1969-1970- A Glorious Year for O-E Football and Basketball

Otto-Eldred's- Jim Slavin, Neil Trask, Steve Gross, Fred Williams, John Oszustowicz and Jeff Fowler.

The Mets beat the Orioles to win the World Series. The Knicks defeated the Lakers in the NBA Finals. The Jets upset the Colts in Super Bowl III.

All those national, high-profiled matchups turned out just the way a 14-year-old, whose Babe Ruth baseball team won their league championship that summer, had wanted. 

The sports season was 1969-1970 and beginning in the last days of summer and ending as winter was making its' final surge, the Otto-Eldred football and basketball programs had combined for a memorable year. 

These two teams also began an unprecedented run of successful Terrors' football and basketball teams that lasted through the 70's decade.

Was there a better combined year of football in the school's history? Well, that's certainly good barbershop talk. 

Was it '72-'73 (4-2-2 in football, 17-5 in basketball?

 Could it have been '75-'76 (7-1-1 on the gridiron and 18-3 on the hardwood?)

Or, '76-'77 (8-1 football mark and 18-4 on the courts)?

Snow, Wolcott, Barnard, Holly, Wilcox, Plummer, Farr, Crandell, Breese, Miller, Bell, Copeland, Tyler, Bechilli, Cauvel, Gold, Rose, Houben and Higley are some of the basketball and/or football names that will be remembered by O-E followers, fans, classmates and underclassmen through the 70's. 

This essay is about the school year that got the ball rolling.

The '69-70 Terrors football squad with assistant coach, John Harvey, standing far left and head coach, Gene Fazio, standing far right. Fred Williams #16 and Steve Gross #65  are holding the football flanked by #32 Neil Trask and #12 Jim Slavin. Slavin was a junior, the other three players were seniors.

The Terrors did not really sneak up on anyone- expectations were high with a lot of experienced and talented players returning from the previous season. 

Seniors-top row, Dave Rees, Jeff Fowler, Steve Smith. Middle row- Fred Williams, Tom Lawrence, Rick Kahle, John Oszustowicz. Bottom row-Neil Trask, Ted Schweikart, Gary Morton

Coach Fazio at pre-season practice with (left to right) Joe Kahle, Steve Gross, Chris Llewelyn and Neil Trask. The Terrors opened their campaign with Sheffield High.

Win #1 at home over Sheffield with Jeff Anderson and Tom Eley anchoring the defensive line holding the Wolverines to only 4 first downs.

The next year we traveled to Sheffield, playing on a field that was exceedingly damp and muddy. Coach Fazio was not happy during our cals and warmups. Some of the guys were complaining about the dampness and wet condition of the field. He picked an offense and a defense and had us run a "live" scrimmage during our pre-game. On play #1, the linemen blocked half-heartedly and the defenders didn't put a lot of effort in to tackling.

He became more upset and we continued to scrimmage-this time at full-speed. Before the actual game started we were all dirty and wet, but now ready to play in the miserable conditions.

Win number two came against the Hubbers of Smethport.

 

NOTE: I attended an O-E game at Smethport in, I believe, 2017 or 2018. I moved out of the area in 1985. It was the first game played by my alma mater that I had witnessed in over 35 years. I was definitely excited about seeing the matchup, remembering all the games I had played against the Hubbers in my youth; Babe Ruth baseball, freshman, junior varsity and varsity basketball and football.

We always played at the old stadium (McCoy?) with the stone walls circling most of the seating area and playing surface. I remember the right field wall for our baseball games was a legitimate 280-300 feet and left field was probably 500 feet plus away.

The game I saw, many will remember, was almost ready to start when the P.A. announcement warned everyone there was a heavy storm approaching with the possibility of high winds. Fans and all personnel were asked to take shelter in their cars or in the school. One hour went by, two hours passed and just when it looked that the game would have to be postponed, the referees and teams took the field and kickoff took place around 9:30. 

Smethport picked up a close win in an entertaining game with most of the crowd remaining through the lengthy delay. I thought it was definitely worth waiting out the storm and watching the kids play.

Fred Williams was chosen Big 30 Defensive Player of the week after the Smethport win

Game three was scheduled at Port Allegany on a Saturday afternoon, but the big news was that quarterback, Jim Slavin would not play and would miss several games because of appendicitis.

Junior Steve Boyle would take over the reins and if there had been any questions, he answered them in O-E's 28-0 win over the Gators.

  NOTE: In the bottom corner of the clipping above, there's a headline "Otto-Eldred Frosh defeats Fretz (Floyd Fretz of Bradford), 12-6. The freshmen team played four or five games that year, all after school, 4:00/4:15. This could have been the game in which one or two incidents occurred. I scored one touchdown in my abbreviated football career- an 70 yard pass-run play after receiving a halfback pass from our speedy back, Mike Miller. I'm not sure that score came against Fretz, but I know my T.D. occurred on the day we received our first 6-week report card. It was not my best academic period and my score may have reduced(slightly) the lecture I received at home that evening.

