Front Row (l-r): Tri
Captains Jon Peters, Tim Austing, Matt Deters. Second Row:
Jeff Weikel, Russ Peters, Jerry Matacia, John Wills, Mike
Pfirrman, Vince Salzarulo, John Miller, Jason Steins, Scott Priestle,
Will Plagge, Sean Monahan. Third Row: Matt Noble, Chris
Harper, Lou Schulter, Mike Raterman, Jon Schneider, Bill Donovan,
Pete Humbert, Gerry Grimmelsman, Matt Rauen, Kevin Caminiti.
Fourth Row: Jim Davis, Chris Holthaus, Steve Disbennett, Mark
Emerson, Tom Ludwig, Brian Brockman, Ennis Jim, Ross Hambleton, T. J.
Hilvert, Dave Becker. Fifth Row: Denny Baker, Matt Bauer, Gary
Fischer, Josh Voss, Keith Witsken, Jeff Bechtel, Kit Hoffman, Jamie
Schroth, Joe Ohradzansky, Jason Vollmer. Sixth Row: Coach Tom
Grippa, Jason Poland, Joe Czanik, Steve Morehead, Larry Herms, Tom
Rosenberger, Jeff Smith, Jeff McFarland. Seventh Row: Scott
Lohmiller, Ed Leicht, Eric Braun, Craig James, Nate Fecke, Dave Ginn.
Top Row: Coaches J. Kock, K. Lanzillotta, J. Mize, L. Grippa,
D. Ramsey, M. Kraemer.
REGULAR SEASON RECORD:
10-0
Game
#
Date
Opponent
Site
Score
W/L
Record
1
8/30/91
Lakota
A
35-0
W
1-0
2
9/6/91
Akron
Garfield
H
49-12
W
2-0
3
9/13/91
Western
Hills
H
14-6
W
3-0
4
9/20/91
Withrow
A
38-0
W
4-0
5
9/27/91
La
Salle
A
38-3
W
5-0
6
10/4/91
Moeller
H
23-7
W
6-0
7
10/11/91
St.
Xavier
A
44-14
W
7-0
8
10/18/91
Roger
Bacon
H
42-0
W
8-0
9
10/25/91
Moeller
A
20-14
W
9-0
10
11/1/91
Oak
Hills
A
35-12
W
10-0
Playoffs
1
11/9/91
Centerville
Galbreath
26-17
L
10-1
Head Coach: Tom Grippa
(Career Record: 43-11)
Captains: Tim Austing,
Jon Peters, Matt Deters
Final GCL-S Standings
Overall
League
1.
ELDER
10-1
3-0
2.
Moeller
6-4
2-1
3. La
Salle
6-4
1-2
4. St.
Xavier
5-5
0-3
Season
Highlights:Following a disappointing 6-4 season, Coach Grippa named
quarterback Tim Austing, offensive lineman Jon Peters, and defensive
back Matt Deters as Tri-Captains to lead the team back to the
playoffs. The 1991 team's outstanding offense produced a perfect 10-0
record for the second time in three years, a record-setting point
total, and a record number of passing first downs and total first
downs for the season. The defense limited opponents to 68 points in
10 games, and a near-record 3.3 yards per carry average.
Prior to the start of the
season, the Greater Cincinnati League became the Greater Catholic
League, and was realigned into North and South Divisions. Elder,
Moeller, La Salle, and St. Xavier were placed in the South Division,
and Roger Bacon, Purcell-Marian, Hamilton Badin, Kettering Alter,
Chaminade-Julienne, and McNicholas comprised the North
Division.
The season opened at
Lakota, with the Panthers facing the Thunderbirds for the first time
in the school's history. The defense turned in a masterful
performance, limiting Lakota to just 5 first downs and 100 total
yards. Tom Rosenberger was credited with 7 solo tackles in the game,
and Matt Rauen and Matt Deters intercepted two Lakota passes,
returning them for 5 and 15 yards, respectively. The offense tallied
347 total yards with 207 yards through the air. Ennis Jim led the
ground game, with 101 yards in 19 carries and 2 TDs, Steve Morehead
caught 4 passes for 89 yards and 2 TDs. Jason Poland also scored on a
33-yard TD pass from Tim Austing, along with a 2-point conversion,
and sophomore kicker Will Plagge picked up the first three PATs of
what was to become a record-setting season for him. The final score,
35-0, indicated that the 1991 Panthers were a force to be reckoned
with.
