The 2006 schedule will be the 100th season of AHS football. The Orange and Black have won 417 games and lost 438 with 40 ties for a 48.8 percentage. They have won eleven league championships: three in the North Central Ohio League, seven in the Cardinal Conference, and the last one: the Ohio Heartland Conference in 1994. The Arrows made State Playoff appearances twice in 1987 and 2003. The entire century can be found on the website: www.CenturyArrowsfb.com. This is, also, the 50th year for the Sweet Sixteen. Mrs. Cecelia Kopp and band director Jim Thomas patterned their half-time performances after the Kilgore Jr. College marching girls. 

This column was born 30 years ago from a pre-game radio broadcast called a Football Memories. WNCO sports director John James and former coach Paul Dienstberger interviewed past AHS football players. The featured players were 1915 Marshall Mohn, 1922 Herb Ganyard and Don Cooper, 1936 Bus Hockensmith, 1940 Dr. Bob Howell and Harold LaRue, 1951 Dave Halterman and Roland Stewart, 1963 Jack Carmoney and Jim Minnich, and 1972 Dan Bowersox and Matt Cooper. The program was sponsored by the Ashland Teachers' Prayer Breakfast which met at the Claremont House every Friday morning of the school year.  The first Looking Backward column appeared in the football program in 1981. 

5 Years Ago 2001   Ashland 26, Vermilion 6

The As defeated the Sailors for the first on-the-field win in two seasons. Luke Chronister out gained the entire Vermilion offense (116 yds of total offense) when he carried the ball 22 times for 164 yards and scored two touchdowns. Mitch Van Dine booted two fields of 21 and 27 yards. 

10 Years Ago 1996 Ashland 10, Mansfield Senior 0

After three weeks on the injury list Justen Briggs returned to pile up 125 yards on 33 carries. The lone TD came on a 76 yd. bomb Doug Myers to Jesse Schmitz. The AHS career tackle leader Ken Connell was the game's leading tackler again. The season MVP Tom Crone spearheaded the blocking for Briggs and Myers. 

15 Years Ago 1991 Ashland 35, Medina 28

The longest game in AHS history - 4 Overtimes. Possibly the greatest performance by a substitute - Danny Jentes. When QB Ryan Gray went down in the 2nd quarter, Danny came off the bench and passed for 227 yds on 13 for 15 passes and 3 TD. The defense was led by Andy Harpster 18 tackles and Greg Fulk 16 tackles. 

20 Years Ago - 1986   Ashland 12, Wooster 7

Arrow Excitement placed road sign along Route 250 to Wooster. Coach Bob Quackenbush pulled off a great upset of the State-ranked Generals, who had won four straight CC championships. Joe Massie scored on runs of 14 and 56 yards. Jon Ward made a key fumble recovery, and Jeff McClain intercepted his 5th pass of the year.  

20 Years Ago - 1986    Ashland 37, Dover 14

The last year of the Cardinal Conference and a CC championship! The greatest offensive night in AHS football with 518 yards, and outstanding play calling by offensive coordinator Bill Seder, whose sons are Bill and Tim. Joe Massie had 140 yds and 4 TDs. Mike Gordon ran for 135 yds and 2 TDs, while QB Jon Shoemaker passed for 188 yds on 8 of 15 passes. 

25 Years Ago - 1981   Ashland 25, Galion 13

1st Team All-Ohioan Bill Seder scored twice on a 64 yd punt return and an 18 yd pass from Todd Wait. Dan Mager, also, scored twice on a run and a pass, as "Air Ashland" under Coach Dave Gray began with 173 yds of Todd Wait's record setting season of 1987 yards. 

25 Years Ago - 1981  Ashland 28, Malabar 33

Perhaps the most thrilling loss in AHS football history, as the Arrows fell 3 yds short on the final play an incomplete pass on 4th down to leave everyone breathless.  Todd Wait passed 26 for 49 and 312 yards and Bill Seder caught 16 for 215 yards. However, the star laden Falcons had George Swarn and Rudy Reed, who both played at Division I colleges during the next seasons. The Falcon's coach was Larry Baldridge, the future AHS coach. 

30 Years Ago - 1976  Ashland 20, Wooster 14

QB Bob Emery rushed for 53 yards and FB Tim Thomas scored two touchdowns to give head coach Ed Bush his initial victory. Keith Imhoff's 41 yard halfback pass to Mike Casey set up the winning 4th quarter TD 

35 Years Ago - 1971    Ashland 7, Mansfield Senior 6

After 30 years the Arrows renewed the rivalry with another 7-6 upset. Dan Bowersox's place kick was the margin of victory. Capt. John Humrichouser and Frank Goschinski each came up with a pair of turnovers, as the Arrows started a successful string with only two losses in the next 23 games under Coach Paul Dienstberger. 

35 Years Ago - 1971   Ashland 14, Dover 10

The Arrows were CC Champs on TDs by Dan Bowersox and Rick McDaniel. But, the defense made three, great 2nd half goal line stands. The final time included 5 plays at the Tornadoes one-yard line. Heroic plays were made by Chip Roston, Dave Funk, Steve Hughes, and their inspirational leader Capt. John Humrichouser, the CC defensive Player of the Year. 

