Remembering the Youngstown City Series and Steel Valley Conference
- Thread starter coldshoulder
- Start date
Sorry, I guess my memory failed me. Either I remember a game against some other team or my mind exaggerated my neighbors accomplishments.
Al Mohammed made the Arkansas all-decade team. Played under Lou Holtz
Arkansas Football: The Razorbacks All-80s Team
The Arkansas Razorbacks team compiled of players from the 80s.
razorbackswire.usatoday.com
Brian Halfhill passed away a few years ago
YTOWN
Well-known member
In 1978 Cardinal Mooney won a 3rd consecutive outright SVC title, unprecedented in league history, but the Cardinals had their 14-game SVC winning streak snapped at Campbell in week 3. It was in that game that junior PK Steve Kidd kicked a school record 51-yard FG for Mooney's only points in the 10-3 loss. That would be the Cardinals' only loss in a 9-1 season. 1978 also marked the last last season in the SVC for charter member Struthers. The Wildcats exited the league with a 92-78-4 all-time SVC record and five outright or shared titles.
One time Steel Valley member Brookfield not only put the area back into the playoff picture but easily defeated Hamilton Badin in the AA state championship game, 28-0. The Warriors were an outstanding AA team led by LB/FB Marcus Marek (OSU), DB/TB Darwin Ulmer (Arizona), DB/TB John Lott (Michigan), LB/TE Jim Dixon (W. Virginia) and junior QB Ken Bencetic (Akron). I worked at the same company as Mr. Marek's father, Bob, at the time. A handful of guys from work went to see both of their playoff games and the game against St. Marys Memorial in the semifinals was a much tougher game for Brookfield. The Warriors prevailed, 19-14 in that one. St. Marys was led by RB Jeff Cisco and he had a big game rushing for about 170-175 yards. Mr. Cisco is the son of former OSU football star and MLB pitcher Galen Cisco. Jeff would also go on to play for the Buckeyes.
In that semifinal game Brookfield took a 13-0 lead into the 4th quarter but St. Marys scored with about 10 minutes left to make it 13-7. The Warriors then scored with about 5:00 left in the game to take a 19-7 lead and all of us there felt pretty good about them winning. However, led by Mr. Cisco, Memorial quickly drove for a TD to cut it to 19-14 with about 2 1/2 minutes left. The Roughriders actually recovered the ensuing onside kick but it was ruled that they touched the ball before it had traveled the required 10 yards. Brookfield was able to hold on and advance to the title game. Brookfield HC John Delserone said that St. Marys was the best team they played all year.
In keeping with the local connections on the Parade All-American team, Joey Browner was named to the 1978 team. He was playing HS ball in Georgia by then but of course he's a Warren guy.
College players I know of:
1st team Offense:
End - Bill Gura - Struthers (Led the SVC in receiving) - YSU
End - Duane Sell - Hubbard - BGSU
OT - Mark Hocevar - Howland - Jr. (2nd in the shotput at AAA state meet) - OSU
C - Ron Yarab - Boardman - Jr. (3rd in the shotput at AAA state meet) - S. Carolina
QB - Dan Stryffeler - Fitch - Jr. (Led the SVC in TD passes) - (OSU offer, more in 79)
RB - Mike Scavina - Mooney (Led SVC in scoring) - Columbia (capt. there)
PK - Steve Kidd - Mooney - Jr. - OSU
2nd team Offense:
End - Mike Stoops - Mooney - Jr. - Iowa (more in 79)
OG - John Burr - Howland - Hiram
RB - Jeff Julius - Fitch - Jr. - Slippery Rock
1st team Defense:
IL - Casey Moore - Ursuline - Purdue
IL - Dan Benish - Hubbard - Clemson - Falcons & Redskins in NFL (Dan Benish story - How he wanted to be a Buckeye)
LB - Mike Prokop - Boardman - Pittsburg St.
LB - Jamie Fortune - Mooney - Louisville
LB - Dan Beaver - Struthers - YSU
2nd team Defense:
LB - Steve Gozur - Campbell - B-W
LB - Ted Rendinell - Mooney - Jr. - BGSU
One time Steel Valley member Brookfield not only put the area back into the playoff picture but easily defeated Hamilton Badin in the AA state championship game, 28-0. The Warriors were an outstanding AA team led by LB/FB Marcus Marek (OSU), DB/TB Darwin Ulmer (Arizona), DB/TB John Lott (Michigan), LB/TE Jim Dixon (W. Virginia) and junior QB Ken Bencetic (Akron). I worked at the same company as Mr. Marek's father, Bob, at the time. A handful of guys from work went to see both of their playoff games and the game against St. Marys Memorial in the semifinals was a much tougher game for Brookfield. The Warriors prevailed, 19-14 in that one. St. Marys was led by RB Jeff Cisco and he had a big game rushing for about 170-175 yards. Mr. Cisco is the son of former OSU football star and MLB pitcher Galen Cisco. Jeff would also go on to play for the Buckeyes.
In that semifinal game Brookfield took a 13-0 lead into the 4th quarter but St. Marys scored with about 10 minutes left to make it 13-7. The Warriors then scored with about 5:00 left in the game to take a 19-7 lead and all of us there felt pretty good about them winning. However, led by Mr. Cisco, Memorial quickly drove for a TD to cut it to 19-14 with about 2 1/2 minutes left. The Roughriders actually recovered the ensuing onside kick but it was ruled that they touched the ball before it had traveled the required 10 yards. Brookfield was able to hold on and advance to the title game. Brookfield HC John Delserone said that St. Marys was the best team they played all year.
In keeping with the local connections on the Parade All-American team, Joey Browner was named to the 1978 team. He was playing HS ball in Georgia by then but of course he's a Warren guy.
| 1978 MOONEY | ||
| MENTOR LAKE CATHOLIC W 37-0 | ||
| EAST LIVERPOOL W 30-8 | ||
| CAMPBELL L 3-10 | ||
| FITCH W 36-6 | ||
| STRUTHERS W 20-6 | ||
| URSULINE W 42-12 | ||
| HUBBARD W 34-6 | ||
| BOARDMAN W 7-3 | ||
| HOWLAND W 35-0 | ||
| CHANEY W 42-0 | ||
| 9-1 | 6-1 SVC |
College players I know of:
1st team Offense:
End - Bill Gura - Struthers (Led the SVC in receiving) - YSU
End - Duane Sell - Hubbard - BGSU
OT - Mark Hocevar - Howland - Jr. (2nd in the shotput at AAA state meet) - OSU
C - Ron Yarab - Boardman - Jr. (3rd in the shotput at AAA state meet) - S. Carolina
QB - Dan Stryffeler - Fitch - Jr. (Led the SVC in TD passes) - (OSU offer, more in 79)
RB - Mike Scavina - Mooney (Led SVC in scoring) - Columbia (capt. there)
PK - Steve Kidd - Mooney - Jr. - OSU
2nd team Offense:
End - Mike Stoops - Mooney - Jr. - Iowa (more in 79)
OG - John Burr - Howland - Hiram
RB - Jeff Julius - Fitch - Jr. - Slippery Rock
1st team Defense:
IL - Casey Moore - Ursuline - Purdue
IL - Dan Benish - Hubbard - Clemson - Falcons & Redskins in NFL (Dan Benish story - How he wanted to be a Buckeye)
LB - Mike Prokop - Boardman - Pittsburg St.
