25 years ago this week, Mogadore 61, St. Henry 58 (3OT)

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jmog

Well-known member
25 years ago this week the greatest comeback in Ohio HS state history happened.

SH was the unstoppable force back then in small school football (think Kirtland now). They were on a massive win streak and going for 3 state titles in a row.

Mogadore hadn’t won a state title since 1979…the year most of the seniors on this team were born.

Down 35-3 with less than 2 min left in the first half Mogadore starts the comeback of all comebacks.

Ties the game 44-44 on 4th and 4 from the 4 with about :16 seconds left in the game to send it to OT.

This game is the reason OHSAA started using 2 sites, as the next game was delayed by an hour or so as the fans couldn’t get in because the fans for this game were still there.

Absolutely insane game and comeback.


 
S

serpico

Well-known member
Incredible game. Thanks for posting the video. Just glimpsed some key moments. Looked like a key no-call DPI on 4th down on St. Henry’s last possession. Hard to tell from the video if they got it right, but St. Henry’s fans sure weren’t happy.

This game is the reason why I, as a Marion Local fan, wasn’t ever comfortable at halftime in our two title games against Mogadore.
 
J

jmog

Well-known member
serpico said:
Incredible game. Thanks for posting the video. Just glimpsed some key moments. Looked like a key no-call DPI on 4th down on St. Henry’s last possession. Hard to tell from the video if they got it right, but St. Henry’s fans sure weren’t happy.

This game is the reason why I, as a Marion Local fan, wasn’t ever comfortable at halftime in our two title games against Mogadore.
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Have to remember that PI was way different back then.

Back then both the WR and DB were considered equal rights to the ball once it was thrown.

If there was major contact while it was in the air the ref had to determine really who was the aggressor/etc. This is why ST had like 3 offensive PIs in that game that would probably never get called in todays offensive minded day and age.

They were correct calls as their WR either climbed the back of the defender or pulled down on the defenders arm to get better position, etc.

Football, especially PI calls, were WAY different 25 years ago than they are now.

Have to look at it based on how it was called back then, not now.
 
C

crudog

Well-known member
jmog said:
25 years ago this week the greatest comeback in Ohio HS state history happened.

SH was the unstoppable force back then in small school football (think Kirtland now). They were on a massive win streak and going for 3 state titles in a row.

Mogadore hadn’t won a state title since 1979…the year most of the seniors on this team were born.

Down 35-3 with less than 2 min left in the first half Mogadore starts the comeback of all comebacks.

Ties the game 44-44 on 4th and 4 from the 4 with about :16 seconds left in the game to send it to OT.

This game is the reason OHSAA started using 2 sites, as the next game was delayed by an hour or so as the fans couldn’t get in because the fans for this game were still there.

Absolutely insane game and comeback.


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Perhaps my early stage Alzheimer's is kicking in. I was at this game and I would bet a whole lot that this was a five (5) OT game. The fans for the next game at PBTS were sitting in their cars waiting for fans of the current game to vacate their spots so they could park. There was a horrendous traffic log jam...except for me because I knew where to park on side streets for quick exits at both Fawcett and PBTS. ?
 
TriangleMan

TriangleMan

Well-known member
crudog said:
Perhaps my early stage Alzheimer's is kicking in. I was at this game and I would bet a whole lot that this was a five (5) OT game. The fans for the next game at PBTS were sitting in their cars waiting for fans of the current game to vacate their spots so they could park. There was a horrendous traffic log jam...except for me because I knew where to park on side streets for quick exits at both Fawcett and PBTS. ?
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D4 in 1997 - Germantown Valley View defeated Akron Manchester 31-24 5OT at PBTS.
 
R

Raylan_Givens

Always right, unless I'm wrong
crudog said:
Perhaps my early stage Alzheimer's is kicking in. I was at this game and I would bet a whole lot that this was a five (5) OT game. The fans for the next game at PBTS were sitting in their cars waiting for fans of the current game to vacate their spots so they could park. There was a horrendous traffic log jam...except for me because I knew where to park on side streets for quick exits at both Fawcett and PBTS. ?
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Oh yeah. Remember taking a buddy to PBTS and telling him "don't worry about the walk now, you'll thank me later"
 
J

jmog

Well-known member
crudog said:
Perhaps my early stage Alzheimer's is kicking in. I was at this game and I would bet a whole lot that this was a five (5) OT game. The fans for the next game at PBTS were sitting in their cars waiting for fans of the current game to vacate their spots so they could park. There was a horrendous traffic log jam...except for me because I knew where to park on side streets for quick exits at both Fawcett and PBTS. ?
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Everything you said was true except it was 3OT.

