Through the Years: 87-yard run sparked Freeport to playoff win in ’84

By: George Guido
Thursday, November 14, 2024 | 5:01 PM

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 history.

Freeport scored a pair of second-half touchdowns, including Jim Charlton’s decisive 87-yard run midway through the fourth quarter, to defeat Serra Catholic, 14-6, in a Class 2A playoff opener. Defensive back Mike Petras picked off a Serra pass with 1 minute, 32 seconds left to preserve the win Nov. 9, 1984.

100 years ago

• Arnold won a 14-7 decision at Kittanning on Armistice Day in a rare Tuesday afternoon game. It was common in that era for schools to play a game Nov. 11, no matter what day of the week it was. Uncapher and Short scored the Arnold touchdowns in a time where first names of players rarely were used in newspaper coverage of the games.

75 years ago

• A crowd of 10,500 at Ken High Memorial Stadium saw the Red Raiders edge Har-Brack, 7-6. Dick Wolfe scored the Ken High touchdown, and Ernie Michael added the PAT. Lou Ciancutti blocked a Tigers extra-point attempt to preserve the victory.

• Bell Township knocked off Elders Ridge, 19-6, to finish the season undefeated. The Lions, however, lacked enough Gardner Points to play for the WPIAL Class B title, despite outscoring the opposition 286-19.

60 years ago

• Kiski Area stayed alive in the WPIAL title race with a 42-7 rout over Connellsville. Phil “Jo-Jo” Booker scored three touchdowns, and John Voyten added two more for the rampaging Cavaliers.

• Arnold (9-0) blanked previously undefeated Hampton, 14-0, posting its fourth shutout of the season. John Ciciarelli and John Henry Favors scored the Lions touchdowns against the Talbots, who were playing all their 1964 games on the road because of renovations at Fridley Field.

50 years ago

• Freeport downed Rochester, 14-6, in a Class 2A semifinal game at Geneva College’s Reeves Field. Jack Huth hauled in a 43-yard touchdown pass from Dan Leri, and Leri tallied on an 8-yard keeper for the Yellowjackets.

40 years ago

• Ankle-deep mud at Fox Chapel Stadium didn’t stop all-state running back Chris Thorpe from rushing for 167 yards and three TDs, leading the Foxes to a 28-14 win over Ringgold in a Class 3A playoff game.

25 years ago

• Thomas Jefferson erased a one-point Burrell halftime lead and rolled to a 33-7, Class 3A quarterfinal victory at Buccaneer Stadium. A pair of scoring runs by Tom Blaze offset 105 rushing yards from Burrell’s Mike Zollinger.

• South Side scored three first-quarter TDs en route to a 43-6 quarterfinal victory over Riverview at Ellwood City. A severe ankle injury to Raiders standout Phil Sabatini hurt his team’s chances.

10 years ago

• Despite two Elijah Jackson touchdowns, Highlands fell to Seton LaSalle, 28-21, in a WPIAL Class 2A quarterfinal game at Valley High Memorial Stadium.

Tags: Burrell, Fox Chapel, Freeport, Highlands, Kiski Area, Riverview, Valley