Revenge motive
Fenceroy, teammates haven't forgotten rare loss for USF
By Terry Hersom Journal sports editor | Posted: Thursday, September 20, 2007
Back in his East High days, it was Roberts Stadium and the head coach roaming his sideline was Walt Fiegel.
The stadium has a new name now. And, the beloved Fiegel, who died on Nov. 13, 2003, won't be around to watch this final "homecoming'' for Josiah Fenceroy, a fifth-year senior tight end for the defending NAIA football champs from the University of Sioux Falls.
Since his time with Fiegel, Fenceroy has played just once at what is now called Olsen Stadium. Two seasons ago, on Oct. 15, 2005, he caught nine passes for 94 yards in a game that saw Morningside fend off the Cougars, 27-26.
That's not difficult to recall, either, because it remains the only regular season loss USF has suffered during Fenceroy's five seasons in the program. In fact, it is still the only regular season setback the Cougars have experienced in 60 games dating back to the third week of the 2001 campaign (17-14 loss to Concordia on Sept. 15, 2001).
"Personally, I don't want to go back home again and lose,'' said Fenceroy, whose top-ranked teammates visit No. 18 Morningside at 1 p.m. Saturday. "They've got a really good team, but we just want to prove again that we're the No. 1 team in the nation.''
The 6-3, 250-pounder, 65 pounds bigger than he was in his final prep campaign of 2002, has been a valuable performer throughout his time with the perennial Great Plains Athletic Conference champs.
A third-year starter at tight end, he was an honorable mention NAIA All-American last season after Sioux Falls went 14-0 en route to its second national title.
However, that still didn't live up to a bold projection Fiegel made for him at a coaching clinic in 2003, predicting Fenceroy would be an All-American in his very first year at USF.
"I didn't live up to what he said at the particular time,'' he said, pointing out that he sat out that first season with the Cougars as a redshirt. "It was probably a month before he died, though, when I saw him and he told me not to worry about it, just do great things.''
Kalen DeBoer, the former USF offensive coordinator who is 28-2 three games into his third season as the Cougars' head coach, would certainly attest that Fenceroy has lived up to the bargain.
"He's a guy that never backs down, whatever the challenge is,'' said DeBoer. "His big thing is leadership. He knows exactly what to say at the right time, whether it's a joke or getting serious and saying, 'Hey, we need to get going.'
"As far as his skills, we'll flex him out as a receiver and he's going to run a good route and catch the football. He's got great hands and he knows the timing of our offense so well that he understands when he needs to be open.''
After sitting out his first year, Fenceroy began the 2004 campaign, his redshirt freshman season, as the backup tight end. Six games into the season, though, the Cougars ran short of defensive ends. Fenceroy not only made the switch, he jumped directly into the starting lineup.
"I think he got a sack on the very first play he ever lined up on defense,'' said DeBoer.
A five-sport athlete at East, winning letters in football, basketball, track, soccer and baseball, Fenceroy hails from a highly athletic family that extends to several of his cousins.
One cousin, Leo Fenceroy, was a two-time All-American defensive back at USF after a high school career at Bishop Heelan. Two more cousins, Tristan O'Neal (North High, Grand View College) and Carl Fenceroy (West High, Mount Mercy College) are currently playing college baseball.
Josiah's older brother, Josh, played two seasons of football at Iowa Central Community College and one year at Briar Cliff. Younger brother Zach is a sophomore on the basketball team at Iowa Lakes Community College.
"My dad (James) was from Monroe, La., but he grew up in Arkansas,'' said Josiah, whose mother, Becky, is a Correctionville native. "He came to Sioux City to go to school at Morningside.''
James Fenceroy was later followed to Sioux City by his mother and nearly half his 11 siblings, two brothers and three sisters. In the meantime, James became Sioux City's first African-American police officer, a career he left more than two decades ago for a job with Mid-American Energy.
Josiah, somewhat following in Dad's footsteps, has majored in criminal justice and sociology. He will graduate in December.
Football and his studies, though, haven't occupied all of his time in college. He has expanded his horizons musically, as well, learning to play the piano.
"I cut the team out of meetings early one day last fall so they could go to one of his recitals,'' noted DeBoer. "I wasn't able to go, but I heard he did pretty well.''
Fenceroy hasn't been tickling the ivories much since spring drills, when he tore a ligament in his right thumb. He had surgery during the summer and still wears a splint on his thumb for every practice and every game.