LB - Jamie Fortune - Mooney - Louisville
LB - Dan Beaver - Struthers - YSU
2nd team Defense:
LB - Steve Gozur - Campbell - B-W
LB - Ted Rendinell - Mooney - Jr. - BGSU
S. Illinois recruited very well in the valley in the 80s
YTOWN
Well-known member
The Spartans were a good defensive team. Mooney scored on a 4th and goal to beat them, 7-3. Fitch kicked a last second FG to beat them, 10-9. In their other loss, 14-6 to Chaney, Boardman turned the ball over 10 times! One of them a fumble around their own five yard line that Bob Tabachino returned for a Cowboy TD.
They certainly did and it absolutely helped them win the 1983 D1-AA National Championship.
TriangleMan
Hates Particle Man
Which Mooney team do you consider to be the best?
The 1982 Parade All-American team included Glenn Mogle, who had moved from Howland to Sarasota, Florida before playing varsity. He grew to 6-9 240, and went on to play for Michigan before hurting his back. When asked what motivated him in a print interview, he stated that the varsity basketball coach (Don Andres) where he was from in Ohio had told him he'd never amount to anything in football, so he'd be better off concentrating on basketball. Ironically, Howland had really good basketball teams when he would have been there, and might have been state contenders if he stayed.
YTOWN
Well-known member
Not to my knowledge sir.
I was asked this same questions on here at least a year ago so I'll answer it the same way here. I am forced to exercise my 5th amendment rights.
I can't remember if I read about Mr. Mogle in a Chuck Perazich column or not but I had heard he was from the area. I was thinking that he was from Warren though. Thanks for the info.
Let's finish off the seventies.
Warren Western Reserve became an SVC member in 1979. The Raiders replaced Struthers and kept the league at 8 members. That only lasted for one season however as 1979 proved to be the last SVC season for charter members Campbell Memorial and Hubbard. Campbell was the dominant force in the league from its inception in 1950, winning or sharing 7 titles from 1950-1964. The Red Devils compiled an 87-87-5 all-time SVC record from 1950-1979. Hubbard compiled a 72-105- 4 SVC record winning or sharing in two titles.
Cardinal Mooney and WWR shared the 1979 title with 6-1 SVC marks. Mooney won the head-to-head battle when Mooney PK Steve Kidd kicked a FG with 5 seconds left in the game to win, 17-14. The Cardinals were 6-0 when they played Boardman. Leading 3-0 and with the ball at Boardman's 17-yard line with about 3:00 to go in the game, Mooney passed on a FG attempt on 4th down and threw a pass, which was incomplete. Boardman took over at their 17 but the Mooney D had shut them down all night, the Spartans had less than 50 yards of offense. Unfortunately for the Cardinals the Spartans had one drive in them and they won the game when, from the Mooney 6-yard-line, QB Lalo Berezo went back to pass and then ran the 6 yards straight up the middle for the game-winning TD with about 30 seconds left. It was Mooney's only loss in another 9-1 season.
Mooney & WWR started the season a week later than Boardman did so the league title came down to what was game 10 for Boardman and game 9 for WWR. The game was at Mollenkopf and the Spartans went into it with an 8-0-1 record so they controlled their own destiny as far as the SVC title was concerned. Boardman's tie was with Howland, a team that won one game in 79 and the Tigers missed what would have been a game-winning FG on the last play of the game against the Spartans, ending the game at 6-6. That tie was a problem for the Spartans because behind two long KO returns for TDs by the Raiders' Lawrence Coleman, WWR blew Boardman out, 27-7. The Spartans finished the year at 8-1-1 but in third place in the SVC. Mooney won a their share of the title with a win over Campbell that same weekend. WWR finished at 8-2, the other loss to Parma Padua, the D1 runner-up in 1979, 23-22.
1979 was also the last year that no area team qualified for the playoffs. The only years none of the area teams qualified were, 1975, 77 & 79. From 1972-1979 only 63 teams in the state qualified for the playoffs. Only 20 teams qualified more than once but two of them were local in Mooney and WWR and four area teams won state titles in those 8 seasons.
| 1979 MOONEY | ||
| MENTOR LAKE CATHOLIC W 14-7 | ||
| EAST LIVERPOOL W 41-0 | ||
| FITCH W 19-0 | ||
| WARREN WESTERN RESERVE W 17-14 | ||
| URSULINE W 16-6 | ||
| HUBBARD W 40-6 | ||
| BOARDMAN L 3-6 | ||
| HOWLAND W 10-0 | ||
| CAMPBELL W 49-0 | ||
| CHANEY W 37-6 | ||
| 9-1 | 6-1 SVC |
| 1979 WARREN WESTERN RESERVE | ||
| AKRON EAST W 38-0 | ||
| PARMA PADUA L 22-23 | ||
| CAMPBELL W 19-7 | ||
| MOONEY L 14-17 | ||
| HUBBARD W 25-0 | ||
| HOWLAND W 12-0 | ||
| FITCH W 33-8 | ||
| URSULINE W 24-17 | ||
| BOARDMAN W 27-7 | ||
| WARREN HARDING W 16-7 | ||
| 8-2 | 6-1 SVC |
College players I know of:
1st team Offense:
End - Mike O'Hara - Hubbard (Led the SVC receiving)- YSU
OT - Jerry Diorio - Mooney - Michigan - Played a few games for the Lions in the NFL
OG - Jeff Semivan - Fitch - Hiram
C - Tom Porter - Mooney - YSU
QB - Dan Stryffeler - Fitch (Led SVC in passing & punting) - OSU (Signed LOI but a few months later he was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1980 MLB draft and signed with them. He reached the AAA level with them.)
RB - Denny Bucci - Mooney (Led the SVC in scoring) - BGSU
RB - Bob Cayson - WWR (AAA 2nd team All-State. Led the SVC in rushing, total offense & punt returns) - S. Illinois
RB - Jeff Julius - Fitch - Slippery Rock
PK - Steve Kidd - Mooney - OSU
2nd team Offense:
OT - Don Maggs - Mooney - Tulane - Drafted by the Oilers. Played for them and the Broncos in 8-year NFL career.
OT - Emanuel Papadopoulas - Campbell - YSU
OG - Lewis Jones - Mooney - Wooster
OG - Gerald Dowe - WWR - YSU & Findlay
C - Ron Yarab - Boardman (2nd in AAA shotput behind Garin Veris, 5th in discus) - S. Carolina
QB - Lalo Berezo - Boardman - Cincinnati (Baseball. Drafted by the Reds in 1984 out of Cincy U.)
1st team Defense:
DE - Paul Gould - WWR - Kent St.
DL - Nate Rodgers - WWR - Michigan
DL - Chris Ferrence - Hubbard - Kentucky & YSU
LB - Mark Hocevar - Howland (AAA 2nd team All-State at LB, 4th in AAA shotput) - OSU
LB - Ted Rendinell - Mooney - BGSU
LB - Steve Gresock - Boardman -Jr. - OSU
DB - Mark Stoops - Mooney - Iowa (All-Big 10) - Played a few games with the Bears in the NFL. - HC at Arizona U. Long time asst. collegiate coach.
