Today - 2004 Opening Game

This is the opening game of the 98th football season. The record is (405-430-40). AHS has won 11 Conference Championships. Three times the Orange and Black finished first in the North Central Ohio League while winning 61 games, losing 53, and 14 were ties for a 53.5 percentage. Seven times they were champions in the Cardinal Conference with 61 wins, 77 loses, and 5 ties for a 44.2 percentage. The Arrows finished first in the Ohio Heartland Conference once while winning 29 games, and losing 45 times for a 39.2 percentage. This is the second year of the Ohio Cardinal Conference after a 5-1 record last year. Twice the Arrows made the State Playoffs in 1987 and last year in 2003, while losing both times.

5 Years Ago - 1999 Ashland 42, Madison 28
A come-from-behind victory was inspired by a pre-game speech by Co-Capt. Ryan Wires, who was out with a broken leg. A 28-7 deficit was erased by the record setting performance of QB Matt Van Dine (5 TD passes) and Bryan Dinges (4 TD catches). However the turning point of the game was, when Aaron Sheeks blocked a 4th qtr. field goal. The win gave Coach Dick James his 6th straight non-losing season which is the best in AHS football history.

10 Years Ago - 1994 Ashland 21, Madison 14
The Cinderella Season under first year Coach Dick James - The only OHC football Championship. Touchdown twins Marc Wood (16) and Chris Evege (10) led the Arrows to four conference wins. However the defeat of co-OHC leader Madison was engineered by an unlikely hero. When 1st team QB Andy Stoler was injured, backup QB Ryan Funk completed the storybook finish with two touchdown drives on QB options.

15 Years Ago - 1989 Cleveland East 12, Ashland 6
Halfway through the only winless AHS season, the Coach Q's Arrows lost in the 4th quarter for the second time in five games. Bill Icenhours' 11 yard pass to Eric Bartley tied the game in the 3rd
quarter. Jason Riddle rushed for 107 yds. Leading tackler John Puckett, All-OHC Bob Ostroski, and defensive players of the game Dusty Sponsler and Eric Jentes could not stop the final TD with 23 seconds on the clock.

20 Years Ago - 1984 Ashland 21, Galion 19
Bob Quackenbush began the longest head football coaching tenure (10 years) in AHS history. He introduced the raised 4 fingers meaning "the 4th quarter is ours." Ryan Woods' TD with 4 minutes left in the game fulfilled the comeback prophecy.

25 Years Ago - 1979 Ashland 21 New Philly 14
A dramatic upset of the defending CC champion Quakers. Coach Dave Gray suspended six player, nevertheless his Arrows pulled off the first win over the Quakers since 1967. Dan Boucher opened the 2nd half with a 68 yard TD run. Scott Valentine, the present day head football coach, provided the winning touchdown on a 25 pass interception return.

25 Years Ago - 1979 Ashland 10, Toledo DeVilbiss 7
Exchange student Jose Franco kicked a 28 yard field goal and Dan Boucher ran for 80 yards, but the winning margin was Todd Wait's 19 yard TD pass to Bill Seder, who is now the successful head football coach at Waynedale.

1974 Ashland 15, Mansfield Senior 14
For the third time in four years the Arrows beat the Tygers on an extra point. QB Jim Thomas led the Veer offense with 71 yards, one TD, and the winning two-point conversion. The defense seized six turnovers including Joe Tobias' blocked punt. MG Mike Mowry and Safety Danny Cooper each had nine tackles.

30 Years Ago - 1974 Ashland 29, Hudson 20
QB Jim Thomas threw two TD Passes to Tim Shultz, and Jim Fowler rushed 16 times for 98 yards and a touchdown. However, the team's strength was nine senior linemen. It was the final game for Bob Parker, Jim Patterson, Mike Mowry, Mark Morrison, Ted Sauder, Joe Tobias, Danny Cooper, Mike Taylor, and
Jim Casciani.

35 Years Ago - 1969 Ashland 25 Mansfield Madison 0
The Arrows remained unbeaten when Mike Glasser scored 2 TDs and rushed for 117 yards. Randy Fierbaugh added 107 yds rushing. The defense recorded their second straight shutout with Steve Stoler and Kevin Wood leading the "hit" parade on defense.

35 Years Ago - 1969 Ashland 6 Shelby 6
The Arrows stopped the Bill Wilken's Whippets 25-game winning streak. Both touchdowns were scored in the 3rd quarter. The A's scored first on a Gary Baum to Howard Gibson 8-yard touchdown pass. The possession was set up on a fumble recovery by Randy Arnholt. The extra point was wide for both teams.

40 Years Ago - 1964 Ashland 24 Dover 8
Well Done for Coach Lloyd Dunne's Arrows: the third straight Cardinal Conference as Rosey Robinson scored all 24 points with 266 yards on 25 carries. The defense was led by Jim Shidler (16 tackles), Ed McCormick (14), and ten tackles apiece by Don Benton and Rod Norris. It was becoming a post game winning tradition to change the clock hands at the Denbow Funeral Home at Center and Washington.

40 Years Ago - 1964
The Football Mother's Club celebrated their 6th year of operation by purchasing the Community Stadium scoreboard. The Moms supplied the training table in pre-season, two-a-day practices, and they organized the annual Football Banquet. Mrs. Harold Camp was President. Their only requirement for membership was the mother had to have a son playing football. Some other hostesses were Mrs. James Barron, Mrs. Ed Oberaitis, Mrs. Dave Burns, Mrs. Robert Ihrig, and Mrs. John (Marge) Humrichouser.

