Campbell-Tintah School received recognition by the National Football League as a Super Bowl Honor Roll School during the 50th anniversary celebration of the Super Bowl.
In a letter from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, he wrote:
“As we mark our 50th Super Bowl this season, we are celebrating the players and coaches of the past 49 Super Bowls and their high schools and communities that have positively impacted our great game.”
As part of the honor, Campbell-Tintah High School received a commemorative golden football, which was sent to every high school of a player or coach who appeared on a Super Bowl roster. Our school’s recognition honors Errol Mann, a 1959 Campbell-Tintah graduate and kicker for the Oakland Raiders, who played in Super Bowl XI at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The Raiders defeated the Vikings 32–14.
Honoring Errol Mann
The following remarks were shared by Mr. Reed Johnson at the recognition ceremony.
By The Numbers
Welcome to Campbell-Tintah School. My name is Reed Johnson, and I had the privilege of coaching here for over 30 years. I was given the honor of speaking about the ball and the history of Campbell football.
The golden football is special—it was awarded to schools that had a head coach or player appear in one of the first 50 Super Bowls. Nearly 3,000 balls were distributed to about 2,000 schools.
- California received the most footballs (432).
- New Hampshire and Vermont received none.
- Tom Brady brought six to his high school; Port Arthur, Texas, received eight.
- Minnesota schools that received one include Cretin-Derham Hall, Stillwater, Moorhead State, and Woodbury.
- North Dakota schools included Oakes (for Phil Hansen) and Cando (for Dave Osborne).
- South Dakota received three golden footballs for Doug Miller (Sturgis), Ordell Braase (Mitchell), and Adam Vinatieri (Rapid City).
Despite Errol breaking my heart when he helped the Raiders beat my Vikings for the fourth time, I’m proud he represented our school and community at the highest level.
History of Campbell Football
I enjoyed looking back at Campbell Football’s rich history—some facts from old yearbooks, some from my cloudy memory.
The first record I found was from the 1948 team, which played six games and lost to Hankinson and Fairmount. Perhaps that’s when the “if you can’t beat them, join them” philosophy began.
Through the years, many dedicated coaches led Campbell teams: Ernest Cederberg, John Cannon, Cliff Hermes, Robert Kresbach, Al Jensen, Dave Carlsrud, Erling Logan, Gary Luipakka, Ken Baakegard, Jeremy Moganroth, Jason Monilaws, Coach Shultz, Steve Schiltz, and myself—alongside countless assistants and junior high coaches.
Campbell teams have evolved through several co-ops:
- 1972: Camels became the Cougars (Campbell + Tintah)
- 1987: C-T-F Rebels (added Fairmount)
- 2004: Titans (joined Hankinson)
- Later: Tri-State Tigers (with Rothsay)
Looking back, here are some of the standout teams:
- 1964 Camels: Best team in history—after one loss, won 8 straight shutouts to take the Wild Rice Championship.
- 1977: Finished 7–2, led by Mike Cannon (now a Big Ten referee).
- 1988: Runner-up in Big 5 Pheasant Conference—“small but slow,” yet found ways to win.
- 2001 Rebels: Finished 7–2, fell short against Rolette-Wolford.
- 2006 Titans: 7–2, lost in double overtime to Mayville-Portland.
- 2011 Tri-State: Won the only playoff victory, defeating Casselwood 14–0.
There are surely other great teams, but these six stand out—with trophies to prove it.
Thank you for your time, and go Camels, Bison, Cougars, Rebels, Titans, and Tigers!