DB - Jim Moskosky - Campbell - Yale, I think
2nd team Defense:
DL - John Lucente - Mooney - Jr. - OSU
LB - Ron Frederick - Campbell - Hiram
PS:
Forgot to post the area Parade All-American in 1979: Leroy Shepard from New Castle.
Last edited:
goshengophers
Active member
The Rep's Mike Popovich is from Fairless.
olschoolreddev
Well-known member
Memorial's Maskosky did go to Yale.Not to my knowledge sir.
I was asked this same questions on here at least a year ago so I'll answer it the same way here. I am forced to exercise my 5th amendment rights.
I can't remember if I read about Mr. Mogle in a Chuck Perazich column or not but I had heard he was from the area. I was thinking that he was from Warren though. Thanks for the info.
Let's finish off the seventies.
Warren Western Reserve became an SVC member in 1979. The Raiders replaced Struthers and kept the league at 8 members. That only lasted for one season however as 1979 proved to be the last SVC season for charter members Campbell Memorial and Hubbard. Campbell was the dominant force in the league from its inception in 1950, winning or sharing 7 titles from 1950-1964. The Red Devils compiled an 87-87-5 all-time SVC record from 1950-1979. Hubbard compiled a 72-105- 4 SVC record winning or sharing in two titles.
Cardinal Mooney and WWR shared the 1979 title with 6-1 SVC marks. Mooney won the head-to-head battle when Mooney PK Steve Kidd kicked a FG with 5 seconds left in the game to win, 17-14. The Cardinals were 6-0 when they played Boardman. Leading 3-0 and with the ball at Boardman's 17-yard line with about 3:00 to go in the game, Mooney passed on a FG attempt on 4th down and threw a pass, which was incomplete. Boardman took over at their 17 but the Mooney D had shut them down all night, the Spartans had less than 50 yards of offense. Unfortunately for the Cardinals the Spartans had one drive in them and they won the game when, from the Mooney 6-yard-line, QB Lalo Berezo went back to pass and then ran the 6 yards straight up the middle for the game-winning TD with about 30 seconds left. It was Mooney's only loss in another 9-1 season.
Mooney & WWR started the season a week later than Boardman did so the league title came down to what was game 10 for Boardman and game 9 for WWR. The game was at Mollenkopf and the Spartans went into it with an 8-0-1 record so they controlled their own destiny as far as the SVC title was concerned. Boardman's tie was with Howland, a team that won one game in 79 and the Tigers missed what would have been a game-winning FG on the last play of the game against the Spartans, ending the game at 6-6. That tie was a problem for the Spartans because behind two long KO returns for TDs by the Raiders' Lawrence Coleman, WWR blew Boardman out, 27-7. The Spartans finished the year at 8-1-1 but in third place in the SVC. Mooney won a their share of the title with a win over Campbell that same weekend. WWR finished at 8-2, the other loss to Parma Padua, the D1 runner-up in 1979, 23-22.
1979 was also the last year that no area team qualified for the playoffs. The only years none of the area teams qualified were, 1975, 77 & 79. From 1972-1979 only 63 teams in the state qualified for the playoffs. Only 20 teams qualified more than once but two of them were local in Mooney and WWR and four area teams won state titles in those 8 seasons.
View attachment 54693
1979 MOONEY MENTOR LAKE CATHOLIC W 14-7 EAST LIVERPOOL W 41-0 FITCH W 19-0 WARREN WESTERN RESERVE W 17-14 URSULINE W 16-6 HUBBARD W 40-6 BOARDMAN L 3-6 HOWLAND W 10-0 CAMPBELL W 49-0 CHANEY W 37-6 9-1 6-1 SVC
View attachment 54690
1979 WARREN WESTERN RESERVE AKRON EAST W 38-0 PARMA PADUA L 22-23 CAMPBELL W 19-7 MOONEY L 14-17 HUBBARD W 25-0 HOWLAND W 12-0 FITCH W 33-8 URSULINE W 24-17 BOARDMAN W 27-7 WARREN HARDING W 16-7 8-2 6-1 SVC
View attachment 54691
View attachment 54692
College players I know of:
1st team Offense:
End - Mike O'Hara - Hubbard (Led the SVC receiving)- YSU
OT - Jerry Diorio - Mooney - Michigan - Played a few games for the Lions in the NFL
OG - Jeff Semivan - Fitch - Hiram
C - Tom Porter - Mooney - YSU
QB - Dan Stryffeler - Fitch (Led SVC in passing & punting) - OSU (Signed LOI but a few months later he was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1980 MLB draft and signed with them. He reached the AAA level with them.)
RB - Denny Bucci - Mooney (Led the SVC in scoring) - BGSU
RB - Bob Cayson - WWR (AAA 2nd team All-State. Led the SVC in rushing, total offense & punt returns) - S. Illinois
RB - Jeff Julius - Fitch - Slippery Rock
PK - Steve Kidd - Mooney - OSU
2nd team Offense:
OT - Don Maggs - Mooney - Tulane - Drafted by the Oilers. Played for them and the Broncos in 8-year NFL career.
OT - Emanuel Papadopoulas - Campbell - YSU
OG - Lewis Jones - Mooney - Wooster
OG - Gerald Dowe - WWR - YSU & Findlay
C - Ron Yarab - Boardman (2nd in AAA shotput behind Garin Veris, 5th in discus) - S. Carolina
QB - Lalo Berezo - Boardman - Cincinnati (Baseball. Drafted by the Reds in 1984 out of Cincy U.)
1st team Defense:
DE - Paul Gould - WWR - Kent St.
DL - Nate Rodgers - WWR - Michigan
DL - Chris Ferrence - Hubbard - Kentucky & YSU
LB - Mark Hocevar - Howland (AAA 2nd team All-State at LB, 4th in AAA shotput) - OSU
LB - Ted Rendinell - Mooney - BGSU
LB - Steve Gresock - Boardman -Jr. - OSU
DB - Mark Stoops - Mooney - Iowa - Played a few games with the Bears in the NFL. - HC at Arizona U. Long time asst. collegiate coach.
DB - Jim Moskosky - Campbell - Yale, I think
2nd team Defense:
DL - John Lucente - Mooney - Jr. - OSU
LB - Ron Frederick - Campbell - Hiram
PS:
Forgot to post the area Parade All-American in 1979: Leroy Shepard from New Castle.
DB - Jim Moskosky - Campbell - Yale, I think. He did; he was a 4 year lettermanNot to my knowledge sir.
I was asked this same questions on here at least a year ago so I'll answer it the same way here. I am forced to exercise my 5th amendment rights.
I can't remember if I read about Mr. Mogle in a Chuck Perazich column or not but I had heard he was from the area. I was thinking that he was from Warren though. Thanks for the info.
Let's finish off the seventies.
Warren Western Reserve became an SVC member in 1979. The Raiders replaced Struthers and kept the league at 8 members. That only lasted for one season however as 1979 proved to be the last SVC season for charter members Campbell Memorial and Hubbard. Campbell was the dominant force in the league from its inception in 1950, winning or sharing 7 titles from 1950-1964. The Red Devils compiled an 87-87-5 all-time SVC record from 1950-1979. Hubbard compiled a 72-105- 4 SVC record winning or sharing in two titles.
