The Official Site of the Fighting Saints

Arriving on the Hilltop as a 6-sport athlete from Glasgow in 1948, the 5’9” 158-lb. Sternhagen “hit like a 200-pounder” and played 60 minutes of every game at offensive and defensive halfback. In coach John Gagliardi’s first game in 1949, Bill set up the Saints initial score in the 38-20 upset over Rocky Mountain with a 32-yard run, and tallied a pair of touchdowns. Carroll garnered the 1950 MCC championship, with Bill repeating as an All-Conference selection.

Regarded as one of the state’s best “broken field runners” and a strong blocking back, during his last two seasons, Sternhagan averaged 6.1 yards per carry, rushed for 10 TDs, caught 7 scoring passes and threw for another. Defensively he posted 12 interceptions (and knocked down even more) and returned three Pick-sixes for 81 (longest in the nation), 78 and 69 yards. Sternhagen enlisted in the Air Force after his junior year, and went on to fly 52 combat missions as a fighter pilot during the Korean War.