Each Friday throughout the high school football season, the Valley News Dispatch will take a look back at the players, coaches and events that are part of local scholastic history.
In what was typical of the times, on the weekend of Oct. 13-14, 1967, the Alle-Kiski Valley had just three Friday night football games and nine Saturday afternoon encounters, including Har-Brack at Penn Hills at 10:30 a.m.
Schools like Springdale went to daylight ball because their older lights went bad; schools like Burrell and Knoch never had lights. Others, like McKessport and Aliquippa, had bad experiences with post-game violence.
In one Saturday game, Freeport remained undefeated with a 27-7 win at Springdale. Bob Tatrn and Valley basketball coach Mike Rice broadcast the game live on WKPA Radio from a location atop a ticket booth at Springdale Vets Field, which had no press box at the time.
Five years ago
⢠In one of the greatest performances in WPIAL history, Mars running back Brad Mueller ran for 409 yards and scored seven touchdowns as the Planets downed Apollo-Ridge, 46-30.
⢠Knoch won its seventh game without a loss by defeating Valley, 42-6. The Knights defense recorded seven sacks as Dusty Ziacik scored three touchdowns
10 years ago
⢠Highlands piled up 373 rushing yards to overwhelm Knoch, 63-7, as Ryan Dobrowolski ran for three touchdowns and Joe Signorella passed for three. It gave Highlands 131 points and 905 total yards in a two-week span.
⢠Riverview surprised No. 1-ranked Clairton at Riverside Park, 21-13, as Lucas Heakins rushed for 184 yards.
20 years ago
⢠Burrell set a school record with its 21st consecutive victory, a 34-7 decision over Jeannette. David Beal scored three touchdowns for the Bucs, and Andy Gratzmiller passed for two.
⢠Leechburg scored 19 unanswered points in the final 12 minutes of the game to defeat Deer Lakes, 33-17. An 80-yard kickoff return by Fred Hanlin at the third quarter buzzer gave the Blue Devils the lead for good.
25 years ago
⢠With interim coach/athletic director Chris Warriner at the helm, Highland defeated Greensburg Salem, 19-13, behind two Steve Kesecki touchdowns. A teacher strike in the district forced former Tarentum coach Warriner back to the coaching box.
⢠A 19-yard pass from Mike White to Nick Lombardo proved to be the only score of the game as Valley blanked Franklin Regional, 7-0.
30 years ago
⢠Burrell's Tommy Bart was a one-man wrecking crew against Leechburg, scoring all 36 Bucs points, including five touchdowns, in his team's 36-35 victory.
⢠Jeff Boynton scored three touchdowns, including one on a 77-yard run, as Plum defeated Mount Pleasant, 30-8.
40 years ago
⢠A 1-yard scoring plunge by Gary Beck with 10 seconds left in the game lifted Kittanning to a 25-20 victory Plum at Mustangs Stadium.
⢠Greg Scott's 3-yard touchdown run with 38 seconds to go gave undefeated Kiski Area a 14-7 victory over Jeannette at McKee Stadium.
50 years ago
⢠The Asian flu continued to plague local schools as only two Friday night games were played because of a number of cancellations. In one game, West Deer's Jim Nagy shook off the flu and scored two touchdowns as the Braves defeated Plum, 13-6.
⢠Har-Brack, minus 10 players because of the flu, dropped a 20-6 decision to Donora. Phil Berenson scored the only touchdown against the Dragons on a 51-yard pass play.
75 years ago
⢠St. Joseph scored in every quarter en route to a 25-0 defeat of McKeesport St. Peters. Johhny Bloch's 40-yard touchdown run was a key play for the Natrona school.
⢠Boyd Brumbaugh's 73-yard pass to Elmer Fry with 18 seconds left in the game gave Springdale a 7-6 win at East Pittsburgh.
