Hurricane tops on SCOL gridiron in '69
By
Bob Patton-
Preseason football practice for the 1969-70 football season was drawing to a close. Paul Orr was back at McClain, and Dale Ambos was going into his second year heading up the Hillsboro program. Ambos, who played four years of football at Capital University, had been assistant football coach at Circleville for two years and was also an assistant at Lima Perry for a year. He had most recently been head football coach at Class A Roseville, near New Lexington, for the past two years. He was married and had two sons. He came to Hillsboro for the 1968 season, and his team won only one game.
League coaches had picked Washington as the team to beat in the league. The Blue Lions captured the league title in 1968-69. Wilmington and Circleville would also be teams to contend with, as both had several lettermen returning.
Hillsboro would have some size, but not much speed. Nobody knew what to make of McClain. The Tigers had been impressive in some scrimmages, not so impressive in others. They did not have many returning lettermen, and their ’68-69 team had failed to win a game.
For the fourth consecutive year, Hillsboro opened the season with Lebanon, and for the fourth consecutive year the Warriors blasted the Indians; this time, 34-6. Across the county, McClain opened with tough London, and lost, 33-0.
Neither the Indians nor the Tigers showed much in the way of offense, and both demonstrated a propensity to give up the big play. It was not an impressive start of the season for either of Highland County’s entries.
The second night of the season, McClain traveled to Jackson to take on the tough Ironmen. The Tigers were swamped, 50-0. Meanwhile, Hillsboro got their first win of the season, taking the measure of Blanchester, 22-0. In other SCOL action, Cincinnati Moeller scorched Wilmington 40-0, Teays Valley thumped Circleville, Chillicothe downed Washington 24-16 and Pleasant View beat Miami Trace 39- 26.
September 19, 1969 saw Unioto defeat Hillsboro, 19-12. Chillicothe hammered McClain 42-0. All the SCOL teams were struggling, as Franklin Heights clipped WCH, 21-0, Dublin edged Miami Trace, 6-0, and Hamilton Township bested Circleville, 22-14. Wilmington saved the day, as they clobbered Miamisburg, 50-8.
On Sept. 26, the Wilmington Hurricane, under the direction of Coach Jim Knowles, visited McClain Field and shut the Tigers out, again, 28-0.
At this point in the season, the Tigers, who had, admittedly, played four pretty good opponents, had been outscored, 153-0.
In the county seat, Circleville won their first game of the season as they got by the Hillsboro Indians, 8-6 margin. Washington pounded Miami Trace, 37-6.
On Oct. 4, 1969, Miami Trace ran over the Indians, at Hillsboro by a score of 28-8. McClain visited Circleville and finally showed a little offense, but lost, 42-20. Wilmington moved into sole possession of first place by defeating Washington, 14-6.
The following Friday, Wilmington proved that their victory over McClain wasn’t luck, by pounding Hillsboro, 40-0. Circleville walloped Trace, 20-8, and Washington downed the McClain Tigers, 16-0.
On Oct. 17 was Homecoming at HHS. Lovely senior Marsha Carmen was crowned in impressive ceremonies prior to the Hillsboro vs. McClain game. Her attendants were Valerie Allen (senior), Sandra Ridgeway (junior), Belinda Carmen (sophomore) and Pam Collins (freshman). But the Tigers spoiled the Homecoming by outlasting the Indians, 28-20. It was McClain’s first win in the last 17 games.
Wilmington played Miami Trace, the same night, at Miami Trace. The determined Panthers gave the league leaders all they wanted, but the Hurricane won, 14-6. At Circleville, the Blue Lions barely survived a last-ditch effort by the Tigers and won the game, 14-12.
Wilmington, with four wins and no losses was all alone at the top of the league, closely followed by Washington and Circleville, each with 3 wins and one loss. McClain and Miami Trace were both 1-3, and Hillsboro was 0-4. The following week was the final round of league games, as all teams ended their seasons with non-league games the final two weeks.
Washington wiped out Hillsboro, 47-6, Wilmington mauled Circleville, 30-14 and Miami Trace shut McClain out 28-0. Both McClain and Hillsboro lost their final two non-league games. Final SCOL league football standings were:
Wilmington 5-0, 7-3
Washington 4-1, 4-5-1
Circleville 3-2, 3-7
Miami Trace 2-3, 2-8
McClain 1-4, 1-9
Hillsboro 0-5, 1-9
The 1969 All-SCOL football team was selected prior to the fall meeting, at Washington C.H. The All-SCOL team included: Dennis Pusateri, Wilm.; Donald Johns, WCH; David Ogan, WCH; John Green, WCH; Gary Van Pelt, Wilm.; Neal Noble, MT; Earl Groves, McC; Carl Singleton, Wilm.; Tom Smith, Wilm.; Virgil Norman, Wilm.; David DeWeese, WCH; Jay Waddle, MT; Mike Webb, Circ.; Larry Hottle, HHS; Jeff Blake, MT; Dick Radcliff, Circ.; Tom Bowers, Circ.; Aaron Baker, MT; Duane Petty, Wilm.; Jim Cain, Wilm.; Jeff Garman, Wilm.; Jeff Pollock, WCH; Mike Graham, Wilm.; Dick Walters, Circ.; John Hyer, McC. Rob Wilson, WCH.
