CHS captures SCOL football title in 1980
By
Bob Patton-
CHS captures SCOL
football title in 1980
By BOB PATTON
For The Highland County Press
At Miami Trace, the Panthers went down to their third straight SCOL setback and their fifth loss in six games when they were trounced by Teays Valley, 22-7, in the fall of 1980. The Panthers fumbled three times and threw two interceptions, which didn’t help the cause.
At Madison-Plains, the Circleville Tigers ran over, around and through the Golden Eagles for an easy 34-0 win.
The next Friday night saw the McClain Tigers absorb their second straight league loss, this time at the hands of the Circleville Tigers, when the huge Circleville line completely halted the McClain offense by holding them to a total of 48 yards rushing and beating them, 12-0. At Teays Valley, the Blue Lions of Washington trampled the Vikings, 57-0.
Wilmington shut out the Indians, 21-0, in a torrential downpour. The Indians had led the league in rushing offense early in the season but had been held
to less than 50 yards last week and a grand total of 27 yards against the Hurricane.
Elsewhere, Madison-Plains visited Miami Trace and took a 22-0 defeat at the hands of the Panthers.
So, midway through the 1980 SCOL season, the league standings were:
Washington 4-0; 6-1
Wilmington 4-0; 5-2
Circleville 3-1; 6-1
McClain 2-2; 4-3
Teays Valley 1-2-1; 1-4-2
Miami Trace 1-3; 2-5
Hillsboro 0-3-1; 2-4-1
Mad. Plains 0-4; 1-6
October 17 saw the McClain Tigers make the short trip up S.R 41 to Washington C.H. The Tigers put up a fierce battle, and their defense was exceptionally tough. But a dropped pass in the end zone and a couple of fumbles stopped them and allowed Washington to squeeze out a 6-0 league win.
In other games, Hillsboro took on the Miami Trace Panthers at MT. It was pouring down rain in Fayette County, but the rain didn’t seem to bother the
Indians. Brian Price completed six of 10 Indian passes good for 182 yards and one touchdown, and Hillsboro downed Trace, 30-0. This was the first
Hillsboro win over MT since 1965, but Indian coach Jim Taylor didn’t hesitate to take it.
Elsewhere, Wilmington traveled to Circleville, where they were handed their first SCOL loss 9-0. The Hurricane held the league-leading rusher,
Stuart Payne, to just 43 yards on 13 carries. At Teays Valley, Madison-Plains suffered another defeat, 12-0. The Eagles had not scored in the last six games and had not scored a point against an SCOL school this season.
The following week, the Wilmington Hurricane scrambled the league football race even further, when they knocked off Washington, 7-6, in a heavy rainstorm, throwing the league race into a three-way tie. At Circleville, the same evening, the Tigers beat Miami Trace for the first time since 1974, 20-6. Circleville, WCH and Wilmington had lost one league game each, and all three played teams at or near the bottom of the heap Oct. 31, in the final game of the league season.
So, there was a very real possibility that this year’s SCOL football race would end up in a three-way tie. This had happened only twice in the 51-year history of the SCOL, in 1924, when McClain, Wilmington and Chillicothe shared the title, and in 1958, when McClain, Washington and Franklin Heights shared the crown.
In other games, Hillsboro kept Madison Plains scoreless for the seventh straight game, 20-0, and Teays Valley handed the McClain Tigers their fourth consecutive loss, 12-6. On the final night of the SCOL season, Madison-Plains, playing at home, scored 12 points. However, Washington scored 38 as they iced a tie for the league championship.
At Wilmington, the Miami Trace Panthers refused to go down without a fight. Trace outgained Wilmington, 218-114, and had the Hurricane on the ropes all night. But, Wilmington came out on top, 13-12.
The Circleville Tigers set a new record under Coach Larry Cook, by giving up only 51 points all season. In the final contest, they romped over
Teays Valley, 31-0. McClain battled their Highland County rivals, the Hillsboro Indians in Greenfield. Hillsboro won the battle of statistics, but McClain won the game, 20-14. The final SCOL standings were:
Circleville 6-1; 9-1
Washington 6-1; 8-2
Wilmington 6-1; 7-3
Teays Valley 3-3-1; 3-5-2
McClain 3-4; 5-5
Hillsboro 2-4-1; 4-5-1
Miami Trace 1-6; 2-8
Mad. Plains 0-7; 1-9
In the statistical races, WCH had the best offense in the league, scoring 257 points for the season. They also had the best passing offense, racking up 1,136 passing yards. Their total offense led the league with 2,817 total yards.
Circleville’s rushing offense was best in the SCOL, as the Tigers recorded 2,092 yards on the ground. Circleville also took all the defensive
honors, limiting their opposition to a total of only 51 points and just 1,262 total yards of offense. Circleville’s Stuart Payne won the individual rushing title with 750 yards. Jerry Van Dyke of McClain was second with 659 yards.
