Elder Panther Football - 1977

 

REGULAR SEASON RECORD: 9-1

Game #
Date
Opponent
Site
Score
W/L
Record
1
9/9/77
Lancaster
A
35-14
W
1-0
2
9/16/77
Woodward
H
15-6
W
2-0
3
9/30/77
Lexington Bryan Station
H
43-6
W
3-0
4
10/7/77
Moeller
H
14-8
L
3-1
5
10/14/77
La Salle
H
37-17
W
4-1
6
10/21/77
St. Xavier
H
38-0
W
5-1
7
10/28/77
Purcell
H
39-0
W
6-1
8
11/4/77
Roger Bacon
A
26-6
W
7-1
9
11/11/77
Walnut Hills
H
42-0
W
8-1
10
11/24/77
Western Hills
Riverfront
51-0
W
9-1

Head Coach: Ray Bachus (Career Record: 22-8)

Captains: Scott Moeschl, Paul Drennan 

Final GCL Standings
Overall
League

1. Moeller
10-0
5-0

2. ELDER
9-1
4-1

3. Roger Bacon
7-3
3-2

4. La Salle
7-3
2-3

5. St. Xavier
6-4
1-4

6. Purcell
4-6
0-5

Season Highlights: Co-Captains Scott Moeschl (at quarterback) and Paul Drennan (at running back) led the 1977 Panthers to one of Elder football's finest seasons. The offense scored 334 points while the defense allowed only 63. The spoiler for the season was once again Moeller, who kept the Panthers from achieving that elusive perfect season.

The Panthers opened the campaign at Lancaster, and Scott Moeschl's 7 of 9 passing for 202 yards let the opposition know the Panthers were a force to be reckoned with. Moeschl passed for 3 touchdowns, two to Mike Ramstetter (61 and 55 yards) and one to Brian Kelley (12 yards). Paul Drennan added two more scores rushing, and the Purple and White took their first game, 35-14.

Woodward visited The Pit for Game 2 and put up a good fight, but eventually fell to the Panthers, 15-6. Lexington Bryan Station came to Elder Stadium for Game 3. Paul Drennan rushed for 159 yards, including one TD on a 65-yard run. Moeschl passed for 3 more scores, one to Drennan (12 yards), another to Jerry Metze (24 yards), and the third to Mike Ramstetter (39 yards). Greg Niehaus and Jeff Ventre each added an additional rushing touchdown. The offense gained a total of 454 yards. The final score was 43-6 in Elder's favor.

For the first time in 4 years Moeller came to The Pit for their battle with the Panthers. Both teams were again undefeated entering the game. Moeller scored in the first quarter to take the lead, 7-0, but that's where the score stood at half-time. In the third quarter, facing a fourth down on Elder's two-yard line, Moeller ran a fake field goal play and passed into the end zone for the TD to go up 14-0. Not until the fourth quarter did Elder cross the Crusaders' goal line, when Moeschl hit Jerry Metze with a 34-yard TD pass. Drennan went up the middle for the two-point conversion and the score was 14-8 with under two minutes left. Moeller fell on the onside kick and ran out the clock to preserve the victory.

Elder then welcomed La Salle to The Pit, and scored early and often to win, 37-17. St. Xavier received the same harsh treatment the following week, as Elder shutout the Bombers, 38-0. Paul Drennan carried the ball 23 times and gained 254 yards, scoring 3 TDs on runs of 40, 1 and 9 yards. Greg Niehaus added another rushing score, and Chris Koehne entered the scoring column on a 13-yard TD pass from Moeschl. Steve Bruning kicked 5 PATs and a 25-yard field goal to complete the rout.

Purcell was the Panthers' next victim, as Moeschl passed for 253 yards and 3 TDs, two to Mike Ramstetter and one to Joe Tedesco. Drennan and Moeschl each ran for another score; Bruning kicked 4 PATs and a 33-yard field goal. The Panthers traveled to Roger Bacon, and Paul Drennan rushed for 184 yards and four touchdowns to lead the team over the Spartans, 26-6.

Walnut Hills fell at the hands of the Panthers, 42-0, in Game 9. Drennan's 144 yards and 2 TDs, along with Steve Cupito's touchdown following a blocked punt, and Chris Ward's 45-yard interception return for a score provided the excitement for the home crowd. The scoring machine was cranked up one final time against Western Hills at Riverfront, as the Panthers trounced the Mustangs, 51-0, on Paul Drennan's record-tying 5 touchdowns.

Paul Drennan's 22 touchdowns on the season set a school record, not equaled until 1991. His 142 total points (including 5 2-point conversions) are still the school record for a season. Scott Moeschl passed for 1622 total yards, which set the school record at the time. Drennan led the team in rushing with 1202 yards; Mike Ramstetter led the receivers with 42 receptions for 782 yards and 7 TDs. The stellar defense was anchored by Chris Ward's 121 tackle points; Mike Finley and Frank Heitker each had two interceptions during the season to lead the team.

