Blast from the past: Bishop Manogue’s first quarterback returns to his old school

Bishop Manogue’s first quarterback, Tom Kessenich, returned to Reno last week seven decades after he last suited up for the Miners.

Kessenich, who now lives in Colorado, spoke to Bishop Manogue before the team’s game against Reed last week. He was invited back to campus by the Miners Football Alumni Association, Inc., which coordinated the trip. Kessenich visited practice on the new campus to talk to the Miners’ current players.

Kessenich was the school’s first starting quarterback during the 1948 season.

“You’ve got good coaches, a good facility, you’re very fortunate to be at Manogue, I think,” Kessenich told the team. “I thought I was fortunate back then. We only had 19 players. We wanted a good showing. I know you guys are gonna have a good show. You’ve got it in you. You know what to do. Don’t let anybody take that away from you. Believe me, years from now if you do this, you’ll always have something to talk about, to be proud of. And I’m sure that the students and faculty of this school right now are very proud of you.”