Bob Patton is a Highland County sports historian and a contributing writer to The Highland County Press.[[In-content Ad]]
League coaches had picked Washington as the team to beat in the league. The Blue Lions captured the league title in 1968-69. Wilmington and Circleville would also be teams to contend with, as both had several lettermen returning.
Hillsboro would have some size, but not much speed. Nobody knew what to make of McClain. The Tigers had been impressive in some scrimmages, not so impressive in others. They did not have many returning lettermen, and their ’68-69 team had failed to win a game.
For the fourth consecutive year, Hillsboro opened the season with Lebanon, and for the fourth consecutive year the Warriors blasted the Indians; this time, 34-6. Across the county, McClain opened with tough London, and lost, 33-0.
Neither the Indians nor the Tigers showed much in the way of offense, and both demonstrated a propensity to give up the big play. It was not an impressive start of the season for either of Highland County’s entries.
The second night of the season, McClain traveled to Jackson to take on the tough Ironmen. The Tigers were swamped, 50-0. Meanwhile, Hillsboro got their first win of the season, taking the measure of Blanchester, 22-0. In other SCOL action, Cincinnati Moeller scorched Wilmington 40-0, Teays Valley thumped Circleville, Chillicothe downed Washington 24-16 and Pleasant View beat Miami Trace 39- 26.
September 19, 1969 saw Unioto defeat Hillsboro, 19-12. Chillicothe hammered McClain 42-0. All the SCOL teams were struggling, as Franklin Heights clipped WCH, 21-0, Dublin edged Miami Trace, 6-0, and Hamilton Township bested Circleville, 22-14. Wilmington saved the day, as they clobbered Miamisburg, 50-8.
On Sept. 26, the Wilmington Hurricane, under the direction of Coach Jim Knowles, visited McClain Field and shut the Tigers out, again, 28-0.
At this point in the season, the Tigers, who had, admittedly, played four pretty good opponents, had been outscored, 153-0.
In the county seat, Circleville won their first game of the season as they got by the Hillsboro Indians, 8-6 margin. Washington pounded Miami Trace, 37-6.
On Oct. 4, 1969, Miami Trace ran over the Indians, at Hillsboro by a score of 28-8. McClain visited Circleville and finally showed a little offense, but lost, 42-20. Wilmington moved into sole possession of first place by defeating Washington, 14-6.
The following Friday, Wilmington proved that their victory over McClain wasn’t luck, by pounding Hillsboro, 40-0. Circleville walloped Trace, 20-8, and Washington downed the McClain Tigers, 16-0.
On Oct. 17 was Homecoming at HHS. Lovely senior Marsha Carmen was crowned in impressive ceremonies prior to the Hillsboro vs. McClain game. Her attendants were Valerie Allen (senior), Sandra Ridgeway (junior), Belinda Carmen (sophomore) and Pam Collins (freshman). But the Tigers spoiled the Homecoming by outlasting the Indians, 28-20. It was McClain’s first win in the last 17 games.
Wilmington played Miami Trace, the same night, at Miami Trace. The determined Panthers gave the league leaders all they wanted, but the Hurricane won, 14-6. At Circleville, the Blue Lions barely survived a last-ditch effort by the Tigers and won the game, 14-12.
Wilmington, with four wins and no losses was all alone at the top of the league, closely followed by Washington and Circleville, each with 3 wins and one loss. McClain and Miami Trace were both 1-3, and Hillsboro was 0-4. The following week was the final round of league games, as all teams ended their seasons with non-league games the final two weeks.
Washington wiped out Hillsboro, 47-6, Wilmington mauled Circleville, 30-14 and Miami Trace shut McClain out 28-0. Both McClain and Hillsboro lost their final two non-league games. Final SCOL league football standings were:
Wilmington 5-0, 7-3
Washington 4-1, 4-5-1
Circleville 3-2, 3-7
Miami Trace 2-3, 2-8
McClain 1-4, 1-9
Hillsboro 0-5, 1-9
The 1969 All-SCOL football team was selected prior to the fall meeting, at Washington C.H. The All-SCOL team included: Dennis Pusateri, Wilm.; Donald Johns, WCH; David Ogan, WCH; John Green, WCH; Gary Van Pelt, Wilm.; Neal Noble, MT; Earl Groves, McC; Carl Singleton, Wilm.; Tom Smith, Wilm.; Virgil Norman, Wilm.; David DeWeese, WCH; Jay Waddle, MT; Mike Webb, Circ.; Larry Hottle, HHS; Jeff Blake, MT; Dick Radcliff, Circ.; Tom Bowers, Circ.; Aaron Baker, MT; Duane Petty, Wilm.; Jim Cain, Wilm.; Jeff Garman, Wilm.; Jeff Pollock, WCH; Mike Graham, Wilm.; Dick Walters, Circ.; John Hyer, McC. Rob Wilson, WCH.
Bob Patton is a Highland County sports historian and a contributing writer to The Highland County Press.[[In-content Ad]]