The next year they did have a 5 OT state final game however.
 
S

Scipio

Well-known member
I am not proud to say that the coaching staff I was on at the time left at halftime to head over to The Stables (I think)
 
YTOWN

YTOWN

Well-known member
Scipio said:
I am not proud to say that the coaching staff I was on at the time left at halftime to head over to The Stables (I think)
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You and a lot of other people left. I considered leaving also but for some reason I stuck around, probably because I was attending the next game as well, but ended up staying & witnessing that comeback. I may be wrong about this but I seem to remember Mogadore fans saying that the two FGs the Mogadore place kicker made to open and close their scoring were the first two he attempted that season. It may have been they were the only FGs he made that season. Anyway, it was an amazing comeback.
 
W

wildcat71

Well-known member
I was there!! As a Mogadore alum and lifetime fan, greatest game I ever witnessed!! My brother in law from Indiana was here. He still talks about this game. The weather helped some decide to stay. It was fairly nice and the ride back to town was great! Police and fire escorts, people lining the streets. The celebration lasted a few days!! Although the really short ride( about 3 miles) from the 1979 game at the Rubber Bowl was even greater!!.
 
C

CJK84

Well-known member
Was it 35-3 just before half ... or "only" 31-3?

Also senior lineback John Werling for SH missed that game (and perhaps the previous game or two) with a broken leg. His presence on defense might have given the Skins the W.

And as great as SH was, I don't believe they were on a "massive win streak." I believe they lost to Coldwater that season, so their win streak may have been only in the single digits.
 
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Quest4Gold

Quest4Gold

Well-known member
jmog said:
At least you are willing to admit it.

The game had an attendance of just under 6500, but probably 25,000 people swear they were at the game.
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It was probably because people from other games were in the parking lot as well ?
 
B

boater

Member
jmog said:
25 years ago this week the greatest comeback in Ohio HS state history happened.

SH was the unstoppable force back then in small school football (think Kirtland now). They were on a massive win streak and going for 3 state titles in a row.

Mogadore hadn’t won a state title since 1979…the year most of the seniors on this team were born.

Down 35-3 with less than 2 min left in the first half Mogadore starts the comeback of all comebacks.

Ties the game 44-44 on 4th and 4 from the 4 with about :16 seconds left in the game to send it to OT.

This game is the reason OHSAA started using 2 sites, as the next game was delayed by an hour or so as the fans couldn’t get in because the fans for this game were still there.

Absolutely insane game and comeback.


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Recall it well - LOL We were running a little late and I got pulled over on Rte 30 outside of Bucyrus - the state Patrol officer asked why we were in such a hurry and I told him we were on our way to Massillon for the football finals & he gave me a warning ( he was an assistant coach at Crestline!) but said to me before he walked back to his car that they were out near Wooster and no coaches out of that post!! We stayed for the whole game - and the other thing I recall was sitting behind a group from Akron that took bets on how many times the baton twirlers would drop the baton!! Great weekend - Fostoria knocked off Buchtel in D2, and the other upset from that weekend was Lima Sr. Beating IGGY!!
 
J

jmog

Well-known member
YTOWN said:
You and a lot of other people left. I considered leaving also but for some reason I stuck around, probably because I was attending the next game as well, but ended up staying & witnessing that comeback. I may be wrong about this but I seem to remember Mogadore fans saying that the two FGs the Mogadore place kicker made to open and close their scoring were the first two he attempted that season. It may have been they were the only FGs he made that season. Anyway, it was an amazing comeback.
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He had attempted 1 other in the season and missed. the two in that game were the only two made FGs all season.

We hadn’t much need for FGs season…he kicked a crap ton of XPs.
 
