A Century of Ashland Arrow Football
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The Early Years
1907 - 1918
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1919-1944
Independent Era
1945-1959
Cardinal Conference
1960 - 1986
Ohio Heartland
1987 - 2002
OCC
2003 - 2025
     
 
LOOKING BACKWARD: This Week in AHS Football

The 2003 season is the 97th year of AHS football. This is the first year in the Ohio Cardinal Conference and the fourth league affiliation for Ashland football.. The Arrows have won 397 games and have 427 loses with 40 ties. The Orange and Black have won 11 league championships: 3 North Central Ohio League, 7 Cardinal Conference, and 1 Ohio Heartland Conference. The Arrows appeared once in the State Playoffs in 1987.


5 Years Ago - 1998 The All-time Record 2-0 Start with 97 points
Coach Dick James' Arrow made the best start in AHS history by beating Galion (45-26) and Wooster (52-7). Matt Wood ran for six touchdowns, and Matt Van Dine scored 23 pts (TD, 11 extra points, and 2 fields goals. But the defense led by Greg Lattanzi caused 5 fumbles and intercepted 6 passes including Greg Humrichouser's 52 yard return for a TD. The 52 point game was the most since Defiance (60) in 1963.

10 Years Ago - 1993 Ashland 10, Medina 0
Eric Wood rushed for 168 yards on 23 carries, and Preston Stapleton passed for 182 yards on 15 of 23 passes. John Mager led the defense with two fumble recoveries as Coach Bob Quackenbush gained his 99th career coaching victory.

15 Years Ago - 1988 Ashland 20, Shelby 16
The Arrows beat the Whippet for the third year in a row and the first time since 1950-52. Eric Bartley, who had a three touchdown night, ignited the team just before half-time on a 63 yard screen pass from Bill Icenhour. LBer Doug McIntyre and End Tom McQuate led the defense in tackles.

20 Years Ago - 1983 Ashland 14, Cleveland JFK 8
A Passing Night: QB Bruce Fagert was 11 of 12 for 143 yds, but it was
Craig Donley's 62 yd HB pass to Matt Johnson for the game winner.
Jeff Goodwin (10 tackles) and Steve Freelon (8) led two goal line stands.

20 Years Ago (1983) Ashland 14, Mansfield Senior 7
QB Bruce Fagert passed (13 of 21) for 186 yds including TDs to Matt
Johnson (31 yds) and Chuck Ritchey (35 yds). Ron Bookmyer pinned the
Tygers deep with six punts near their end zone.

25 Years Ago - 1978 Ashland 14, Mansfield Senior 7
David Acuna carried the ball 28 times and gained 135 yds and scored
all 14 points. It was Coach Dave Gray's first win at AHS. Dan Smith and Mike Fitz
were the defensive standouts.


30 Years Ago - 1973 Ashland 19, Shelby 0
Chris Strine rushed for 2 TDs and 122 yds. The defense came up with their
9th turnover in two games and Dale Smith recovered a fumble for a TD.
Bob Parker and Jeff Leonard were the leading tacklers.

30 Years Ago - 1973 Ashland 20, Malabar 7
Arlin Field - the battle of two Veer offenses - and a duel between
Vic Mack and Chris Strine. Chris scored two TDs on 130 yds rushing
and cinched the win with an 80 yd third-quarter touchdown.

35 Years Ago - 1968 Ashland 40, Coshocton 12
Lennie Clayton produced 3 touchdowns on over 200 all-purpose yards
including 74 and 64 yd punt returns for TDs.

40 Years Ago - 1963 Ashland 16, Tiffin Columbian 6
The first game in the new $80,000 Community Stadium as Don Rowley and
TW Miller were honored for their leadership of the 10 month project. The greatest running
back duo in AHS Jim Minnich ran for 122 yds and Roosevelt Robinson with 75 yds while both scored the touchdowns.

40 Years Ago - 1963 40 Ashland 24, New Philly 14
The last "perfect" season was threatened by injuries and the flu bug.
When the Quakers held a 14-0 half-time lead, Jim Minnich (142 yds) and
Roosevelt Robinson (126 yds) led a come-from-behind Homecoming victory.

40 Years Ago (1963) Ashland 60, Defiance 14
Undefeated CC Champs! Jim Minnich rushed for 266 yds and 30 points to
surpass Jim Roseboro's rushing record. Roosevelt Robinson scored 3 TDs
as 19 seniors ended their careers for Coach Lloyd Dunne.

