Trace holds off WCH to claim SCOL title
By
Bob Patton-
(Continued from last week.)
After six games in 1990, Wilmington stood atop the SCOL, having won both of their league games. The ‘Cane was 4-2, overall.
Miami Trace and Washington were both 1-0 in SCOL games. Trace stood 5-1, overall, while Washington was 4-2. McClain and Hillsboro were both 0-2 in SCOL games and 1-5 overall.
A local sportswriter wrote a poignant article in one of the Hillsboro papers, in which he challenged some of the negativity which had become apparent in the community regarding the high school football team. Some people had made comments concerning certain players and coaches because they weren’t producing enough wins. The local team had gone 6-4 in 1987, and had been undefeated outside the SCOL.
In 1988, the Indians were 8-2 and earned a share of the league championship. In 1989, the team was 6-4. That included a triple-overtime loss to Miami Trace. It also included a 27-21 loss to state champion Wheelersburg, the Pirates’ toughest game of the season.
This season, the Indians just didn’t have the size, the speed or the talent that those teams had. It was a rebuilding year. People who bragged about “the great teams we used to have” just hadn’t looked at the record book. A little patience was in order. On Oct. 5, the Indians visited Dayton Stebbins, where they were defeated, 20-6. Rodney Captain gained 61 yards rushing – an area where the Indians had fallen woefully short in previous contests.
In the big SCOL matchup of the evening, Washington edged Wilmington, 9-6 on the Wilmington gridiron, when the ‘Cane committed 10 penalties for 90 yards.
Elsewhere, Miami Trace hosted McClain and defeated the Tigers, 15-3.
October 12 saw Washington visiting John Wayne Richards Memorial Field, in Hillsboro, where the Indians were hoping to ambush the Blue Lions who might be still celebrating their tough win over the Wilmington Hurricane. This would be Hillsboro’s final home game of the 1990 season. Only an SCOL game at Greenfield and a non-league game at Western Brown remained.
The Indians, however, fell to the Washington C.H. Blue Lions, 21-0 on a wet, sloppy field at Hillsboro. The Indians’ pass-oriented offense had some problems playing in the mud with a wet football. WCH, on the other hand, was mostly a rushing team. They kept grinding away and made few errors, putting the game away in the second half.
Elsewhere, McClain entertained Bishop Ready of Columbus. It was a rugged game, but Ready eventually pulled out the win, 34-31.
In a really rugged contest, Miami Trace inched by Wilmington on the Hurricane field, 14-13. This Miami Trace win set up a Fayette County showdown for the SCOL football championship at Gardner Park on Friday, Oct. 19.
The sixth annual Rotary Bowl game was also played the 19th at Greenfield.
Hillsboro appeared to be the stronger team, but in McClain vs. Hillsboro games anything can happen. Both teams had a healthy respect for each other even though Hillsboro had outscored McClain 92-21 over the last three meetings. This game was only important to McClain and Hillsboro supporters because both were 1-7.
Wilmington would tangle with Dayton Stebbins, who played all of the SCOL teams this season.
At Greenfield, Hillsboro’s Indians brought the Rotary Bowl trophy home with them for the fourth straight year. The Indian defense completely shut down a McClain offense that had scored 31 points the week before against Bishop Ready.
The final score was Hillsboro 12, McClain 6.
The Indians would prepare for their final game of the season against Western Brown.
Miami Trace downed Fayette County rival Washington, 22-6.
Meanwhile, in Dayton, Stebbins thumped visiting Wilmington, 26-16.
With Miami Trace’s win over Washington, the Panthers wrapped up their 14th SCOL championship in 17 years and collected their 11th gold football.
On the final playing date of the season (Oct. 26), McClain would be at home vs. Cincinnati Country Day, the Hillsboro Indians would play at Western Brown, Wilmington would visit Lakota, Washington C.H. would take a long ride to Wheelersburg to face last year’s Division IV state champs, while Miami Trace would take on the always tough Portsmouth Trojans at Portsmouth.
As it turned out, the 26th was not a particularly great evening for the South Central Ohio League. Portsmouth trounced Miami Trace 50-21, while Division IV Wheelersburg clobbered Washington, 39-5 and Lakota walloped Wilmington, 40-13. Visiting Cincinnati Country Day shut McClain out, 33-0, while Hillsboro became the SCOL’s only winner of the evening, defeating Western Brown, 20-6.