40 Years Ago - 1966    Ashland 36, Tiffin Columbian 0

A pair of former AHS coaches, Phil Hawk rushed for two TDs and Denny Humrichouser completed 5 of 8 passes to lead the sparkling offense. Defensive guard and long-time team Dentist Bill Ihrig led the A's defense with 14 tackles. 

45 Years Ago - 1961  Ashland 20, Dover 22

The Arrows outplayed the unbeaten Tornadoes every place but the on the scoreboard. Dan Stark rushed for 136 yds and one TD. Gary Moose ran for two TDs and 113 yds. Finally, Mike Humrichouser's X-pt. pass was batted down with 50 seconds on the clock. 

50 Years Ago -1956  Ashland 19, Shelby 13

Although the Arrows ran the Split-T offense it was the pass that produced one of the most dramatic finishes in AHS football history. With two seconds on the clock Gary Kehl threw a 22 yard TD pass to Tony Hitchcock for the winning score. 

50 Years Ago - 1956  Ashland 7, Madison 6

QB Gary Kehl directed the Split T offense with 50 yards passing and 48 yards rushing for all seven points. However, the margin of victory came from Bob Bennett's head-on tackle on the Ram's X-pt try, while Kehl and Bob Bertsch assisted on the tackle. With the victory Ashland won the SAM trophy between the Shelby-Ashland-Madison rivalries. Sam Fox, a Mansfield jeweler, awarded a traveling trophy and gold footballs for each senior from the winning school. The three-way competition for the trophy lasted for six years 1955-1960. 

55 Years Ago - 1951  Ashland 13, Galion 0

Nine Wins, No losses for Coach Cloyce Taylor. The first undefeated team in 42 years. A Homecoming crowd of 2,400 twice cheered two Dave Johns-to-Ron Bechtel TD passes. Jim Roseboro became the first AHS 1,000 yard rusher. It was the final night for great linemen: Glenn Haley and Roland Stewart. Everyone crowded around Wayne Byers of WATG radio for a post-game interview. 

60 Years Ago - 1946  Ashland 33, Tiffin Columbian 7

The A's sprinted to victory on long TDs runs by Cliff Hurst (88 yds),
Carl Strine (63 yds), Norm Fierbaugh (60 yds), and Tom Schlingman (45 yds). 

60 Years Ago - 1946  Ashland 18, Shelby 0

College Field was packed with 4,500 fans in anticipation of one of the all-time AHS-Shelby classics. Norm Fierbaugh averaged 9.2 yards per carry with 184 yards on 20 totes. Carl Strine, who ran the sideline chains for many years at AHS games, recovered two fumbles. Scribbles by Tibbals, the Times Gazette sports editor, called the contest a rough-tough affair with 20 penalties. 

65 Years Ago - 1941   Ashland 25, Wooster 6

The A's completed a 6-1-1 season and second place in the North Central Ohio League to Marion Harding. Jim Shull was the best back in the league, but the versatile QB Leo Strang was the leading scorer with 52 points. The offensive line was lead by center Glenn Martin and RT Ralph Hurst. 

70 Years Ago - 1936   Ashland 12, Marion 0

Coach Red Longley gave the A’s the all-time best start: five games - unbeaten, untied, and unscored upon. When the entire starting backfield of Bus Hockensmith, Jim Cooper, Herb Carr, and Eddie Highman were injured, the defense led by Virg Scobey, Bill Glasener, Lawrence Clark, and Clarence Risser shut down the opponents. 

75 Years Ago - 1931  Ashland 12, Bucyrus 6

AHS defeated their longtime nemesis Bucyrus for only the 4th time in 16 meetings. Speedster Jim Jesson, who ran against Jesse Owens in the State track meet, shocked the visitors with an opening 80-yard kickoff return for a TD. The defense was led by the former Ashland Chief of Police Harry "Boof" Smith and "Iron Man" John Depler, who is called by many the all-time greatest AHS lineman and first AHS All-Ohio player. 

80 Years Ago - 1926   Ashland 6, Mansfield 6

A huge home crowd witnessed Bill Morr's touchdown pass to Lewin Vermillion as the A's tied the North Central Ohio League champs. The game was broadcast on radio the Ashland station WLBP. It was the first AHS sports broadcast in history. 

85 Years Ago - 1921   Ashland 21, Shelby 20

The Orange & Black were in last place in the NCOL with no wins. Shelby had just defeated Willard 55-0, and it was their Homecoming game. Coach Barnhart’s 25 men played with a vim and vigor to upset the Cardinal and Gray. LE and Capt Howard Grindle kicked all three extra points for the splendid victory. The first post season banquet was held in the high school dining room in December. 

90 Years Ago - 1916  Ashland 47, Wooster Academy 0

Captain Roy Garman scored 3 TDs and Barton Kagey scored twice for the Orange & Black. Ace passer Clarence "Dick" Miller scored twice and kicked five goals (extra points). The line was led Marshall Mohn and Howard Baney. 

95 Years Ago - 1911

Coach Thomas Moore, a local lawyer, finished the most successful coaching career in AHS football history. His 22 wins and 6 losses of a .785 percentage is the AHS best. His 1910 claimed to be State Champs by virtue of wins over Norwalk, Barberton and the Massillon Tigers.