Game 2 brought Akron
Garfield to Elder Stadium, for the first and only meeting between the
two schools. Elder again dominated, accumulating 440 yards of offense
and 49 points, against Garfield's 155 yards and 12 points. Tim
Austing passed for 200 yards and a record-tying 5 touchdowns: one to
Jason Steins (44 yards), one to Jeff McFarland (17 yards), two to
Jason Poland (3 and 8 yards), and one to Ennis Jim (40 yards), who
also picked up a two-point conversion. Pete Humbert contributed the
only rushing score of the contest for the Panthers. The defensive
effort was led by Dave Ginn and Matt Rauen (each with a fumble
recovery) and Dave Becker and Keith Witsken (each with a pass
interception). Witsken scored on a 35-yard interception return, and
Plagge added 5 PATs.
As usual,
the Western
Hills-Elder game was a hard-fought battle, but the Panthers again
came out on top, 14-6. Ennis Jim carried for 106 yards and 1 score;
Jason Poland picked up the second Panther TD on a pass from Austing
of 26 yards.
The Purple
and White dominated Withrow in Game 4, 38-0. Ennis Jim contributed 3 rushing
TDs, while the defense added two scores, in the form of a Dave Ginn 57-yard
return of a fumble and an end zone fumble recovery by Nate Fecke. Plagge
tallied 5 PATs and a
34-yard field goal; Tom Ludwig added an interception.
The GCL schedule
opened against La Salle, and the defense recovered 4 Lancer fumbles and
picked off a pass, limiting the Lancers to one field goal for the
game. The Panther offense scored 4 TDs, 3 on the ground (2 by Jim and
1 by Deters), and 1 through the air (on an Austing-to-McFarland
pass). The defense contributed to the scoring on a recovery of a
blocked punt in the end zone by Dave Ginn, and Plagge added 3 PATs
and a 25-yard field goal. Jason Steins' two-point conversion brought
the final score to 38-3.
Moeller and Elder met at
the Pit in Game 6. The teams battled even through the first half with
the score 7-7 at half-time. The Panthers dominated the second half,
scoring two TDs and a field goal, as Matt Deters picked up seven solo
tackles and five assists, a fumble recovery and an interception to
spark the defense. Ennis Jim, with 2 TDs, Jeff McFarland, with 1 TD,
and Will Plagge, with 2 PATs and a 22-yard field goal, provided the
scoring as the Panthers moved to a 6-0 record, 23-7.
In Game 7, against St.
Xavier, the Panthers needed a win to clinch the GCL title. Behind Tim
Austing's 368 yards passing and Jason Poland's 171 yards receiving,
Elder won its third title in four years, 44-14. Austing passed for 3
TDs, two to Jason Steins (11 and 32 yards) and one to McFarland (37
yards). Austing scored one rushing TD, and Jim added two more. Steve
Morehead's conversion and Plagge's 3 PATs and 33-yard field goal gave
the Panthers their 44 points. The defense contributed 4 fumble
recoveries and 2 interceptions to beat the Bombers.
The Panthers then faced
Roger Bacon, in a non-league contest for the first time because of
the re-alignment. The Panthers again were dominant, winning 42-0,
behind Ennis Jim's 111 yards rushing and 3 TDs on the ground. Austing
passed for 145 yards, hitting 6 of 7 passes, with Jim and Poland
scoring through the air. Chris Holthaus added a rushing TD; Will
Plagge added 6 PATs.
Dominant teams have
difficulty lining up opponents, and so it was in 1991 for Moeller and
Elder. The teams decided to play each other again, in a non-league
contest. Fortunately for the Panthers, the outcome was the same as
the game three weeks before. The defense forced four turnovers, two
on interceptions by Scott Lohmiller. Ennis Jim contributed 2 TDs to
give Elder the lead 14-7 at half-time. Moeller tied the game at 14 in
the third quarter, but the Panthers won it on Will Plagge field goals
in the third and fourth quarter of 36 and 22 yards. Jim totaled 115
yards rushing and 144 yards on pass receptions to lead the offense.
