Trace, MHS, HHS top SCOL in 1984
By
Bob Patton-
(Continued from last week.)
Miami Trace tripped Madison-Plains, 42-6, and moved to 5-0 in the SCOL in the fall of 1984.
At Gardner Park in Washington, the Blue Lions trounced Kenton Ridge, 34-6.
The stage was set for the final round of league games Friday, Nov. 2, 1984.
Hillsboro would play the league leaders at Miami Trace, while McClain would visit Washington and Circleville would entertain the Wilmington Hurricane. (I resisted the nearly overpowering urge to say “the Hurricane would blow through around 7 p.m.”)
Madison-Plains would travel to Bethel-Tate.
At Washington, the Lions started off like gangbusters, when McClain fumbled on the second play from scrimmage and WCH recovered. The Blue Lions led, 13-6, early in the fourth quarter. Then, McClain halfback Billy Payne sailed in from 24 yards out. The Tigers tried a two-point conversion, which failed. They trailed the blue-and-white, 13-12. With about nine minutes to play, the Tigers had a fourth and three at the four-yard line.
Rather than try to buck the line, Coach Otis Wagner elected to go for a field goal. It proved to be a wise choice, when David Reeves split the uprights, making the score, 15-13, McClain.
The Lions had a couple of opportunities after that but were unable to make anything of them. The game ended with the purple and gold winning, 15-13.
At Miami Trace, the Panthers contained Hugh Ballein and Bruce Ames and held the Hillsboro rushing attack to 131 yards, keeping them out of the end zone all night, as Trace rolled up 250 total yards of offense and shut out the Indians, 22-0. Thus, the Trace squad captured another SCOL football championship – and another gold football.
At Circleville, frustrated Hurricane quarterback Greg Nared was ejected from the game in the second stanza for striking a Circleville player.
From that point on, it was all Circleville. The Tigers took the victory by a score of 12-6.
Madison-Plains nearly got its first win of the season at Bethel-Tate. But the Golden Eagles lost the second half and were defeated, 26-20. This marked 19 consecutive M-P losses over the past two seasons.
The final SCOL standings for the 1984 football season were:
Miami Trace – 6-0, 9-1
McClain – 4-2, 7-3
Hillsboro – 3-3, 7-3
Wilmington – 3-3, 5-4-1
Circleville – 3-3, 5-5
Washington – 2-4, 4-6
Mad.-Plains – 0-6, 0-10
Miami Trace coach Dick Hill was a unanimous selection for Southeast District Coach of the Year, and his shifty halfback, Shawn Johns, was unanimous choice for Back of the Year.
Besides Johns, three other Panther players were selected on the first team. They were 6-0, 195-lb. center Scott Bowen; 6-1, 195-lb. split end Mark Matthews; and sophomore quarterback Kevin Kirkpatrick.
McClain had two men named to the first team in AA: 6-4, 237-lb. senior Tyler Wagner was elected as an offensive tackle, while Tiger Tim Campbell was named first team defensive middle guard.
Washington had one player named to the first team defensive unit, Tony Havens, who was also a first team selection a year ago.
All-SCOL 1984
The All-SCOL first team offense and defense included: Scott Bowen, Miami Trace; Ralph Head, McClain; Bob Dawes, Washington; Tyler Wagner, McClain; Tim Whightman, McClain; Tony Havens, Washington; Tim Campbell, McClain; Herb Price, McClain; Hugh Ballein, Hillsboro; Mike Bernard, Miami Trace; Scott Robinson, Circleville; Tony Havens, Washington; Matt Sommers, Madison-Plains; Monty Bainter, Circleville; Tyler Wagner, McClain; Marc Woods, Hillsboro; Jeff Fisher, Circleville; Mark Matthews, Miami Trace; Cam Storer, Wilmington; Greg Nared, Wilmington; Doug Richards, Miami Trace; Gary Phifer, Circleville; Shawn Johns, Miami Trace; Brian Sievertsen, McClain.
