'79 Semifinals: Belfry 14 Highlands 8

[THUNDERBIRDS]

I'm still looking for one of our scrapbooks with some great pictures in it. One picture had a shot of Ricky West catching a ball or picking off a pass if I can remember correctly. I can't find it anywhere!!!!!!:mad: Okay tdyballgame, enough with the garage door code. Time to change it to Boom instead of Bird:D

Edited July 23, 2008 by Ram
Rule 13

[THUNDERBIRDS]

They walk down the driveway onto the field. From there, they go to the locker rooms.

 

Sometimes that's not exactly true. In recent years, teams visiting Highlands normally park in the circle and walk through the breezeway(sp) and enter the girls gym that runs along side the football field. This is how they have done it as of recent. Not many teams enter through the arch. I know I wouldn't want to.

Edited July 23, 2008 by Ram
Rule 13

[Mama Bear]

This has been as enjoyable of a story as ever told. Thanks for sharing it.

[THUNDERBIRDS]

Here is a picture of the New Entrance Arch at David Cecil Memorial Stadium. It was updated back in Dec 2007 with another year:thumb:

[ALLSTAR MVP]

Here it goes to the best of my recollection. Wilbur was the coach and Belfry had these jersey's that were so dryrotted that you couldn't even breath on them without part of it falling off. We knew we didn't have a chance once we saw what kind of uniform's they had.HA... To be honest I really don't remember that much hype about who was going out to the field first. We had a couple of fumbles close to the goal line and if I remember correct Belfry had a couple of pretty hardnose runningback's. This game was a big win for there program. We only had 6 senior's that year and this allowed Wilbur to get plenty of playing time for 81 and 82 state championship kids to play. This would have been considered a rebuilding year anywhere but Highlands.

 

Don't recall the the circumstances about the late entry to the field but do recall the tear away jersey (made famous in that era by Pruitt of Cleveland Browns fame) Anyway, short recollection of the HHS game and season was the 2-4 start that had the season turned around by the fumble recovery by Kenney Pabst against archrival NewCath (yes, before CCH knew what football was! LOL ....actually CCH beat HHS that year 31-7) anyway, the team was heavily dependent on underclassmen and really was a rebuilding season. It was however, a season when the seniors put it together and led the team to the playoff run they enjoyed. I have some recollection of a late fumble or INT by QB Stafford that stopped a late opportunity for HHS ?? Exciting game and exciting season for the Birds to even make it that far. Recall that this was the era of the infamous "sub-districts" that only required HHS to beat favored Newcath 15-8 and Newport 21-0 the following week to make the playoffs. Unfortunately that same format cost a very talented '80 team to miss out on playoffs due to a lone loss to a good Newport squad. (can you believe a 9-1 team not making playoffs in Ky. !!!!!!) (BTW. IMO '80 may be the best HHS team to not win it all ....other than '97 team.....but I digress !)

[EKUAlum05]

I'm not even sure they would have even held a sturdy pot. :lol:

 

HAHAHA...

 

Referring back to whether things were sportsmanlike... this was DEFINATELY unsportsmanlike BTW.... genious.... but shady!

[Hatz]

Don't recall the the circumstances about the late entry to the field but do recall the tear away jersey (made famous in that era by Pruitt of Cleveland Browns fame) Anyway, short recollection of the HHS game and season was the 2-4 start that had the season turned around by the fumble recovery by Kenney Pabst against archrival NewCath (yes, before CCH knew what football was! LOL ....actually CCH beat HHS that year 31-7) anyway, the team was heavily dependent on underclassmen and really was a rebuilding season. It was however, a season when the seniors put it together and led the team to the playoff run they enjoyed. I have some recollection of a late fumble or INT by QB Stafford that stopped a late opportunity for HHS ?? Exciting game and exciting season for the Birds to even make it that far. Recall that this was the era of the infamous "sub-districts" that only required HHS to beat favored Newcath 15-8 and Newport 21-0 the following week to make the playoffs. Unfortunately that same format cost a very talented '80 team to miss out on playoffs due to a lone loss to a good Newport squad. (can you believe a 9-1 team not making playoffs in Ky. !!!!!!) (BTW. IMO '80 may be the best HHS team to not win it all ....other than '97 team.....but I digress !)

 

 

I can. Boyle was 9-1 in 1979 and missed an AA playoff berth. :cry::thumb:

[littleluck55]

Not to threadjack here and this is probably for another thread but does anybody remember the 1989 battle between the Birds and Pirates. Another classic game!!!!! Does anybody remember how HHS scored in overtime.

