Jon Cole, Bruce Ford led Indians' ground game in '78

Bob Patton-

on Cole, Bruce Ford

led Indians’ ground game

By BOB PATTON

For The Highland County Press

As SCOL teams prepared to open the 1978 football season, the Miami Trace Panthers, who had dominated the football league the past four years,

returned only one defensive starter from 1977’s undefeated and untied SCOL champions, who ended the season ranked second in the state. But the

returning starter was linebacker Glen Cobb, a pre-season All-America pick.

All-American Art Schlichter was chucking the pigskin for Ohio State this season. He would be replaced by junior quarterback Scott Grooms, a very

capable replacement.

League coaches put the hat on MT to take the league title again this year. First-year head coach John Moore of Wilmington had 15 returning seniors from the previous year’s second place team. Like Miami Trace, the Hurricane had to replace a great player – Gary Williams.

would have three outstanding backs returning from last year’s team. Cook figured the Tigers would be “a pretty good offensive team,” but was

uncertain about the defense, particularly the secondary. Under Cook’s direction, the Tigers had won two SCOL titles. They finished fifth in 1977.

Teays Valley had most of their offensive and defensive line returning, along with their fullback and tailback. Coach Bill Woods, beginning his

second year at TV, figured to improve on last year’s tie for fifth place in the SCOL.

Paul Ondrus was beginning his third year at Washington. Quarterback Todd Terrell and running back Larry Brickles would be back, and both were solid

performers. But the Blue Lions had a very tough schedule, opening with Wheelersburg, then facing Chillicothe, Ironton, Miami Trace and Hillsboro. It would be no cakewalk for WCH.

Fred Brisker was out at McClain and Dick Hill was the new head coach. Hill came from the Miami Trace coaching staff. He was a McClain graduate. He

would have Randy Seldon and Alan Storer back. Seldon was one of McClain’s main offensive players in 1977, and Storer was one of the better passers in the league.

Madison Plains was on a 19-game losing streak and they only had 30 boys out for football. Chris Emrich was the league’s third leading passer last season and he was back this year. They had a couple of other lettermen returning, but the prospects didn’t look any too bright for the Golden Eagles and Coach Eric France.

At Hillsboro, Coach Jerry Peters seemingly had turned things around. He had 10 returning lettermen and 14 returning seniors to lead the way. But the Indians suffered several costly injuries very early in the season. The league’s leading rusher, Bruce Ford, was back and could be a key player, as he was in 1977. Junior Jon Cole would be the second part of the Indians’ backfield. He was a dangerous runner and also an outstanding punter.

As the season got under way, Sept. 8, Miami Trace steamrolled Delaware Hayes, 60-7, indicating that the Panthers were still a fairly tough football

team, and lowly Madison Plains scored two fourth quarter touchdowns to beat Westfall and break a 19-game losing streak. Most of the other SCOL teams

lost. McClain was beaten by Madeira, 21-0; Wheelersburg downed Washington, 22-14; Circleville beat Chillicothe, 13-8; Xenia clipped Wilmington, 21-8;

Hamilton Township shut out Teays Valley, 15-0; and Clermont Northeastern took the measure of Hillsboro, 14-8.

In the Hillsboro vs. CNE game, the Indians lost co-captain Bruce Hall for the season, as he re-injured a knee, which would require surgery. After

a couple of weeks of (mostly) meaningless non-league games, the first league date was Sept. 29. Hillsboro traveled to Circleville, where they played well

defensively, but were unable to get any offense going, and were beaten by the roundtowners, 20-6. Elsewhere, Madison Plains showed that they were for

real by upsetting the McClain Tigers, 14-8. This was the Golden Eagles’ first win ever, in SCOL competition.

Miami Trace romped over Washington, 42-0 and Wilmington lost to Teays Valley, 22-6.

October 6 saw Hillsboro’s Jon Cole rush for 176 yards as the Indians edged the Blue Lions, 24-22. Elsewhere, Miami Trace walloped Teays Valley,

42-0, while rolling up 517 yards of offense. Circleville shut out Madison Plains, 21-0, and Wilmington beat McClain, 26-14. Hillsboro played the

annual Homecoming game on Friday the 13th. But it wasn’t bad luck – not for Hillsboro, that is. The field was a sea of mud, but the Indians ground out

an impressive, 20-0, shutout over the Wilmington Hurricane, the first time Hillsboro had defeated the Hurricane in eight years. Prior to the start of

the game the 1978 Homecoming Queen and her court were presented in an impressive ceremony. Attractive HHS senior Risa Stout was the queen. Her

court included senior attendant Janet Dean, junior attendant Tena Fulton, sophomore attendant Molly Hagan and freshman attendant Shawn Colliver.

Miami Trace led the league with a 3-0 mark; Hillsboro and Circleville were tied for second with 2-1 records and all five of the other league teams were

1-2. But Circleville and Hillsboro, who were tied for second place, both went down to defeat the following Friday night. The Wilmington Hurricane

blew Circleville away, 20-6. Hillsboro traveled to Fayette County to take on Miami Trace. The Trace line totally controlled the line of scrimmage, and

quarterback Scott Grooms racked up 186 yards on 12 completed passes. He also gained 75 yards on the ground and scored two touchdowns. The final score was

50-0.

In other games, Teays Valley edged Madison Plains, 14-7, when they intercepted Chris Emrich’s passes four times. McClain’s defense held Larry

Brickles of Washington C.H. to only 45 yards on 18 carries, but Lion quarterback Todd Terrell picked up the slack by hitting on ten of 15 passes

for 150 yards and the Blue Lions downed McClain, 15-6. In the first eight plays of the game, McClain was flagged for six penalties. All the SCOL teams

seemed to be upsetting each other while Miami Trace sat calmly at the top, running away with the league.

(To be continued next week.)

Bob Patton is a Highland County sports historian and a contributing writer to The Highland County Press.

As SCOL teams prepared to open the 1978 football season, the Miami Trace Panthers, who had dominated the football league the past four years, returned only one defensive starter from 1977’s undefeated and untied SCOL champions, who ended the season ranked second in the state. But the returning starter was linebacker Glen Cobb, a pre-season All-America pick.

All-American Art Schlichter was chucking the pigskin for Ohio State this season. He would be replaced by junior quarterback Scott Grooms, a very

capable replacement.

Coach Moore, who had been a Hurricane assistant coach the past two seasons, was working hard to fill all the gaps in the Hurricane offensive and defensive units. Coach Larry Cook, starting his seventh year in the SCOL at Circleville, figured to field a very tough defensive team, but the offense was somewhat of a question mark. The Tigers would have three outstanding backs returning from last year’s team. Cook figured the Tigers would be “a pretty good offensive team,” but was

uncertain about the defense, particularly the secondary. Under Cook’s direction, the Tigers had won two SCOL titles. They finished fifth in 1977.

Teays Valley had most of their offensive and defensive line returning, along with their fullback and tailback. Coach Bill Woods, beginning his second year at TV, figured to improve on last year’s tie for fifth place in the SCOL.