Trace wins SCOL by 1/2 game over Circleville
By
Bob Patton-
The first of November 1975 saw Circleville edge Washington in a tough battle, by a score of 7-0. Biff Bumgarner scored the game’s only touchdown on a one-yard burst. The Tiger defense took it from there and ended the Blue Lions’ hopes for a shot at the title.
Wilmington blew Madison Plains off the gridiron with a 41-8 victory as Gary Williams and Russ Cresthwaite collected scores for the Hurricane.
Steve Kelch scored three times and Kenny Captain twice as Hillsboro got their second SCOL win by trouncing Unioto, 34-6.
At Greenfield, Miami Trace was too much for the injury-riddled McClain Tigers, who just couldn’t contain the much larger Panther line.
MT took the game, 24-6. Miami Trace would try to wrap up the SCOL title Nov. 7, by beating Fayette County rival Washington C.H. on the MT field.
The Blue Lions showed up, and fought valiantly, but Miami Trace, led by brilliant sophomore quarterback Art Schlichter, was too much.
Schlichter passed on the first play from scrimmage and threw the ball 24 more times before the game ended, with 19 passes in the first half.
Trace led only 8-0 at halftime, and it was anybody’s game. But the Panthers outscored the Blue Lions, 18-8, in the second half to win going away. The final score was 26-8.
Miami Trace, who shared the SCOL title with Circleville the previous season, took sole possession of the championship this year.
In a wide open game at Hillsboro, Circleville trounced the Indians, 37-15, to finish just one-half game behind Miami Trace.
Biff Bumgarner racked up four touchdowns in the game for the red and black. Wilmington blasted Unioto, 40-0, scoring 26 points in the fourth quarter.
McClain, whose league season was already over, took a 25-6 non-league tussle from Adena, and Madison Plains was shut out by South Charleston Southeastern, 25-0.
The final standings for the 1975 football season were:
Miami Trace – 6-0-1, 9-0-1
Circleville – 6-1, 9-1
Wilmington – 4-2-1, 6-3-1
Washington – 4-3, 7-3
McClain – 3-4, 5-5
Hillsboro – 2-5, 4-6
Unioto – 1-6, 3-7
M. Plains – 1-6, 2-8
The 1975 All-SCOL grid team included: (Offense) Tom Strawser, Circleville; Brian Haines, Washington; Bryan Price, Circleville; Tom England, Circleville; Greg Cobb, Miami Trace; John Schlichter, Miami Trace; David Thompson, Washington; Frank Merrill, Circleville; Art Schlichter, Miami Trace; Biff Bumgarner, Circleville; Rex Coe, Miami Trace; Dan Anders, Unioto; Gary Williams, Wilmington; (Defense) Brian Haines, Washington; Chuck Conley, McClain; Steve Wilson, Miami Trace; Tim O’Flynn, Washington; Scott Brumfield, Unioto; Pete Sullivan, Madison Plains; Greg Cobb, Miami Trace; Jim Ganger, McClain; Tim Hartinger, Circleville; Tom McGuire, Circleville; Steve Kelch, Hillsboro; Bruce Ervin, Miami Trace; Dewey Foster, Washington; Brent Mancini, Circleville; Gary Williams, Wilmington.
Bob Patton is a Highland County sports historian and a contributing writer to The Highland County Press.[[In-content Ad]]
Wilmington blew Madison Plains off the gridiron with a 41-8 victory as Gary Williams and Russ Cresthwaite collected scores for the Hurricane.
Steve Kelch scored three times and Kenny Captain twice as Hillsboro got their second SCOL win by trouncing Unioto, 34-6.
At Greenfield, Miami Trace was too much for the injury-riddled McClain Tigers, who just couldn’t contain the much larger Panther line.
MT took the game, 24-6. Miami Trace would try to wrap up the SCOL title Nov. 7, by beating Fayette County rival Washington C.H. on the MT field.
The Blue Lions showed up, and fought valiantly, but Miami Trace, led by brilliant sophomore quarterback Art Schlichter, was too much.
Schlichter passed on the first play from scrimmage and threw the ball 24 more times before the game ended, with 19 passes in the first half.
Trace led only 8-0 at halftime, and it was anybody’s game. But the Panthers outscored the Blue Lions, 18-8, in the second half to win going away. The final score was 26-8.
Miami Trace, who shared the SCOL title with Circleville the previous season, took sole possession of the championship this year.
In a wide open game at Hillsboro, Circleville trounced the Indians, 37-15, to finish just one-half game behind Miami Trace.
Biff Bumgarner racked up four touchdowns in the game for the red and black. Wilmington blasted Unioto, 40-0, scoring 26 points in the fourth quarter.
McClain, whose league season was already over, took a 25-6 non-league tussle from Adena, and Madison Plains was shut out by South Charleston Southeastern, 25-0.
The final standings for the 1975 football season were:
Miami Trace – 6-0-1, 9-0-1
Circleville – 6-1, 9-1
Wilmington – 4-2-1, 6-3-1
Washington – 4-3, 7-3
McClain – 3-4, 5-5
Hillsboro – 2-5, 4-6
Unioto – 1-6, 3-7
M. Plains – 1-6, 2-8
The 1975 All-SCOL grid team included: (Offense) Tom Strawser, Circleville; Brian Haines, Washington; Bryan Price, Circleville; Tom England, Circleville; Greg Cobb, Miami Trace; John Schlichter, Miami Trace; David Thompson, Washington; Frank Merrill, Circleville; Art Schlichter, Miami Trace; Biff Bumgarner, Circleville; Rex Coe, Miami Trace; Dan Anders, Unioto; Gary Williams, Wilmington; (Defense) Brian Haines, Washington; Chuck Conley, McClain; Steve Wilson, Miami Trace; Tim O’Flynn, Washington; Scott Brumfield, Unioto; Pete Sullivan, Madison Plains; Greg Cobb, Miami Trace; Jim Ganger, McClain; Tim Hartinger, Circleville; Tom McGuire, Circleville; Steve Kelch, Hillsboro; Bruce Ervin, Miami Trace; Dewey Foster, Washington; Brent Mancini, Circleville; Gary Williams, Wilmington.
Bob Patton is a Highland County sports historian and a contributing writer to The Highland County Press.[[In-content Ad]]