Five seniors return for 1994 Indians

(Continued from last week.)

The Hillsboro Indians lost practically their entire 1993 football team through graduation. Only five senior starters returned for the 1994 season. They were: tackle Brandon Leeth, linebacker/receiver Ben Huffman, guard Mike Captain, offensive and defensive tackle Jason Harrison and receiver Adam McGinnis.

Junior quarterback Jason Barton would be taking the snaps from center, but sophomore Cameron Williams would see some action at QB, too.

Coach Jim Horne would stick with the familiar “run and shoot” offense. Two skilled receivers would headline the Tribe’s attack: senior Adam McGinnis and junior All-District C.J. Captain.

Junior Rusty Swackhamer, sophomore T.J. Turner and freshman Brian Swisshelm would compete for the fullback slot. All three were capable of doing a good job. Whoever emerged the winner would probably have to play both offense and defense.

The key to the “run and shoot” would be the offensive line, and Hillsboro had only one lineman back from last year. Senior Jason Harrison returned to lead an inexperienced line. How well and how quickly the young linemen developed would be a critical factor in the level of success this team would enjoy.

The Indians would open with Paint Valley, Bloom-Carroll and Portsmouth, so there would be no easy games to get the season under way. They would jump into the pit right away.

In Greenfield, Coach Troy Dawson had lost his entire offensive line and most of the defensive line. However, most of the skill position players would be returning.

The Tigers finished 7-3 in 1993, and Jim Bob Young handled the quarterbacking duties the last three games.

He would take most of the snaps this season, and Coach Dawson was high on him.

In his three games as the starting quarterback in 1993, Young threw for over 100 years per game. Could he repeat that level of play?

Once again, the Tigers would stay mostly with the “I” and the “Wing-T” formations. The centerpiece of the offense would be senior senior running back Scott Counter, who rolled up nearly 1,200 yards last season. Counter was very fast. He had set the school record for the 100 meters while a member of the track team.

Jon Soards, who would be playing fullback, also boasted outstanding speed. The purple-and-gold could have an excellent season ahead of them.

McClain had six away games this season and only four home games. Coach Dawson was not pleased with that. But you have to play the hand you’re dealt.

Washington C.H., who lost five games by eight points or less in the 1993 season, was hoping for some improvement this year.

The Lions would meet county rival Miami Trace at Gardner Park in the first game of the year. This game would mark the end of this series, as they were not scheduled to meet for the next several years. Many people in Fayette County were unhappy about that.

The game had packed the stadium regardless of whether it was played at WCH or Trace. This would be Coach Roy Lucas’ eighth year at the helm in WCH. Head coach Jeff Conroy was going into his fifth season at Trace. The Panthers would be an Independent, again, with no league affiliation.

Last year, they finished 9-1.

Roger Ilg would be in his fifth year as coach of the Wilmington Hurricane. In the 1993 season, the ’Cane ended up with a 4-6 record.

Ilg’s overall record at Wilmington was 18-22. Last year, the ’Cane lost a lot of good players, especially in the skill positions. This could be a tough season for them.

They would again be competing in the Fort Ancient Valley Conference.

Hillsboro’s season opener, at Paint Valley, was not pretty. Quarterback Jason Barton’s first interception, on the Indians’ initial drive, set the tone for the game. The Bearcat defensive line pressured him all night. Meanwhile, PV senior tailback Eric Danielson gained 66 yards in the first half. The Indians had only one first down by halftime. Paint Valley had eight.

The Bearcats so dominated the Indians’ offensive and defensive line that Hillsboro was never able to get their offense established. The ’Cats took a 39-0 opening game win over the red-and-white.

At Washington C.H., the long series ended with a very close game with the Panthers coming from behind to take a 21- 20 thriller over the Lions.

(Continued next week.)

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