Elder entered Oak Hills'
stadium with a 9-0 record, and they were not to be denied. The
Highlanders kept it close in the first half, 14-12 at half-time. But
the second half was all Elder, with the final score 35-12. Ennis Jim
carried for 180 yards and 3 TDs, Jason Steins added two more on
passes from Austing, Chris Holthaus added a conversion, and Will
Plagge kicked 3 PATs to end the Panthers' perfect season.
The Princeton Vikings also
finished the season at 10-0, and were voted City Champions; Elder
came in second. The Panthers were also voted second in the state
(behind Princeton), 7th in the Midwest, and 22nd in the nation. In
the Harbin ratings for Region 4, Princeton finished first, Elder
second, Centerville third and Oxford Talawanda was fourth. With
Princeton and Elder so evenly matched and highly rated, the
anticipation was high for a Princeton-Elder showdown in the regional
final, but it was not to be. Elder was defeated by Centerville,
26-17, and Princeton was defeated by Talawanda, 24-22, and were both
eliminated from the playoffs. In the Centerville game, the Panthers
were defeated by their own mistakes, four turnovers and 110 yards in
penalties. The Panthers led 3-0 in the first quarter on a Plagge
32-yard field goal, and 9-7 at the half, but the Panthers were
outplayed in the second half by the Elks. Poland and Jim scored the
Panthers' TDs.
Ennis Jim was the regular
season scoring champ, with 134 points on 22 TDs and 1 conversion.
Will Plagge's set a scoring record for kicking points in a season,
with 52, on 34 PATs and 6 field goals. Tim Austing passed for 1941 on
103 completions in 187 attempts. Jason Poland was the team's leading
receiver, with 35 receptions for 613 yards and 5 TDs. Dave Becker led
the defense with 155 tackle points, 4 sacks, 4 interceptions, and a
fumble recovery. Keith Witsken (146 tackle points, 7 sacks, 4 fumble
recoveries, 3 interceptions), Matt Deters (127 tackle points, 3
sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 3 interceptions), Dave Ginn (118 tackle
points, 10 sacks, 5 fumble recoveries), and Scott Lohmiller (115
tackle points, 1 sack and 5 interceptions) starred for the
defense.
(Matt Deters
went on to play for the University of Dayton Flyers; in 1994 and '95 he received
UD's
Chief Toscani Hitter Award, "in honor of Ed Toscani whose love of
competition made him outstanding--as an athlete, student, and
individual.")
HONORS
OHIO
STATE ALL-STAR TEAM
First
Team
Tim
Austing
Special Mention
Tom Rosenberger
SWOFCA
ALL-DISTRICT ALL-STAR TEAM
First
Team Offense
Tim
Austing
First Team Defense
Tom Rosenberger
Special
Mention
Ennis
Jim, Dave Becker, Jason Poland
Honorable
Mention
Matt
Deters, Will Plagge
CINCINNATI
ENQUIRER ALL-CITY ALL-STAR TEAM
First
Team Offense
Tim
Austing, Jason Poland
First
Team Defense
Tom
Rosenberger, Nate Fecke, Dave Becker, Craig James, Matt Rauen, Dave
Ginn
Honorable
Mention
Ennis
Jim, Jon Peters, Matt Deters, Josh Voss
CINCINNATI
POST ALL-METRO ALL-STAR TEAM
First
Team Offense
Tim
Austing
Second
Team Offense
Jason
Poland, Will Plagge
First Team Defense
Tom Rosenberger, Dave Becker
Second Team Defense
Nate Fecke, Dave Ginn
Honorable
Mention
Ennis
Jim, Jon Peters, Matt Deters, Craig James, Matt Rauen, Scott Lohmiller
G.C.L.
SOUTH ALL-STAR TEAM
First
Team Offense
Tim
Austing, Ennis Jim, Jon Peters, Jason Poland
Second
Team Offense
Joe
Czanik, Mike Raterman, Jason Steins
First
Team Defense
Matt
Deters, Tom Rosenberger, Nate Fecke, Dave Becker, Josh Voss, Matt
Rauen
Second
Team Defense
Craig
James, Keith Witsken, Dave Ginn
Honorable
Mention
John
Wills, Matt Noble, Steve Morehead, Chris Holthaus, Tom Ludwig
