Tucker County High School - Tu Endi Wei Yearbook (Hambleton, WV)

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 GIVING it her all is Becky Murphy during the championship game against Bridgemort. Becky was assistant trainer to Coach Gutshall and was considered one of the team. ALL HOPES OF EARNING A STATE TITLE WERE SHOT WITH ONLY 3 SECONDS LEFT TO GO COMING UP CUORT The time had come. It was the 9-1 Tucker County Mt. Lions and the 9-1 Valley Greyhounds facing off in a first round duel in Buchannon. Coming into the game, Tucker Co., who had one of the highest rated offenses in the state, was considered the home team. This being due to a higher slot in the rankings. When the game began. Tucker County took no time living up to its billing. The Lions took the opening kickoff to their own 24 yard line. From there, they mounted an 11 play. 76 yard drive. The drive was capped off by a one yard scoring burst by senior tailback Scott Bolyard, who tied a AA playoff record with 20 points in a single game. The conversion failed and it was 6-0. The Greyhounds captured the lead, but couldn’t hold it. Tucker led 14-7 at the half. On the first play of the second half. JD Drake recovered a fumble at the Greyhound 29. A 27 yard reception by senior tightend Scott Paugh, set up another Bolyard touchdown which extended the Lion lead to 20-7. The Lions never looked back. They went on to trounce Valley 34-13, this set up a semi-final bout with the undefeated Independence Patriots. The game began slowly for Tucker, as they were swarmed by Independence’s highly aggressive defense. The first half was owned by the Patriots as they took a 13-0 lead into the locker. The second half didn’t start out much better. On the second play of the third period. Sam Sizemore broke loose on a 64 yard scoring dash, giving Independence a 19-0 lead. Things appeared bleak, but the Lions refused to die. They returned the ensuing kickoff to their 35 yard line. They put together a 14 yard play drive which accumulated with QB Jed Drenning's 6 yard touchdown run with 3:54 remaining in the third period. The conversion attempt failed and it was 19-6. The Lions held Independence, forcing them to punt. Tucker County took the ball on their own 14 and began to move again. On the 19th play of this incredible. 86 yard drive, senior fullback Todd Rhodes plunged into the endzone from 3 yards out. The pass-after- touchdown was good and it was 19-13. Only 5:56 remained in the game. With the game resting in the balance, the Patriots took the ball at their own 27 yard line. The clock began to tick. The Lions held on the first two downs, bringing up a 3rd and 8 situation. Only 4 minutes was left in the game. Off of a play action fake. Partiot QB dropped to pass. He lofted his throw across the middle, over ther head of his intended receiver and into the arms of safety Scott Paugh. It was intercepted! The crowd exploded as Paugh weaved his way to the Independence 37 before being wrapped up. The Lions took the ball and shoved it right down the Patriots throats. With 0:56 remaining. Scott Bolyard took it over from the one to tie it at 19. As the stunned Patriots watched on. the extra point sailed through the uprights, lifting Tucker to a 20-19 head. A lead they held to the end. Tucker County had escaped certain defeat, which brought them to a place where no team in Tucker County had ever been before . . . The State Championship. A crowd of nearly 4.000 showed up at Laidley Field to watch Tucker County shoot for its first ever state title. They would be going against the Bridgeport Indians, who had won championships in both 1972 and '79. The seven-year charm was on their side. The game began slow for both teams, until Tucker County fumbled a punt which was recovered by the Indians in Lion territory. Bridgeport fullback David Wright then broke away on a 34 yard jaunt to the Lion 1. This set up Mario Bombardiere’s touchdown to life Bridgeport to a 6-0 lead. Scott Lewis nailed the extra point to make it 7-0. It stayed that way until the 4th quarter. The Indians drove to the Tucker Co. 20. setting up a 37 yard field goal attempt by Lewis. The attempt sailed wide, giving Tucker the ball on their own 20 yard line. From there they assembled a 14 play scoring drive which ending in Scott Bolyardfs one yard run. The conversion was good and it was 7-7 with 4:56 remaining. The Indians took the following kickoff to their 22 yard line. It was then that they began to slowly move the ball and chew at the clock. Finally, with only 0:08 remaining in the game, the clock was stopped. The ball was spotted at the Tucker 23 for a 33 field goal attempt by Scott Lewis. The crowd rose to their feet. The snap was made, the ball was down. The kick was up. it was on its way. It dropped through the uprights to give Bridgeport a 10-7 lead with 3 seconds left. All that remained was a blustering kickoff to make it official. The Lions had run out of time. Together they came up on the short end of their only state title game ever. But just getting there was a story all itself. FOOTBALL-SPORTS 99

