H.S. Football Playoffs: The story of Elyria Catholic's back-to-back state titles in 1983-84

The remarkable has been done before. Avon is trying to win back-to-back state championships, just like Elyria Catholic did more than 40 years ago. Al McKinney scored 92 touchdowns, rushed for 4,749 yards in his three-year career and led Elyria Catholic to back-to-back state championships in 1983 and '84. The Panthers certainly had their share of challenges in completing the repeat. Following the 1983 season, coach Jim Rattay left for Euclid and took offensive coordinator Mike Scheck with him. Rattay, like Mike Elder at Avon, built Elyria Catholic into a perennial winner and playoff contender. In his first season in 1976, he took the Panthers to the state championship behind the running of Bryan Thomas, and nearly won it again in 1977, losing the final to Cincinnati Wyoming 26-14. His career mark at EC in eight years was 79-7-3. Fred Schmitz, the defensive coordinator, took over for Rattay with a great number of returning stars from the 1983 championship team, including McKinney, Lorain County's Golden Helmet winner and an All-Ohio back headed to the University of Cincinnati. Schmitz had been on the staff at EC for five years. Two players — lineman Bob Leshnak and back Brian Schneider — were prominent All-Ohio players who graduated after the 1983 season. Schneider and McKinney each rushed for over 1,000 yards. "We knew we had outstanding talent," said McKinney. "We knew we had a superior senior class coming back. We knew we had the opportunity to defend our title but we knew all eyes were going to be on us." "We had a really good group of seniors that were juniors in '83," said Schmitz, retired and living near Dayton. "They had good experience, good leadership. That was the key thing to carry over. "I knew the system, the kids knew the system. We didn't change a whole lot." The 1983 team had eight shutouts during its 13-0 season. The Panthers rolled through the regular season, not relinquishing more than seven points and outscoring their opponents 380-20. EC defeated Fostoria and Leavittsburg LaBrae to get to the finals and beat Urbana 14-9 at Ohio Stadium in Columbus for the championship. Urbana jumped out to a 9-0 lead, kicking a first-quarter field goal after an EC fumble and driving 59 yards in 10 plays for a touchdown in the second quarter. Quarterback Keith Rybarczyk threw a couple of key passes to Ron Trout to set up a McKinney 2-yard touchdown. Jim Molnar's point after made it 9-7 late in the first half. With 3:47 left in the third quarter, McKinney took a pitchout and raced 70 yards for what turned out to be the winner. Molnar's kick made it 14-9. EC's defense took it from there. The playoffs in 1983 weren't as expanded as they are today. There were only five divisions, with eight teams qualifying per division. Elyria Catholic was in Division III. McKinney was special, obviously. He rushed for 1,587 yards and scored 28 touchdowns as a junior and piled up 2,398 yards and 49 touchdowns as a senior. The only thing missing on his resume was a win over Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary, which had eliminated EC from the playoffs the previous two years. "Our only regret was that we did not get a chance to avenge our only losses in four years of playing," McKinney said. "That was to Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary. We were licking our chops. We wanted to play those guys again." "The whole team kind of focused on trying to promote Al," said Schmitz. "They did the best they could for Al. The linemen loved him. The defense played well for him. He was a special player. He was not only a good running back but he also had a punt return for a score in the championship game. He was good on special teams, as well." In 1984, EC once again swept through the regular season with five shutouts. The Panthers dominated everyone on their schedule to the point where McKinney and the other starters rarely played deep into the second half. There was no running clock in that era. In addition to McKinney, other All-Ohio players were Trout, a defensive back and receiver, offensive lineman Geoff Poyle and defensive lineman Joe Savoy. McKinney was the offensive player of the year in the state. "Those were the four key guys," said Schmitz, who was named co-coach of the year in Class AA with Reno Saccoccia of Steubenville. "There were a number of outstanding players on that team, a number of outstanding seniors." The playoffs were a different story. Elyria Catholic edged Lima Bath 7-6 in the mud at Ely Stadium during a torrential rainstorm and slipped past Orrville 14-13 at Baldwin Wallace's Finney Stadium. "It rained the entire game," Schmitz said of the Bath game. "It was just a downpour and it was a real sloppy game. That was a tough game. It was under really difficult playing conditions. "The next game against Orrville was really tough as well." "We got a few breaks in that game," said McKinney. "Orrville was intent on stopping me, which they did. They totally did. However, we weren't a one-trick pony. We had talent all around. Ron Trout, who I call our Swiss Army Knife, brought us through that game." McKinney was held to 68 yards on 21 carries, but Trout rushed for 131 on 19 attempts and Gary Plas added 60 on eight carries. Trout and Plas scored touchdowns. Orrville missed a field goal with just over three minutes to play that would've given it the lead. In the title game, EC was not going to be denied. The Panthers blew out Cincinnati McNicholas 45-20. "It was as if we let out all our frustrations," said McKinney. "That was our last game from a seniors point of view. We went out with a bang." McKinney is a big fan of Avon and hopes the Eagles can pull off the repeat. "I tell you what, I am so proud of that program," he said. "They've really shown themselves to be the class of Northeast Ohio if not all of Ohio." Contact Tim Gebhardt at (440) 329-7135 or timothygeb@msn.com. Elyria Catholic 1983 Circleville 14-0 Midview 27-0 Chanel 47-0 Libbey 34-6 Elyria West 56-7 Holy Name 31-0 Lorain Catholic 42-0 Padua 39-7 Malabar 34-0 Southview 56-0 Playoffs Fostoria 13-6 LaBrae 12-0 Championship Urbana 14-9 Elyria Catholic 1984 Lorain 56-0 Midview 28-7 Chanel 32-18 Lincoln-West 77-0 Elyria West 54-0 Holy Name 47-7 Lorain Catholic 59-6 Padua 49-7 Malabar 41-0 Southview 44-0 Playoffs Lima Bath 7-6 Orrville 14-13 Championship Cincinnati McNicholas 45-20