This Week in Benedictine History

October 7, 1944

Bengals top John Adams 12-6; Win First for Coach Norb Rascher

After starting the season with a pair of 13-0 losses to Holy Name and Mansfield, Benedictine finally got its first victory of the season by defeating neighborhood rival John Adams, 12-6.

It was Benedictine’s East Side Senate opening game.

                Benedictine scored touchdowns by John Furin and Ed Bellovay in the second half as the Bengals rallied to take the victory after John Adams had taken a 6-0 halftime lead.

                It also avenged a 2-0 loss in 1943, when the John Adams scored a safety early in the contest for the only points in the game.

                This win was the first for new coach Norb Rascher who joined the Benedictine staff at the start of the 1944-45 school year.

                Despite his short tenure at Benedictine, Rascher is a legendary coaching figure in the school’s athletic history.

                Rascher came to Benedictine as the football, basketball and baseball coach from Altoona Catholic High School in Pennsylvania. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1934 with a degree in economics. He earned letters in football and basketball.              

                An Indiana native, he was one of the last players invited to play at Notre Dame by Knute Rockne before the great Notre Dame coach was killed in a plane crash in 1931.

                Near the end of World War II, while at Benedictine in April 1945, Rascher, age 34, was inducted into the U.S. Army and left for Camp Atterbury, Indiana. He returned to Benedictine after the war in December 1945. Rascher continued to coach at Benedictine through the 1946-47 school year.

                The year after the great 1945-46 Bengals basketball season, when the team was ranked third in the nation, he left Benedictine to coach basketball at John Carroll University, which had wanted to play a big-time schedule.

                Joe Rufus was named to replace Rascher in May 1945 after to take over the reins later that fall until Rascher returned from the armed forces.

                Previously, Rufus had coached at Steubenville Catholic Central for two years. He remained at Benedictine until retiring in 1987 as athletic director.

                NOTES: This was only the second time Benedictine had beaten the John Adams Rebels in eight games. The Rebels had outscored Benedictine 165-57 in the previous seven games.

                Although the schools are separated by just a little over two miles, the teams had never met on the football field until Benedictine joined the Cleveland Senate in 1937.

                Benedictine, Cathedral Latin, Holy Name and St. Ignatius, all members of the Catholic League, accepted invitations to join the Cleveland Senate beginning in the fall of 1937. Benedictine and Cathedral Latin were assigned to the East Side Senate and Holy Name and St. Ignatius were assigned to the West Side Senate.

                Norb Rascher was one of a handful of people who were present when Notre Dame Stadium was opened in 1930 and when it was rededicated in 1997.

by Wally Mieskoski ’71

Benedictine Football Historian  

# # #

Lions defeat Bengals

Recap

September 29, 2012

NDCL 44, Benedictine 7

The final score will be remembered in the history books as NDCL 44, Benedictine 7. But for the Bengals, it was a game to forget.

                In this North Coast League opener at Bedford Stadium, NDCL jumped to a quick 13-0 lead in the first quarter and then took the win.

                Benedictine is now 3-3 in all games and 0-1 in North Coast League competition.

                The Bengals finally put some points on the board on a 13-yard run by Jerome Baker with 9:28 left in the third quarter. Baker’s touchdown finished off a five-play, 31-yard drive that was set up when a short Lions punt went out of bounds at the NDCL 31.

Nick Judy kicked the extra point.

                But NDCL answered with a touchdown 39 seconds later after a long runback of the kickoff took the ball deep into Bengals territory. They scored two plays later.

                The Lions added nine points in the third and six in the fourth.

                The NDCL win narrows the Benedictine lead to 4-2 in the all-time series that began in 2007.

                There were some good performances in the game for the Bengals.

                Quarterback Brian Schoeffler completed 10 of 22 passes for 128 yards. Marshall Howell caught five passes for 74 yards.

                Defensively, Dan Piascik and Antonio Robinson each had interceptions. Piascik now has a team-leading four pass interceptions for 40 yards.

                In addition to his four solo tackles and 10 assists, Robinson added a three-yard interception return.

