SCOL prepares for 1986 gridiron season
By
Bob Patton-
The leaves were beginning to fall. The nights were a little cooler and less humid. Fall was in the air. The morning silence was broken by the excited voices of children on their way to school. That could mean only one thing. The 1986 high school football season would soon be under way.
All the South Central Ohio League football coaches and athletes were hard at work. In the local restaurants, ardent football fans were predicting a great season for their favorite team.
The area coaches and sportswriters were predicting yet another SCOL football championship for Miami Trace. The Panthers had a new coach, Al Riffey. Riffey had been an assistant coach at Trace for the past six years. Prior to that, he had spent nine years as an assistant football mentor at Jackson. He was no beginner. Trace had lost virtually their entire starting lineup to graduation. They always seemed to come up with capable replacements, but there were huge holes to fill this season.
The Panthers would be more of a ball-control team this year. 6’1,” 185-pound quarterback Kevin Kirkpatrick would be starting his third season as a starter. He was the AAA Co-Player of the Year in the Southeast District last season. He could definitely throw the ball. But all three of his favorite targets from last year (Shawn Johns, Mark Matthews and Doug Richard) had graduated. Coach Riffey wondered whether he had people who could catch the ball this year.
The Wilmington Hurricane appeared ready to contend for the league title. The previous year was a disappointing season at Wilmington. With a roster filled with promising sophomores, nobody took control, and the team just never jelled. They finished with a 3-7 overall mark, 3-2 in the SCOL.
The Hurricane, which would be outsized by most of its opponents, would rely on team speed. They had a core of excellent linebackers and an excellent offensive line which should help a great deal.
Junior quarterback Mike Taylor would be back, and would have several outstanding pass receivers including Jeff Copsey, Shawn McCoy and Brent Patton. Coach Bob White, in his seventh year, expected to be in the thick of the race right down to the end.
At Washington, Paul Ondrus was preparing for his 11th season as head coach of the Blue Lions. He was bringing up 17 sophomores from last season’s undefeated freshman team. Many of them were convinced that they could play at the varsity level right now – and win.
Six-foot junior Marcus Lee, who saw a lot of action last year, would step in as starting quarterback this season. He had looked very, very good in pre-season workouts and scrimmages. He had a nice, soft touch on his throws.
Speedy receivers Travis Redman and Drexel Terhune would be Lee’s primary targets, but three or four other wide receivers would be in the wings waiting for their chance, and all of them were capable. The Lions had some question marks, but they expected to be in the race.
Coach Jim Horne was back for his fourth season at the helm in Hillsboro. The Indians were long on experience, but short on depth. He would have as many as eight two-way players. He preferred having a defensive unit and an offensive unit, but he just didn’t have that many good players this year.
Senior Cris Walker, 6’ 0,” 155 pounds, would be quarterback for the fourth straight year. Running back Ernest Smith, 5’ 8,” 165 lbs., Ryan Hopkins, 5’ 10,” 165 lbs., and Joe Biscoe, 5’ 10,” 185 lbs., would make up the backfield.
In addition, the Indians featured 6-foot, 250-pound senior center Todd Cole, tackles Jon Parr and Barry Stratton, both about 6’ 2” and 200 pounds, and Dale Richie, 6’ 1,” 170-pound, split end, along with 6’ 3,” 200-pound tight end Joe Crawford. The Indians expected to be in the middle of the race for the SCOL title this season.
Third-year head coach Dave Truex, at Circleville, was not predicting that his Tigers would sweep to the league title this year, but he knew his players would put it on the line every game.
The Tigers endured a dismal 2-8 season last year. They would suffer from lack of depth this year, along with lack of size. Their line would average only about 175 pounds. Truex’s team would pass more this season, and would feature much more speed than in the past three or four seasons. They remained a question mark for the 1986 season.
Otis Wagner was back for his third season as head coach at McClain. The Tigers ended up 0-10 last year. He only had 32 players this season, including nine seniors. There would not be much depth. The Tigers were considered a very long shot to capture the 1986 SCOL football title. But that is why they play the games.
With a six-team league there are only five league games and five non-league games. All the SCOL schools began their seasons with several non-league encounters. In the 1986 season, the opening games were played Friday, Aug. 29, as all six league members began their season with a loss. Washington lost to West Jefferson, 34-6. Wilmington was trounced by Xenia, 34-7, Miami Trace lost a squeaker to Springfield Northeastern, 9-8, McClain was dropped by Adena, 14-7, Circleville was defeated by Grove City, 16-14 while Portsmouth thumped Hillsboro, 14-8. So, after a week of football competition, everybody was 0-1.