Cardinal Mooney and WWR shared the 1979 title with 6-1 SVC marks. Mooney won the head-to-head battle when Mooney PK Steve Kidd kicked a FG with 5 seconds left in the game to win, 17-14. The Cardinals were 6-0 when they played Boardman. Leading 3-0 and with the ball at Boardman's 17-yard line with about 3:00 to go in the game, Mooney passed on a FG attempt on 4th down and threw a pass, which was incomplete. Boardman took over at their 17 but the Mooney D had shut them down all night, the Spartans had less than 50 yards of offense. Unfortunately for the Cardinals the Spartans had one drive in them and they won the game when, from the Mooney 6-yard-line, QB Lalo Berezo went back to pass and then ran the 6 yards straight up the middle for the game-winning TD with about 30 seconds left. It was Mooney's only loss in another 9-1 season.
Mooney & WWR started the season a week later than Boardman did so the league title came down to what was game 10 for Boardman and game 9 for WWR. The game was at Mollenkopf and the Spartans went into it with an 8-0-1 record so they controlled their own destiny as far as the SVC title was concerned. Boardman's tie was with Howland, a team that won one game in 79 and the Tigers missed what would have been a game-winning FG on the last play of the game against the Spartans, ending the game at 6-6. That tie was a problem for the Spartans because behind two long KO returns for TDs by the Raiders' Lawrence Coleman, WWR blew Boardman out, 27-7. The Spartans finished the year at 8-1-1 but in third place in the SVC. Mooney won a their share of the title with a win over Campbell that same weekend. WWR finished at 8-2, the other loss to Parma Padua, the D1 runner-up in 1979, 23-22.
1979 was also the last year that no area team qualified for the playoffs. The only years none of the area teams qualified were, 1975, 77 & 79. From 1972-1979 only 63 teams in the state qualified for the playoffs. Only 20 teams qualified more than once but two of them were local in Mooney and WWR and four area teams won state titles in those 8 seasons.
View attachment 54693
1979 MOONEY MENTOR LAKE CATHOLIC W 14-7 EAST LIVERPOOL W 41-0 FITCH W 19-0 WARREN WESTERN RESERVE W 17-14 URSULINE W 16-6 HUBBARD W 40-6 BOARDMAN L 3-6 HOWLAND W 10-0 CAMPBELL W 49-0 CHANEY W 37-6 9-1 6-1 SVC
View attachment 54690
1979 WARREN WESTERN RESERVE AKRON EAST W 38-0 PARMA PADUA L 22-23 CAMPBELL W 19-7 MOONEY L 14-17 HUBBARD W 25-0 HOWLAND W 12-0 FITCH W 33-8 URSULINE W 24-17 BOARDMAN W 27-7 WARREN HARDING W 16-7 8-2 6-1 SVC
View attachment 54691
View attachment 54692
College players I know of:
1st team Offense:
End - Mike O'Hara - Hubbard (Led the SVC receiving)- YSU
OT - Jerry Diorio - Mooney - Michigan - Played a few games for the Lions in the NFL
OG - Jeff Semivan - Fitch - Hiram
C - Tom Porter - Mooney - YSU
QB - Dan Stryffeler - Fitch (Led SVC in passing & punting) - OSU (Signed LOI but a few months later he was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1980 MLB draft and signed with them. He reached the AAA level with them.)
RB - Denny Bucci - Mooney (Led the SVC in scoring) - BGSU
RB - Bob Cayson - WWR (AAA 2nd team All-State. Led the SVC in rushing, total offense & punt returns) - S. Illinois
RB - Jeff Julius - Fitch - Slippery Rock
PK - Steve Kidd - Mooney - OSU
2nd team Offense:
OT - Don Maggs - Mooney - Tulane - Drafted by the Oilers. Played for them and the Broncos in 8-year NFL career.
OT - Emanuel Papadopoulas - Campbell - YSU
OG - Lewis Jones - Mooney - Wooster
OG - Gerald Dowe - WWR - YSU & Findlay
C - Ron Yarab - Boardman (2nd in AAA shotput behind Garin Veris, 5th in discus) - S. Carolina
QB - Lalo Berezo - Boardman - Cincinnati (Baseball. Drafted by the Reds in 1984 out of Cincy U.)
1st team Defense:
DE - Paul Gould - WWR - Kent St.
DL - Nate Rodgers - WWR - Michigan
DL - Chris Ferrence - Hubbard - Kentucky & YSU
LB - Mark Hocevar - Howland (AAA 2nd team All-State at LB, 4th in AAA shotput) - OSU
LB - Ted Rendinell - Mooney - BGSU
LB - Steve Gresock - Boardman -Jr. - OSU
DB - Mark Stoops - Mooney - Iowa - Played a few games with the Bears in the NFL. - HC at Arizona U. Long time asst. collegiate coach.
DB - Jim Moskosky - Campbell - Yale, I think
2nd team Defense:
DL - John Lucente - Mooney - Jr. - OSU
LB - Ron Frederick - Campbell - Hiram
PS:
Forgot to post the area Parade All-American in 1979: Leroy Shepard from New Castle.
YTOWN
Well-known member
I thought so. Thanks for the verification gentlemen.
With the departure of Campbell and Hubbard following the 1979 season the SVC dropped to 6 members in 1980. However a teachers' strike in Boardman caused the Spartans to miss 5 games, 4 of them league games, in weeks 3-7. Boardman resumed play in week 8 against WWR but when the season ended the Spartans had only played that one SVC game so they were not eligible for the title. With that none of their players were eligible for the All-SVC team either. The Spartans were 5-0 after the 10-week regular season but they played Barberton in week 11 and won that game as well finishing at 6-0.
Many Mooney fans feel that the 1980 Cardinal Mooney team is their best ever. Of course that is debatable but what is not debatable is that the 1980 Cardinals won the SVC title with a 4-0 loop mark and finished the regular season at 9-0. The OHSAA playoffs had been expanded to 5 divisions for the 1980 season and Mooney qualified finishing first in division 2, region 7. 1980 was also the first season that two teams per region qualified for the post season meaning a team had to win 3 playoff games to become a state champion.
In the first round Mooney met Dover in the Rubber Bowl. The Tornadoes qualified with an 8-1-1 record. They had a tie with Steubenville and a 7-point loss to D1 N. Canton Hoover. Mooney handled Dover, 42-6. Next up was Richfield Revere at N. Canton Hoover. The Minutemen came in to the game at 9-0-2 having defeated Solon in the first round. The Cardinals won that one, 31-6.
