Greatest Game Ever?

[brian1227]

Plano East vs John Tyler 1994 Texas Division 5A state semifinal.

John Tyler was up 27-17 with 4:35 remaining.
Plano East has a first and goal but fumbled and John Tyler returns it 90 yards for a TD to go up 34-17 with 4:24 left.
Plano East gets the ball back and 4 plays later fumbles it again and John Tyler returns it 36 yards to go up 41-17 with 3:03 left.
Game over! Right? Wrong!!!!!
Plano East goes 70 yards in 2 plays to get back to 41-23 with 2:36 left.
Plano East kicks an onside kick and gets it.
Plano East scores 6 plays later to make it 41-31 with 1:29 left.
Plano East kicks an onside kick and gets it again.
Plano East scores 6 plays later to make it 41-37 with :56 left.
Plano East kicks an onside kick and gets it yet again!!
Plano East scores 3 plays later to go up 44-41 with :24 left.
Plano East kicks off to John Tyler and Tyler returns the kickoff 97 yards for a TD to win 48-44!!!

ESPN did a 30 for 30 on it. Absolutely amazing.

1994 John Tyler vs. Plano East high school football game - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Awful special teams.

 

[Mikefln]

.

But the game I would want to see is:

Marion Local and Southern Columbia taking their respective 14 state titles on the line in a matchup between Ohio and Pennsylvania. Marion Local are 3-time defending state champs in Ohio. Southern Columbia are 7-time defending state champs in Pennsylvania. Play it at Stambaugh or at Slippery Rock. Two very proud communities go at it for all the bragging rights. Would be an awesome way to kickoff the next season.

As a yinzer I would love to see Aliquippa just open a can of whoop on Southern Columbia. Quip would run them out of the stadium most years.

With that said I want a round Robin of:

Aliquippa vs Glenville vs Steubenville. I think that would be 3 great games.

 

[Maple_City_Fan]

Best I ever witnessed was Lake Catholic over Desales 2001 State Championship Game at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.
Lake was down 21-7. They came back in OT to win 27-21. Not one player on Lake's team played Div 1 college football. Total team effort.
A team of overachievers.

I saw them the week before at Berea vs Bellevue. I was impressed with Lake Catholics team speed

 

[SWGA Fan]

Figured this could spark some discussion.

A few caveats, and categories.

We all have a few 'greatest game ever' ideas, and if you are counting nationally, the epic Tyler/Plano East game from 1994 is probably at or near the top of any list. However, let's make this more personal.

So, let's make some categories and fill in as many as you can with games you know of. Give as much detail/thoughts/back-story on them:

1. Best Game Ever for your school?

Maybe you were in the stands, maybe on the field, maybe you just know of it from lore. What's you're school's Mount Rushmore of great games?

2. Best Game Ever that you were at (not including your school)?

Open up to games you weren't so biased in. But first hand-knowledge of it only. What happened, and why did you think it was great?

3. Best Game Ever that your team lost?

Dig into those dark memories and pull out the game that would've been the greatest ever, but your team lost, so you ignore it, or otherwise don't really remember it well. Either as a player, or a fan, a parents, etc. What's the game that would be listed at #1 if only your school pulled it off?

4. What's the "Best Game Ever" that didn't live up to the hype?

#1 v. #2? undefeated v. undefeated? What game looked to be greatness on paper but then the game was not just a letdown, but actually boring. To the point you remember how it didn't live up to the hype. Maybe it's one of those that would be listed under #3? But this is also open to all games, ever.

5. What, hypothetical, if you could play matchmaker and pit two teams against eachother in any stadium/field/parking lot you could would be "Best Game Ever". In state, out of state. Doesn't matter. You make the call and give your reasoning. Teams can be from any two years. Even two teams from the same school just different years. What would be the epic matchup of all-time?

The Tyler/Plano East game was only remotely considered epic. Because the dumbo Tyler coach was stupid enough to kick the ball deep, instead of squibbing it on that last kick off of the game. But that may just be ME, and fans of the #3 nationally ranked 1994 Colquitt County Packers, GHSA big school state champions after a second win over Valdosta's Wildcats. A task that NO ONE has EVER done before or since.

