The first opportunity for TJ to play for the WPIAL football title came in 1971. The team was undefeated and was not scored upon until the sixth game of the season. This was a team with size, speed, and talent. The leaders of this group included QB Jimbo Cramer, Scott Livingston, “Butch” Hines, “Skeeter” Grant, Steve Koontz, and the speedy Danny Crisp. RBs Neil Watko, Denny Jacobs, Jeff Steltzer, and the bruising LB John Harchar provided their talents.The defense is the best defense statistically ever in the history of Thomas Jefferson Football where they only surrendered 30 points the entire regular season good for a minuscule 3.0 ppg allowed. The offense was a ground oriented offense where they would punish teams for four quarters.

In 1971 Thomas Jefferson and head coach Bap Manzini, after years of quality teams finally take the next step and secured their place at Pitt Stadium for the AA WPIAL Championship for the first time in school history. TJ in 1971 dismantled every opponent they faced, and Kiski area posed their first true test. In front of 12,000 fans on a cold November afternoon, Kiski jumped on TJ early with a touchdown and field goal that made the score 10-0 at the half, as the Jaguars were definitively showing signs of rust after a three week layoff from game competition. Thomas Jefferson would not score until

late in the third quarter when Jeff Steltzer ran it in from the 6, and a Jim Cramer to John Harchar pass for the 2 point conversion making the score 10-8. Cramer would have another shot to take the lead moments later after his interception with a 32 yard field goal but the try was unsuccessful. The Jaguars would have their shots to tie, but turnovers and heavy pressure from the Kiski defense made the going tough. They would add a long run to seal the game, and hand TJ their first loss.   Leaving a former player to reflect, "Even though the outcome wasn't in our favor it broke the ice for all the other great TJ teams to follow."

Season:

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TJ 14 vs Clairton 0:  (Pictures, articles, video)

TJ 51 vs Brownsville 0: (Pictures, articles, video)

TJ 36 vs Laural Highlands 0: (Pictures, articles, video)

TJ 36 vs Belle Vernon 0: (Pictures, articles, video)

TJ 50 vs Ringgold 0: (Pictures, articles)

TJ 48 vs EF 6:  (Pictures, articles, video)

TJ 22 vs South Allegheny 0:  (Pictures, articles, video)

TJ 51 vs Monessen 16:  (Pictures, articles, video)

TJ 38 vs Charleroi 8: (Pictures, articles, video)

WPIAL Championship:

TJ 8 vs Kiski Area 16: (Pictures, articles, video)