Through the Years: 40 years ago, Plum rewarded new coach with season-opening win

By: George Guido
Thursday, August 21, 2025 | 11:01 AM

Each week throughout the high school football season, the Valley News Dispatch will take a look at the players, coaches and events that shaped our scholastic legacy.

In 1985, Plum rewarded new coach Bill Helsley with a 27-12 victory over Highlands at Mustangs Stadium. Quarterback Phil Kinney pulled off a broken-field, 26-yard scoring run and threw scoring passes to Bob Wolford and Todd Prete.

100 years ago

• Tarentum embarked on an undefeated and unscored upon season by beating Arnold, 20-0, at Birdville Field. Paul Mills, Robert Fager and Bennett Crooks scored the Tarentum touchdowns.

75 years ago

• Ken High quarterback John McCallim dusted off the old Statue of Liberty play and raced 79 yards for the decisive touchdown, giving the Red Raiders a 20-19 victory over Erie Tech.

• Rudy Mattioli tossed three TD passes to Tom Young as Har-Brack blasted Sharon, 38-6. Young went on to coach Rutgers University’s men’s basketball to the NCAA Final Four in 1976.

60 years ago

• Washington Township opened what would be its final football season with a 14-0 victory over Burrell at Apollo’s Owens Field, holding the Bucs to just 18 net rushing yards. Burrell was making its varsity debut after fielding a JV team in 1964.

• Ford City, behind new coach Don Mains, pulled off a major upset with a 14-0 win over Freeport. Gary Ware and Bill Daugherty registered the Glassers’ touchdowns.

50 years ago

• In the final year where the high school football season began the Friday after Labor Day, Kiski Area junior fullback Barry Mornes tallied two touchdowns and the Cavaliers held Latrobe to just 40 rushing yards in a 28-0 victory.

• Burrell coach George Geyer had a successful head coaching debut, thanks to TDs by John Brown and Don Fastuca and a 28-yard field goal by Gary Ross in a 16-0 blanking of Yough.

40 years ago

• Despite the death of his father the day before the season’s opener, Valley junior Kevin Callahan scored three touchdowns and picked off two Burrell passes — the final one halting a late Bucs comeback — as the Vikings held on for a 28-22 victory.

25 years ago

• Opening night for Highlands was limited to two quarters. Lightning delayed the game for over an hour at Ellwood City with the Wolverines leading 8-7 at halftime. Instead of Highlands traveling back to finish the game the following night, the score stood as a final.

• Brandon Federici’s 11-yard pass to Greg Savinda with 8 seconds left in the third quarter lifted Riverview to a 28-21 victory at South Fayette.

10 years ago

• Freeport junior Noah Freeman pounced on a Shady Side Academy fumble in the end zone to get the scoring underway as the Yellowjackets cruised to a 35-7 victory at Michael J. Farrell Stadium.

• Hunter Burns carried the ball 36 times for 205 yards and three TDs to give Deer Lakes a 26-6 opening-night victory at West Shamokin.

Five years ago

• Not quite ready to emerge from covid-19 restrictions, the PIAA announced a two-week delay in the start of fall high school sports. Schools were also given the option of not participating in a given sport for the 2020 season.

Tags: Apollo-Ridge, Armstrong, Burrell, Deer Lakes, Freeport, Highlands, Kiski Area, Plum, Riverview, Valley