Elder Panther Football - 1997

REGULAR SEASON RECORD: 8-2

 
Game #
Date
Opponent
Site
Score
W/L
Record
1
8/29/97
Middletown
H
32-14
W
1-0
2
9/5/97
Toledo St. John's
H
18-15
W
2-0
3
9/12/97
Western Hills
H
31-0
W
3-0
4
9/19/97
Withrow
A
34-2
W
4-0
5
9/26/97
Moeller
H
24-17
L
4-1
6
10/3/97
St. Xavier
A
17-0
L
4-2
7
10/10/97
La Salle
A
14-6
W
5-2
8
10/17/97
Hughes
H
16-0
W
6-2
9
10/25/97
Lakewood St. Edward's
A
35-28 (3 OT)
W
7-2
10
10/31/97
Oak Hills
A
30-15
W
8-2

Head Coach : Doug Ramsey (Career Record: 8-2)

Captains: Tim Maley, Josh Cain, Matt Hambleton, Mike Morehead

 

Final GCL-S Standings
Overall
League

1. Moeller
9-1
3-0

2. St. Xavier
8-2
2-1

3. ELDER
8-2
1-2

4. La Salle
2-8
0-3

Season Highlights: Following the 1996 season, Coach Tom Grippa announced he was resigning as a teacher and coach at Elder to assume the head coaching job at Fairfield High School. Assistant coach Doug Ramsey was named to succeed him. Ramsey, who graduated from Reading High School in 1984, played quarterback at Reading and was named first-team All-Star quarterback in the Hamilton County National League, first-team Class AA All-Metro by the Post and received Honorable Mention recognition from the Enquirer.

The team selected as Quad-Captains Tim Maley (defensive lineman), Josh Cain (offensive lineman), Matt Hambleton (defensive back), and Mike Morehead (defensive back). The 1997 season opened with Middletown visiting the Pit. Junior Matt Glacken filled the quarterback spot, threw 4 touchdown passes, and led the team to a 32-14 win over the Middies. Mike Morehead sparked the defense, with a fumble recovery and a pass interception. Steve Bain had three of the four TD receptions (for 1, 58, and 9 yards), while Matt Manion added the fourth (for 7 yards) as well as a two-point conversion. Nick Papania rushed for 3 yards and a fifth TD.

The Panthers hosted the Toledo St. John's Titans for Game 2. After a scoreless first quarter, Papania picked up six points on a 7-yard TD run. Following the intermission, Kramer added a TD on a19-yard run, and with 9:32 left Dan Stricker made the score 18-0 on a 30-yard TD pass from Glacken. St. John's responded with 15 points on 2 TD passes, a conversion, and a PAT. The Titans got the ball back with just over two minutes left, but the Panther defense held on for the win. Elder accumulated 238 yards rushing, behind the efforts of Papania (with 135 yards on 20 carries) and Ryan Kramer (who rushed for 97 yards on 14 carries). Tony Herman led the receivers (with 4 receptions for 81 yards).

The defense registered its first shutout of the season, 31-0, over the Western Hills Mustangs. Three fumble recoveries (by Nick McDonald, Jack Noppert, and Mike Ramstetter) and two interceptions (by Mike Morehead and Nathan Hughes) limited the Mustangs' attack, and allowed them only 4 yards passing and 117 yards rushing on the night. Matt Glacken passed for 193 yards, on 14 completions out of 19 attempts. His primary receiver was Dan Stricker, who caught six for 86 yards and two TDs. Will Schroer added a TD on an 8-yard Glacken pass, and Ryan Kramer picked up his first rushing TD for the Panthers. Dan DeFranco kicked 4 PATs and a 22-yard field goal to complete the scoring, all of which occurred in the first half.

Elder, now at 3-0, visited Withrow for Game 4. The winless Tigers could only manage a safety as they were blown out by the Panthers, 34-2. Ryan Kramer led the rushing attack with 87 out of the team total 174 yards on the ground. Glacken passed for 107 yards, completing 7 of 10. Kramer tallied two touchdowns, Steve Bain and Dan Stricker each scored once on Glacken TD passes, and Dan DeFranco added 4 PATs. The defense, which held Withrow to only 1 yard rushing and 34 total yards, also contributed to the scoring, as Mike Morehead picked off a Withrow aerial and returned it 46 yards for a touchdown.