Bob Patton is a Highland County sports historian and a contributing writer to The Highland County Press.[[In-content Ad]]
Miami Trace tripped Madison-Plains, 42-6, and moved to 5-0 in the SCOL in the fall of 1984.
At Gardner Park in Washington, the Blue Lions trounced Kenton Ridge, 34-6.
The stage was set for the final round of league games Friday, Nov. 2, 1984.
Hillsboro would play the league leaders at Miami Trace, while McClain would visit Washington and Circleville would entertain the Wilmington Hurricane. (I resisted the nearly overpowering urge to say “the Hurricane would blow through around 7 p.m.”)
Madison-Plains would travel to Bethel-Tate.
At Washington, the Lions started off like gangbusters, when McClain fumbled on the second play from scrimmage and WCH recovered. The Blue Lions led, 13-6, early in the fourth quarter. Then, McClain halfback Billy Payne sailed in from 24 yards out. The Tigers tried a two-point conversion, which failed. They trailed the blue-and-white, 13-12. With about nine minutes to play, the Tigers had a fourth and three at the four-yard line.
Rather than try to buck the line, Coach Otis Wagner elected to go for a field goal. It proved to be a wise choice, when David Reeves split the uprights, making the score, 15-13, McClain.
The Lions had a couple of opportunities after that but were unable to make anything of them. The game ended with the purple and gold winning, 15-13.
At Miami Trace, the Panthers contained Hugh Ballein and Bruce Ames and held the Hillsboro rushing attack to 131 yards, keeping them out of the end zone all night, as Trace rolled up 250 total yards of offense and shut out the Indians, 22-0. Thus, the Trace squad captured another SCOL football championship – and another gold football.
At Circleville, frustrated Hurricane quarterback Greg Nared was ejected from the game in the second stanza for striking a Circleville player.
From that point on, it was all Circleville. The Tigers took the victory by a score of 12-6.
Madison-Plains nearly got its first win of the season at Bethel-Tate. But the Golden Eagles lost the second half and were defeated, 26-20. This marked 19 consecutive M-P losses over the past two seasons.
The final SCOL standings for the 1984 football season were:
Miami Trace – 6-0, 9-1
McClain – 4-2, 7-3
Hillsboro – 3-3, 7-3
Wilmington – 3-3, 5-4-1
Circleville – 3-3, 5-5
Washington – 2-4, 4-6
Mad.-Plains – 0-6, 0-10
Miami Trace coach Dick Hill was a unanimous selection for Southeast District Coach of the Year, and his shifty halfback, Shawn Johns, was unanimous choice for Back of the Year.
Besides Johns, three other Panther players were selected on the first team. They were 6-0, 195-lb. center Scott Bowen; 6-1, 195-lb. split end Mark Matthews; and sophomore quarterback Kevin Kirkpatrick.
McClain had two men named to the first team in AA: 6-4, 237-lb. senior Tyler Wagner was elected as an offensive tackle, while Tiger Tim Campbell was named first team defensive middle guard.
Washington had one player named to the first team defensive unit, Tony Havens, who was also a first team selection a year ago.
All-SCOL 1984
The All-SCOL first team offense and defense included: Scott Bowen, Miami Trace; Ralph Head, McClain; Bob Dawes, Washington; Tyler Wagner, McClain; Tim Whightman, McClain; Tony Havens, Washington; Tim Campbell, McClain; Herb Price, McClain; Hugh Ballein, Hillsboro; Mike Bernard, Miami Trace; Scott Robinson, Circleville; Tony Havens, Washington; Matt Sommers, Madison-Plains; Monty Bainter, Circleville; Tyler Wagner, McClain; Marc Woods, Hillsboro; Jeff Fisher, Circleville; Mark Matthews, Miami Trace; Cam Storer, Wilmington; Greg Nared, Wilmington; Doug Richards, Miami Trace; Gary Phifer, Circleville; Shawn Johns, Miami Trace; Brian Sievertsen, McClain.
Bob Patton is a Highland County sports historian and a contributing writer to The Highland County Press.[[In-content Ad]]