Perfect Bookends

The 80s started with the first ten game undefeated season in Trimble Township history.  The offensive firepower of the 1980 team would set school records that would stand for over 30 years.  Trimble would end the season the #1 ranked team in their region and would face Newark Catholic on the “neutral” site of Newark White field.  With fans that would be listed by the OHSAA as one of the largest playoff crowds for two decades, the Tomcats could not overcome an early deficit and fell 21-14.  The feather in Coach Bolin’s cap for the ‘80 season came when he was named Coach of the Year in the State of Ohio.  The 1981 season was the only losing record of Coach Bolin’s tenure.  Playing what could reasonably be considered the most difficult schedule in Tomcat history, the ‘Cats went 4-5-1.  In 1982 and 1983 the Tomcats had winning records and finished in the top three of a now powerhouse Tri-Valley Conference.  Coach Bolin would leave Trimble at the end of the 1983-84 school year for Waverly High School and he would be replaced by assistant coach Dave Pritchard.  After one successful season, Coach Pritchard would take a job outside of teaching and coaching.  Barry Litteral, a graduate of Portsmouth West high school and an assistant coach for the Tomcats would be elevated to the head coaching position in 1985.  After a .500 season followed by a losing record, Litteral would leave for Rock Hill high school where he would coach multiple sports, and ultimately serve as the Athletic Director.  For the 1987 season, Trimble went back to the formula of hiring one of their own, Greg Holbert.  Coach Holbert inherited a very young team that played mainly sophomores in the ‘87 season.  That class gained on field experience the hard way and endured two losing seasons before the magical 1989 season.  With a roster of only 20 players, the 1989 Tomcats went undefeated for the second time in school history.  In a perfect world, the ‘89 Tomcats would have been given the opportunity to heal before starting the playoffs, but unfortunately that is not the way football works and Trimble would fall to a Franklin Furnace Green team that quietly literally ran the Southern Ohio Conference for two consecutive undefeated seasons.

The Vinton County game was called with 3:04 left in the 4th quarter due to an injury to a Vinton County player.  The Newark Catholic game was played at  Newark White Field.

Final Computer Rank: 1st Division V Region 19

Post Season Awards:

All TVC: Mike Roback (Player of the Year) Gene Campbell, Scott Chirstman, Mike Deal, Larry Dixon, Bruce Fouts, Scott Holbert, Steve Lanning

All District: Mike Roback (Back of the Year) Scott Holbert (lineman of the Year) Gene Campbell, Larry Dixon, Steve Lanning, Ed Bolin (Coach of the Year) 

All Ohio: First Team - Gene Campbell, Mike Roback, Scott Holbert, Third Team - Larry Dixon, Coach of the Year: Ed Bolin 

Team Members (Numerically) #10 Mike Roback, #11 Mark Echstenkamper, #14 John Coey, #20 Aaron Docie, #22 John Jones, #24 Randy Hooper, #33 Gene Campbell, #35 Scott Christman, #40 Terry Exline, #44 Jeff Bickley, #45 Denny Glassmire, #50 Mike Deal, #51 John Brunton, #52 Jim Bickley, #54 Mitch Deal, #60 Joe Triano, #61 Larry Dixon, #64 Brad Kennard, #65 Steve Lanning, #66/#30 Bruce Fouts, #67 Scott Russell, #71 Pete Oberhauser, #73 Jim McDonald, #75 Fritz Dillon, #76 Carl Snell, #81 Rob Erdy, #82 Eric Faires, #83 Scott Holbert, #84 Dave Angle, #85 David Dupler

Assistant Coaches: John Abdella, Jeff Conroy, Dave Hartley, Theo Lemon, Dave Prichard

A collection of films from 1980 CLICK HERE

Final Computer Rank: 18th Division V Region 19

Post Season Awards:

All TVC: Bruce Fouts, Scott Holbert, Steve Lanning, Mark Echstenkamper

All District: Scott Holbert (Lineman of the Year), Bruce Fouts, Mark Echstenkamper

All Ohio: First Team - Scott Holbert (Lineman of the Year), Third Team - Bruce Fouts 

Team Members: Row 1 - Carl Snell, Randy Hooper, Mike Dixon, Fritz Dillon, Steve Lanning, Bruce Fouts, Scott Holbert, Denny Glassmire, Scott Russell, Bob Bing, Row 2 - Tony Barnhart, John Brunton, Jeff Jewell, Rob Erdy, Mike Moore, David Angle, Mark Echstenkamper, Joe Troiano, Jerry Dixon, George Roback, Row 3 - John Moody, Chris Adams, Roger Vickers, Mitch Deal, Danny Lackey, Rick Stegman, John Coey, Jeff Bickley, Brad Kennard, Todd Carr, Row 4 - Vince Corano, Steve Campbell, Paul Jewell, Rob Miller, Kurt Smith, Aaron Docie, Mike Harper, Dave Dupler, Chuck Hartley, Bill Love, Row 5 - Steven Standley, Evan Smith, Terry Exline, Jeff McDonald, Clifford Hewitt, Andy Hogsett, Gilbert Nixon, Jim Troiano, Rob Smith