Moeller entered the game with Elder with one loss, which came at the hands of Altoona, Pa., knowing they needed a win to remain in the playoff race. With the game at The Pit, Elder's pride and 4-game winning streak were on the line. On their second play from scrimmage, Moeller scored on a 60-yard run. Elder responded on their second possession with a 69-yard TD pass from Glacken to Stricker, and Dan DeFranco's PAT tied the game at 7. Moeller kicked a 27-yard field goal with just over 6 minutes in the half to take the lead 10-7, but DeFranco tied the game with 11 seconds left in the half on a 34-yard field goal. Elder took the lead for the first time in the third quarter when Stricker pulled in a pass which had been tipped by a Moeller defender and completed an 81-yard play for a score. DeFranco's kick made it 17-10, Elder. On Elder's next possession, Glacken was forced to leave the game, when he was tackled from behind on an attempted pass and suffered a shoulder injury. The back-up QB, Ed Soloria, replaced Glacken, but his inexperience was too much to overcome, and Moeller scored two TDs to take the lead and the game, 24-17. Before he was injured, Glacken passed for 295 yards, completing 11 of 22. (Glacken's injury kept him out of action for the remainder of the season.) Stricker totaled 250 yards receiving in the game to set a new Elder record. Mike Morehead returned an interception 43 yards and Bill Noll recovered a Moeller fumble in the losing effort.

Now 4-1, the Panthers invaded Bomber Stadium to face St. Xavier, who stood at 5-0. Now led by Ed Soloria at quarterback, the Panthers were outgunned by the Bombers. St. Xavier picked up 197 yards through the air, and 123 on the ground, and scored 10 points in the second quarter and 7 in the fourth to take the game, 17-0. The Panthers were limited to 100 yards rushing and 129 yards on Soloria's passing.

The Panthers next turned their attention to La Salle. The Panthers dominated the Lancers, limiting them to 1 yard rushing, 150 yards passing and 6 points, while the Panthers totaled 289 total yards and 14 points. Ryan Kramer led the ground game with 116 yards on 23 carries and 1 TD. Mike Mullen added the Panthers' other score on a 25-yard pass reception. Dan DeFranco kicked 2 PATs to complete the scoring. Tony Stautberg picked off a Lancer pass to help the Panthers' cause.

Elder then faced Hughes, for the first time since 1984. The Panthers won the contest, 16-0, on another strong defensive effort. The Big Red were limited to only 186 total yards; Mike Radel's fumble recovery and Tim Mielke's pass interception sparked the offense. Panther scores came on TDs by Stricker and Kramer and one PAT and a 26-yard field goal by DeFranco.

To complete the home-and-home series with Lakewood St. Edward's, the Panthers traveled north to suburban Cleveland to face the Eagles. St. Ed's jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first quarter, but Elder picked up rushing TDs from Kramer and Soloria to take the game into half-time at 14-14. The rest of the game remained scoreless, and the game went into overtime. Both teams scored in the first overtime, and both PATs were successful. The scenario repeated in the second overtime, and the score was 28-18. Elder scored again in the third OT, and Dan DeFranco's 5th PAT on the evening made the score 35-28. St. Ed's began their drive but Kevin Burger saved the game for the Panthers as he picked off an Eagle pass.

In the regular season finale, the Panthers traveled to Oak Hills, and won a hard-fought battle, 30-15. The Scots took the lead on a 29-yard field goal, but Elder responded before the half ended with a 13-yard Ryan Kramer score and a Dan DeFranco PAT. Early in the third quarter, Dale Krauser picked off an Oak Hills pass and returned it 20 yards for a touchdown. Steve Bain went on to add two more TDs on passes of 10 and 4 yards from Soloria. DeFranco completed his perfect 4-4 evening , and Nick McDonald added a safety for good measure. Mike Morehead and Nik Buckmeier added interceptions for the Panthers. The Panthers finished the regular season with an 8-2 record.

The Panthers, in their first year under Coach Doug Ramsey, finished just out of the playoffs. Moeller, St. Xavier, Hamilton and Harrison were the top 4 teams in the Harbin rankings at the end of the season; Elder finished fifth. (Moeller defeated Harrison, St. Xavier, and Upper Arlington to reach the state finals against Canton McKinley. McKinley defeated the Crusaders to win the title, 31-16.)

Running back Ryan Kramer led the Panthers in scoring with 10 touchdowns and 60 points. Matt Glacken completed 46 out of 80 passes for 840 yards and 12 TDs; Ed Soloria completed 60 out of 117 for 788 yards and 4 TDs. Kramer was also the team's leading rusher, with 167 carries for 803 yards. Dan Stricker led the receivers with 34 receptions and 669 yards and 7 TDs. Dale Krauser led the defense with 84 tackles, 4 sacks, and 1 interception. Tim Maley had 57 tackles and 5.5 sacks. Mike Radel had 50 tackles and 1 fumble recovery. Mike Morehead's six interceptions led the team.

