Coaching changes usher in 1975 season
By
Bob Patton-
Prior to the beginning of the 1975-76 SCOL basketball season, it was announced that veteran football coach Maurice “Mo” Pfeifer had submitted his resignation to the Washington C.H. board of education. Pfeifer had been the brains behind the success of the Washington football program for 11 years. He had built a record of 68-37-5.
But, he had missed the time away from his family. His middle son played a full year of seventh-grade football, he said, “and, I wasn’t able to see him play once.” He would remain as athletic director and principal of the middle school.
In November 1975, South Central Ohio League schools were preparing for the opening of another basketball season. Several coaching changes had taken place in the league since last season.
Bob Ream, who had been at Hillsboro for four years, had taken the head coaching job at Glen Este. He had been replaced by Bill Hogan. Bill Newland had left Unioto after only one year, to accept the head coaching job at East Clinton. He had been replaced by David Warne, who had come up through the Unioto system, beginning as junior high coach. John Lawhorn had departed Circleville to become head coach at Warren Western Reserve. He was replaced by James Bailey, who, for the past three years, had been coaching at Olentangy High School. Dale Creamer had departed Miami Trace and had been replaced by John Woolums, who had coached from 1947-72 at Dayton Roosevelt, winning 10 city championships and one state championship. He had enjoyed two undefeated seasons. Could he have the same level of success at MT? Madison Plains was back in the league this season under coach Steve Stewart, but had little talent returning
At McClain, Sam Snyder was beginning his seventh year at the helm, making him the dean of SCOL coaches. Snyder’s 1974-75 team had gone to the regional finals, but had lost Bill Flynn, Steve Willett, Gary Barr, Joe Stewart, Jeff Holsinger and David McCoy to graduation. Gary Shaffer was starting his sixth year at Washington, and had Chuck Byrd, Doug Phillips, John Denen and several other promising players in camp.
Trace and Circleville seemed to be the favorites of the league coaches to take all the marbles this season. Circleville returned prolific scorer George Moore, along with Biff Bumgarner and 5’10” guard Mike McCoy, all starters on the previous year’s 22-0 team. But the red and black had lost leading scorer Harold Reed and floor leader Perry Hoskins to graduation. They were outstanding players, and would not be easy to replace.
At MT, Coach Woolums would have all the key players back from last year including All-District Allan Conner, a 6’1” forward, and promising soph Art Schlichter, who earned a starting job at guard last season as a freshman.
Third-year coach Larry Bartram had endured two successive 3-15 seasons, and was hoping for an improvement. Dave Warne at Unioto had practically no returning veterans back and was trying to build from a reserve team that had an SCOL record of 0-12.
It could be a cold winter at Unioto. After a few non-league matchups, SCOL competition got under way Nov. 25, with Washington edging Madison Plains, 75-70; Wilmington utilizing a 36-point performance by Tony Berlin to squeak by Miami Trace, 74-71 at Wilmington; Circleville mauling Unioto, 89-54; and McClain getting the best of Hillsboro, 59-55 in overtime.
December 5 league action saw Circleville stomp McClain 58-40, Hillsboro snake out a 70-68 win over Wilmington, behind 25 points from Rick Seeling and 18 from Tim Fuller, Washington pound Unioto, 93-65. Chuck Byrd and Doug Phillips totaled 50 points between them for WCH, Byrd 30 and Phillips 20. Also, Trace beat MP, 71-59.
In the third round of league play, Dec. 12, Miami Trace smothered Hillsboro at MT, 83-64, John Denen’s 15 points led WCH to a hard-fought 46-42 victory over McClain at Washington, Madison Plains belted winless Unioto 83-57 at MP, and Wilmington, playing without scoring machine Tony Berlin, who was ill, was defeated 57-54 by Circleville.
Heading into the Christmas break, a round of SCOL games was held Dec. 16 and another round Friday, Dec. 18.
On Tuesday, Wilmington edged Washington, 51-49, at Wilmington, Circleville downed Miami Trace, 67-50, at Circleville with All-State football star Biff Bumgarner tossing in 20 Circleville points, Madison Plains took Hillsboro 66-63 on the Indians’ home court, when Doug Sifrit scored 20 MP points and Rick Seeling totaled 21 for Hillsboro. Also, McClain hosted winless Unioto and drilled the Shermans, 74-50.
The last league games before Christmas saw Allan Conner of Miami Trace rack up 29 points as MT took a decisive win over Washington, 83-64. Unioto held the ball on Wilmington, attempting only 14 shots in the game, but the Hurricane, scoring only one point the second half, came out on top. 6’3” Roger Rutherford, the closest thing to a basketball player that Unioto had, quit the team earlier in the week. Circleville downed Hillsboro, 60-51, at Circleville and McClain beat Madison Plains, 63-53, at Greenfield.