45 Years Ago (1958) Ashland 22, Galion 20
The Arrows played an undefeated team for the third straight week, but
this time AHS upset the Tigers 19 game win streak. A balanced attack
by Dick Dauch, Dave Wait, Jim Kopp, and Capt. Gary Stoufer beat the
NOL champs. Stan Lukity caught Wait's winning TD pass.

50 Years Ago (1953) Ashland 23, Galion 6
Pulling guards Dave Sharrock and Capt Dan McBride escorted Roger Wissler
to 141 yds on 27 carries. Wissler, also, averaged 42 yds per punt. Jack
Ebert led the defense with a safety. The AHS new nickname "Arrows" was
suggested in Betty Plank's journalism class. The student body voted on it.

50 Years Ago - 1953 Ashland 7, Madison 7
The A's stunned the undefeated Rams when Dave Lersch scored and Roger
Wissler converted the point-after. Jack Ebert and Dave McBride led a
outstanding effort by the defensive line.

55 Years Ago - 1948 Ashland 26, Shelby 0
Radio WATG broadcast the game live from Redwood Stadium. Phil Lersch
scored 3 TDs and intercepted an AHS record 3 passes. QB George Glasser
passed for two touchdowns. Shelby's new 1st year coach was Bill Wilkins.

60 Years Ago - 1943 Ashland 44, Mt. Vernon 0
Bob Dove scored 32 points (5 TDs and 2 placements), and it set the all-time 26-year record in the NCO league. However, the A's, who were undefeated (3-0-2) and once-
scored-on, finished 2nd to Marion in the NCO for the 3rd straight year.

65 Years Ago - 1938 Ashland 20, Loudonville 7
QB Eugene Burns completed 7 passes for two touchdowns and kicked two
placements as the A's out-gained the visitors 324 to 60 yds.
Marshall Mumaw caught two TD passes.

70 Years Ago - 1933 Ashland 20, Norwalk 0
Our first All-Ohio player Capt. John Depler, the greatest lineman in AHS
history, was brilliant on defense. Bricker Ganyard put a cap on the
shutout with a 70 yd TD run.

70 Years Ago - 1933 Ashland 37, Marion 7
Coach Rosie Starn alternated two teams as 11 ball carriers for the A's
ran up 458 yards in offense. Bricker Ganyard, Harley Freer, Paul Hazen,
Grant Clark, Joe Harvath, and Glenn Morrison scored the touchdowns.

75 Years Ago - 1928 Ashland 7, Galion 0
The A's earned their 3rd win on a muddy field, when Dick Paxton returned
a pass interception 85 yards for the touchdown. It was the inaugural year
for home games at the Myers Field. Previously the site was called YMCA Field,
and it continued as a home venue until 1956.

80 Years Ago - 1923 Ashland 32, Delaware 0
All-NCO HB Charles Newsome, the 1st Black AHS football player, and Capt.
Fred Newsome were the only returning starters as this victory kept us
from the NCO cellar.

85 Years Ago - 1918 Ashland HS 9, Alumni 0
On Thanksgiving Day in the battle of local players Capt. Lawrence Gault's squad prevailed
At YMCA Field. The AHS coach Paul "Spitz" Ganyard had played in the first Alumni game back in 1911. It was a fine ending to a season which had only five of the scheduled nine games played because of the Spanish Influenza plague.

90 Years Ago 1913 Ashland 6, Wooster 0
It was the first home game at the YMCA Field with the new grandstand off Holbrook Ave. Luther Frentz on a two yard dive scored the only touchdown of the season. The conduct of the Wooster coach against the officials caused the school sport's leadership to announce that they might severe relations and not schedule any future contests with them. However the head referee Bricker was from Wooster.

95 Years Ago (1908) Ashland Vs Savannah Academy - Home & Away
Historic firsts: In the first game Mont Gallagher threw a beautiful spiral pass to RE Leo Brubaker for the first TD Pass in AHS history. One week later in a return game at Savannah Harold Smith drop kicked the first Field Goal in AHS history. The ball was snapped from the 10 yard line. Also, Martin Moore returned the first punt return for a TD 55 yards. The A's won both games 10-5 and 14-5.

 



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