Cliff Nelson, who had been coach at Swanton, came to Napoleon to guide the football squad that fall.

The search lasted three weeks and the committee voted 4–2 to accept the nomination of “Wildcats” submitted by Dick Speiser.

Then in the fall of 1948, a young, handsome Swanton native by way of BGSU and in the U.S. paratroopers who fought in the Battle of the Bulge, Charlie Buckenmeyer, would come on to become a living legend.

From 1948 through 1977, with time out for another stint in the U.S. Army (1951) Bucky became only the second man to rule the Great Maumee Valley, the other being General Anthony Wayne.

During the span, Napoleon won 18 Northwest Ohio Athletic League championships Since 1977, Napoleon has seen five men guide the Wildcat grid fortunes... Don Morrison, Hip Klotz, Lynn Schrickel, Mike Burke, John Snoad, and now Tory Strock.Women's soccer and basketball teams led by 4-year stud Bethany Blackwood, NAIA All-American at Grace College.