45 Years Ago - 1959 Ashland 52, New Philly 22
At Redwood Stadium 185 pound fullback Dick Dauch set the all time AHS single game record of 40 points with six touchdowns and four extra points. He carried the ball 33 times for 143 yards while scoring all 6 TD on runs of four yards or less. It was the third win of the season and the most since 1952.

50 Years Ago - 1954 Ashland 19 Galion 19
A thrilling tie! Max Messner, Harold Simmons, Dave Sheller, and Ron McQuillen made big plays in a see-saw struggle. However it was FB Roger Wissler's 108 yds rushing and two field goals (25 and 39 yds) that led the Arrow's. Only a blocked extra point in the final minutes prevented an A's win.

55 Years Ago - 1949 Ashland 46, Shelby 14
Taylor's Tots ran up their third victory of the year. Howard Fackler rushed 22 times for 131 yards and Jud Schaefer toted the ball 11 times for 148 yards. The A's scored 7 TD's and an 8th was called back while rushing for 391 yds. Coach Cloyce Taylor still remains the winningest football coach (46) and basketball coach (157) in AHS history.

55 Years Ago - 1949 Ashland 46, Madison 12
Co-Capts. Ray Bates and Howard Fackler led a seven-touchdown barrage in 3 qtrs. T-G writer Loren Tibbals in his "Scribbles by Tibbals" column released the rumor of a new league for 1951 with Dover, Wooster, Ashland & Madison. However its reality wouldn't become the Cardinal Conference until 1960.

60 Years Ago - 1944 Ashland 71 Bucyrus 13
Coach AL Buckner used all 19 subs as the A's T formation offense made 17 first downs, 489 yards, and 11 touchdowns. Jim Zimmerman and Frank Glasser scored three TDs each while Bob Patterson scored twice. All NCO linemen Western Wiles and Merle McKinley led the line play. Some accused Ashland of running up the score because Bucyrus led the break up the NCO to form the Northern Ohio League.

60 Years Ago - 1944 Ashland 14, Mt. Vernon 13
At the 1st Homecoming game Claribel Shriver was crowned the 1st AHS Homecoming Queen. The game also had one of the most thrilling finishes in AHS history. Bob Miller threw a 35-yd TD pass to Jim Zimmerman in the last six seconds to tie the game. Then Jim Tharp placekicked the winning extra point.
At the final home game the Parents and former Lettermen were, also, honored.

65 Years Ago - 1939 Ashland 22, Wooster 6
The biggest win of the year! AHS snapped the General's 13 game winning streak. Dorne Dalton passed to Charles Paxton, and Bob Howell, the longtime Ashland dentist, rushed for the winning TDs. Lester Hesson returned a pass interception 30 yards for the final touchdown.

70 Years Ago - 1934 Ashland 33 Marion Harding 0
The Starnmen completed a 4-0 NCO championship season as the offense rolled up 410 yards while holding the Presidents to 34 yards. A Glen Morrison to Gibbons Clark 9 yard TD pass with 15 second left before halftime was the back breaker. The A's rushed for 19 first downs and Bus Hockensmith,
and Harley Freer scored TDs. Linemen Harold Strine, Don Heter, and Jack Lacey opened the holes up front. Bud Plank's 33 yd pass reception from Bill Shannon was the longest TD of the game.

70 Years Ago - 1934 Ashland 7 Mansfield 6
Sophomore QB Bus Hockensmith made a most memorable 29 yard run from punt formation to the one yard line. Pete Hathaway wedged in for the TD and Hockensmith's X-Point gave the Orangemen the first victory over the Tygers in 9 years. Hockensmith & Hathaway intercepted three Dick Olin passes and Harold Strine led a rush that permitted only two pass completions by the great Mansfield passer. It was the first AHS football victory to bring home the Red Lantern trophy between Ashland and Mansfield.

75 Years Ago - 1929 Ashland 15, Bucyrus 14
The Orange and Black scored in every quarter for the first victory over the Bucktowners since 1914. The A's opening play was a stunning "sleeper" pass to Harold Bensinger, who was lying by the Ashland sidelines. After a 4th quarter Bucyrus goal line stand, they were forced to punt from the end
zone. The center snap went out of the end zone for the winning safety. Herb Smith and Capt Dick Bear were praised for their line play.

80 Years Ago - 1924 Ashland 14, Mansfield 6
The Orange and Black upset the Tygers on Thanksgiving Day, and were led by senior linemen Capt. George Riggle, Ralph Faulke, and Hugh Glenn. Phil Lersch and Paul Johnson provided the scoring for 3,000 fans at YMCA Field on Holbrook and Cleveland Ave.

85 Years Ago - 1919 Ashland 19 Galion 14
The first North Central Ohio League win. Paul Curry's TD pass to "Nip" McHose in the last minutes enabled the Orange & Black to escape the NCO cellar. Capt Weldon Hoot's blocking led Schuyler Wharton's key runs. Coach Harry Barnhart began building for the future with a "second squad" or the equivalent of the JV team today.

90 Years Ago - 1914 Ashland 33 Plymouth 6
On Friday afternoon at YMCA field with Stuart Martin refereeing AHS scored
5 TDs (Clarence Miller 2, Wayne McDowell, Russell Sonner, & Carl Morrow).
Clarence Kosht started at left tackle for the fifth straight year.

95 Years Ago - 1909 - 8 Wins, No Losses The First Undefeated Team
Coach Thomas H. Moore's defense gave only two touchdowns all year to Shelby and to Norwalk.
Warren "Brownie" Spreng, Paul "Spitz" Ganyard, and Martin Moore were four-year starters on the early great teams at AHS. Their senior year 1910 only one touchdown was scored against them in nine games. It was the best two-year defensive performance in AHS football history.