                Benedictine meets Lake Catholic on Saturday night at Jerome T. Osborne Stadium in Mentor in another key North Coast League game.

by Wally Mieskoski ’71

Benedictine Football Historian

# # #

This Week in Benedictine History: Week 6

September 26, 1952

Benedictine Topples Top Ten-Ranked Warren Harding 7-0

A tough test with Warren Harding was awaiting the Bengals in the third week. Harding had defeated Collinwood 14-0 in the season opener and defeated Canton McKinley 29-19 in the second week.

                Leading the Bengals into this game was Jerry Bush, the district’s leading scorer. He scored both touchdowns in the opening 12-8 win over Holy Name and added five touchdowns in the next week’s 60-0 win over East Tech.

Warren Harding entered the game as the state’s seventh-ranked team by the Associated Press poll with 77 points. They received one first place vote.  Benedictine was ranked 25^th with 12 points. Lakewood was ninth with 46 points.

                A 10-yard scoring run by end Steve Chernicky was the game’s only touchdown to give Benedictine a 7-0 upset win over Harding. Bob Konkoly kicked the extra point in the second period to give the Bengals their third straight win and give the Red and White their first loss of the season.

                The game's winning score was set up by Vince Delsanter, who recovered a Harding fumble on the 13-yard line.  Konkoly ripped off nine yards and Jerry Bush took it to the two. But Benedictine was penalized 15 yards for holding. Bob Huttman gained seven yards to the 10, from where Chernicky scored on the next play.

                The game ended with Benedictine on the Harding eight. Benedictine also had another scoring chance in the third period when it recovered a fumble on the Harding 20, but could advance it only to the 13 from where the Red and White took over.

                Harding never seriously threatened. The Bengals smothered their running game and intercepted four passes.

                It was another big win in recent years over a respected downstate opponent for the Bengals.

                Benedictine finished third in the state rankings by First and Ten Magazine. In the International News Service state ratings, Benedictine finished fourth. In the Associated Press poll, the Bengals were seventh.

                NOTES: Cleveland Auxiliary Bishop Roger Gries O.S.B. ’54 recently recalled that victory over Warren Harding.

                “I remember that game well.  There was a series of downs where their back was continuing to gain five yards after five yards.  We varied the defense a little, and I was lucky to tackle him and put him on his back.  While on his back I told him, “You didn’t gain anything that time, did you?”  He picked up a handful of dirt with some of the lime from the yard-lines, and threw it into my face.  It burned like “hell” and I had to sit out a couple plays while they rinsed out my eyes,” smiled Gries.

                Bishop Gries chuckled as he remembered the game-winning play. Although Gries was a tackle, he had to play “quarterback” on a rarely-used end-around.

                “We always liked to get the jump on the defense because we knew the count. So when our end Steve Chernicky asked me what the snap count was at the line of scrimmage, I knew he was nervous about being the ball carrier. I told him and the defensive linemen just smiled.  I was ready, and hoped that the defensive end would not follow Chernicky around and catch him.  It worked out well as we scored on the play and went on to go undefeated and beat St. Ignatius in the Charity Game,” added Gries.

               

The Bengals finished the season with a 10-0 record, the second undefeated team in school history.  Joe Rufus was the coach of the Bengals. The season was capped off with a solid 26-18 win over St. Ignatius at the Charity Game at Cleveland Stadium with a crowd of 33,689 watching the Bengals take their second outright Cleveland City Championship.

                This 1952 team was the highest scoring team in school history with 340 points in 10 games until 1965 when the Bengals scored 380 in 10 games. Even that mark has been eclipsed. Athletic Director Tony Russ ’66 was an All-Ohio lineman for the Bengals on that ’65 team. Junior running back Larry Zelina ’67 led the state in scoring that season with 210 points.

                The seven points in the win over Warren Harding were the fewest points scored by the Bengals thatl season.

                Steve Chernicky was Benedictine’s first All-Ohio football player. He later played at Purdue and was inducted into the Benedictine Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006.