Jon Thomas of WCH led the league by passing for 1,078 yards. Hillsboro’s Brian Price finished a strong second, with 843 yards. Hillsboro sophomore
Tom Kiefer caught 22 passes for the season, two more than Washington’s Todd Herman. Brian Dodds of WCH led the league in scoring, totaling 106 points.
As expected, the three co-champions of the league dominated the All-SCOL selections. Circleville had 10 men on the squad(s), while Wilmington and WCH had six each. McClain and Hillsboro had three each, and Teays Valley had two.
All-SCOL team:
Tony Zimmerman, CHS; Joe Banks, HHS; Todd Herman, WCH; Don Foster, CHS; Jim Pangborn, TV; Richie Hawkins, MHS; Rocky Ford, CHS; Richard Hastings,
HHS; Victor Cales, WCH; Rocky Ford, CHS; Ken Harris, WHS; Brian Dodds, WCH; Jim Frericks, CHS; Roger Wilt, WHS; Keith Zurface, WHS; Bob Regan, WHS; Ron
Hay, TV; Mike Rader, MP; Jon Thomas, WCH; Chip Pavey, MT; Jerry Van Dyke, MHS; Paul Leahy, CHS; Brian Price, HHS; Stuart Payne, CHS; Brad Fisher, CHS;
Randy Ramseyer, WHS; Jackie Persinger, WCH; David Ford, MHS; Tommy Tomlinson, CHS.
A number of SCOL players were named to the All-Southeast district team. Brian Price of Hillsboro made the first team and teammate Richard Hastings
made the second team. Defensive back David Ford of McClain made the first team, and defensive end Richie Hawkins made the second team. Guard Barry Bach and defensive end Chip Pavey, both of Miami Trace, made the first team. Victor Cales, Jackie Persinger and Brian Dodds, all of WCH, made the first team, and Paul Ondrus was named Southeast District AA Coach of the Year.
Three Wilmington players were named to the Southwestern District All-Star team. (Unfortunately, we don’t have their names). Four Circleville players were named to the team: Jim Frericks, Rocky Ford, Brad Fisher and Don Foster.
At the close of the season, Miami Trace head coach Doug James submitted his resignation and accepted a position as assistant football coach at Wilmington College.
Bob Patton is a Highland County sports historian and a contributing writer to The Highland County Press.
At Miami Trace, the Panthers went down to their third straight SCOL setback and their fifth loss in six games when they were trounced by Teays Valley, 22-7, in the fall of 1980. The Panthers fumbled three times and threw two interceptions, which didn’t help the cause.
At Madison-Plains, the Circleville Tigers ran over, around and through the Golden Eagles for an easy 34-0 win.
The next Friday night saw the McClain Tigers absorb their second straight league loss, this time at the hands of the Circleville Tigers, when the huge Circleville line completely halted the McClain offense by holding them to a total of 48 yards rushing and beating them, 12-0. At Teays Valley, the Blue Lions of Washington trampled the Vikings, 57-0.
Wilmington shut out the Indians, 21-0, in a torrential downpour. The Indians had led the league in rushing offense early in the season but had been held
to less than 50 yards last week and a grand total of 27 yards against the Hurricane.
Elsewhere, Madison-Plains visited Miami Trace and took a 22-0 defeat at the hands of the Panthers.
So, midway through the 1980 SCOL season, the league standings were:
Washington 4-0; 6-1
Wilmington 4-0; 5-2
Circleville 3-1; 6-1
McClain 2-2; 4-3
Teays Valley 1-2-1; 1-4-2
Miami Trace 1-3; 2-5
Hillsboro 0-3-1; 2-4-1
Mad. Plains 0-4; 1-6
October 17 saw the McClain Tigers make the short trip up S.R 41 to Washington C.H. The Tigers put up a fierce battle, and their defense was exceptionally tough. But a dropped pass in the end zone and a couple of fumbles stopped them and allowed Washington to squeeze out a 6-0 league win.
In other games, Hillsboro took on the Miami Trace Panthers at MT. It was pouring down rain in Fayette County, but the rain didn’t seem to bother the
Indians. Brian Price completed six of 10 Indian passes good for 182 yards and one touchdown, and Hillsboro downed Trace, 30-0. This was the first
Hillsboro win over MT since 1965, but Indian coach Jim Taylor didn’t hesitate to take it.
Elsewhere, Wilmington traveled to Circleville, where they were handed their first SCOL loss 9-0. The Hurricane held the league-leading rusher,
Stuart Payne, to just 43 yards on 13 carries. At Teays Valley, Madison-Plains suffered another defeat, 12-0. The Eagles had not scored in the last six games and had not scored a point against an SCOL school this season.