 

[SWGA Fan]

1. Best Game Ever for your school?

1970. Euclid 16 Cleveland St. Joseph 14.

St Joe was the defending Cleveland Plain Dealer and Press # 1 ranked team for both paper's circulation areas of several counties each. 9-0 in 1969 and came into our game with a 20+ game winning streak. Euclid was 1969 LEL Champion, going a perfect 9-0 in LEL play with an overall mark of 9-1. (St Joe, of course, beat us in the 1969 opener.) Euclid was favored to repeat as LEL Champions and St Joe to the best of my recall was favored to go undefeated for the 3rd year in a row and win the Cleveland-NEO Title again (Their 10-0 1968 team was 2nd in PD & Press to Mentor's (#2 ranked by AP & UPI in the State), 10-0-0 "Super Team" in 1968.)

Over 14,000 people jammed into the then 10,000 seat Euclid Stadium (Now DiBiasio and much smaller) to see this battle. We won 16-14 but in doing so lost 3 of 4 starters in our offensive backfield for the SEASON. Ambulances take 3 players at diff times during the game to Euclid General Hospital, and none came back that year. We finished 7-3 in 1970 losing to the Heights Tigers and LEL Champion Shaw Cardinals who beat Heights in a showdown for the LEL crown. I forget the 3rd team we lost to, might have been to either Parma or Valley Forge. I don't recall how St Joe did that year. Yappi Wiki says 8-2. Shaw may have been "City-Area Champion" that year. I think they were 10-0-0 or 9-1-0. Benedictine won the Senate that year and was 9-1. Might have been them.

The crowd was insane. You could barely move in the Stadium and with no seats at all left (So don't dare get up!! lol!) and standing people were everywhere they could be put. I believe this was the largest crowd a Panther team ever played before, and I believe that record may never be broken. Euclid's focus was (then) basketball and baseball. Football... well... it wasn't regarded like Massillon regards it. When we won, we usually had a good to Great coach. Other than those times.... up and down, more down than up. Cyclical to be charitable.

EDIT: I didn't specify it, but I was there at this game. Crowd was electric and unreal. I doubt a fire marshal would even allow that many in the Stadium today, even if it still had 10,000 seats.

2. Best Game Ever that you were at (not including your school)?

1971 - Warren Harding-8 Massillon-7. Gave the then Panthers the last State Wire Service Titles (AP, UPI) before the playoffs. Game was played at very crowded Tiger Stadium in Massillon. Game was televised by WVIZ - Channel 25. A NET station. (Now National Public Television.) Tigers were 8-2 that year. WGH was 10-0-0. Attendance was 20,648 per the Tigers amazing website. Tigers lost to a 7-2-1 Niles team that year 7-6. If WGH doesn't win at Massillon, I suspect Upper Arlington wins the State Title as they were 10-0-0 also.

EDIT: Poster Maxie has advised me that I confused the 1970 and 1971 seasons re: Upper Arlington. They were "only" 8-2 in 1971. State Champs if not WGH... Most probably either Massillon at "9-1" or, possibly Elyria, the number 2 ranked team in the State via the AP Poll. Thanx for the heads-up Maxie! Oddly this was the test season for the computer playoff rankings to come in 1971 (Harbins) and Parma would have been the Regional Champ had playoffs been held. I have lost my copies of the 1971 Computer Results sent to me by Tim Hudak so I don't know where WGH would have finished. Memory says 2nd... memory can be faulty lol.

3. Best Game Ever that your team lost?

Regional Semi-Final Game in 2015. Farthest we have ever gotten in the football playoffs. We had to beat Fitch and Westerville Central (per Ohio Football Database) to get there (Only Euclid year ever with 2 playoff wins in same season) but lost to St Edward 33-0 in the Semi.

OR.... 1978 loss to Mentor that cost us an outright GCC Title. We had to share with 9-1-0 South, who we beat 6-2 AT South. Quite an accomplishment in those days! Mentor kicker made a 49-yard field goal at the gun that I believe just did get over the crossbar to beat us 15-14. That was OUR only GCC loss that season. 1969 opener to St Joe cost us a 10-0-0 season which we had never had before. In 1956 we lost a game or tied one that cost us an outright LEL Title.... the list could go on and on lol

4. What's the "Best Game Ever" that didn't live up to the hype?

(I'll think about this and edit later. Same with last question.)

5. What, hypothetical, if you could play matchmaker and pit two teams against each other in any stadium/field/parking lot you could, would be the "Best Game Ever". In state, out of state. Doesn't matter. You make the call and give your reasoning. Teams can be from any two years. Even two teams from the same school just different years. What would be the epic matchup of all-time?

The 1991 big school state finals, where Colquitt had dominated the game statistically. Only to have a pair of lost opportunities in inside their opponents ten yard line. And a fourth and sixteen first down made by our opponent. That kept the game winning drive alive as time wound down, for a forty yard FG with twelve SECONDS to go. Thus the 1991 Lagrange Grangers, hoisted the state and national championship trophies that night in the Hog Pen in Moultrie, Ga.

 

[John Lee Pettimore]

The 1991 big school state finals, where Colquitt had dominated the game statistically. Only to have a pair of lost opportunities in inside their opponents ten yard line. And a fourth and sixteen first down made by our opponent. That kept the game winning drive alive as time wound down, for a forty yard FG with twelve SECONDS to go. Thus the 1991 Lagrange Grangers, hoisted the state and national championship trophies that night in the Hog Pen in Moultrie, Ga.

"Dominating statictically" Lol.

 

[SWGA Fan]

"Dominating statictically" Lol.

We lost 17-16 to the National Champions, goofball. THIS, after being intercepted in the endzone from the ten-yard line. And our QB was running free at the SIX YARD line when he was stripped at the ONE on yet another drive. And in 2010, we DOMINATED Brookwood in the state finals, 609-380 yds. But the refs just weren't going to let a SOUTH Georgia team win! It was GWINNETT COUNTY'S turn.

 

[SWGA Fan]

"Dominating statictically" Lol.

I fergit Pettiburn. WHEN was it that an Ohio team has come to GEORGIA? When Colquitt comes to kick your pompous asses, it'll be our FOURTH trip, as a state. And we won't be sending the 23rd best team in the state, NEXT TIME.

I KNOW, I KNOW, your state has banned out of state travel, EXCEPT to neighboring flag football states like the Keynote State, West Virginnie, Ole Kentuck, and the Hoooooser State. But we BOTH know why the mileage restriction. They KNOW what's waiting for um in the SOUTH of the North! We even have a $1.5 BILLION dollar domed stadium, so you won't get sunburn and can stay NICE and COOOOOL!!!

FYI, in our 7A playoffs. FOUR NATIONAL Top Twenty five teams went down, before the state finals. Including QB1's Air Noland, (OHIO STATE) Ju Ju Lewis,(USC) and Dylan Raiola, (UGA commit and now Nebraska). We'll leave the light on for ya.

 

[underthelights]

I fergit Pettiburn. WHEN was it that an Ohio team has come to GEORGIA? When Colquitt comes to kick your pompous asses, it'll be our FOURTH trip, as a state. And we won't be sending the 23rd best team in the state, NEXT TIME.

I KNOW, I KNOW, your state has banned out of state travel, EXCEPT to neighboring flag football states like the Keynote State, West Virginnie, Ole Kentuck, and the Hoooooser State. But we BOTH know why the mileage restriction. They KNOW what's waiting for um in the SOUTH of the North! We even have a $1.5 BILLION dollar domed stadium, so you won't get sunburn and can stay NICE and COOOOOL!!!

FYI, in our 7A playoffs. FOUR NATIONAL Top Twenty five teams went down, before the state finals. Including QB1's Air Noland, (OHIO STATE) Ju Ju Lewis,(USC) and Dylan Raiola, (UGA commit and now Nebraska). We'll leave the light on for ya.

The life you must live to troll on an Ohio high school football board non stop...

 

[Mr.wrsln2]

The life you must live to troll on an Ohio high school football board non stop...

He does have a point on quality AND quanity.

 

[John Lee Pettimore]

We lost

Coulda stopped right there sweetie.

 

[John Lee Pettimore]

I fergit Pettiburn. WHEN was it that an Ohio team has come to GEORGIA? When Colquitt comes to kick your pompous asses, it'll be our FOURTH trip, as a state. And we won't be sending the 23rd best team in the state, NEXT TIME.

I KNOW, I KNOW, your state has banned out of state travel, EXCEPT to neighboring flag football states like the Keynote State, West Virginnie, Ole Kentuck, and the Hoooooser State. But we BOTH know why the mileage restriction. They KNOW what's waiting for um in the SOUTH of the North! We even have a $1.5 BILLION dollar domed stadium, so you won't get sunburn and can stay NICE and COOOOOL!!!

FYI, in our 7A playoffs. FOUR NATIONAL Top Twenty five teams went down, before the state finals. Including QB1's Air Noland, (OHIO STATE) Ju Ju Lewis,(USC) and Dylan Raiola, (UGA commit and now Nebraska). We'll leave the light on for ya.

Someone didn't have their nap today....coulda napped in the dentist chair.

 

[falcons53]

I don't have all categories.

Best Game for me: 1986 Fitch over Massillon 14-10 on a last second TD by Leo Hawkins in a monsoon. Slightly edging out 1986 playoff win over Canton McKinley and 1988 homecoming win over Massillon 20-19 on a Jeff Wilkins 43 yd FG as time expired.

Heartbreaking loss: 1988 21-20 OT loss to Warren Western Reserve. Fitch went for 2 point after scoring. Fitch fumbled with about a minute left in a tie game at the WWR 10 yard line setting up a potential game winning FG in regulation. In 1989 we lost again to WWR 19-14. Both years we felt we should have won and shot ourselves in the foot costing us playoff trips both years.

 

[Irish60]

I don't have all categories.

Best Game for me: 1986 Fitch over Massillon 14-10 on a last second TD by Leo Hawkins in a monsoon. Slightly edging out 1986 playoff win over Canton McKinley and 1988 homecoming win over Massillon 20-19 on a Jeff Wilkins 43 yd FG as time expired.

Heartbreaking loss: 1988 21-20 OT loss to Warren Western Reserve. Fitch went for 2 point after scoring. Fitch fumbled with about a minute left in a tie game at the WWR 10 yard line setting up a potential game winning FG in regulation. In 1989 we lost again to WWR 19-14. Both years we felt we should have won and shot ourselves in the foot costing us playoff trips both years.

 

[dobiean178]

I was at the Massillon/fitch game.. monsoon is correct I've never seen it rain that hard and for that long.. crazy

 

[underthelights]

Ironton vs Perkins in the ‘99 state championship. Just punt the ball, Bob!

 

[falcons53]

That video is the 1986 game. I see all the guys from that year on there.

 

[WSAImpact]

As a Wooster alum I don't know which loss to Orrville was more aggravating: 1983 or 1985. If I was at the 1986 game with my luck Dehart scores on the final play to win for the Riders.
Mo Tipton refused to settle for a tie if he was behind in the second half.

 

[Crimson and Black]

I fergit Pettiburn. WHEN was it that an Ohio team has come to GEORGIA? When Colquitt comes to kick your pompous asses, it'll be our FOURTH trip, as a state. And we won't be sending the 23rd best team in the state, NEXT TIME.

I KNOW, I KNOW, your state has banned out of state travel, EXCEPT to neighboring flag football states like the Keynote State, West Virginnie, Ole Kentuck, and the Hoooooser State. But we BOTH know why the mileage restriction. They KNOW what's waiting for um in the SOUTH of the North! We even have a $1.5 BILLION dollar domed stadium, so you won't get sunburn and can stay NICE and COOOOOL!!!

FYI, in our 7A playoffs. FOUR NATIONAL Top Twenty five teams went down, before the state finals. Including QB1's Air Noland, (OHIO STATE) Ju Ju Lewis,(USC) and Dylan Raiola, (UGA commit and now Nebraska). We'll leave the light on for ya. are one bombastic blowhard

You are one bombastic dude. But, you are from the state that produced Marjorie Taylor Greene and the state that thought Herschel Walker would be a great senator. Is the entire state of Georgia full of fools?

 

[Bruce Monnin]

Hey, forget the politics, or someone will come back at you with "The state state pays a county DA over $600,000 to hire her lover to prosecute a political opponent they know they can't beat fairly".

We don't need that useless crap on here.

 

[Irish60]

That video is the 1986 game. I see all the guys from that year on there.

I'll certainly defer to your expertise on this; but, man, if you can't trust You Tube, then who can you trust!!!

 

[falcons53]

I'll certainly defer to your expertise on this; but, man, if you can't trust You Tube, then who can you trust!!!

Leo Hawkins at RB was a senior on the 1986 team that lost to St. Edward in the state semifinal. In 88, Fitch had already gone away from 1 RB and gone to double wing.