In the D2 championship game at Upper Arlington, Mooney met a 12-0 Lebanon team that had allowed 62 points in those 12 games. Mooney QB Ralph DePasco, FB Mike Hardie and TB Steve Johnson each rushed for over 100 yards, the defense shutdown Lebanon's offense and Mooney hammered the Warriors, 50-0. I believe that to this day that is the largest margin of victory in a D2 title game. The 1980 Cardinals had met three playoff teams that were a combined 29-1-3 at the time of the game and won those games by a cumulative score of 123-12 to become the very first OHSAA playoff D2 state champion. It was the Cardinals' second state title.
| 1980 MOONEY | ||
| CHANEY W 30-8 | ||
| PITTSBURGH N. CATHOLIC W 40-0 | ||
| EAST LIVERPOOL W 35-0 (CALLED AT HALFTIME) | ||
| WARREN WESTERN RESERVE W 14-13 | ||
| URSULINE W 27-6 | ||
| DUBOIS,PA W 57-0 | ||
| BOARDMAN (TEACHER'S STRIKE) | ||
| HOWLAND W 49-13 | ||
| ST. IGNATIUS W 7-0 | ||
| FITCH W 17-0 | ||
| *DOVER W 42-6 | ||
| *RICHFIELD REVERE W 31-6 | ||
| *LEBANON W 50-0 (MOONEY WINS 2ND STATE CHAMPIONSHIP) | ||
| *PLAYOFFS | ||
| 12-0 | 4-0 SVC |
College players I know of:
1st team Offense:
End - Jim Boniface - Mooney (Led the SVC in receiving yardage) - Princeton
End - Tom Collins - Ursuline - Hiram
OT - Bob Maggs - Mooney - Jr. (H.M AAA All-State) - OSU (More in 81)
OT - Jake Jones - WWR (H.M AAA All-State) -YSU
C - John Lucente - Mooney (AAA 1st team All-State) - OSU
QB - Ralph DePasco - Mooney (possibly the best option QB the Cards ever had, certainly among the best) - YSU
RB - Mike Hardie - Mooney (AAA 2nd team All-State at LB) - YSU
RB - Lawrence Coleman - WWR (Led the SVC in rushing, scoring & KO returns, AAA 3rd team All-State) - Findlay
RB - Jeff Peshek - Fitch - Mt. Union (He became a top drug free power weight lifter)
Boardman's Bob Partlow wasn't eligible for the SVC team but he was named to the AAA 3rd team All-State team at OT. The Spartans' Steve Gresock was named AAA S.M. All-State. He went on to OSU.
2nd team Offense:
OT - Frank D'Aliso - Ursuline - Soph. - W. Va.
QB - Vic Kuchmaner - Fitch - Akron & YSU
RB - Steve Johnson - Mooney - Jr. (Led the SVC in All-Purpose Rushing and punt returns, AAA 3rd team All-State - sprinter's speed) - Michigan
RB - Joe Joseph - Howland - Mt. Union
RB - Ray Carter - Ursuline - Jr. - Notre Dame
K - Doug Arvantis - Howland - OSU
1st team Defense:
DE - Kevin Powell - WWR - YSU
LB - Mike Giambattista - Mooney - Jr. - Brown
LB - Charles Dukes - WWR - Findlay
LB - Chuck Carmichael - Howland - B-W
LB - Claybourne Dowe - WWR - Findlay
DB - Mark Kachmer - Mooney - Jr. - Brown
DB - Mark Brandon - WWR - Toledo (HOFer there) - I remember reading that he played in the CFL but did not confirm that.
Fitch's Jim Isakson was named H. M. AAA All-State
2nd team Defense:
DE - Brian Delahunty - Mooney - Jr. - YSU
DT - Al Ezman - Ursuline - Jr. - Air Force Academy
LB - Willie Simpson - WWR - YSU
DB - Hubert Jones - WWR - Hiram
I think a few of these other guys played college ball but I'm blanking on where.
Before the 1980 playoffs started there was a Chuck Perazich article in the Vindy about the Lucente Bros. at Mooney. At that time Mooney had only had three undefeated seasons, including the just completed 1980 season. In 1971, prior to the playoffs, Jim Lucente was a senior and the Cardinals enjoyed their first undefeated season at 10-0. Jim was named 1st team All-SVC at DE. In 1976 younger brother Tony was a senior and the Cardinals again finished the regular season at 10-0. They were hammered by Moeller in the playoffs but they enjoyed a 10-0 regular season and Tony was named 1st team All-SVC at LB. In 1980 it was John's turn. The Cardinals ended up 12-0 D2 state champions and John was 1st team All-SVC and 1st team All-State at Center before heading off to OSU. As a Mooney fan I wish we had a few more Lucente's right now.
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YTOWN
Well-known member
That is supposed to say Richfield Revere. I didn't even notice that I somehow cut off Revere. Good catch. Thanks.
Was the 1980 team Mooney's best?I thought so. Thanks for the verification gentlemen.
With the departure of Campbell and Hubbard following the 1979 season the SVC dropped to 6 members in 1980. However a teachers' strike in Boardman caused the Spartans to miss 5 games, 4 of them league games, in weeks 3-7. Boardman resumed play in week 8 against WWR but when the season ended the Spartans had only played that one SVC game so they were not eligible for the title. With that none of their players were eligible for the All-SVC team either. The Spartans were 5-0 after the 10-week regular season but they played Barberton in week 11 and won that game as well finishing at 6-0.
Many Mooney fans feel that the 1980 Cardinal Mooney team is their best ever. Of course that is debatable but what is not debatable is that the 1980 Cardinals won the SVC title with a 4-0 loop mark and finished the regular season at 9-0. The OHSAA playoffs had been expanded to 5 divisions for the 1980 season and Mooney qualified finishing first in division 2, region 7. 1980 was also the first season that two teams per region qualified for the post season meaning a team had to win 3 playoff games to become a state champion.
In the first round Mooney met Dover in the Rubber Bowl. The Tornadoes qualified with an 8-1-1 record. They had a tie with Steubenville and a 7-point loss to N. Canton Hoover. Mooney handled Dover, 42-6. Next up was Richfield Revere at N. Canton Hoover. The Minutemen came in to the game at 9-0-2 having defeated Solon in the first round. The Cardinals won that one, 31-6.
In the D2 championship game at Upper Arlington, Mooney met a 12-0 Lebanon team that had allowed 62 points in those 12 games. Mooney QB Ralph DePasco, FB Mike Hardie and TB Steve Johnson each rushed for over 100 yards, the defense shutdown Lebanon's offense and Mooney hammered the Warriors, 50-0. I believe that to this day that is the largest margin of victory in a D2 title game. The 1980 Cardinals had met three playoff teams that were a combined 29-1-3 at the time of the game and won those games by a cumulative score of 123-12 to become the very first OHSAA playoff D2 state champion. It was the Cardinals' second state title.
View attachment 54762
1980 MOONEY CHANEY W 30-8 PITTSBURGH N. CATHOLIC W 40-0 EAST LIVERPOOL W 35-0 (CALLED AT HALFTIME) WARREN WESTERN RESERVE W 14-13 URSULINE W 27-6 DUBOIS,PA W 57-0 BOARDMAN (TEACHER'S STRIKE) HOWLAND W 49-13 ST. IGNATIUS W 7-0 FITCH W 17-0 *DOVER W 42-6 *RICHFIELD REVERE W 31-6 *LEBANON W 50-0 (MOONEY WINS 2ND STATE CHAMPIONSHIP) *PLAYOFFS 12-0 4-0 SVC
View attachment 54763
View attachment 54764
College players I know of:
1st team Offense:
End - Jim Boniface - Mooney (Led the SVC in receiving yardage) - Princeton
End - Tom Collins - Ursuline - Hiram
OT - Bob Maggs - Mooney - Jr. (H.M AAA All-State) - OSU (More in 81)
OT - Jake Jones - WWR (H.M AAA All-State) -YSU
C - John Lucente - Mooney (AAA 1st team All-State) - OSU
QB - Ralph DePasco - Mooney (possibly the best option QB the Cards ever had, certainly among the best) - YSU
RB - Mike Hardie - Mooney (AAA 2nd team All-State at LB) - YSU
RB - Lawrence Coleman - WWR (Led the SVC in rushing, scoring & KO returns, AAA 3rd team All-State) - Findlay
RB - Jeff Peshek - Fitch - Mt. Union (He became a top drug free power weight lifter)
Boardman's Bob Partlow wasn't eligible for the SVC team but he was named to the AAA 3rd team All-State team at OT. The Spartans' Steve Gresock was named AAA S.M. All-State. He went on to OSU.