The following week, the Wilmington Hurricane scrambled the league football race even further, when they knocked off Washington, 7-6, in a heavy rainstorm, throwing the league race into a three-way tie. At Circleville, the same evening, the Tigers beat Miami Trace for the first time since 1974, 20-6. Circleville, WCH and Wilmington had lost one league game each, and all three played teams at or near the bottom of the heap Oct. 31, in the final game of the league season.
So, there was a very real possibility that this year’s SCOL football race would end up in a three-way tie. This had happened only twice in the 51-year history of the SCOL, in 1924, when McClain, Wilmington and Chillicothe shared the title, and in 1958, when McClain, Washington and Franklin Heights shared the crown.
In other games, Hillsboro kept Madison Plains scoreless for the seventh straight game, 20-0, and Teays Valley handed the McClain Tigers their fourth consecutive loss, 12-6. On the final night of the SCOL season, Madison-Plains, playing at home, scored 12 points. However, Washington scored 38 as they iced a tie for the league championship.
At Wilmington, the Miami Trace Panthers refused to go down without a fight. Trace outgained Wilmington, 218-114, and had the Hurricane on the ropes all night. But, Wilmington came out on top, 13-12.
The Circleville Tigers set a new record under Coach Larry Cook, by giving up only 51 points all season. In the final contest, they romped over
Teays Valley, 31-0. McClain battled their Highland County rivals, the Hillsboro Indians in Greenfield. Hillsboro won the battle of statistics, but McClain won the game, 20-14. The final SCOL standings were:
Circleville 6-1; 9-1
Washington 6-1; 8-2
Wilmington 6-1; 7-3
Teays Valley 3-3-1; 3-5-2
McClain 3-4; 5-5
Hillsboro 2-4-1; 4-5-1
Miami Trace 1-6; 2-8
Mad. Plains 0-7; 1-9
In the statistical races, WCH had the best offense in the league, scoring 257 points for the season. They also had the best passing offense, racking up 1,136 passing yards. Their total offense led the league with 2,817 total yards.
Circleville’s rushing offense was best in the SCOL, as the Tigers recorded 2,092 yards on the ground. Circleville also took all the defensive
honors, limiting their opposition to a total of only 51 points and just 1,262 total yards of offense. Circleville’s Stuart Payne won the individual rushing title with 750 yards. Jerry Van Dyke of McClain was second with 659 yards.
Jon Thomas of WCH led the league by passing for 1,078 yards. Hillsboro’s Brian Price finished a strong second, with 843 yards. Hillsboro sophomore
Tom Kiefer caught 22 passes for the season, two more than Washington’s Todd Herman. Brian Dodds of WCH led the league in scoring, totaling 106 points.
As expected, the three co-champions of the league dominated the All-SCOL selections. Circleville had 10 men on the squad(s), while Wilmington and WCH had six each. McClain and Hillsboro had three each, and Teays Valley had two.
All-SCOL team:
Tony Zimmerman, CHS; Joe Banks, HHS; Todd Herman, WCH; Don Foster, CHS; Jim Pangborn, TV; Richie Hawkins, MHS; Rocky Ford, CHS; Richard Hastings,
HHS; Victor Cales, WCH; Rocky Ford, CHS; Ken Harris, WHS; Brian Dodds, WCH; Jim Frericks, CHS; Roger Wilt, WHS; Keith Zurface, WHS; Bob Regan, WHS; Ron
Hay, TV; Mike Rader, MP; Jon Thomas, WCH; Chip Pavey, MT; Jerry Van Dyke, MHS; Paul Leahy, CHS; Brian Price, HHS; Stuart Payne, CHS; Brad Fisher, CHS;
Randy Ramseyer, WHS; Jackie Persinger, WCH; David Ford, MHS; Tommy Tomlinson, CHS.
A number of SCOL players were named to the All-Southeast district team. Brian Price of Hillsboro made the first team and teammate Richard Hastings
made the second team. Defensive back David Ford of McClain made the first team, and defensive end Richie Hawkins made the second team. Guard Barry Bach and defensive end Chip Pavey, both of Miami Trace, made the first team. Victor Cales, Jackie Persinger and Brian Dodds, all of WCH, made the first team, and Paul Ondrus was named Southeast District AA Coach of the Year.
Three Wilmington players were named to the Southwestern District All-Star team. (Unfortunately, we don’t have their names). Four Circleville players were named to the team: Jim Frericks, Rocky Ford, Brad Fisher and Don Foster.
At the close of the season, Miami Trace head coach Doug James submitted his resignation and accepted a position as assistant football coach at Wilmington College.
Bob Patton is a Highland County sports historian and a contributing writer to The Highland County Press.
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