R

Raylan_Givens

Always right, unless I'm wrong
boater said:
Recall it well - LOL We were running a little late and I got pulled over on Rte 30 outside of Bucyrus - the state Patrol officer asked why we were in such a hurry and I told him we were on our way to Massillon for the football finals & he gave me a warning ( he was an assistant coach at Crestline!) but said to me before he walked back to his car that they were out near Wooster and no coaches out of that post!! We stayed for the whole game - and the other thing I recall was sitting behind a group from Akron that took bets on how many times the baton twirlers would drop the baton!! Great weekend - Fostoria knocked off Buchtel in D2, and the other upset from that weekend was Lima Sr. Beating IGGY!!
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This is EXACTLY the kind of content that keeps me coming back to this site!!! HILARIOUS! : )

And yes, Wooster area cops are not ones to let you off for anything. Still remember when Loudonville made it in late 80s/early 90s and every cop possible was out along the Rt30 corridor from Wooster to Massillon.
 
J

jmog

Well-known member
CJK84 said:
Was it 35-3 just before half ... or "only" 31-3?

Also senior lineback John Werling for SH missed that game (and perhaps the previous game or two) with a broken leg. His presence on defense might have given the Skins the W.

And as great as SH was, I don't believe they were on a "massive win streak." I believe they lost to Coldwater that season, so their win streak may have been only in the single digits.
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1. It was 35-3 just before half. 35-9 at half.
2. They were definitely 13-0 heading into the game and #1 in the AP polls (Mogadore was #2). They definitely hadn’t lost to anyone in 3 years, their winning streak was around 40 (+/-) at that point.
3. Mogadore was tied or losing at half in 3 of the 4 playoff games that year, of course we played #3 Dalton in the first round and #4 Norwalk St Paul in the semifinals so thats understandable.

4. We all can play the injury game. Our star RB, who did play, was a shadow of his normal self (even though he did have 100 yards rush and about 40 yards rec). He had 2100 yards rushing and like 50 TDs that season. He tore his ACL in the semifinals and was playing that game on one leg. Back then MRIs were not as clear so he didn’t know it was tore until a few weeks later. If he was healthy he probably runs for 200+ like normal.
 
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YTOWN

YTOWN

Well-known member
jmog said:
He had attempted 1 other in the season and missed. the two in that game were the only two made FGs all season.

We hadn’t much need for FGs season…he kicked a crap ton of XPs.
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Thank you sir.
jmog said:
1. It was 35-3 just before half. 35-9 at half.
2. They were definitely 13-0 heading into the game and #1 in the AP polls (Mogadore was #2). They definitely hadn’t lost to anyone in 3 years, their winning streak was around 40 (+/-) at that point.
3. Mogadore was tied or losing at half in 3 of the 4 playoff games that year, of course we played #3 Dalton in the first round and #4 Norwalk St Paul in the semifinals so thats understandable.
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St. Henry lost two games in the regular season of 1994. Then went on to win the title in 94 & 95 before losing to Mogadore in the 96 title game. They had won 34 in a row.
 
J

jmog

Well-known member
YTOWN said:
Thank you sir.

St. Henry lost two games in the regular season of 1994. Then went on to win the title in 94 & 95 before losing to Mogadore in the 96 title game. They had won 34 in a row.
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I was a few games off, I thought it was around 40. I knew it had been 2-3 years.
 
W

wildcat71

Well-known member
CJK84 said:
Was it 35-3 just before half ... or "only" 31-3?

Also senior lineback John Werling for SH missed that game (and perhaps the previous game or two) with a broken leg. His presence on defense might have given the Skins the W.

And as great as SH was, I don't believe they were on a "massive win streak." I believe they lost to Coldwater that season, so their win streak may have been only in the single digits.
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And yet Mogadore still won...
 
W

WSAImpact

Active member
It may never happen again with a running clock in place. That game was rated the best ever by the Plain Dealer-even better than St. Edward-St. Ignatius in 1993. And how about Sparty winning three times that weekend (Valley View, Pleasant and Lima)?
 
J

jmog

Well-known member
WSAImpact said:
It may never happen again with a running clock in place. That game was rated the best ever by the Plain Dealer-even better than St. Edward-St. Ignatius in 1993. And how about Sparty winning three times that weekend (Valley View, Pleasant and Lima)?
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This game would have never been a running clock. Mogadore was never down by 30+ in the second half, even if it was close.

It was 35-9 at half and Mogadore scored first in the second half.

Mogadore was down by 32 (35-3) late in the 2Q but with just over a minute left in the half Mogadore scored a TD to make it 35-9.
 
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