2nd team Offense:
OT - Frank D'Aliso - Ursuline - Soph. - W. Va.
QB - Vic Kuchmaner - Fitch - Akron & YSU
RB - Steve Johnson - Mooney - Jr. (Led the SVC in All-Purpose Rushing and punt returns, AAA 3rd team All-State - sprinter's speed) - Michigan
RB - Joe Joseph - Howland - Mt. Union
RB - Ray Carter - Ursuline - Jr. - Notre Dame
K - Doug Arvantis - Howland - OSU
1st team Defense:
DE - Kevin Powell - WWR - YSU
LB - Mike Giambattista - Mooney - Jr. - Brown
LB - Charles Dukes - WWR - Findlay
LB - Chuck Carmichael - Howland - B-W
LB - Claybourne Dowe - WWR - Findlay
DB - Mark Kachmer - Mooney - Jr. - Brown
DB - Mark Brandon - WWR - Toledo (HOFer there) - I remember reading that he played in the CFL but did not confirm that.
Fitch's Jim Isakson was named H. M. AAA All-State
2nd team Defense:
DE - Brian Delahunty - Mooney - Jr. - YSU
DT - Al Ezman - Ursuline - Jr. - Air Force Academy
LB - Willie Simpson - WWR - YSU
DB - Hubert Jones - WWR - Hiram
I think a few of these other guys played college ball but I'm blanking on where.
Before the 1980 playoffs started there was a Chuck Perazich article in the Vindy about the Lucente Bros. at Mooney. At that time Mooney had only had three undefeated seasons, including the just completed 1980 season. In 1971, prior to the playoffs, Jim Lucente was a senior and the Cardinals enjoyed their first undefeated season at 10-0. Jim was named 1st team All-SVC at DE. In 1976 younger brother Tony was a senior and the Cardinals again finished the regular season at 10-0. They were hammered by Moeller in the playoffs but they enjoyed a 10-0 regular season and Tony was named 1st team All-SVC at LB. In 1980 it was John's turn. The Cardinals ended up 12-0 D2 state champions and John was 1st team All-SVC and 1st team All-State at Center before heading off to OSU. As a Mooney fan I wish we had a few more Lucente's right now.
Wasn't this also Bernie Kosar's junior season ?
Boardman's Bob Partlow wasn't eligible for the SVC team but he was named to the AAA 3rd team All-State team at OT. The Spartans' Steve Gresock was named AAA S.M. All-State. He went on to OSU.
YTOWN
Well-known member
Yes sir it was but he was not eligible for the ALL-SVC team and he did not make the All-State team either so I did not mention him for the 1980 season.
In 1981 Cardinal Mooney repeated as outright SVC champion, their 6th straight year with at least a share of the title. The 81 Mooney team certainly played one of the toughest Mooney schedules up to that point in time and they went through the regular season unbeaten, extending Mooney’s winning streak to 24 in a row entering the playoffs.
In the playoffs Mooney defeated Steubenville, 49-0 in the regional final. The Cardinals then advanced to play Cleveland Benedictine in the D2 semifinals. Mooney had won 25 in a row and Benedictine 16 in a row going into the game. Mooney was the defending D2 state champion and Benedictine the defending D3 state champion. The game was the first ever playoff meeting between defending state champions. There have only been six such games in playoff history and Mooney played in two of them. The other being against Steubenville in 2007.
The game was played at the Rubber Bowl. Mooney held a 17-7 lead with about 6 1/2 minutes left in the game. Benedictine was at about midfield when Mooney intercepted a long Bengal pass and ran out the clock to beat them 17-7. Mooney then advanced to the D2 title game where they defeated Trotwood Madison, 28-7. The Cardinals won back-to-back state..........what was that? You say that Mooney did not beat Benedictine? There was no interception? The ball bounced off the defender's hands to a Benedictine receiver and went for a Bengal TD cutting the lead to 17-14? I really think you are wrong. I went to all the games. I would know if they lost.............So, wait. You are really saying that Mooney somehow actually lost to Benedictine 21-17 and the Bengals went on to beat Trotwood Madison, 28-7 becoming the first team in OHSAA history to win a title in one division, move up a division the next year, and win the title in that division in back-to-back years?...................I think I like my version much better!
In reality Benedictine did beat Mooney, 21-17 snapping that 25-game winning streak. Mooney DT Jim Mullen missed the entire 2nd half with an ankle injury and Rick Shepas limped off in the 3rd quarter. The Bengals indeed were the recipient of a very fortuitous bounce but I have always looked at it this way. Even after that play happened, and I think it was a 4th down play but I'm not positive, Mooney had a 17-14 lead and the ball. They just did not make the plays they needed to to win the game and Benedictine did. I have to give the Bengals credit. Having said that, Auggie, just in case you see this.........WILL YOU FORGET THAT DAMN FLUKE ALREADY!
| 1981 MOONEY | ||
| CHANEY W 31-0 | ||
| DETROIT BROTHER RICE W 16-13 | ||
| PITTSBURGH PENN HILLS W 14-7 | ||
| WARREN WESTERN RESERVE W 13-0 | ||
| URSULINE W 21-6 | ||
| OPEN | ||
| BOARDMAN W 35-14 (KOSAR) | ||
| HOWLAND W 34-0 | ||
| ST. IGNATIUS W 14-9 | ||
| FITCH W 12-7 | ||
| *STEUBENVILLE W 49-0 | ||
| *CLEVELAND BENEDICTINE L 17-21 | ||
| *PLAYOFFS | ||
| 10-1 | 5-0 SVC |
College players I know of:
1st team Offense:
End - Jed Kessler - Boardman (Led the SVC reception yardage and punting avg.) - Cincinnati
End - Larry Napolitan - Boardman (Led the SVC in receptions) - Kent St.
OT - John Thomas - Mooney - Ga. Tech.
OT - Stan Feret - Boardman - Case W.R.
OG - Tim Shina - Fitch - Jr. - Westminster & YSU
OG - Tim Mulhall - Mooney - Mercyhurst
C - Bob Maggs - Mooney (AA Lineman of the Year, Parade All-American) - OSU (All-Big 10, Football News All-American as a senior)
QB - Bernie Kosar - Boardman (AAA Back of the Year. Led the SVC in passing) - Miami (Fla) (QB of first Hurricane National Championship team and a member of their HOF) - Drafted by the Browns, played there for 9 seasons. Also played for Dallas (won a SB Ring there) and finished NFL career with the Dolphins. He was not a 1981 Parade All-American however as I have heard many times.
RB - Mark Zokle - Fitch - Jr. (SVC All-Purpose Runners leader) - W. Va.
RB - Mark Kachmer - Mooney (Led the SVC in rushing and scoring, they used a per game average) - Brown
RB - Steve Johnson - Mooney - Michigan
2nd team Offense:
End - Rick Shepas - Mooney - Jr. - YSU (more in 82)
OT - Anthony Stanfar - Ursuline - Oberlin
OG - Frank D'Aliso - Ursuline - Jr. - W. Va.