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HEARTBROKEN and disappointed. Coach Haddox and senior players. Mike Matlick, Mike RealI and Mark Phillips accept the trophy for runner-up in the state championship game. The team came up short when Bridgeport kicked a field goal with only eight seconds left to put them on top 10-7. BY George I think I got it!” exclaims Carmen Delsignore as he pulls the ball from the air during the first round of playoffs against Valley-Fayette. Tucker advanced to the semi-finals by topping Valley 34-13. CATCH me if you can” says QB Jed Drenning as he slips by Valley-Fayettes defense in Buchannon. Kevin Poling is preparing to make a block for Jed. 98 SPORTS-FOOTBALL HOLDING tightly to the ball. Todd Rhodes tries to escape a Valley-Fayette defensive lineman.

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100 THE 1986 Varsity Football Team- FIRST ROW- Joe Drenning; JD Drake; Kevin Poling; Mark Phillips; Mike Reall; Scott Bolyard; Scott Paugh; Mark Cangley; Mike Matlick; Scott Messenger; Todd Rhodes and Kenton Bozic SECOND ROW- Carmen Delsignore; John Grafton; Allen Loughry; Greg Gatto; Kevin Hebb; Jed Drenning; Chopper Evans; Shawn Long; Scott Ramsey; John Harper; John Goldman; Tim Niemenski; Eddie Parsons; Del ton Rhoades and Jeff Hardy THIRD ROW Coach Dale Ruckle; David Evick; Jeff Hebb; Beaver Barb; Duane Sikarski; Mike Bates; Shane Haddox; Darrell Nestor; Mike Flanagan; Darrin Moss; Donnie Arbogast; Eddie Carr; David Murphy; Chip Nelson; Steve McDonald; William Kuykendall; Richard Kencel and Assistant Trainer, Becky Murphy BACK ROW- Coach Dan Fairbanks; Trainer Tom Gutshall; Steve Burns; Steve Sturm; Eric Evick; Scott Eichelberger; Chris Cooper; Duane Dilly; Todd Snyder; John Moss; Doug Knotts; Greg Evans; Mark Chenoweth; Scott Filler; Head Coach Bill Haddox and Coach Bill Rosenau A FACT MAC A FACT. . . TEAMWORK BRINGS SUCCESS The 1986 TCHS Football Team will always be remembered for working ALL together to make it to the top. Throughout the season, everyone pulled together to succeed. Everyone knew that if the team worked together anything was possible. Even a state championship. The coaches began drilling into the heads of the players way back in August that football wasn't a one-man show. It took all eleven men on the field working as one in order to succeed. Everyone knew that the quaterback couldn’t pass if the offensive line didn’t block and if the quaterback couldn’t pass then the receiver couldn’t catch and if the receiver couldn’t catch, then the ball couldn’t move and if the ball couldn’t move, the team couldn’t score and if the team couldn’t score, well, the team couldn’t win. But the line did block and the quaterback threw. The receiver caught and the ball was moved. The team scored the games were won. The result, a trip to the state championship game where the Tucker Co. Mt. Lions were the stars. Although the team lost, they still knew a fact was a fact . . . teamwork brings success. The 1986 Football Team worked together to break records, to reach their goals and to become the best ever in Tucker County. They brought the school together, the town and the whole county itself. And even though they ended the season as runner-up, everyone thought they were winners. So like all stories, the 1986 Football Team had came to an end. But you can bet your washtub that they won’t be forgotten. WE love ya Mt. Lions, screams the crowd during the Championship game. Over 4.000 people came together at Laidley Field in Charleston to see Tucker and Bridgeport battle for the crown.