So, going into January of 1976, the SCOL standings were:
Circleville – 5-0, 6-0
Madison Plains – 3-2, 4-3
Washington – 3-2, 3-2
Miami Trace – 3-2, 3-3
Wilmington – 3-2, 3-3
McClain – 2-3, 3-3
Hillsboro – 1-4, 2-4
Unioto – 0-5, 0-6.
On Jan. 6, 1976, SCOL play resumed with Miami Trace bopping Unioto, 91-52, at Unioto. Hillsboro’s Indians played the Blue Lions at Washington, with John Denen totaling 22 points as the Blue Lions took an 82-70 win. Indian Tim Fuller racked up 28 markers in a losing cause. Wilmington took a 66-57 win over McClain at Greenfield. Circleville, ranked third in the state among AA schools, suffered a humiliating upset, when they were downed at Madison Plains 66-63. This was Circleville’s first SCOL loss in over two years, and it threw the league race into a scramble. Adding to the confusion was the fact that the rest of January saw some typical January weather in southern Ohio, resulting in several postponed games. Another factor was that Madison Plains, who could be counted on for an easy win the first time around, had suddenly become a giant killer.
On Friday, January 9, Miami Trace, with Art Schlichter scoring 24 points and Garringer adding 22, managed to slip by the McClain Tigers, 80-78. Harvey counted 24 for McClain. At Circleville, the red and black, behind 26 points by Biff Bumgarner, clipped Washington, 68-48. Wilmington downed Madison Plains, 49-39, at Wilmington, and the Unioto at Hillsboro game was postponed. When this game was played, a week and a half later, the Indians pounded defenseless Unioto, 94-67, as Rick Seeling scored 22 points. Saturday night featured a make-up game between Circleville and Hillsboro. This league contest, on Hillsboro’s floor, was a real barnburner, eventually won by Circleville in three overtimes. Bumgarner scored 32 points for the red and black. Bumgarner, who had been a scoring machine lately, was moving in on the SCOL individual scoring lead. Hillsboro’s Tim Fuller was still the leader, with a 21.7 per game average. But, Bumgarner had hit for 26, 20 and 32 in his last three outings, and was closing fast. Bumgarner’s per game average was 21.1, at this point. He was followed by Allan Conner of Miami Trace (17.4) and Tony Berlin of Wilmington (16.7).
Bob Patton is a Highland County sports historian and a contributing writer to The Highland County Press.[[In-content Ad]]
But, he had missed the time away from his family. His middle son played a full year of seventh-grade football, he said, “and, I wasn’t able to see him play once.” He would remain as athletic director and principal of the middle school.
In November 1975, South Central Ohio League schools were preparing for the opening of another basketball season. Several coaching changes had taken place in the league since last season.
Bob Ream, who had been at Hillsboro for four years, had taken the head coaching job at Glen Este. He had been replaced by Bill Hogan. Bill Newland had left Unioto after only one year, to accept the head coaching job at East Clinton. He had been replaced by David Warne, who had come up through the Unioto system, beginning as junior high coach. John Lawhorn had departed Circleville to become head coach at Warren Western Reserve. He was replaced by James Bailey, who, for the past three years, had been coaching at Olentangy High School. Dale Creamer had departed Miami Trace and had been replaced by John Woolums, who had coached from 1947-72 at Dayton Roosevelt, winning 10 city championships and one state championship. He had enjoyed two undefeated seasons. Could he have the same level of success at MT? Madison Plains was back in the league this season under coach Steve Stewart, but had little talent returning
At McClain, Sam Snyder was beginning his seventh year at the helm, making him the dean of SCOL coaches. Snyder’s 1974-75 team had gone to the regional finals, but had lost Bill Flynn, Steve Willett, Gary Barr, Joe Stewart, Jeff Holsinger and David McCoy to graduation. Gary Shaffer was starting his sixth year at Washington, and had Chuck Byrd, Doug Phillips, John Denen and several other promising players in camp.
Trace and Circleville seemed to be the favorites of the league coaches to take all the marbles this season. Circleville returned prolific scorer George Moore, along with Biff Bumgarner and 5’10” guard Mike McCoy, all starters on the previous year’s 22-0 team. But the red and black had lost leading scorer Harold Reed and floor leader Perry Hoskins to graduation. They were outstanding players, and would not be easy to replace.
At MT, Coach Woolums would have all the key players back from last year including All-District Allan Conner, a 6’1” forward, and promising soph Art Schlichter, who earned a starting job at guard last season as a freshman.