QB - Vic Kuchmaner - Fitch (led SVC in scoring by total points, AAA 3rd team All-State defensive team) - Akron & YSU
RB - Ray Carter - Ursuline - Notre Dame
1st team Defense:
DE - Pete Popovich - Fitch - Tulane & Kansas
DE - Brian Delahunty - Mooney - YSU
IL - Jim Mullen - Mooney - YSU
LB - Mike Giambattista - Mooney (AA 1s team All-State) - Brown
LB - Jim Fordyce - Mooney - Akron
LB - Gary Barber - Fitch - YSU (Area coach)
LB - Willie Simpson - WWR (AAA 3rd team All-State) - YSU
DB - George Saadey - Mooney - Cincinnati
2nd team Defense:
DE - Mike Kratofil - Boardman - YSU
DE - Vince Peterson - WWR - YSU
IL - Al Ezman - Ursuline - Air Force Academy
DB - Jerry Cox - Ursuline - Jr. - Penn St.
YTOWN
Well-known member
As I said above many Mooney fans feel it was, at least older fans do. Many others feel the 81 team was better but it is hard to make that argument when they didn't finish the deal. If my version above were reality then the proponents of the 81 team would certainly have a case. The 81 Cardinals did defeat some very good football teams. They opened with a win over Chaney, 31-0. In our week two Mooney traveled to the Pontiac Silverdome to play Brother Rice in the Prep Kick-Off Classic. The Warriors were the undefeated Michigan Class A state champion in 1980. Rice was led by QB Dave Yarema who went on to set passing records at Michigan State. His top receiver was Paul Jokisch, a Parade All-American at Rice in 81, who went on to Michigan and was drafted by the 49ers. In a very close tough game Mooney trailed, 13-10 entering the 4th quarter, but Jack Kohl kicked two FGs in the 4th Q and Mooney won the game, 16-13. That was Rice's only loss in 81.
The Cardinals then traveled to play Penn Hills in Pa. The Indians had not lost a home game in 5 years but Mooney beat them, 14-7. Mooney easily defeated an 8-2 Bernie Kosar-led Boardman team, 35-14. Mooney beat a very good Fitch team, also 8-2, 12-7. A 7-3 Ursuline team went down, 21-6. The rest of the SVC teams, Cleveland St. Ignatius, the 81 Cardinals beat them all. In the playoffs, Mooney buried Steubenville 49-0 in the first round and then the loss to Benedictine. That Ignatius team was only 5-5 but in addition to the 14-9 loss to an undefeated Cardinals team, Ignatius had a 7-point loss to an undefeated St. Joseph team, a D1 semi-finalist. A 4-point loss to St. Edward, a 2-point loss to Penn Hills and a 14-7 loss to Canton McKinley. Mck was the undefeated D1 state champion in 1981 beating Moeller, 13-0 in the title game. That snapped a 45-game winning streak for the Crusaders. Moeller had not been shutout for 107 games. That Ignatius team was pretty good despite the record.
The 2009 D3 state champion Mooney team had the best record at 15-0 and they were explosive. The 2006 team was 14-0 D4 champs. The 2007 team is much like the 81 team in that they didn't finish it, much the same for the 85 team although they had one regular season loss. The 1987 D3 state champion had one of the best defenses I have seen at the HS level, losing only to the undefeated Desmond Howard-Elvis Grbac St. Joseph D1 AP Poll champ team. The Cardinals also beat Boardman, the D1 runner-up, holding them to two first downs. They shutout D1 playoff qualifier Cincinnati St. Xavier, 20-0, down in Cincy. They went in to Fawcett Stadium to play an undefeated #1 ranked Canton McK, a team averaging 43 PPG at the time. The Cardinals shut them out too, 8-0. After watching that game I had no doubt in my mind that the 87 team would win the D3 title. The 1982 D2 championship team was the most unexpected for me at least. The 2011 D3 champ was in that vein too. The 1973 AAA title team had something no other Mooney team had and that was Ted Bell as a senior and they did beat Moeller and WWR to win the title. They were a better defensive team than they get credit for too IMO. It's hard to pick one as the best for me so I will leave that to others.
Thanks for the history. I was on the 85 team and we had the gut wrenching 6-0 loss to Galion in the championship game. That 87 team defense has to be one of the best in Ohio history.
YTOWN
Well-known member
If a team was not eligible for the SVC title in a given season none of their players were named to the ALL-SVC team. Since Boardman had only played one SVC game in 1980 they were not eligible for the title and therefore none of the Spartan players were eligible for All-SVC.
Mooney and Ursuline first entered the league in 1969. IIRC they were eligible for the 1969-70 hoops title but they were not eligible for the football title until 1970. Mooney played 5 of the 6 SVC football teams in 69, beating 4 of them including SVC champ Fitch, but they were not eligible for the title and none of the players on that Mooney team were named All-SVC. Same for Ursuline, I think they played four of the SVC teams. IMO each school had at least one player that would have made the All-SVC team had they been eligible, especially Ursuline that year. Mr. Kosar certainly would have made the 1980 team had the Spartans been eligible for the title. He did throw for more yardage than any other SVC QB even though he only played 5 games. The SVC stats were always only compiled at the end of the ten week season, no post season stats were included so his stats against Barberton, their week 11 game, were not included.
The City Series did not do that. For example Mooney was not eligible for the CS title until 1959 but Jim Traficant was named the 1st team All-City QB in 58. Mooney did not play City Series teams North or South that year but Mr. Traficant was the All-City QB. There are other examples as well.
YTOWN
Well-known member
Niles and Warren Harding were admitted to the SVC for the 1982 season bringing the league back to 8 members. It would be more accurate to say that Niles was readmitted as the Red Dragons were a charter member of the SVC back in 1950. Niles won back-back SVC titles in 1953 and 54. The Dragons left the SVC following the 1957 season.
As for the season itself the SVC title came down to the week 10 game between Fitch and Mooney at Stambaugh Stadium. Both teams came into the game undefeated in league play at 6-0. Each had one loss on the season. In front of a crowd of 16,000 the Falcons, under first year HC Dave Hartman, defeated the Cardinals, 12-7 to win their first SVC title since 1969.
The Falcons lost to the Charles Gladman-led Akron Garfield Rams in week one and then ran the table. What may have been the biggest play in that week one game came right before halftime with Fitch leading 14-7. The Falcons' Frank Powers hit Mark Zokle with about a 40-yard pass that put the ball deep in Rams territory but it was called back by an illegal procedure penalty so the Falcons ran out the clock and settled for a 14-7 halftime lead. The 2nd half was a different story however as Garfield dominated play and scored 21 unanswered points to win, 28-14. Unfortunately for Fitch their 9-1 final record was not enough to qualify them for the playoffs.
Mooney on the other hand qualified in D2 at 7-2, the other loss to Cleveland St. Joseph, 14-7. The D2 Cardinals had two close losses to good D1 teams. The Cardinals then travelled to Steubenville to meet Big Red in the first round for the 2nd consecutive year. The Cardinals only scored 35 points in their post season run but it was more than enough to win their 3rd state championship as they only allowed 9 points in three games. First against Big Red in Steubenville, 13-2. Then against Mentor Lake Catholic in the semis at the Rubber Bowl, a 10-7 win. Finally a 12-0 victory over Toledo St. Francis in the D2 title game, also at the Rubber Bowl.
