STAN KRIEGEL

Everett Wildcats, Seattle Cavaliers

Linebacker, Fullback

1966 - 1982

From a rec-flag player, to longtime Seattle Cavalier, Stanley Kriegel was an impact player from the start.  The former truck driver and outdoorsman was "discovered" playing flag football on a local tavern team from 1963-1966 after graduating from West Seattle High in 1958 and periodically attending college throughout the 1960's at the University of Washington, eventually earning a degree in 1971 from Central Washington during what he called the "10-12 year college plan".  He would teach and coach at North Mason until 1998.

After a stint at Olympic College, Stan joined the US Army and it was following his discharge in 1962 that he popped up on the flag football fields.  A vicious and "ornery" linebacker, the 225-pounder would be called on at fullback as well during his playing days.

"Stan the Man" joined the Everett Wildcats, and during a late-November game against the Seattle Cavaliers in 1966, Kriegel racked up 20 tackles in the 16-0 loss to the regional semi-pro crown holders.  Seattle was 9-2-1 that season, the losses and tie coming against collegiate teams.  So impressed was Elmo Hudgens, that he made it a point to recruit Stan and garnered his services for the next 15 seasons when Stan married and retired from football at the age of 41.

Opening the 1967 season with his new team, Stan and the Cavaliers faced off against the Victoria Steelers of the Continental Football Leage coached by Don McKeta, a 1961 New York Giants draft pick.  The Cavaliers lost 19-7 to the attempted NFL-rival league team loaded with former Washington Huskies, and went on to an 8-3 record and once again, the only other losses coming at the hands of college teams Oregon State and a one-point setback to Eastern Oregon College.  Stan was a wrecking ball and earned his "ornery" reputation on the gridiron.

Stan and his friends would not get "All-Star" status, instead they would play the league "all-stars" in a 1972 match up, coming away with a 20-19 victory.  #37 may not have received the accolades modern-day gridiron players receive, but the Cavaliers gladiator was a major piece in the Cavs franchise during the 1960's and 70's.

During a 1975 battle with the Burien Flyers, it was Kriegel breaking through to block a punt in the closing minutes of a 0-0 game.  Teammate Joe Warren tackled the Flyer punter in the endzone securing a rare 2-0 victory and the even more rare write up about defensive players during the Bob Cason (QB) and Dick Barnes (PK) era for Seattle.

Stan's style of play led to five back surgeries, operations on both rotator cuffs and both knees and broken ankle...that one he suffered playing golf.  It was full-contact golf back then apparently.  During his tenure with the Cavaliers, Kriegel and pals won over 110 games on the gridiron dominating the semi-pro scene until the 1970's when Tacoma's Pierce County Bengals arrived.  The Cavaliers and Bengals would face off 11 times in epic slugfests.