Running back and kicker Bob Konkoly was inducted into the Benedictine Hall of Fame in 1996.  Jerry Bush was inducted in 2009 and was the first Mr. Benedictine award winner in the spring of 1953.  Auxiliary Bishop Roger Gries O.S.B. ’54 was inducted into the Benedictine Hall of Honors in 1993, and was the second Mr. Benedictine award winner in 1954.

by Wally Mieskoski ’71

Benedictine Football Historian

# # #

Safety first… then Bengals rough up Ironmen, 52-18

Recap

September 22, 2012

Benedictine 52, Cleveland Central Catholic 18

            It may have been the most unusual start to a Benedictine football game. But the final score was more typical. A 52-18 victory over North Coast League member Cleveland Central Catholic increased the Bengals all-time series record over the Ironmen to 14-4-0.

                Nowhere in Bengals history could you find a start to a game like this one.

                At the end of the first quarter (not inning), Benedictine led 4-0 as the Bengals blocked two CCC punts out of the end zone. A pair of “Matt”’s Matt Merimee and Matt McCarthy each blocked Ironmen punts to give the Bengals the lead.

                It was a 26-point second quarter that catapulted Benedictine on its way to this easy win.

Senior wide receiver Marshall Howell scored three times before halftime on a 33-yard pass from quarterback Brian Schoeffler and a 20-yard scoring pass from the freshman. He also scored on a one-yard run in the second.

                Sophomore back Jerome Baker added a one-yard scoring run in the second.

                Howell also added a two-point conversion run in the second.

                The Bengals led at halftime 30-6.

                In the third, Howell added his fourth touchdown of the game, this time on a 62-yard pass from Schoeffler. It was the third time they connected for scoring passes in the game.

                Baker then scored his second touchdown on a 14-yard run and with Antonio Robinson’s two-point run gave the Bengals a 44-6 lead near the end of the third.

                Robinson scored the last Bengals touchdown on a two yard run followed by Terrell Clark’s two-point run in the final quarter.

                All three CCC touchdowns were scored on pass plays.

                The game was called with 2:54 left in the contest as the weather conditions, with strong winds and heavy rain, forced the teams to their respective locker rooms.

                The teams never returned to the field as the game was officially called.

                The win gives Benedictine a 3-2 season record with the Bengals to begin North Coast League Blue Division play this week. CCC falls to 2-3 and also begins play in the White Division of the North Coast League.

                Benedictine dominated the stats.

Overall, Benedictine gained 462 yards while CCC had 273 in total offense. The Bengals had 24 first downs while holding the Ironmen to just 10.

It was a heavily penalized game with Central being flagged 14 times for 62 yards and the Bengals 10 times for 82 yards.

NOTES – Two other times the Bengals scored at least 50 points against CCC. In 1995, the Bengals won 54-0 and in 1997, the score was 56-7.

The 314 passing yards by Brian Schoeffler is fourth-best on the all-time school single-game list.

The all-time record is held by Larry Wanke ’86, when he threw for 344 yards in a state playoff victory over Holy Name in 1985.

                Marshall Howell tied a school record held by four other players with 10 receptions (for 190 yards) in a game. The last player to catch 10 passes was Tim Kendig against Columbus DeSales in 2009.

While the two safeties in one game may be unusual, it is not a school record. That happened in 1994 in the 33-0 win over Cleveland John F. Kennedy when the Bengals scored three safeties in the game.

The 52 points, the highest in the Ben Malbasa era, was the most scored by Benedictine since 2000 when the Bengals defeated Rhodes, 52-0.

On the 50^th anniversary (to the day) of the debut of the “Flying B” helmet logo - for two minutes and seven seconds on the game clock in the third quarter, it was almost like 1962 all over again. With 2:14 left in the third quarter, Benedictine put up points to make the score 44-6, matching the final score of that 1962 victory over Valley Forge when the “Flying B” helmet logo debuted. But Cleveland Central Catholic spoiled the nostalgia party. On its next possession, the Ironmen traveled 68 yards in seven plays for a touchdown to make the score 44-12 with just seven seconds left in the third. The final was 52-18.

by Wally Mieskoski ’71

Benedictine Football Historian

# # #

“Flying B” helmet logos unveiled in 44-6 win over Valley Forge

This Week in Benedictine History

Week 5

September 22, 1962

 There was a new look for the Bengals when they returned home to John Adams Field on September 22  to face Valley Forge, a new high school in Parma.