I mentioned that Mooney lost to Cleveland St. Joseph in the regular season. The Vikings also beat Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary in the regular season. The Irish repeated as the D3 state champions, beating fist time playoff qualifier Struthers in the first round, so St. Joseph defeated two state champions but did not qualify for the playoffs themselves. They remained the only team in OHSAA playoff history to do that until the 2019 season when Cincinnati Winton Woods did it by also beating D2 state champ Cincy LaSalle and D3 champ Trotwood Madison in the regular season but failing to qualify themselves. That is much more surprising because of course 8 teams per region qualified in 2019 as opposed to two per region when St. Joseph did it.
College players I know of:
1st team Offense:
End - Rick Shepas - Mooney (Led the SVC in receiving and punting, AAA 3rd team All-State) - YSU
End - Shawn Bonner - Niles (Led the SVC in KO returns) - Ohio U.
OT - Rob Howell Niles - S. Illinois
OG - John McGlone - Mooney - Dayton
OG - Steve Koneval - Fitch - Jr. - B-W & YSU
QB - Jon Saadey - Mooney - Yale
RB - Mark Zokle - Fitch (Led the SVC in rushing and All Purpose Yardage and scoring, total points) - W. Virginia
OT Mike Betsa from Fitch was named AAA 1st team All-State
2nd team Offense:
End - Tom Ragland - Ursuline - BGSU
OT - Tom Howley - Mooney - Tulane
OT - Doug Rogers - Ursuline - Michigan St.
OG - Frank D'Alesio - Ursuline - W. Virginia
C - Larry O'Brien - Mooney - Endinboro St.
Niles 2nd team All-SVC QB Lonnie Baker led the SVC in completions. He isn't listed in the box above.
1st team Defense:
DE - Richard Darby - Ursuline - UTEP
IL - Ron Heim - Ursuline - YSU
LB - Tim Shina - Fitch (AAA 3rd team All-State at OG) - Westminster & YSU
LB - Jim Riccardo - Ursuline - W. Virginia
LB - Carl Pelini - Mooney - Columbia (Long time coach)
LB - Dennis Hulvalchik - Niles - Toledo & YSU
DB - Jerry Cox - Ursuline (Led the SVC in passing yardage) - Penn St.
2nd team Defense:
DE - Michael Peterson - WWR - YSU
IL - Mike Uhlar - Fitch - Jr. - Penn St.
IL - James Gavin - WWR - Findlay
LB - Tony Martin - Boardman - Jr. - Case W. R. & Westminster
LB - Mark Braydich - Mooney - Brown
DB - John Dascenzo - Mooney - Dayton
DB - Greg Bumbu - Harding - Northwood
As for the season itself the SVC title came down to the week 10 game between Fitch and Mooney at Stambaugh Stadium. Both teams came into the game undefeated in league play at 6-0. Each had one loss on the season. In front of a crowd of 16,000 the Falcons, under first year HC Dave Hartman, defeated the Cardinals, 12-7 to win their first SVC title since 1969.
The Falcons lost to the Charles Gladman-led Akron Garfield Rams in week one and then ran the table. What may have been the biggest play in that week one game came right before halftime with Fitch leading 14-7. The Falcons' Frank Powers hit Mark Zokle with about a 40-yard pass that put the ball deep in Rams territory but it was called back by an illegal procedure penalty so the Falcons ran out the clock and settled for a 14-7 halftime lead. The 2nd half was a different story however as Garfield dominated play and scored 21 unanswered points to win, 28-14. Unfortunately for Fitch their 9-1 final record was not enough to qualify them for the playoffs.
Mooney on the other hand qualified in D2 at 7-2, the other loss to Cleveland St. Joseph, 14-7. The D2 Cardinals had two close losses to good D1 teams. The Cardinals then travelled to Steubenville to meet Big Red in the first round for the 2nd consecutive year. The Cardinals only scored 35 points in their post season run but it was more than enough to win their 3rd state championship as they only allowed 9 points in three games. First against Big Red in Steubenville, 13-2. Then against Mentor Lake Catholic in the semis at the Rubber Bowl, a 10-7 win. Finally a 12-0 victory over Toledo St. Francis in the D2 title game, also at the Rubber Bowl.
I mentioned that Mooney lost to Cleveland St. Joseph in the regular season. The Vikings also beat Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary in the regular season. The Irish repeated as the D3 state champions, beating fist time playoff qualifier Struthers in the first round, so St. Joseph defeated two state champions but did not qualify for the playoffs themselves. They remained the only team in OHSAA playoff history to do that until the 2019 season when Cincinnati Winton Woods did it by also beating D2 state champ Cincy LaSalle and D3 champ Trotwood Madison in the regular season but failing to qualify themselves. That is much more surprising because of course 8 teams per region qualified in 2019 as opposed to two per region when St. Joseph did it.
| 1982 FITCH | ||
| AKRON GARFIELD L 14-28 | ||
| CHANEY W 50-6 | ||
| SOUTH W 42-6 | ||
| URSULINE W 13-9 | ||
| HOWLAND W 36-0 | ||
| WARREN HARDING W 13-0 | ||
| BOARDMAN W 23-0 | ||
| NILES W 27-14 | ||
| WARREN WESTERN RESERVE W 14-0 | ||
| MOONEY W 12-7 | ||
| 9-1 | 7-0 SVC |
College players I know of:
1st team Offense:
End - Rick Shepas - Mooney (Led the SVC in receiving and punting, AAA 3rd team All-State) - YSU
End - Shawn Bonner - Niles (Led the SVC in KO returns) - Ohio U.
OT - Rob Howell Niles - S. Illinois
OG - John McGlone - Mooney - Dayton
OG - Steve Koneval - Fitch - Jr. - B-W & YSU
QB - Jon Saadey - Mooney - Yale
RB - Mark Zokle - Fitch (Led the SVC in rushing and All Purpose Yardage and scoring, total points) - W. Virginia
OT Mike Betsa from Fitch was named AAA 1st team All-State
2nd team Offense:
End - Tom Ragland - Ursuline - BGSU
OT - Tom Howley - Mooney - Tulane
OT - Doug Rogers - Ursuline - Michigan St.
OG - Frank D'Alesio - Ursuline - W. Virginia
C - Larry O'Brien - Mooney - Endinboro St.
Niles 2nd team All-SVC QB Lonnie Baker led the SVC in completions. He isn't listed in the box above.
1st team Defense:
DE - Richard Darby - Ursuline - UTEP
IL - Ron Heim - Ursuline - YSU
LB - Tim Shina - Fitch (AAA 3rd team All-State at OG) - Westminster & YSU
LB - Jim Riccardo - Ursuline - W. Virginia
LB - Carl Pelini - Mooney - Columbia (Long time coach)
LB - Dennis Hulvalchik - Niles - Toledo & YSU
DB - Jerry Cox - Ursuline (Led the SVC in passing yardage) - Penn St.
2nd team Defense:
DE - Michael Peterson - WWR - YSU
IL - Mike Uhlar - Fitch - Jr. - Penn St.
IL - James Gavin - WWR - Findlay
LB - Tony Martin - Boardman - Jr. - Case W. R. & Westminster
LB - Mark Braydich - Mooney - Brown
DB - John Dascenzo - Mooney - Dayton
DB - Greg Bumbu - Harding - Northwood