Notably, in the McClain vs. Adena game, a referee was totally fooled by a perfect fake handoff of McClain quarterback Tony Hill, and a 75-yard scoring play was called back. It turned out to be the difference in the game.
The following Friday, Sept. 5, saw Wilmington wallop Dayton Colonel White, 35-12. At Hillsboro, the Indians edged New Richmond, 15-9. McClain entertained Cincinnati McNicholas and gave the visitors a terrific game before falling, 16-14. Portsmouth visited Washington C.H., where the Blue Lions gave the Trojans a scare before losing a 26-14 contest. Miami Trace was downed by visiting Logan Elm, 22-14, while Circleville was routed by neighboring Chillicothe, 32-0.
On Sept. 12, Miami Trace uncharacteristically dropped to 0-3 for the young season when Logan’s Kelley Wolfe ran for 259 yards and scored five touchdowns and Logan thrashed the Panthers 42-12. In Chillicothe, the Cavaliers took a 38-7 win over the Blue Lions of Washington. Waverly shut out McClain in Greenfield, 34-0. At Wilmington, the Hurricane staged a furious fourth-quarter rally to defeat visiting Lebanon, 20-14. West Jefferson slipped by Circleville, 19-13, while the Hillsboro Indians came back in the second half, to edge Unioto, 23-10.
After three non-league encounters, Hillsboro and Wilmington were both 2-1 and all the other SCOL teams were 0-3.
Hillsboro’s little dynamo, Ernest Smith, was the SCOL scoring leader, with 24 points. Otis McCrary, of Washington and Jodi Ames of Wilmington had 18 points each.
Washington C.H. led the league in rushing yardage with 472 yards. Hillsboro trailed by only one yard, with 471. Wilmington led the SCOL in passing yardage with 355, far ahead of any other league team. The Hurricane also led in total yardage with 710.
Wilmington’s Jodi Ames was the league’s leading passer with 355 yards, and Jeff Copsey, of Wilmington, led the league’s receivers with 136 yards.
September 19 saw still more non-league games as McClain fumbled inside its own 10-yard line twice and was nipped by Blanchester, 10-9, even though the Tigers outgained Blanchester, 367 to 217 yards.
(Continued next week.)
Bob Patton is a Highland County sports historian and a contributing writer to The Highland County Press.[[In-content Ad]]
All the South Central Ohio League football coaches and athletes were hard at work. In the local restaurants, ardent football fans were predicting a great season for their favorite team.
The area coaches and sportswriters were predicting yet another SCOL football championship for Miami Trace. The Panthers had a new coach, Al Riffey. Riffey had been an assistant coach at Trace for the past six years. Prior to that, he had spent nine years as an assistant football mentor at Jackson. He was no beginner. Trace had lost virtually their entire starting lineup to graduation. They always seemed to come up with capable replacements, but there were huge holes to fill this season.
The Panthers would be more of a ball-control team this year. 6’1,” 185-pound quarterback Kevin Kirkpatrick would be starting his third season as a starter. He was the AAA Co-Player of the Year in the Southeast District last season. He could definitely throw the ball. But all three of his favorite targets from last year (Shawn Johns, Mark Matthews and Doug Richard) had graduated. Coach Riffey wondered whether he had people who could catch the ball this year.
The Wilmington Hurricane appeared ready to contend for the league title. The previous year was a disappointing season at Wilmington. With a roster filled with promising sophomores, nobody took control, and the team just never jelled. They finished with a 3-7 overall mark, 3-2 in the SCOL.
The Hurricane, which would be outsized by most of its opponents, would rely on team speed. They had a core of excellent linebackers and an excellent offensive line which should help a great deal.
Junior quarterback Mike Taylor would be back, and would have several outstanding pass receivers including Jeff Copsey, Shawn McCoy and Brent Patton. Coach Bob White, in his seventh year, expected to be in the thick of the race right down to the end.
At Washington, Paul Ondrus was preparing for his 11th season as head coach of the Blue Lions. He was bringing up 17 sophomores from last season’s undefeated freshman team. Many of them were convinced that they could play at the varsity level right now – and win.
Six-foot junior Marcus Lee, who saw a lot of action last year, would step in as starting quarterback this season. He had looked very, very good in pre-season workouts and scrimmages. He had a nice, soft touch on his throws.
Speedy receivers Travis Redman and Drexel Terhune would be Lee’s primary targets, but three or four other wide receivers would be in the wings waiting for their chance, and all of them were capable. The Lions had some question marks, but they expected to be in the race.