The final football standings for the 1990 season were:
Miami Trace 4-0, 8-2
Washington 3-1, 6-3
Wilmington 2-2, 4-6
Hillsboro 1-3, 3-7
McClain 0-4, 1-9
In reviewing the 1990 SCOL season, Coach Roger Ilg and the Wilmington Hurricane were, without question, the most improved team in the league, this season. Had it not been for an injury that sidelined outstanding running back Steve Williams for part of the season, the Hurricane may very well have been in the running for the championship. As it was, Miami Trace tailback Chad Walters had to be considered the top running back in the SCOL and Panther quarterback Tobin Hoppes was the best scrambling quarterback.
The league honored those athletes who were named to the All-SCOL Football Team, shortly after the end of the regular season. They were as follows:
Offense
Center. Sam Iden, Miami Trace; Guards, Adam Boysel, Washington; Brian Everhart, Miami Trace; Tackles, Bill Dawson, Washington; Nathan Steele, Miami Trace; Tight End, Ron Melvin, Wilmington; Wide Receivers, Howard Johns, Wilmington; Jeremy Purdin, McClain; Running Backs, Ryan Lynch, Washington; Chad Walters, Miami Trace; Steve Williams, Wilmington; Quarterback, Tobin Hoppes, Miami Trace; Kicking Specialist, Monte Smith, Washington.
Defense
Down Linemen, Brad Hines, Washington; Matt Smith, Wilmington; B.J. Sword, Washington; Ends, Jason Flowers, Washington; Tony Meserve, Wilmington; Linebackers, Steve Camp, Wilmington; Matt Crutcher, Washington;
Jason Hagler, Miami Trace; Cornerbacks, Blanton Brown, Washington; Chad Walters, Miami Trace; Deep Backs, Tobin Hoppes, Miami Trace; Bryan Howard, Wilmington; Ryan Lynch, Washington.
The 1990 SCOL football season went into the record books.
Bob Patton is a Highland County sports historian and a contributing writer to The Highland County Press.[[In-content Ad]]
After six games in 1990, Wilmington stood atop the SCOL, having won both of their league games. The ‘Cane was 4-2, overall.
Miami Trace and Washington were both 1-0 in SCOL games. Trace stood 5-1, overall, while Washington was 4-2. McClain and Hillsboro were both 0-2 in SCOL games and 1-5 overall.
A local sportswriter wrote a poignant article in one of the Hillsboro papers, in which he challenged some of the negativity which had become apparent in the community regarding the high school football team. Some people had made comments concerning certain players and coaches because they weren’t producing enough wins. The local team had gone 6-4 in 1987, and had been undefeated outside the SCOL.
In 1988, the Indians were 8-2 and earned a share of the league championship. In 1989, the team was 6-4. That included a triple-overtime loss to Miami Trace. It also included a 27-21 loss to state champion Wheelersburg, the Pirates’ toughest game of the season.
This season, the Indians just didn’t have the size, the speed or the talent that those teams had. It was a rebuilding year. People who bragged about “the great teams we used to have” just hadn’t looked at the record book. A little patience was in order. On Oct. 5, the Indians visited Dayton Stebbins, where they were defeated, 20-6. Rodney Captain gained 61 yards rushing – an area where the Indians had fallen woefully short in previous contests.
In the big SCOL matchup of the evening, Washington edged Wilmington, 9-6 on the Wilmington gridiron, when the ‘Cane committed 10 penalties for 90 yards.
Elsewhere, Miami Trace hosted McClain and defeated the Tigers, 15-3.
October 12 saw Washington visiting John Wayne Richards Memorial Field, in Hillsboro, where the Indians were hoping to ambush the Blue Lions who might be still celebrating their tough win over the Wilmington Hurricane. This would be Hillsboro’s final home game of the 1990 season. Only an SCOL game at Greenfield and a non-league game at Western Brown remained.
The Indians, however, fell to the Washington C.H. Blue Lions, 21-0 on a wet, sloppy field at Hillsboro. The Indians’ pass-oriented offense had some problems playing in the mud with a wet football. WCH, on the other hand, was mostly a rushing team. They kept grinding away and made few errors, putting the game away in the second half.