Third-year coach Larry Bartram had endured two successive 3-15 seasons, and was hoping for an improvement. Dave Warne at Unioto had practically no returning veterans back and was trying to build from a reserve team that had an SCOL record of 0-12.
It could be a cold winter at Unioto. After a few non-league matchups, SCOL competition got under way Nov. 25, with Washington edging Madison Plains, 75-70; Wilmington utilizing a 36-point performance by Tony Berlin to squeak by Miami Trace, 74-71 at Wilmington; Circleville mauling Unioto, 89-54; and McClain getting the best of Hillsboro, 59-55 in overtime.
December 5 league action saw Circleville stomp McClain 58-40, Hillsboro snake out a 70-68 win over Wilmington, behind 25 points from Rick Seeling and 18 from Tim Fuller, Washington pound Unioto, 93-65. Chuck Byrd and Doug Phillips totaled 50 points between them for WCH, Byrd 30 and Phillips 20. Also, Trace beat MP, 71-59.
In the third round of league play, Dec. 12, Miami Trace smothered Hillsboro at MT, 83-64, John Denen’s 15 points led WCH to a hard-fought 46-42 victory over McClain at Washington, Madison Plains belted winless Unioto 83-57 at MP, and Wilmington, playing without scoring machine Tony Berlin, who was ill, was defeated 57-54 by Circleville.
Heading into the Christmas break, a round of SCOL games was held Dec. 16 and another round Friday, Dec. 18.
On Tuesday, Wilmington edged Washington, 51-49, at Wilmington, Circleville downed Miami Trace, 67-50, at Circleville with All-State football star Biff Bumgarner tossing in 20 Circleville points, Madison Plains took Hillsboro 66-63 on the Indians’ home court, when Doug Sifrit scored 20 MP points and Rick Seeling totaled 21 for Hillsboro. Also, McClain hosted winless Unioto and drilled the Shermans, 74-50.
The last league games before Christmas saw Allan Conner of Miami Trace rack up 29 points as MT took a decisive win over Washington, 83-64. Unioto held the ball on Wilmington, attempting only 14 shots in the game, but the Hurricane, scoring only one point the second half, came out on top. 6’3” Roger Rutherford, the closest thing to a basketball player that Unioto had, quit the team earlier in the week. Circleville downed Hillsboro, 60-51, at Circleville and McClain beat Madison Plains, 63-53, at Greenfield.
So, going into January of 1976, the SCOL standings were:
Circleville – 5-0, 6-0
Madison Plains – 3-2, 4-3
Washington – 3-2, 3-2
Miami Trace – 3-2, 3-3
Wilmington – 3-2, 3-3
McClain – 2-3, 3-3
Hillsboro – 1-4, 2-4
Unioto – 0-5, 0-6.
On Jan. 6, 1976, SCOL play resumed with Miami Trace bopping Unioto, 91-52, at Unioto. Hillsboro’s Indians played the Blue Lions at Washington, with John Denen totaling 22 points as the Blue Lions took an 82-70 win. Indian Tim Fuller racked up 28 markers in a losing cause. Wilmington took a 66-57 win over McClain at Greenfield. Circleville, ranked third in the state among AA schools, suffered a humiliating upset, when they were downed at Madison Plains 66-63. This was Circleville’s first SCOL loss in over two years, and it threw the league race into a scramble. Adding to the confusion was the fact that the rest of January saw some typical January weather in southern Ohio, resulting in several postponed games. Another factor was that Madison Plains, who could be counted on for an easy win the first time around, had suddenly become a giant killer.
On Friday, January 9, Miami Trace, with Art Schlichter scoring 24 points and Garringer adding 22, managed to slip by the McClain Tigers, 80-78. Harvey counted 24 for McClain. At Circleville, the red and black, behind 26 points by Biff Bumgarner, clipped Washington, 68-48. Wilmington downed Madison Plains, 49-39, at Wilmington, and the Unioto at Hillsboro game was postponed. When this game was played, a week and a half later, the Indians pounded defenseless Unioto, 94-67, as Rick Seeling scored 22 points. Saturday night featured a make-up game between Circleville and Hillsboro. This league contest, on Hillsboro’s floor, was a real barnburner, eventually won by Circleville in three overtimes. Bumgarner scored 32 points for the red and black. Bumgarner, who had been a scoring machine lately, was moving in on the SCOL individual scoring lead. Hillsboro’s Tim Fuller was still the leader, with a 21.7 per game average. But, Bumgarner had hit for 26, 20 and 32 in his last three outings, and was closing fast. Bumgarner’s per game average was 21.1, at this point. He was followed by Allan Conner of Miami Trace (17.4) and Tony Berlin of Wilmington (16.7).
Bob Patton is a Highland County sports historian and a contributing writer to The Highland County Press.[[In-content Ad]]