Coach Jim Horne was back for his fourth season at the helm in Hillsboro. The Indians were long on experience, but short on depth. He would have as many as eight two-way players. He preferred having a defensive unit and an offensive unit, but he just didn’t have that many good players this year.
Senior Cris Walker, 6’ 0,” 155 pounds, would be quarterback for the fourth straight year. Running back Ernest Smith, 5’ 8,” 165 lbs., Ryan Hopkins, 5’ 10,” 165 lbs., and Joe Biscoe, 5’ 10,” 185 lbs., would make up the backfield.
In addition, the Indians featured 6-foot, 250-pound senior center Todd Cole, tackles Jon Parr and Barry Stratton, both about 6’ 2” and 200 pounds, and Dale Richie, 6’ 1,” 170-pound, split end, along with 6’ 3,” 200-pound tight end Joe Crawford. The Indians expected to be in the middle of the race for the SCOL title this season.
Third-year head coach Dave Truex, at Circleville, was not predicting that his Tigers would sweep to the league title this year, but he knew his players would put it on the line every game.
The Tigers endured a dismal 2-8 season last year. They would suffer from lack of depth this year, along with lack of size. Their line would average only about 175 pounds. Truex’s team would pass more this season, and would feature much more speed than in the past three or four seasons. They remained a question mark for the 1986 season.
Otis Wagner was back for his third season as head coach at McClain. The Tigers ended up 0-10 last year. He only had 32 players this season, including nine seniors. There would not be much depth. The Tigers were considered a very long shot to capture the 1986 SCOL football title. But that is why they play the games.
With a six-team league there are only five league games and five non-league games. All the SCOL schools began their seasons with several non-league encounters. In the 1986 season, the opening games were played Friday, Aug. 29, as all six league members began their season with a loss. Washington lost to West Jefferson, 34-6. Wilmington was trounced by Xenia, 34-7, Miami Trace lost a squeaker to Springfield Northeastern, 9-8, McClain was dropped by Adena, 14-7, Circleville was defeated by Grove City, 16-14 while Portsmouth thumped Hillsboro, 14-8. So, after a week of football competition, everybody was 0-1.
Notably, in the McClain vs. Adena game, a referee was totally fooled by a perfect fake handoff of McClain quarterback Tony Hill, and a 75-yard scoring play was called back. It turned out to be the difference in the game.
The following Friday, Sept. 5, saw Wilmington wallop Dayton Colonel White, 35-12. At Hillsboro, the Indians edged New Richmond, 15-9. McClain entertained Cincinnati McNicholas and gave the visitors a terrific game before falling, 16-14. Portsmouth visited Washington C.H., where the Blue Lions gave the Trojans a scare before losing a 26-14 contest. Miami Trace was downed by visiting Logan Elm, 22-14, while Circleville was routed by neighboring Chillicothe, 32-0.
On Sept. 12, Miami Trace uncharacteristically dropped to 0-3 for the young season when Logan’s Kelley Wolfe ran for 259 yards and scored five touchdowns and Logan thrashed the Panthers 42-12. In Chillicothe, the Cavaliers took a 38-7 win over the Blue Lions of Washington. Waverly shut out McClain in Greenfield, 34-0. At Wilmington, the Hurricane staged a furious fourth-quarter rally to defeat visiting Lebanon, 20-14. West Jefferson slipped by Circleville, 19-13, while the Hillsboro Indians came back in the second half, to edge Unioto, 23-10.
After three non-league encounters, Hillsboro and Wilmington were both 2-1 and all the other SCOL teams were 0-3.
Hillsboro’s little dynamo, Ernest Smith, was the SCOL scoring leader, with 24 points. Otis McCrary, of Washington and Jodi Ames of Wilmington had 18 points each.
Washington C.H. led the league in rushing yardage with 472 yards. Hillsboro trailed by only one yard, with 471. Wilmington led the SCOL in passing yardage with 355, far ahead of any other league team. The Hurricane also led in total yardage with 710.
Wilmington’s Jodi Ames was the league’s leading passer with 355 yards, and Jeff Copsey, of Wilmington, led the league’s receivers with 136 yards.
September 19 saw still more non-league games as McClain fumbled inside its own 10-yard line twice and was nipped by Blanchester, 10-9, even though the Tigers outgained Blanchester, 367 to 217 yards.
(Continued next week.)
Bob Patton is a Highland County sports historian and a contributing writer to The Highland County Press.[[In-content Ad]]