Bill Fleming remembers his unbeaten 1958 & 1959 Monongah High football teams

William Fleming III, Class of 1960, has interesting and bittersweet memories about the unbeaten Monongah High football teams of 1958 and 1959, which were left out of the state playoffs because they didn’t compile enough points in the ratings system to qualify.

The 1958 team fell short because the Paden City game, which had been set up almost a decade ago when Paden City and Monongah both came up short in the ratings, helping the winner to get into state playoffs, was canceled. 

The Lions were 8-0, and no opponent came close. East Fairmont, Kingwood, Mannington, Rivesville, Fairview, Clay-Battelle, Farmington and Barrackville were steamrollered by 15 to 49 points. Awesome!

Bill’s email:

Hi John,

Thanks for the info on the WBOY-TV story on the past Lions state champs which I have not read, but feel like I should mention our 58 & 59 teams which were undefeated but due to a points system, I think that had just been installed, we ended up ranked 3rd & missed the championship games each of those 2 years.

We led the state in scoring each year, we were AA classification, as I remember it. In 56, my freshman year, we played in the A, I think, championship, but lost. 

Our 58 & 59 teams were said to be ranked as the best, or possibly even, with the great 68 & 69 teams, of all those other great teams & it still aggravates me, as you can tell, that we were on the sidelines those 2 years.

Ron Haggerty [58] & myself [59] went on to play for WVU. Anyway, taking nothing away from all those other teams, 58 & 59 have to rank in the upper echelons of Lions football.

Great memories from those years.

Thanks for letting me vent a little.

Bill Fleming in Lynchburg, Virginia for 48 years.

Jim Feltz, who had ONE losing season in 14 years as Monongah High’s football coach, led the 1952 and 1955 state champs. 

Earl Keener, Jim’s assistant and a former Fairmont State running back great, took over as head coach for eight seasons and won the 1968 and 1969 state titles with Brother – Alabama coach Nick Saban – as his 1958 quarterback and Kerry Marbury as his 1958 and 1959 supersonic running back. Keener’s teams never lost more than two games. 

Mark Argabrite was the head coach for the 1973 state title, Monongah’s last in football, with Jim’s son, Jay Feltz, as the quarterback. Argabrite later became a minister.

Bill Fleming won the Balfour Award at Monongah High in 1960. And the 100-yard dash and high jump in the class track meet and the high jump and broad jump in the Jaycee Junior Champs track. Monongah High was Jaycees Junior Champs that year.

When I asked Bill for more information about his life since Monongah High, he responded:

John,

I married Patty Sellers, a West Hi girl, originally from Martinsburg. We've been married nearly 51 years. Incidentally, she had dated Joe Martin while in college & we hope he is recovering well, at this point. 

Pat & I were introduced by my old friend, Bobby DeLorenzo, whom I roomed with at WVU 1 Year. We were in each others' weddings & he died way too young.

We have 3 daughters & 5 grandchildren. 2 daughters & all grandchildren live here & we see them all the time. One daughter lives in Asheville, NC.

I am related to Barbara Fleming Marsh [her father & my grandfather were brothers] so I guess we're 2nd cousins. She contacted me last Fall & I have been remiss in replying to her a 2nd time. Will try to do better. 

We came to Lynchburg to begin a private Physical Therapy practice in 1966 & it grew into a multisite business with 10 offices in the central VA region [Rehabilitation Associates of Central Virginia] & my youngest daughter runs the Bedford office. I've been retired over 7 years.

Daughters’ names: Whitney [no children], Kelly [2 - boy & girl] & Harrison [3-2 girls & a boy.]

We don't get back up that way a lot since Mom & Dad died. Do get back for some WVU games but not as much as we used to after I first retired. 

We stay awfully busy here. Leaving now for our place at Smith Mountain Lake to spend a few days with daughter Kelly & family.

Hope I covered all your ?

Bill ['60] Lions

Indeed, you did, Bill, as efficiently as you quarterbacked two unbeaten Monongah High football teams.

Barbara Fleming Marsh, Class of 1947, who lives in Thousand Oaks, California, grew up on Fleming Hill. 

There were three houses and a two-car garage on the hill. Taking it from left to right when you’re looking at Fleming Hill from the bridge over the West Fork River was the house where Barb’s father was born in, “the white house”; the two-story garage; the brick house that Barb’s dad built in 1935; and the stone house that Barb’s Uncle Bill constructed about the same as Barb’s father put up his structure. The sons’ father gave them the land.

Her brother, Fred Fleming, Class of 1946, who spent 22 years in the Air Force, passed away.

Barbara, upon seeing this article, replied:

“I read the blog, as I always do, regarding Bill Fleming (I knew him as "Bill, the Third").  His mother was in the "1960 Mothers" picture that you posted a while back.  I named her as Meryle Houchin Fleming.  She was sitting on the

couch.

Barbara Fleming Marsh, Class of 1947

After seeing this article, Jim McDaniel, Class of 1960, who lives in Behoboth Beach, Delaware, wrote:

John:  Ref:  your item on Bill Fleming.  Pretty sure that I am his second cousin.  We graduated in the Class of 1960 together.    Also related to Barbara Fleming Marsh.  Had lots of Fleming relatives on Mother’s side of the family.  Her name was Adrian Currey, she and her 2 sisters and 3 brothers grew up in Monongah.

If you have memories of the Fleming family branches of Monongah,  email John Olesky at jo4wvu@neo.rr.com and I’ll add your information in another Monongah High Alumni blog.