After starting the season with an easy 42-0 win over Rhodes, Benedictine traveled to face Toledo Central Catholic the following week. The Bengals lost 16-8 and would try to get back on the winning track.

                This game was important for another reason. It was the first game that the Benedictine new helmet logo, the “Flying B” design was unveiled. It was designed by Athletic Director Joe Rufus, assistant coach Fr. Roger W. Gries O.S.B. ’54 and assistant coach Ed Kubancik ’47. It was patterned after the Green Bay Packers new logo, the oval G. The Packers had appeared in the National Football League championships in 1960 and 1961, winning the title in 1961.

Leading by only 6-0 at half-time, Benedictine exploded for five touchdowns in the second half to rout the inspired Valley Forge team. They easily defeated Valley Forge 44-6. Speedy Sal Collura, a 165-pound halfback, got the Bengals started with a 69-yard scoring run in the first quarter.

                In the second half, Bengals 170-pound fullback Joe Ditchman had two 11-yard touchdown runs to close out long drives of 77 yards and 80 yards in the third. Collura also added a third quarter score rambling 15 yards. The Bengals scored 24 points in the third to put the game out of reach.

                They added scores by Ron Ganim of 37 yards and John Sanders of 15 yards. The conversion points were scored by end John Upthegrove on two passes from Jeff Chorba, and runs by Chorba and Sanders.

                The impressive victory gave the Bengals a third place ranking in the Cleveland Press First 50 poll following the game.

NOTES:

50^th Anniversary of the “Flying B” helmet logo – The 50^th anniversary of the Flying B helmet logo is on Saturday, September 22, 2012 in the afternoon game against Cleveland Central Catholic. It was first used on September 22, 1962, a 44-6 win over Valley Forge and since then has remained unchanged. It is one of the most recognizable helmet logos in Ohio high school football. In October 2003, it was voted in a Cleveland.com poll, as the coolest-looking helmet logo in Northeast Ohio. The on-line poll had the Benedictine logo receiving 35.8 percent of all votes followed by second-place Massillon with 18.8 percent, in third was Strongsville with 10.7 percent while Shaker had 10.3 percent of the votes. The “Flying B” was patterned after the Green Bay Packers oval G logo and actually designed by athletic director Joe Rufus, assistant coach Ed Kubancik ’47 and by then-coach and present Cleveland Auxiliary Bishop Roger Gries O.S.B.  ’54. Rufus and Kubancik (both deceased) are Benedictine Hall of Famers while Bishop Gries is a member of the school’s Hall of Honors. Since the “Flying B” has adorned the helmets, the Bengals have compiled a 343-180-12 record.

The first year that the Bengals used white helmets was in 1955 in Augie Bossu’s first year as head coach. Previously the helmets were blue.

In 1957, the Bengals were the first team to wear numbers on their helmets to make it easier to identify players for fans, newspaper photographers and for coaches watching the game films. Most college teams and many NFL teams had been using this style with the numbers on helmets.

At the end of the 1962 season, Toledo Central Catholic (the Bengals second opponent) was voted as the state’s top team by the Associated Press wire service poll.

by Wally Mieskoski ’71

Benedictine Football Historian

# # #

Benedictine 27, Holy Name 23

Recap

September 15, 2012

                In this win over long-time rival Holy Name, Benedictine fell behind early and never led until 11:09 was left in the game.

That’s when Jerome Baker scored on a 40-yard pass play from Brian Schoeffler that completed a 51-yard scoring drive.

Nick Judy kicked his third extra point of the game that gave the Bengals a 27-23 decision.

The winning touchdown was set up by Matt Merimee’s 24-yard interception return. It was Holy Name’s only turnover in the game.

The Green Wave had built a 9-0 lead midway through the second quarter on three Donald Stepic field goals of 22, 36 and 35 yards.

The second quarter was a show of offensive football as each team scored 13 points. The teams scored three touchdowns in a period of just under four minutes at the end of the first half.

After the last Holy Name field goal of 35 yards, Benedictine answered with a Marshall Howell one-yard run with 3:51 left in the second. Howell was instrumental in moving the ball downfield as he caught two passes from Schoeffler that covered 52 and 14 yards. That score cut the Green Wave margin to 9-7.