Elsewhere, McClain entertained Bishop Ready of Columbus. It was a rugged game, but Ready eventually pulled out the win, 34-31.
In a really rugged contest, Miami Trace inched by Wilmington on the Hurricane field, 14-13. This Miami Trace win set up a Fayette County showdown for the SCOL football championship at Gardner Park on Friday, Oct. 19.
The sixth annual Rotary Bowl game was also played the 19th at Greenfield.
Hillsboro appeared to be the stronger team, but in McClain vs. Hillsboro games anything can happen. Both teams had a healthy respect for each other even though Hillsboro had outscored McClain 92-21 over the last three meetings. This game was only important to McClain and Hillsboro supporters because both were 1-7.
Wilmington would tangle with Dayton Stebbins, who played all of the SCOL teams this season.
At Greenfield, Hillsboro’s Indians brought the Rotary Bowl trophy home with them for the fourth straight year. The Indian defense completely shut down a McClain offense that had scored 31 points the week before against Bishop Ready.
The final score was Hillsboro 12, McClain 6.
The Indians would prepare for their final game of the season against Western Brown.
Miami Trace downed Fayette County rival Washington, 22-6.
Meanwhile, in Dayton, Stebbins thumped visiting Wilmington, 26-16.
With Miami Trace’s win over Washington, the Panthers wrapped up their 14th SCOL championship in 17 years and collected their 11th gold football.
On the final playing date of the season (Oct. 26), McClain would be at home vs. Cincinnati Country Day, the Hillsboro Indians would play at Western Brown, Wilmington would visit Lakota, Washington C.H. would take a long ride to Wheelersburg to face last year’s Division IV state champs, while Miami Trace would take on the always tough Portsmouth Trojans at Portsmouth.
As it turned out, the 26th was not a particularly great evening for the South Central Ohio League. Portsmouth trounced Miami Trace 50-21, while Division IV Wheelersburg clobbered Washington, 39-5 and Lakota walloped Wilmington, 40-13. Visiting Cincinnati Country Day shut McClain out, 33-0, while Hillsboro became the SCOL’s only winner of the evening, defeating Western Brown, 20-6.
The final football standings for the 1990 season were:
Miami Trace 4-0, 8-2
Washington 3-1, 6-3
Wilmington 2-2, 4-6
Hillsboro 1-3, 3-7
McClain 0-4, 1-9
In reviewing the 1990 SCOL season, Coach Roger Ilg and the Wilmington Hurricane were, without question, the most improved team in the league, this season. Had it not been for an injury that sidelined outstanding running back Steve Williams for part of the season, the Hurricane may very well have been in the running for the championship. As it was, Miami Trace tailback Chad Walters had to be considered the top running back in the SCOL and Panther quarterback Tobin Hoppes was the best scrambling quarterback.
The league honored those athletes who were named to the All-SCOL Football Team, shortly after the end of the regular season. They were as follows:
Offense
Center. Sam Iden, Miami Trace; Guards, Adam Boysel, Washington; Brian Everhart, Miami Trace; Tackles, Bill Dawson, Washington; Nathan Steele, Miami Trace; Tight End, Ron Melvin, Wilmington; Wide Receivers, Howard Johns, Wilmington; Jeremy Purdin, McClain; Running Backs, Ryan Lynch, Washington; Chad Walters, Miami Trace; Steve Williams, Wilmington; Quarterback, Tobin Hoppes, Miami Trace; Kicking Specialist, Monte Smith, Washington.
Defense
Down Linemen, Brad Hines, Washington; Matt Smith, Wilmington; B.J. Sword, Washington; Ends, Jason Flowers, Washington; Tony Meserve, Wilmington; Linebackers, Steve Camp, Wilmington; Matt Crutcher, Washington;
Jason Hagler, Miami Trace; Cornerbacks, Blanton Brown, Washington; Chad Walters, Miami Trace; Deep Backs, Tobin Hoppes, Miami Trace; Bryan Howard, Wilmington; Ryan Lynch, Washington.
The 1990 SCOL football season went into the record books.
Bob Patton is a Highland County sports historian and a contributing writer to The Highland County Press.[[In-content Ad]]