STEVE NEWBOLD
Football, 1977-80
February 19, 2000

Steve Newbold was a four-year SMS football letterman and three-year starter from 1977 to 1980.  The combination of Newbold at split end and former Aurora High School teammate Mitch Ware at quarterback highlighted the Bears’ aerial fireworks in those years as Newbold was the Bears’ leader in receptions, receiving yardage and touchdown catches each season. Newbold caught 34 passes for 586 yards and five touchdowns as a sophomore, had 35 receptions for 773 yards and six TDs his junior year, and hauled in 30 passes for 611 yards and six touchdowns when he was a senior.  Nearly two decades after the end of his career, his season receiving yardage totals all rank among the Bears’ top ten campaigns in that category. He ranks fifth in career receptions with 101 and still owns SMS career records for receiving yardage (1,990) and career touchdown receptions (18).  He caught passes in 22 consecutive games in his career and his averages of 22.1 yards a catch in 1979 and 20.4 yards in 1980 rank third and seventh in that category.  Newbold had five career 100-yard receiving games, caught multiple touchdown passes in three games and had a single game yardage high of 215 against Pittsburg State in 1979 to set an SMS record which lasted 16 years.  The Bears were 6-0 and won the last SMS MIAA championship in 1978 and then took third in 1979 and second in 1980 in league play.  Coach Rich Johanningmeier’s Bear clubs posted a three-year 21-12 log and were 14-4 in MIAA play.  Newbold was on the all-MIAA second team his sophomore and junior years and was an all-conference first team pick and SMS co-captain as a senior.  Additionally, Newbold was voted to the College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-America first team for the 1978 season.