Linebacker Dale Krauser was named the team's Most Valuable Player. Krauser was also first-team All-GCL and was named the GCL's Defensive Linebacker of the Year. Dan Stricker was named first-team All-GCL, All-City by the Enquirer, and All-District, and was named the GCL's Punter of the Year. (Stricker punted 41 times for 1543 yards and a 37.6 yards per punt average.) Mike Morehead received first-team All-GCL and All-City honors. First-team All-GCL recognition also went to Josh Cain and Tim Maley; Tony Herman was named the team's Academic All-Star by the GCL coaches.

 

Team Roster

Number

Name
Position
Class
87

Bain, Steve
WR
Sr.
41

Becker, Josh
WR
Sr.
30

Bender, Adam
DB
Sr.
90

Boeing, Scott
DE
Jr.
23

Brauntz, Greg
DB
Sr.
19

Brodbeck, Andrew
DB
Sr.
56

Brown, Nick
OL
Jr.
37

Brunner, Pat
LB
Soph.
94

Buckmeier, Nik
DL
Sr.
10

Burger, Kevin
DB
Sr.
74

Cain, Josh
OL
Sr.
17

Carey, Collin
QB
Soph.
70

Christopfel, Andy
OL
Soph.
79

Christopfel, Marc
OL
Sr.
51

Collins, Jim
DE
Jr/\.
27

Dattilo, Michael
C/RB
Soph.
5

DeFranco, Dan
PK
Sr.
7

Donnellon, Joe
WR
Jr.
81

Fessell, Steve
WR
Jr.
21

Frank, Nick
C
Jr.
12

Glacken, Matt
QB
Jr.
96

Grahl, Joe
DL
Sr.
68

Graman, Jake
OL
Jr.
93

Grawe, Bryan
DT
Jr.
15

Gruber, Mark
DB
Jr.
28

Gutzwiller, Bryan
DB
Jr.
36

Gutzwiller, Kevin
LB
Soph.
24

Hambleton, Matt
DB
Sr.
98

Hambrick, Shawn
DL
Sr.
71

Head, Aaron
OL
Jr.
31

Heisel, Brandon
DB
Jr.
45

Herman, Tony
FB
Sr.
11

Hoffman, Justin
DB
Sr.
1

Hughes, Nathan
RB
Sr.
66

Huster, Chris
OL
Jr.
16

Jennings, Jeff
DB
Jr.
95

Jostworth, Dave
LB
Sr.
64

Kesse, Keith
OL
Jr.
34

Kramer, Ryan
RB
Sr.
44

Krauser, Dale
DB
Sr.
29

Lambers, Ken
LB
Jr.
20

Lasita, Brian
FB
Jr.
97

Ledonne, Bob
DL
Jr.
60

Lubrecht, Dan
OL
Sr.
54

Maley, Tim
OL
Sr.
3

Manion, Matt
DB
Sr.
58

McDonald, Nick
DL
Sr.
4

McKenna, Kyle
LB
Jr.
65

McKeon, Andy
DL
Jr.
48

Mielke, Tim
FB/LB
Sr.
53

Minges, Brian
OL
Sr.
2

Morehead, Mike
DB
Sr.
9

Mullen, Mike
WR
Sr.
72

Noll, Bill
DL
Jr.
26

Noppert, Jack
DB
Sr.
75

Oliver, Mark
OL
Sr.
62

Otten, John
OL
Jr.
32

Papania, Nick
RB
Jr.
43

Radel, Mike
FB
Sr.
13

Ramstetter, Mike
LB
Jr.
84

Rauen, Nick
TE
Jr.
25

Rieder, John
DB
Sr.
77

Riggs, Chris
DL
Sr.
88

Roos, Nick
TE
Sr.
46

Rushford, Ken
LB
Jr.
6

Schroer, Will
WR
Jr.
47

Sellet, Mark
RB
Sr.
8

Soloria, Ed
DB
Sr.
22

Stautberg, Tony
DB
Sr.
80

Stricker, Dan
WR
Sr.
35

Theobald, Mark
C
Jr.
14

Turner, Chris
DB
Jr.
18

Wainscott, Joel
LB
Soph.

No. of Players
73
 

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