But Holy Name came right back scoring on a Tre Smith two-yard run to make the score 16-7.

Then Howell added his second touchdown of the night on a two-yard run to bring the Bengals to 16-13. Jerome Baker had the big play of the drive with a 60-yard run that took the ball to the Holy Name 10.

Holy Name led at halftime 16-13 and increased their lead to 23-13 in the third when quarterback Mike Messina hit John Ehrbar on a 38-yard scoring pass and Stepic’s conversion kick. It was the biggest lead in the game.

Taking over at their own 40 after a Holy Name punt, the Bengals needed only three plays to score. It came on a 48-yard touchdown pass from Schoeffler to Howell, his third score of the game. That brought the Bengals closer at 23-20.

It remained that way until Merimee’s interception that led to the Bengals go-ahead touchdown in the fourth.

Jerome Baker had 144 rushing yards in 14 carries. Marshall Howell added six catches for 141 yards. Quarterback Brian Schoeffler was nine of 21 for 190 yards and two touchdowns. Dan Piascik had three completions in four attempts for 72 yards.

Overall, the Bengals gained a season-high 424 yards in offense.

The win over Holy Name brings the Bengals record to 2-2.

NOTES – Holy Name is one of the school’s oldest rivals dating back to the first year of football at Benedictine in 1929. That year Holy Name defeated Benedictine 24-0.

Benedictine leads the all-time series record 22-17-3.

by Wally Mieskoski ’71

Benedictine Football Historian

# # #

Bengals Beat Bedford 14-12

Recap

Benedictine vs. Bedford

September 7, 2012

                The Benedictine defense did an outstanding job in stating its case as they held the high-scoring Bedford Bearcats to a season-low 12 points. Bedford won its first two games outscoring its first two opponents 108-14.

                The defensive unit allowed the Bengals to grind out a 14-12 victory over their landlord. Benedictine uses Bedford Stadium for its home games.

                Both teams scored a pair of touchdowns in this game.

                The value of special teams was borne out as this tight contest that was decided by the right leg of kicker Nick Judy. His two extra point kicks provided the margin of victory for the Bengals.

                Bedford got on the scoreboard on the game’s first drive.

                A four-play 66-yard drive culminated in a 55-yard touchdown pass from Deon Carter to Deandre Norris. The extra point kick failed for the Bearcats but led 6-0.

                It took a while for the Bengals to reach the end zone, but they twice struck quickly.

                With 2:47 left before halftime, Marshall Howell caught a six-yard pass from Brian Schoeffler to complete a five-play drive. Nick Judy’s kick gave the Bengals a 7-6 lead.

                The touchdown was set up by a Bengals fumble recovery at the Bedford 32.

                On their next drive, the Bearcats turned over the ball again on a pass interception at the Bengals 29.

                On the first play from scrimmage, the Bengals Jerome Baker ran 70 yards to the Bedford one. From there, Antonio Robinson scored on the short run that gave the Bengals their second touchdown of the game.

                Nick Judy split the uprights that gave the Bengals a 14-6 lead with just 32 seconds left before halftime.

                The only score in the second half came on a 37-yard pass play from Deon Carter to Javaun Washington with 7:35 left in the game.

                Possibly, the biggest play of the game came on the two-point play.      

                Quarterback Deon Carter attempted to roll out to his right but the Bengals defense stopped him short of the goal line to preserve the 14-12 lead.

                On the kickoff, the Bengals took over at their own 28 and drove it to the Bedford 25 before the game clock ran out to end the game.

                The Benedictine offense kept the ball in its possession for 15 plays in the last 7:35 of the game. Bedford never got the ball back.

                On offense, the Bengals ran a total of 67 plays from scrimmage to Bedford’s 31.

                Jerome Baker led the Bengals with 128 yards on 22 carries.

                Defensively, the Bengal standouts were linebacker Antonio Robinson with six solo tackles and four assists and Jovon Dawson, who also had a pass interception, with six solos and two assists.

                Dan Piascik picked off two Bedford passes for a total of 20 yards. Matt Merimee had an interception return of 15 yards and a fumble recovery. Lamar Davis also had a fumble recovery.

               

by Wally Mieskoski ’71

Benedictine Football Historian

# # #