"I'd still like to play football when I'm done here,'' said Josiah. "Whatever opportunity comes up, I might be interested.''
The stadium has a new name now. And, the beloved Fiegel, who died on Nov. 13, 2003, won't be around to watch this final "homecoming'' for Josiah Fenceroy, a fifth-year senior tight end for the defending NAIA football champs from the University of Sioux Falls.
Since his time with Fiegel, Fenceroy has played just once at what is now called Olsen Stadium. Two seasons ago, on Oct. 15, 2005, he caught nine passes for 94 yards in a game that saw Morningside fend off the Cougars, 27-26.
That's not difficult to recall, either, because it remains the only regular season loss USF has suffered during Fenceroy's five seasons in the program. In fact, it is still the only regular season setback the Cougars have experienced in 60 games dating back to the third week of the 2001 campaign (17-14 loss to Concordia on Sept. 15, 2001).
"Personally, I don't want to go back home again and lose,'' said Fenceroy, whose top-ranked teammates visit No. 18 Morningside at 1 p.m. Saturday. "They've got a really good team, but we just want to prove again that we're the No. 1 team in the nation.''
The 6-3, 250-pounder, 65 pounds bigger than he was in his final prep campaign of 2002, has been a valuable performer throughout his time with the perennial Great Plains Athletic Conference champs.
A third-year starter at tight end, he was an honorable mention NAIA All-American last season after Sioux Falls went 14-0 en route to its second national title.
However, that still didn't live up to a bold projection Fiegel made for him at a coaching clinic in 2003, predicting Fenceroy would be an All-American in his very first year at USF.
"I didn't live up to what he said at the particular time,'' he said, pointing out that he sat out that first season with the Cougars as a redshirt. "It was probably a month before he died, though, when I saw him and he told me not to worry about it, just do great things.''
Kalen DeBoer, the former USF offensive coordinator who is 28-2 three games into his third season as the Cougars' head coach, would certainly attest that Fenceroy has lived up to the bargain.
"He's a guy that never backs down, whatever the challenge is,'' said DeBoer. "His big thing is leadership. He knows exactly what to say at the right time, whether it's a joke or getting serious and saying, 'Hey, we need to get going.'
"As far as his skills, we'll flex him out as a receiver and he's going to run a good route and catch the football. He's got great hands and he knows the timing of our offense so well that he understands when he needs to be open.''
After sitting out his first year, Fenceroy began the 2004 campaign, his redshirt freshman season, as the backup tight end. Six games into the season, though, the Cougars ran short of defensive ends. Fenceroy not only made the switch, he jumped directly into the starting lineup.
"I think he got a sack on the very first play he ever lined up on defense,'' said DeBoer.
A five-sport athlete at East, winning letters in football, basketball, track, soccer and baseball, Fenceroy hails from a highly athletic family that extends to several of his cousins.
One cousin, Leo Fenceroy, was a two-time All-American defensive back at USF after a high school career at Bishop Heelan. Two more cousins, Tristan O'Neal (North High, Grand View College) and Carl Fenceroy (West High, Mount Mercy College) are currently playing college baseball.
Josiah's older brother, Josh, played two seasons of football at Iowa Central Community College and one year at Briar Cliff. Younger brother Zach is a sophomore on the basketball team at Iowa Lakes Community College.
"My dad (James) was from Monroe, La., but he grew up in Arkansas,'' said Josiah, whose mother, Becky, is a Correctionville native. "He came to Sioux City to go to school at Morningside.''
James Fenceroy was later followed to Sioux City by his mother and nearly half his 11 siblings, two brothers and three sisters. In the meantime, James became Sioux City's first African-American police officer, a career he left more than two decades ago for a job with Mid-American Energy.
Josiah, somewhat following in Dad's footsteps, has majored in criminal justice and sociology. He will graduate in December.
Football and his studies, though, haven't occupied all of his time in college. He has expanded his horizons musically, as well, learning to play the piano.
"I cut the team out of meetings early one day last fall so they could go to one of his recitals,'' noted DeBoer. "I wasn't able to go, but I heard he did pretty well.''
Fenceroy hasn't been tickling the ivories much since spring drills, when he tore a ligament in his right thumb. He had surgery during the summer and still wears a splint on his thumb for every practice and every game.
"I'd still like to play football when I'm done here,'' said Josiah. "Whatever opportunity comes up, I might be interested.''
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June Tuff wrote on Sep 24, 2007 8:24 AM: