Thursday, September 30th, 2010
Looking back 50, 25 and 10 years ago
Curtain Call Flashback
By Robb Hemmelgarn
Prior to the kickoff of the 1960 football season, the red carpet of the Western Buckeye League was expected to weave through St. Marys.
Hoping to keep their own league title hopes alive, Paul Ponzuric's Coldwater Cavaliers hosted the Roughriders 50 years ago this week in an attempt to derail the Roughrider train. Fans on both sides held a collective breath of optimism after one quarter when the squads were deadlocked at zero.
St. Marys changed all of that in the second quarter when Claude Graves busted into the end zone from the one-yard line for a touchdown. The visitors stayed in front by six points at intermission before extending their command in the third quarter when all-league halfback Terry Hollman sprinted 61 yards for the score. John Beck's PAT run put the Roughriders in front 14-0.
For good measure, St. Marys added another score later in the period when Kenny Hitchen punched in a touchdown with a 20-yard run and the Roughriders won 20-0.
It was St. Marys' 10th win in their previous 12 meetings against Coldwater.
• Twenty five years ago this week, at Memorial Park in Coldwater, the Lions Club hosted its 18th annual cross country meet with plenty of local talent on the course. In the girl's race, the Minster Wildcats edged Greenville by one point to secure the team title, while the Celina boys finished in second place. Joy Hunziker ran her way to the individual title on the girl's side when she crossed the finish line in 19:40, while the top area finisher for the boys was Minster's Dane Schubert, whose time of 16:48 was good for second place.
• Ten years ago this week in 2000, the St. Henry Redskins improved to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the Midwest Athletic Conference with a 21-0 shutout over the New Bremen Cardinals. Following a 0-0 tie after one quarter, the Redskins exploded for two touchdowns in the second frame when Nathan Schwieterman and Aaron Hunsaker each scored courtesy of a 31-yard punt return and 13-yard run. Rodney Hess hit both PAT kicks as the Redskins took their 14-point cushion into the locker room at halftime.
The third quarter was quiet on both sides of the scoreboard but Hunsaker added an insurance touchdown for St. Henry in the middle of the fourth period with a four-yard gallop and the Redskins won by the 21-point margin. Hunsaker finished the evening with 81 yards rushing while sophomore quarterback Todd Boeckman connected on nine passes for 110 yards.
