Elder Panther Football - 1979

REGULAR SEASON RECORD: 4-5-1

 
Game #
Date
Opponent
Site
Score
W/L
Record
1
8/31/79
Western Hills
UC
19-14
W
1-0
2
9/14/79
Woodward
H
14-14
T
1-0-1
3
9/21/79
Lima Senior
H
21-20
W
2-0-1
4
9/28/79
Princeton
A
28-20
L
2-1-1
5
10/5/79
La Salle
Trechter
14-6
L
2-2-1
6
10/12/79
St. Xavier
H
21-6
W
3-2-1
7
10/19/79
Roger Bacon
A
13-7
L
3-3-1
8
10/26/79
Moeller
H
27-0
L
3-4-1
9
11/2/79
Purcell
H
28-13
W
4-4-1
10
11/9/79
Oak Hills
UC
9-7
L
4-5-1

Head Coach: Ray Bachus (Career Record: 34-15-1)

Captains: Steve Humbert, Tom Hopkins

Final GCL Standings
Overall
League

1. Moeller
10-0
4-0

2. St. Xavier
6-3-1
2-2

2. Roger Bacon
6-4
2-2

4. La Salle
5-5
1-3

4. ELDER
4-5-1
1-3

Season Highlights: The 1979 season began earlier than ever before, on August 31, with the opening game against the Western Hills Mustangs. The game was played at UC's Nippert Stadium, and it seemed that West High's momentum from the win the previous season had carried over. The Mustangs held the lead at the half, 7-6, and 14-12 with under two minutes left, when the Panthers started the final drive of the game from their own 12-yard line. A 73-yard Steve Humbert-to-Dave Kenkel pass ate up most of the yardage, and a 5-yard run by Dan Haley finished the job as the Panthers took the lead and the game, 19-14.

Elder was again forced to come from behind against the Bulldogs of Woodward to gain a tie, 14-14, in Game 2. Another Steve Humbert pass, this time to Steve Jameson, scored the final touchdown, but the extra point was missed. A final field goal attempt also failed and the deadlock remained.

The Lima Senior Spartans visited Elder Stadium the following week. Steve Humbert provided the excitement, as he returned two punts for touchdowns, on runs of 63 and 77 yards. Joe DePaoli added a 3-yard run for a score, and John Pretty's 3 PATs made the difference: Elder 21, Lima Senior 20.

Elder then played the defending state champion Princeton Vikings. Princeton jumped out to a 14-0 early lead, and led 28-6 going into the fourth quarter, but the Panthers battled to the end, adding two TDs late to make it close, 28-20. Dan Haley scored two of the Panther touchdowns, and Frank O'Toole added the third on a 68-yard return of a Viking fumble.

La Salle won its third contest over Elder since 1962, 14-6. The only bright spot for Elder was a 51-yard TD pass from Steve Humbert to Dave Kenkel. Steve Humbert rushed for 123 yards and one touchdown, and passed for two more, to lead the Panthers over the Bombers, 21-6. In Game 7, 1 fumble and 3 interceptions hurt the Panthers as they lost to Roger Bacon, 13-7. Dave Thomas had the Panthers' only score, on a 14-yard pass from Brian Monk.

Moeller, in the midst of another undefeated season, proved too much for Elder, as they shutout the Panthers, 27-0. Elder's first non-league contest with Purcell was won by the Panthers, 28-13, largely due to the efforts of Steve Humbert, who rushed for 225 yards and 3 TDs, on carries of 16, 62 and 74 yards. Dan Haley added another touchdown, and John Pretty hit all four PATs.

A new tradition and neighborhood rivalry began in Game 10, as the Panthers met the Oak Hills Highlanders for the first time. Mistakes again plagued the Panthers, who lost 5 fumbles and 2 interceptions, and lost to the Scots, 9-7. The Panthers finished at 4-5-1, their first losing season since 1963.

Dan Haley was the team's leading scorer with 44 points, on 7 TDs and 1 conversion. Steve Humbert passed for 570 yards and 6 TDs, and rushed for 636 yards and 4 TDs. Steve Jameson was the leading pass receiver, with 13 receptions for 235 yards and 4 touchdowns. Paul Vollman's 177 tackle points led the defense.

Steve Humbert was chosen the team's Most Valuable Player. Humbert, along with Tom Hopkins and Paul Vollman, received first-team All-GCL recognition.

In the state tournament, Moeller represented Region 4, defeating Toledo Whitmer in the semi-finals, 31-7, and trouncing Parma Padua, 41-7 to win its fourth state crown. Moeller was the state's winningest team in the 1970's, with a record of 103-7-0.

 

Team Roster

Number

Name
Position
Class
21

Allen, Daniel
TB
Jr.
55

Alwell, Benjamin
MG
Sr.
17

Bleh, Timothy
TB
Soph.
43/52

Crowley, Robert
LB
Soph.
62

Cupito, Matthew
G
Soph.
75

Davis, Barry
T
Sr.
30

DePaoli, Joseph
HB
Sr.
76

Dine, David
DT
Sr.
71

Duwel, Paul
C
Soph.
53

Garnett, Chris
G
Jr.
52/35

Geiser, Chris
C
Jr.
80

Gindling, David
DE
Sr.
88/51

Glandorf, Charles
E
Jr.
66

Gramke, Jeffrey
LB
Jr.
74

Grote, David
G
Jr.
34

Haley, Daniel
HB
Sr.
81

Hemmer, Andrew
DE
Soph.
73

Hisch, Timothy
T
Sr.
40

Honold, Michael
HB
Sr.
79

Hopkins, Thomas
T
Sr.
83

Hotel, David
E
Soph.
19

Humbert, Steven
QB/S
Sr.
84

Jameson, Steven
TE
Sr.
41

Kayse, Douglas
DB
Jr.
3/51/89

Kenkel, David
TE/FB
Sr.
67

Lagaly, Thomas
G
Jr.
72

Leonard, Anthony
DT
Jr.
78

Marx, James
T
Soph.
33

Mazza, Steven
FB
Soph.
42

McCall, Edward
DB
Sr.
20

Moehring, Robert
SE
Sr.
18

Monk, Brian
QB
Sr.
31

Morand, Michael
SS
Jr.
24

Moulden, Ronald
S
Jr.
86

Mullen, Paul
E
Jr.
77

Murphy, Daniel
G
Jr.
50

Myers, Paul
G
Jr.
85

Napolitano, Greg
E
Jr.
32

Niehaus, Thomas
FB/LB
Sr.
65

O'Brien, Thomas
LB
Jr.
64

O'Toole, Frank
G
Sr.
87

Pfaffinger, Thomas

Jr.
15

Pretty, John
K
Sr.
25

Reder, David
M
Sr.
82

Rellar, Gary
E
Sr.
28

Renzenbrink, Alan
SE
Sr.
45

Ryan, Timothy
DB
Sr.
36

Schneider, David
WB
Jr.
70

Smithmeyer, August
DT
Sr.
60

Stemler, Dennis
G/C
Sr.
69

Stevens, Chuck
T
Jr.
44

Thomas, David
HB
Jr.
63

Trischler, Joseph
G
Soph.
61

Vollman, Paul
LB
Sr.
22

Wall, Daniel
DB
Jr.
68

Westerfield, Michael
T
Sr.
16

Westerkamp, Harry
QB
Jr.

No. of Players
57
 

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