Years of Operation: 1973 - 1981

Overall Record:  85-7-1

First Game: Aug 18, 1973 vs Snohomish Co. Ramblers

First Win: Aug 18, 1973 vs Snohomish Co. Ramblers

Final Game: Oct 31, 1981 vs West Seattle Warhawks

League Affiliation:  

Northwest International Football League (1973 -79)

Pacific Northwest Football League (1980-81)

Team Headquarters: Sumner, WA

Owner: Ed Bemis, Walt Tupper

General Manager: Steve Harshman

Coaches:

Roy Bogrand (Head Coach-1973) Steve Harshman (Head Coach 1974 -1980) Stan Pietras, Bob Holloway, Tom Ingles, Steve Skelly, Ron Baines (DC-1978); Bernie Rakes (1976)

Home Field(s): Spartan Stadium, Sumner; Frankin Pierce HS

Titles Won: 

1973 Northwest International Champions

1973 Can-Am Bowl Champions

1974 Northwest International Champions

1975 Northwest International Champions

1976 Northwest International Champions

1977 Northwest International Champions

1977 Pacific Coast Champions

1977 Pro Football Weekly Magazine National Champions

1979 Pacific Coast Champions

1979 Northwest International League Champions

1980 Pacific Northwest League Champions

Honors

Tacoma News Tribune Amateur Coach of the Year

Steve Harshman (1974, 77, 79)

Doug Jansen - 1973 Can-Am Bowl MVP

Ron Baines - 1976 NwIFL MVP

All-League

Steve Harshman OL (76, 77, 78, 79, 80)

All-America

The 1973 Bengals were the first team since the Tyees to call the Tacoma region home and virtually exploded onto the scene behind the strong arm of Bill Donckers.  The former San Diego State star led the Bengals in tearing up the NwIFL until the All-Stars upset the Bengals in the finale.  Harold Montgomery had a team-high 4 rushing TD's on Oct 28 versus Skagit Valley.  Doug Jansen earned player of the game honors in the Can-Am Bowl by intercepting 2 passes, one for a TD and recording 7 tackles.

The 1974 edition got a boost on Aug 24 when Bob Furguson fresh from being cut by the LA Rams, locked down the linebacking corps.  Two weeks later, Bill Donckers returned from Oakland Raiders camp, and Ira Hammond returned from the Redskins camp and the Bengals began ripping through the league being stopped only when Bob Cason's 4 TD passes forced a Cavaliers-Bengals tie.  53-year old Dick Barnes opened the scoring with a 23-yard FG when the Bengals tripped again and lost to the All-Stars 12-6.  Ron Baines took the reigns at QB on Sept 28, and Ira Hammond scored 4 TD's when Donckers went down with an injury.

In 1975 the season started with a loss and could have been a bad omen for the Bengals.  However, salvation arrived in the form of Mark Cahill.  Cahill, a backup to Steve Bartkowski at Cal, left school and proceeded to rip apart defenses in the NWIFL to the tune of 125 completions on 231 attempts for 1,938 and 26 touchdowns in 7 games.

The 1976 Bengals were a steamroller of a team which shut out 8 opponents and gave up only 57 points in 12 games.  Ron Baines hauled in 4 TD passes on 6 for 78 yards receiving against Skagit Valley upping his total to 10 on the season.  The following week only 19 Lakers arrived forcing a unique timing decision.  Two 19-minute quarters were played followed by one 15 minute running-clock quarter to try and cut down on injuries.  The Vikings opted to forfeit it's playoff game with the Bengals sending Pierce County to the Championship against the Burien (Sea-Tac) Flyers where they won 7-0.  Baines was named Player of the Year.

The 1978 Bengals felt the sting of their first loss to a regular-season league opponent in 5 years when they dropped the season opener to Burien 14-3.  They literally "gave" the game away turning the ball over seven times.  '78 was also the first time a Bengal team had a stable of quarterbacks to choose from using a steady rotation of Dan Graham, Jeff Smith, and Lonnie Berger who played most of the Burien game with blurred vision after taking a forearm that penetrated inside his facemask.  Ron Baines left as regular Bengal receiver to take the reigns as defensive coordinator in '78.  The Oct 28 playoff battle with the Seattle Cavaliers was an epic comeback as the Bengals trailed 20-2 at the start of the fourth quarter.  In a matter of 7 1/2 minutes the Bengals scored 3 touchdowns, converted a fake punt on the drive for the second TD, and Loren Mulkins blocked a Cavalier punt that was recovered on the Cavalier 20 prior to scoring the final TD.  The game wasn't over yet.  With 2:05 to go the Cavaliers had one last chance but a 22-yd FG try fell short.  The Bengals weren't so lucky the following week in the championship as the Flyers used Mark Kreutz's three INT's to thwart the Bengals offensive firepower.

1973 Schedule/Results (11-1):

69-12

63-10

Former Pros:

Bill Donckers (St Louis Cardinals/Honolulu Hawaiians - WFL)

Ira Hammon (Portland Storm)

Harry Washington (Minnesota Vikings & Chicago Bears)

Photos

News Releases