Aces 1000 - 93 years of Tradition, Pride, and Excellence

The John A. Holmes High School Football team played in their 1,000th football game on Thursday night, October 25, 2018. On the line for the Aces was the opportunity to secure the 30th Conference Championship in team history and their 628th win. The Aces earned the victory with a score of 62-20 against the Redskins of Manteo High School. So far, the Aces have 9 State Championships to their credit, 2 State Runners-Up Finishes, and now 30 Conference Championships.

There was also the perfect season. That one special year that stands out above all others. In 1934, Coach Henry House led the team to a perfect 10-0 record. The team would also post unbeaten seasons in 1960, 1964, 1965, and 1969. Still though, those years pale next to 1934. You see in 1934, the team was not only undefeated, they were also never scored upon! Imagine, in ten games, not a single team was able to score a single point.

1934 stands out as the perfect season, but there was also 1944. Just ten years removed from a season where other teams could not even score against them, the team posted their one-and-only year without a single victory. In 1944, in Coach Tex Lindsey’s first year as the coach, the team struggled to an 0-6 record. They would rebound from the program’s low-point the following year to a 6-3 finish in 1945.

1,000 games is a milestone that few schools have reached. For the Aces of John A. Holmes High School, the journey began in 1926 under the leadership of Coach Frank Suttenfield. The team went 2-5-1 that year, not a start that was indicative of the success to come. It was not until their fifth season that the team posted a winning record, going 8-3-2 in 1930. 

The team has been coached by 22 gentlemen over their 93-year history (Frank Suttenfield 1926-32; Henry House 1933-34; Leon Brogden 1935; Dave Holton, Sr. 1936-1939; Jimmy Maus 1940; W.E. Bowman 1941; M.R. Watson 1942; Rockafellow Venters 1943; Tex Lindsey 1944-47; George Thompson 1948-52; Ben Perry 1953; Bill Billings 1954-1961; Jerry McGee 1962-65; Marion Kirby 1966-1972; Jim Addison 1973-75, 1977-84; Jay Swicegood 1985-99; Ed Thornton 2000-02; Bob Turner 2003-09; Wes Mattera 2010-13; Jim Collins 2014; and Paul Hoggard 2015-current.)

Coach Jay Swicegood had the longest tenure, compiling 100 victories over 15 years. Eight coaches only served a single season with the team. Perhaps the coach best known outside of Edenton is Coach Jerry McGee. A graduate of Duke University, Coach McGee would leave the team after two State Championships to go on to serve as an Assistant Football Coach at Kansas State University, Southern Illinois University, East Carolina University, and Duke University. He returned to high school athletics as an Athletic Director and wound up being inducted into the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), NIAAA, NCADA and NCHSAA Halls of Fame.

Many, many outstanding players have played for John A. Holmes High School including a quartet of players who played in the National Football League.

Wes Chesson played for John A. Holmes High School in the late 60’s. He played for Duke University before playing for the Atlanta Falcons and the Philadelphia Eagles.

Bill Griffin played for Catawba College after graduating from Holmes High. In 1971, he was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys and later traded to the Miami Dolphins.

 

Zack Valentine presents a Super Bowl 50 Commemorative Ball to Principal Wood and Superintendent Jackson

Zack Valentine played for East Carolina before being drafted in 1979 by the Pittsburgh Steelers. During his three-year tenure with the Steelers, he won a Super Bowl. He also played for one year with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Robert Brown played for the Aces from 1974-78. After playing at Virginia Tech, he went on to play for the Green Bay Packers from 1982-92 recording 323 tackles.

The Aces were also represented in the USFL. Willie Holley played for the Washington Federals for two seasons after playing for East Carolina University.

The program is currently on a tremendous upswing. Coach Paul Hoggard came back home to Northeastern North Carolina in 2015 after leading 4A powerhouse Richmond County to a State Championship. His arrival added to the momentum the program has experienced since its last losing season in 2010.  In 2016, the Aces won their 600th game and broke their single season victory record by winning 13 games including the Eastern Region Championship before falling to Reidsville High School in the State Championship game. In 2017, the Aces came back with 12 wins and another trip to Eastern Regional Final where they came up short against the eventual State Champions from Tarboro High. It was just the second time in history when the Aces had won at least 12 games in back-to-back seasons.

The Aces have picked up where they left off and have started their 2018 campaign with a 8-1 record following their 1000th game. The Aces are currently ranked 9th in the state and have earned at least a share of the Conference Championship. They will win the Conference Championship outright with a win against Perquimans High next week.

Special thanks to John A. Holmes High School alum Win Dale (Class of 1976) and Mike Spruill for doing much of the research and compiling of records for the Aces. 

John A. Holmes High School Football Records 1926 - 2018