Scott Counter passes 1,000-yard mark in '93

(Continued from last week.)

McClain outgained Wellston in total yardage, 325 to 195, on Oct. 29, 1993, as Scott Counter became the first McClain player to rush for over 1,000 yards since 1976, when Tony Anderson totaled over 1,000.

Amazingly, Counter had suffered the misfortune of having 225 yards called back because of penalties in the past two games.

There were 11 fumbles in this game, with Wellston losing five and McClain two.

The Tigers were flagged 11 times for 120 negative yards. The visitors had seven penalties for 80 yards.

This win left McClain at 6-3 for the current season, with one game remaining, at Cincinnati Country Day (8-1). Country Day was battling for a berth in the state football playoffs.

The Tigers were assured of a winning season, just the fourth in the past 20 years.

Some officials at McClain believed that the Tigers still had an outside shot at a playoff berth, if they could beat Country Day.

Also on Oct. 29, the Hillsboro Indians came back from a 12-0 first-quarter deficit and won a 19-18 thriller over the New Richmond Lions at New Richmond, making the final game of the season, against Western Brown, the SBAC championship game.

The Tribe utilized three fumble recoveries, the biggest being an 88-yard fumble return by freshman T.J. Turner. A Hillsboro win would give the Indians a second consecutive league title.

On the final playing date of the 1993 season (Nov. 5), both McClain and Hillsboro had reason to celebrate.

The McClain Tigers traveled to powerful Cincinnati Country Day and pulled off a 28-14 upset, knocking the (Country Day) Indians out of playoff contention.

McClain “came to play,” and they raced to a 14-0 halftime lead, as the vaunted MHS defense completely stymied Country Day. Fighting very hard, the Tigers played even with CCD in the second half and left with a very impressive win over an outstanding team.

Country Day was, at that time, listed in the “small school” category because of its total enrollment.

But the prestigious Indian Hill school enjoyed the luxury of being able to enroll students from anywhere in the greater Cincinnati area.

Meanwhile, at Mt. Orab, Hillsboro held off Western Brown and went to the locker room, at halftime, with a 21-0 lead.

But the Broncos returned the second-half kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown.

On the ensuing kickoff, the Indians were flagged for clipping.

Somehow, the red-and-white managed to right the ship and hang on for dear life to win the hotly contested game, 27-21, capturing their second consecutive SBAL football championship.

As a result of their defeat at the hands of McClain, Cincinnati Country Day dropped completely out of the playoff picture.

London made the playoffs, as did Paint Valley and Vinton County.

McClain (7-3), Hillsboro (8-2) and rugged Miami Trace (9-1) all fell short. If you think they felt bad, Clinton Massie and Westfall both ended their seasons with perfect (10-0) records. Neither of them made the playoffs, either.

This ended a very good season for McClain, Hillsboro and Miami Trace.

These young men would have great memories of some hard-earned wins and a few painful defeats, a lot of hard work and a lot of fun, much disappointment and even more pride.

That is all part of the game.

(Continued next week.)

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