 

[Fitter120]

1965 St.Eds stops St.Joe’s 26 game win streak ad Bob Comerford runs the 2nd half kikeoff back 90 yards . Ed’s 26 Joes 13

 

[Whasup]

New Bremen -

No doubt - 2020 beating Marion Local at Marion Local in the playoffs. Crazy good game on both sides of the ball, came down to a special teams play for the game winner. NB went on and won it's first ever State Championship in football that year. ML hasn't lost a game since. (LCC game that year was also crazy good football)

Personally - 1997 NB over Coldwater 23-0. NB came into the game with two straight losses. Delphos St Johns beat NB on a game winning 52 yard TD pass with 1:21 remaining in the game to win 20-14. They were "THE TEAM" to beat that year (and a few years after) and we were damn close. Also lost a heartbreaker to St Henry, 14-13. Coldwater came into the game undefeated and ranked high in the state rankings. NB beat them in every manner, winning 23-0. NB finished 8-2 and narrowly missed the playoffs. NB hasn't beaten CW since. (2022 season was 25 years and those kids had that game circled, fought like mad for that win, and were crushed to not come out on top)

 

[LELL]

New Bremen -

No doubt - 2020 beating Marion Local at Marion Local in the playoffs. Crazy good game on both sides of the ball, came down to a special teams play for the game winner. NB went on and won it's first ever State Championship in football that year. ML hasn't lost a game since. (LCC game that year was also crazy good football)

Personally - 1997 NB over Coldwater 23-0. NB came into the game with two straight losses. Delphos St Johns beat NB on a game winning 52 yard TD pass with 1:21 remaining in the game to win 20-14. They were "THE TEAM" to beat that year (and a few years after) and we were damn close. Also lost a heartbreaker to St Henry, 14-13. Coldwater came into the game undefeated and ranked high in the state rankings. NB beat them in every manner, winning 23-0. NB finished 8-2 and narrowly missed the playoffs. NB hasn't beaten CW since. (2022 season was 25 years and those kids had that game circled, fought like mad for that win, and were crushed to not come out on top)

And Delphos St. Johns won it all in 97, 98 @ 99. I'd love to see what would have happened it they let 16 in like today. The NB team was tough in 97.

 

[Whasup]

And Delphos St. Johns won it all in 97, 98 @ 99. I'd love to see what would have happened it they let 16 in like today. The NB team was tough in 97.

We've talked to many DSJ players after the fact and they weren't afraid of NB but they were definitely happy we didn't get in!
There was just 6 divisions and (I think) only 4 teams per region. They went to 8 in '99. Sucked to miss out on the playoffs but in reality those 2 losses are why we didn't get in, not the playoff setup.

 

[invader03]

If I pretend like I never attended a Rubber Bowl game (I never did and possibly wasn't old enough to be aware of it), could someone explain here why it was such a legendary spot for a game to be held? All I can gather was it was a stadium in the Akron area that was brutal and harsh based on the stories of the cold, winter games that took place there.

The stadium was cold because it hosted early late fall playoff games in Ohio and was open on the side away from the bowl part so it was always windy. The stadium had the hard as concrete turf as well. Why it holds prestige is that it was part of so many Ohio High school football players amazing and successful seasons when it was damn near impossible to make the playoffs when only 2-4 teams made the playoffs in 36 team regions which is why they will never forget the stadium. Throw in some legendary games like the Niles-Massillon broken win streak game or the Warren Western Reserve - Mooney state championship, or the Warren Harding 1990 state championship game against princeton and you see why people miss the old lady. She had plenty of seats so anyone who wanted to go to a playoff game could.

 

[88streaks]

State title games/wins, for me supersede all other games. I’m partial to great comebacks. Outside of the 9 state championship games, the 1989 3rd round playoff game between Steubenville and NC Hoover was a great one. The Big Red was down 31-7 with roughly 5 minutes remaining in the 3rd quarter. Without listing (because I forget) the exact details, the Mighty Big Red came back to win in OT 37-31. One detail I do remember is it was a blocked punt that started the comeback and a long field goal by the best kicker we ever had, Mike Jones, to send it into OT. I think we spent everything we had in the tank that week. The following week in the semi finals we came out flat and it stayed that way in a 19-0 loss to St. Joes.

I remember this game. I was there. North Canton really collapsed in the 2nd half. A similar situation happened to Lake in the state semis vs Trotwood in 2010. 2nd half fell apart for Lake

 

[oldbengal]

1981 State semi D2 Benedictine vs Youngstown Mooney. Bengals D3 champs 1980, Mooney D2 champs 1980. Played in a snowstorm. Bengals came back in the 4th quarter to win, and then went on to win the state title.