The Road to Game 1,000: The Sawyer Era, 1996-2021

The previous installment ended with Winona State preparing for a new era of Warrior football. That era began in 1996 with the arrival of head coach Tom Sawyer, who would go on to lead the program for 25 seasons and establish one of the most successful stretches in school history.

Sawyer's first game came on Sept. 7, 1996, in a 29-22 loss to Wisconsin-River Falls. His final game came on Nov. 13, 2021, when the Warriors defeated Minnesota State 18-16. Between those two contests, Winona State played 285 games and recorded 197 victories. With no season in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Sawyer's tenure spanned 25 seasons and produced a .689 winning percentage.

A RECORD 17-GAME WINNING STREAK

After a 4-7 debut season in 1996, Sawyer's Warriors began building something special. Winona State dropped its second and third games of the 1997 season before responding with eight consecutive victories to finish 9-2 and capture a conference championship.

The winning continued in 1998. The Warriors opened the season with nine straight victories, extending their streak to 17 games across the two seasons. The run spanned Games No. 673-689 and remains the longest winning streak in program history. The 1998 team also captured a conference championship.

Running back Travis Walch powered the 1997 squad, establishing single-season program records with 30 touchdowns and 182 points while rushing for 1,103 yards. Against Quincy on Nov. 8, 1997, Walch scored six touchdowns and 36 points, both single-game records that still stand. His season earned him Harlon Hill finalist recognition.

Quarterback Jake Goettl also made his mark during the era, finishing his career with 7,568 passing yards, which remains second in program history. He threw for 423 yards against Minnesota Duluth in 1997.

2000: THE FIRST POSTSEASON VICTORY

Winona State returned to postseason play in 2000 for the first time since 1993, earning an invitation to the Mineral Water Bowl in Excelsior Springs, Missouri. The Dec. 2 matchup against Missouri Western delivered one of the most memorable finishes in program history.

The Warriors fell behind 14-0 before battling back in a game that required three overtimes. Winona State ultimately secured a 43-41 victory when Missouri Western missed a two-point conversion that would have extended the game. Jeff Dobbertin caught three touchdown passes, while Kevin Curtin rushed for 134 yards.

Curtin's impact extended beyond that postseason victory. During the 2000 season, he recorded two 100-yard kickoff returns against Concordia-St. Paul and Minnesota Duluth. Curtin finished his career with 3,864 rushing yards and 7,834 all-purpose yards, both among the top two totals in program history.

2001-04: THE BREAKTHROUGH YEARS

The Warriors reached another milestone in 2001, winning 10 games for the first time in program history and earning their first NCAA Division II playoff appearance.

On Oct. 6, Winona State delivered one of the most dominant performances in school history, defeating Minnesota-Morris 84-0 in Game No. 720. The 84 points and 84-point margin of victory remain program records. The Warriors also established a single-season record with 506 points during the campaign.

Winona State's first NCAA playoff appearance ended with a 42-28 loss at North Dakota in Game No. 726, but the program continued its postseason progress over the next two seasons.

The 2003 Warriors finished 11-2, establishing the program's single-season wins record. On Nov. 22, in Game No. 750, Winona State earned its first NCAA playoff victory with a 10-3 win over Emporia State at Maxwell Field. Receiver Chris Samp caught a 34-yard touchdown pass in the victory and continued building a career that would place him among the greatest offensive players in program history. The Warriors' postseason run ended the following week with a 36-29 loss at North Dakota after trailing 28-7 at halftime.

Samp completed his career in 2004 with program records for receptions (222), receiving yards (4,471) and receiving touchdowns (53). He also remains the only player in the record book with 78 receptions in a season. A Harlon Hill finalist and NSIC Offensive Player of the Year, Samp helped establish a standard for Warrior receivers.

Brian Hynes continued that tradition over the next two seasons, recording 1,421 receiving yards in 2005 and earning Harlon Hill finalist recognition. On the defensive side, Luke Lokanc returned an interception 99 yards against Truman State in 2004, a program record that still stands.

WIESE AND ABER POWER THE 2007 OFFENSE

The 2007 Warriors featured another explosive offensive combination in running back Alex Wiese and quarterback Drew Aber. Wiese rushed for a program-record 313 yards against Wayne State and scored 32 points against Southwest Minnesota State, the second-highest single-game total in school history.

Aber added 29 touchdown passes as Winona State finished 10-2 and earned another NCAA Division II playoff berth.

RECORD-SETTING PERFORMANCES CONTINUE

The Warriors continued to produce standout individual and team performances throughout the next decade.

In 2010, Curtis Dewberry led NCAA Division II in punt return average and recorded an 84-yard punt return for a touchdown, the longest scoring punt return in program history.

Rayon Simmons delivered one of the most productive careers in Warrior football history. In 2012, Simmons rushed for 1,774 yards, bringing his career total to 5,246 yards, while establishing program records for career rushing touchdowns with 61. He also rushed for 188 yards in the Mineral Water Bowl, helping Winona State defeat Lindenwood 41-21 in Game No. 854. Simmons finished his career as the NSIC's all-time leading rusher.

The 2012 offense was equally impressive as a unit, establishing program season records with 5,769 total yards and 296 first downs.

Quarterback Jack Nelson added another historic chapter from 2013-16, finishing his career with program records of 12,007 passing yards and 102 touchdown passes. 

Special teams also produced record-setting performances. Kicker Carter McCauley established the program career record with 55 field goals and connected on a school-record 59-yard attempt in 2015.

A RETURN TO HOSTING PLAYOFF FOOTBALL

Winona State returned to the NCAA Division II playoffs in 2017 after another 10-2 season. The Warriors earned the opportunity to host a postseason game for the first time since 2004, welcoming Texas A&M-Commerce to Maxwell Field. The Warriors' season ended with a 20-6 loss.

Defensive back Andrew Spencer also earned NSIC Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2017, establishing program records for interception return yards in a single season and career.

Sawyer's final season came in 2021, when the Warriors finished their run under the longtime head coach with an 18-16 victory over Minnesota State. Game No. 944 marked the conclusion of a 25-season era that produced 197 victories, multiple conference championships, numerous postseason appearances and a lasting impact on Winona State football.

RECORDS THAT STILL STAND: 17 consecutive victories (1997-98); 84 points in a game (2001); 506 points in a season (2001); 53 career receiving touchdowns (Chris Samp); 4,471 career receiving yards (Chris Samp); 5,246 career rushing yards (Rayon Simmons); 12,007 career passing yards (Jack Nelson); 102 career passing touchdown passes (Jack Nelson); 55 carrer field goals made (Carter McCauley).

COMING FRIDAY: Today's Warriors and Game 1,000, 2022-2026.