Moeller successfully defended its state title in 1977. The Crusaders beat Toledo Central Catholic in the semi-finals, 42-14, and defeated Canton McKinley in the finals, 14-2. The win was the Crusaders' third consecutive Class AAA state championship.

 

HONORS
ASSOCIATED PRESS ALL-STATE ALL-STAR TEAM
First Team Defense
Dave James
SWOFCA ALL-DISTRICT ALL-STAR TEAM
First Team Offense
Scott Moeschl, Paul Drennan, Steve Hengehold
Second Team Offense
Chris Koehne, Steve Cupito
CINCINNATI ENQUIRER ALL-CITY ALL-STAR TEAM
First Team Offense
Scott Moeschl, Paul Drennan, Chris Koehne
Second Team Offense
Steve Hengehold, Steve Cupito
Second Team Defense
Joe Gramke
Honorable Mention
Mike Ramstetter, Steve Bruning
CINCINNATI POST ALL-METRO ALL-STAR TEAM
First Team Offense
Scott Moeschl, Paul Drennan, Steve Cupito, Mike Ramstetter
Second Team Offense
Steve Hengehold, Chris Koehne
First Team Defense
Ken Lanzillotta, Joe Gramke
Offensive Player of the Year
Scott Moeschl
Coach of the Year
Ray Bachus
G.C.L. ALL-STAR TEAM
First Team Offense
Scott Moeschl, Paul Drennan, Steve Cupito, Chris Koehne
Second Team Offense
Mike Ramstetter, Steve Hengehold
First Team Defense
Joe Gramke, Ken Lanzillotta
Second Team Defense
Jeff Elder, Tim Viox
Honorable Mention
Greg Knue, Greg O'Brien, Greg Niehaus, Jerry Metze, Jim Dinkelacker, Rick Wright
Player of the Year
Scott Moeschl
Punter of the Year
Scott Moeschl
Coach of the Year
Ray Bachus
TEAM AWARDS
Most Valuable Player
Paul Drennan, Scott Moeschl
Best Offensive Lineman
Steve Cupito
Best Defensive Lineman
Joe Gramke
Best Defensive Back
Tim Viox
Most Improved Player
Rick Wright
Mr. Panther
Charlie Martino
Mr. Z. I. P.
Mike Ritter
Trainer's Award
Russ Briede

 

Team Roster

Number
Name
Position
Class
36
Allgyer, Todd
FB
Jr.
63
Bandenburg, Edward
T
Jr.
60
Beck, Joseph
G
Jr.
66
Beiler, Biff
LB
Sr.
68
Berding, Joseph
DE
Sr.
51
Bruning, Steven
K
Sr.
79
Cupito, Steven
T
Sr.
24
Curl, Joseph
M
Jr.
82
Currin, Timothy
E
Jr.
25
Dattilo, David
HB
Sr.
55
Dinkelacker, James
C
Sr.
44
Drennan, Paul
HB
Sr.
71
Elder, Jeffrey
DT
Sr.
16
Finley, Michael
QB
Jr.
20
Fries, Mark
S
Sr.
73
Gramke, Joseph
DT
Sr.
33
Griebel, James
FB/LB
Jr.
84
Heitker, Francis
SE
Sr.
28
Helmschen, Richard
HB
Jr.
69
Hengehold, Steven
T
Sr.
75
Hopkins, Thomas
T
Soph.
53
James, David
G
Jr.
22
Kelley, Brian
SE/HB
Jr.
30
Kenkel, Paul
M
Sr.
86
Kenny, Bryan
SE
Sr.
78
Knue, Gregory
T
Sr.
88
Koehne, Chris
TE
Sr.
31
Konkoly, Robert
HB
Jr.
15
Langenbrunner, Greg
S
Sr.
87
Lanzilotta, Kenneth
DE
Sr.
70
Lindenschmidt, David
T
Jr.
52
Martino, Charles
MG
Sr.
23
Metz, Wiliam
M
Jr.
85
Metze, Jerome
SE
Sr.
19
Moeschel, Scott
QB
Sr.
32
Niehaus, Gregory
M
Sr.
67
Noeth, James
G/T
Jr.
65
O'Brien, Gregory
LB
Sr.
74
Ondeck, John
DE
Sr.
35
Ramstetter, Michael
HB/FB
Sr.
50
Raterman, Joseph
C
Jr.
17
Reilly, Michael
QB
Jr.
81
Reis, David
E
Jr.
34
Reis, Steven
HB
Sr.
45
Ritter, Michael
MG
Sr.
83
Rohe, Steven
TE/LB
Jr.
42
Rudolph, Daniel
FB/LB
Jr.
18
Ryan, Michael
QB
Sr.
21
Schroer, Kenneth
SE
Jr.
62
Stowe, Jeffrey
G
Jr.
80
Tedesco, Joseph
SE/S
Jr.
41
Ventre, Jeffrey
HB
Jr.
40
Viox, Timothy
SE
Sr.
43
Ward, Chris
FB/LB
Jr.
76
Wolf, David
G
Jr.
61
Wright, Richard
G
Sr.

 

 
No. of Players
56
 

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