Captains: Bill Donovan,
Dave Ginn, Craig James, Tom Rosenberger
Final GCL-S Standings
Overall
League
1. St.
Xavier
13-1
3-0
2. La
Salle
7-3
1-2
2.
Moeller
6-4
1-2
2.
ELDER
6-4
1-2
Season
Highlights:Junior T. J. Hilvert opened the season at quarterback for the
Panthers and led them to a 40-9 victory, throwing 5 touchdown passes
and 188 yards. The rushing game added 179 yards, with Jeff Bechtel
leading the way with 115 and 1 TD. John Miller was Hilvert's primary
receiver, picking up 141 yards and 3 TDs on 5 receptions. Ross
Hambleton and Dan Delfendahl caught Hilvert's other touchdown passes.
Will Plagge, now a junior, added two PATs.
In Game 2, at Middletown,
the Panthers collided with the Middies and lost, 35-17. Hilvert
passed for 192 yards and two TDs, to Hambleton and Miller (who gained
126 yards on 6 receptions), but the ground game was limited to only
51 yards. Plagge kicked 2 PATs and a 32-yard field goal in the losing
effort, which ended the team's 14-game regular season winning
streak.
Jeff Bechtel scored the
only TD of the game in the second quarter, as the Panthers defeated
the Mustangs of Western Hills, 7-0. The defense limited the Mustangs
to only 76 total yards; the effort was led by Dave Ginn, who blocked
a punt which was recovered by Ryan Stallmeyer on the Mustang 4-yard
line and which led to Bechtel's TD. Junior Vince Salzarulo also
contributed an interception.
The following week against
Withrow, Bechtel turned in another outstanding effort, rushing for
211 yards and 3 touchdowns. Hilvert completed TD passes to Miller and
Hambleton, and Will Plagge contributed a 40-yard field goal and 3
PATs. Dave Ginn blocked another punt which went out of the end zone
for a safety. Scott Lohmiller and Tom Rosenberger recovered Tiger
fumbles, while Ryan Stallmeyer and Vince Salzarulo each intercepted
Withrow passes.
The GCL schedule began
against La Salle. Both defenses dominated the contest. La Salle
scored only once in regulation in the first quarter, and missed the
extra point attempt. Elder responded in the fourth quarter, on a Jeff
Bechtel one-yard run with 30 seconds left. The game went into
overtime when the extra point which would have won the game was
blocked. La Salle scored first in overtime to take a 13-6 lead. The
game ended on Elder's second play from scrimmage in overtime on an
interception.
The Panthers, now 3-2,
journeyed to Indianapolis to face Ben Davis in the Hoosier Dome.
Senior Mike Schwallie took over at quarterback, and promptly threw
for 372 yards (still the school record), completing 24 of 36 passes.
John Miller caught 11 of Schwallie's passes, good for 176 yards and 3
TDs. The Panthers spotted the Giants 21 points in the first half,
when the Panthers' offense began to click. Overall, the Panthers
totaled 435 yards compared to the Giants' 351, but 5 interceptions
took their toll, and Ben Davis held the lead at the end of the game,
28-21.
Against St. Xavier, who
came into the game undefeated at 6-0 having defeated Moeller 44-0,
the Panthers were outgunned, 49-21. Schwallie hit Miller with 2 TD
passes, and Bechtel added another score on the ground, but they were
not enough to overcome the powerful Bombers attack.
The Panthers then visited
Kettering to face the Alter Knights. Bechtel's 130 yards rushing and
Miller's 105 yards receiving led the Panthers to a 28-3 win.
Schwallie passed for 174 yards, throwing TD passes to Miller and
Hambleton. Bechtel rushed for 2 more scores; Plagge was perfect on
the night with 4 PATs.
Back even again at 4-4, the
Panthers faced Moeller at Galbreath Field. The Crusaders' record was
6-2 coming into the game. Mike Schwallie and John Miller put on a
masterful performance. Schwallie passed for 263 yards, completing 19
of 34 passes, and 5 TDs. Miller caught four of those TD passes, and 5
other aerials for a total of 172 yards gained through the air. Junior
Bob Schlachter kicked 3 PATs and the Panthers defeated the Crusaders,
33-20. Both teams ended up 1-2 in the GCL, tied with La Salle for
second place behind the undefeated Bombers.
The season ended at the Pit
against Oak Hills. Schwallie hit Miller with 3 more TD passes,
Bechtel rushed for two scores, Rob Morgan for another. Schwallie
passed for a total of 272 yards, Bechtel gained 127 rushing, and
Miller had 10 receptions for 146 yards. The final score was 41-6; the
Panthers' final record was 6-4 on the season.
Receiver John Miller set
several records for the season. He had 63 receptions, and gained 1022
yards, both records for a season. Miller was also the team's scoring
leader, with 110 points on 18 TDs and 1 conversion. Mike Schwallie
passed for a total of 1268 yards and 15 touchdowns, completing 94 of
155, for an impressive 60.6 percent. Jeff Bechtel rushed for 1010
yards and 11 TDs, on 179 carries. Scott Lohmiller was the defensive
leader, picking up 147 tackle points, 1 sack and 1 fumble recovery.
Kit Hoffman had 135 tackle points, 3 sacks and 1 fumble recovery.
Dave Ginn had 125 tackle points, 5 sacks and 1 fumble recovery. Ryan
Stallmeyer had 114 tackle points, 4 sacks, 1 fumble recovery and 3
interceptions. Tom Rosenberger had 112 tackle points and 11
sacks.
HONORS
OHIO STATE ALL-STAR TEAM
First Team
John Miller
SWOFCA
ALL-DISTRICT ALL-STAR TEAM
First
Team Offense
John
Miller
Special
Mention
Jeff
Bechtel, Tom Rosenberger, Mike Schwallie
Honorable
Mention
Ross
Hambleton, Nate Fecke, Dave Ginn, Scott Lohmiller
CINCINNATI
ENQUIRER ALL-CITY ALL-STAR TEAM
First
Team Offense
John
Miller
Second Team Offense
Mike Schwallie
First
Team Defense
Tom
Rosenberger
Second Team Defense
Dave Ginn
Honorable
Mention
Ross
Hambleton, Jeff Bechtel, Will Plagge, Nate Fecke, Scott Lohmiller,
Jim Manderscheid
CINCINNATI
POST ALL-METRO ALL-STAR TEAM
First
Team Offense
John
Miller
Second
Team Offense
Mike
Schwallie, Ross Hambleton
Honorable
Mention
Jeff
Bechtel, Tom Rosenberger, Nate Fecke, Scott Lohmiller, Dave Ginn
G.C.L.
SOUTH ALL-STAR TEAM
First
Team Offense
John
Miller, Mike Schwallie
Second
Team Offense
Gary
Fischer, Matt Bauer, Ross Hambleton, Jeff Bechtel
First
Team Defense
Tom
Rosenberger, Scott Lohmiller, Jim Manderscheid
Second
Team Defense
Nate
Fecke, Dave Ginn
Honorable
Mention
Bill
Donovan, Jeff Smith, Jeff McFarland, Craig James, Jon Schneider,
Vince Salzarulo