 

HHS went first in OT and on 3rd down, Chris Gallichio reversed field and passed to Ken Shields for a TD. HHS then held Belfry in OT. I believe Belfry ran all over HHS that day and in OT, the first play was a run for about 6 yards and then passed 3 straight times. The last one was broken up by Chris Wolfe, former PRP coach, in the endzone.

[THUNDERBIRDS]

HHS went first in OT and on 3rd down, Chris Gallichio reversed field and passed to Ken Shields for a TD. HHS then held Belfry in OT. I believe Belfry ran all over HHS that day and in OT, the first play was a run for about 6 yards and then passed 3 straight times. The last one was broken up by Chris Wolfe, former PRP coach, in the endzone.

 

Very good young grasshopper!!!!:thumb:

[littleluck55]

I may know someone who played on the team.:lol:

[ALLSTAR MVP]

Here it goes to the best of my recollection. Wilbur was the coach and Belfry had these jersey's that were so dryrotted that you couldn't even breath on them without part of it falling off. We knew we didn't have a chance once we saw what kind of uniform's they had.HA... To be honest I really don't remember that much hype about who was going out to the field first. We had a couple of fumbles close to the goal line and if I remember correct Belfry had a couple of pretty hardnose runningback's. This game was a big win for there program. We only had 6 senior's that year and this allowed Wilbur to get plenty of playing time for 81 and 82 state championship kids to play. This would have been considered a rebuilding year anywhere but Highlands.

 

Don't recall the the circumstances about the late entry to the field but do recall the tear away jersey (made famous in that era by Pruitt of Cleveland Browns fame) Anyway, short recollection of the HHS game and season was the 2-4 start that had the season turned around by the fumble recovery by Kenney Pabst against archrival NewCath (yes, before CCH knew what football was! LOL ....actually CCH beat HHS that year 31-7) anyway, the team was heavily dependent on underclassmen and really was a rebuilding season. It was however, a season when the seniors put it together and led the team to the playoff run they enjoyed. I have some recollection of a late fumble or INT by QB Stafford that stopped a late opportunity for HHS ?? Exciting game and exciting season for the Birds to even make it that far. Recall that this was the era of the infamous "sub-districts" that only required HHS to beat favored Newcath 15-8 and Newport 21-0 the following week to make the playoffs. Unfortunately that same format cost a very talented '80 team to miss out on playoffs due to a lone loss to a good Newport squad. (can you believe a 9-1 team not making playoffs in Ky. !!!!!!) (BTW. IMO '80 may be the best HHS team to not win it all ....other than '97 team.....but I digress !)

[dirk80]

IMO '80 may be the best HHS team to not win it all ....other than '97 team.....!)

 

 

Totally agree MVP.

 

Thanks for starting this thread, this has been a trip down memory lane for sure. 25 yrs and plus and still a cakeeater at heart!!

[EKUAlum05]

HHS went first in OT and on 3rd down, Chris Gallichio reversed field and passed to Ken Shields for a TD. HHS then held Belfry in OT. I believe Belfry ran all over HHS that day and in OT, the first play was a run for about 6 yards and then passed 3 straight times. The last one was broken up by Chris Wolfe, former PRP coach, in the endzone.

 

This wasn't the same year that Belfry lost when they attempted a QB sneak w/ Dwayne Francisco and was stuffed at the goalline was it?

 

I have known Highlands was the elite team in Kentucky for as long as I remember. This all comes from hearing my dad and his buddies always reminiscing about those games and the outcomes.

[20/20Hindsight]

So Highlands had no offense then? 6 points.....

 

They are my words of sarcasm after you previously mention how it was a horrible strategy because it made Highlands even more pumped up. If Highlands was all pumped up I'd assume they'd score more than 6 points on their homefield in the State Semi's? Since it was a horrible strategy are you saying that had Belfry came out at the normal time they would have actually beat Highlands by more?

 

I still want to know why it was so so Unsportsmanlike in your opinion for Belfry to hold up in the lockerroom when Highlands refused to comeout themsleves?

 

Was it gamesmanship? Yes....

 

Had Highlands taken the field at the their normal time and Belfry continued to wait and prolong kickoff would it be poor sportsmanship? Definately....

 

Yet, Highlands was just as guilty of drawing a line in the sand and being stubborn.

 

 

I don't know anything about this game other than what has been stated in this thread. But I kinda see it like you see it. :thumb:

 

How can it be unsportsmanlike for one team to not enter the field, but not for the other?

[Birdsfan]

Referring back to whether things were sportsmanlike... this was DEFINATELY unsportsmanlike BTW.... genious.... but shady!

Do I sense the beginnings of universal kumbaya here?