to have the most talent or the stars, but we definitely came together as a team. A fun memory to share with my family and there’s been a lot of players and coaches that have a lot of fun revisiting it so many years later.”
Another player on that team was Mitch Murphy, who also helped with the documentary, and plays a role with interviewing the coach of that team, Bill Kibby, whom Murphy coached with at Fort Dodge St. Edmund from 2008-2013.
“I was aware of some of his health issues. I would visit Coach Kibby from here and there, and I was fortunate one day just to ask him a few questions and seeing if he would want to elaborate on the (1999) season. He was well enough that he did it for us.”
Kibby then passed away on June 22nd.
Lautner says the documentary starts with the 1999 regular season and includes every scoring play for the first 20 minutes of the almost 90 minute film. Other individuals who make appearances include the offensive/defensive lineman Michael Walker, that year’s homecoming king Jason Gibson and Scott Schwaller, one of the defensive linemen. Click here to see the full documentary for free on YouTube.