Assistant Coaches: Dave Hartley, Dave Pritchard, Jeff Conroy, Michael Lewis, Dave Roback

A collection of films from 1981 CLICK HERE

Wellston joins the Tri Valley Conference

Final Computer Rank 6th Division IV Region 15

Post Season Awards:

All TVC: Mark Echstenkamper (Offensive Player of the Year) Scott Russell (Defensive Player of the Year) John Brunton, Joe Troiano, Steve Campbell, Paul Jewell

All District: Mark Echstenkamper (Back of the Year), John Brunton, Scott Russell

All Ohio: Second Team - Mark Echstenkamper 

Meigs and Miller join the Tri Valley Conference

Final Computer Rank: 10th Division IV Region 15

Post Season Awards:

All TVC: Jeff Bickley, Brad Kennard, Scott Russell, Rick Stegman, Steve Campbell, Paul Jewell, Danny Lackey

All District: Scott Russell, Jeff Bickley, Jeff McDonald

All Ohio: Third Team - Scott Russell 

Final Computer Rank: 5th Division IV Region 15

Post Season Awards:

All TVC: Danny Lackey (Defensive Player of the Year), Sonny Cain, Steve Campbell, Paul Jewell, Rob Miller, Mark Campbell, Ron Huiss

All District: Danny Lackey (Lineman of the Year), Mark Campbell, Paul Jewell, Steve Campbell

All Ohio: Third Team - Danny Lackey, Honorable Mention - Paul Jewell, Steve Campbell

Warren leaves the Tri Valley Conference 

Final Computer Rank: 16th Division IV Region 15

Post Season Awards:

All TVC: Mark Campbell, Jimmy Holbert, Ron Huiss, Shannon Rushing, Denny Davis

All District: Jimmy Holbert, Mark Campbell, Ron Huiss 

All Ohio: Honorable Mention - Jimmy Holbert, Mark Campbell, Ron Huiss

Final Computer Rank: 28th Division IV Region 15

Post Season Awards:

All TVC: Denny Davis, Mark Deal, Brad Sayre, Bill Shust 

Final Computer Rank: 33rd Division IV Region 15

Post Season Awards:

All TVC: Rich Dooley, Rusty Martin

All District: Rich Dooley 

All Ohio: Special Mention - Rich Dooley

Final Computer Rank: 13th Division V Region 19

Post Season Awards:

All TVC: Aaron McCown, Rich Cain, Todd Fouts, Jerry Pastol, Brent Swaro

All District: Aaron McCown, Brent Swaro

Team Members: Marvin Nichols, Richard White, Hurston Richmond, Jerry Pastol, Aaron McCown, Paul Roberts, John Young, Brent Swaro, Jeff Holbert, Todd Fouts, Bob Burdette, Dallas Chesser, Roger Bingman, Jared McClelland, Jim Wright, Shane Hooper, John Tyler, Rich Cain, Jason Benner, Roger Jenkins, Tod Danner, Jason Guffey

Assistant Coaches: Scott Christman, Greg Koons, Phil Campbell

Managers: Jeremy Mills, Joe Armbruster, Dennis Osborne

The Green game was played at Athens Basil Rutter Field (now Joe Burrow Stadium)

Final Computer Rank: 2nd Division V Region 19

Post Season Awards:

All TVC: Todd Fouts (Offensive Player of the Year), Rich Cain, Jeff Holbert, Jared McClelland, Jerry Pastol, Brent Swaro, Roger Bingman, Jason Guffey

All District: Brent Swaro, Todd Fouts, Jerry Pastol, Jeff Holbert, Rich Cain, Roger Bingman

All Ohio: First Team - Brent Swaro, Second Team - Todd Fouts, Jerry Pastol, Special Mention - Jeff Holbert, Roger Bingman, Rich Cain

Team Members (Numarically): #10 Jeff Holbert, #11 Roger Bingman, #12 Charlie Gatchel, #22 Paul Roberts, #33 Sun Leeper, #34 Todd Fouts, #35 Shane Hooper, #40 Jon Stevens, #51 Jim Wright, #54 Brent Swaro, #55 Jerry Pastol, #56 Jason Guffey, #57 John Tyler,  #61 Gary Arnold, #64 Andy Kovach, #67 Rich Cain, #70 Jo Sandberg, #72 Jerry Lackey, #73 Brian Jennice, #86 Jared McClelland, #88 Chad Hook

Assistant Coaches: Mike Moore, Todd Trace, Greg Koons, Phil Campbell, Don Holbert

Manager: Joe Armbruster

Films for every game but Nelsonville-York  CLICK HERE