Or it could have been the game that our coaches, Larry Snyder and Rob Looker ( a former O-E QB and '64 grad), selected me as one of the co-captains for the game (Larry Moyer was the other) I took over the spokesman duties during the coin toss and somehow negotiated the deal that allowed us to kick off in to the wind to start the contest-not the most advantageous way to begin a game. Coaches Looker and Snyder reminded me of that even before I  hit the sidelines as I returned to two disbelieving men. Fortunately, we won the game. NOTE: I know I played for Coach Ralph Burton at some time during my pre-varsity years-maybe in eighth grade or junior varsity. He was a good man and good coach.

More O-E seniors. Top row- Jeff Anderson, John Baldoni, Ray Batt and Lew Bennett. Middle row- Cark Bradt, Ted Bradt, Tom Eley and Brian Henry. Third row- Steve Gross and Matt Miller.

Game number four was the best game of the year, a defensive duel between the Terrors and Bradford Central Christian. It's been 52 years, but I think I remember the circumstances clearly.

 The bandstand was to the right of the main ticket gate, located right past the practice field. It was the third quarter and I believe the band didn't return to that area after their halftime appearance was over.

 It was late in the third quarter and I stood either on the bandstand or right beside it when halfback, Chris Llewelyn broke a defensive back's tackle and outran (galloping right at me) everyone for the game's only score.

O-E had won their fourth in a row and was headed to Emporium to play the winless Red Raiders.

Jeff Fowler, the 155 pound defensive end, was one of several possibilities from O-E to be considered for the big 30's Defensive Player of the Week. Fowler won  the honor, edging out teammates Dave Rees and Steve Smith 

The Terrors would go to Emporium with Slavin (still recovering from surgery), linebacker/fullback Williams and starting halfback, Neil Trask unable to play. 

Otto-Eldred versus Emporium-a game that many called the "Upset of the Year."

The Red Raiders stopped O-E three times inside the red zone, once on a first and goal from the five. The Terrors thought they had scored on a fourth and one, but were ruled inches short and the Red Raiders picked up a well-deserved 8-6 win. They held O-E to 4 first downs and barely over a 100 yards total offense. The winning touchdown was scored by Jeff Lloyd, a basketball and football star at Emporium. Lloyd eventually played in the NFL.

Game number six was against Portville and Slavin was back for the 4-1 Terrors.

Slavin was back after being out of action for 27 days and Fred Williams rushed for some key third down conversions in a game dominated by the O-E defense, but it read only 14-7 on the scoreboard. 

Border Conference/ Allegany Mountain All-Stars from Smethport, Sheffield, Portville, O-E and several other schools. O-E's representatives and team MVPs were Fred Williams and Steve Gross.

The Terrors had opened the season at 5-1 with four of those wins coming by ten points or less and, of course, the single loss to Emporium by two points, 8-6.

Their final three games of the season left no doubt this indeed was a special team. 

Game seven was a big win (48-8) over Bolivar, followed by a 30 point trouncing of Allegany with the offense having their biggest output of the year, (50-20)

The big win over Bolivar with Chris Llewelyn starting the O-E scoring with a touchdown run.

O-E wrapped up their season with a road rout of Coudersport- 46-8. There was no playoff system in these years so the 8-1 mark wrapped up the careers of over 20 senior players.

The defense threw three shutouts while the offense outscored their opposition, 248- 62.

Now it was time to celebrate a league title and an almost perfect season, plus take away a station wagon full of post-season awards.

Fred Williams, number 16, was named as one of the running backs on the Big 30 offensive squad. Mike Metzler(#17) of Olean Bishop Walsh is standing left of Williams and another Walsh star, Henry Bzdak (#42) is on the right.

Two Terrors made the Big 30 Defensive squad. Jeff Fowler is second row, far left and Steve Gross is second row, second from the right. Jim Zoschg of Emporium, one of the key defenders that put the single blemish on the O-E record, is pictured (#74), front row.

John Oszustowicz of O-E rounded out the 30 player squad, selected as an end. O-E and Bishop Walsh led the Big 30 with four selections and Bradford Cental Christian had three players picked. Only three juniors were selected on the offensive and defensive teams; Zoschg (Emporium), Kevin McBride (Walsh) and Bill Johnson of Kane.

The four O-E Big 30 reps.

Seven Otto-Eldred players chosen to the Border League All-Star Team.

A big celebration awaited the team when they returned home with an 8-1 record and a Border League title.

Coach Fazio addresses the crowd with assistant coaches Snyder and Harvey standing to the right.

The 8-1 Border League Champions

1970 School Yearbook

                          Otto-Eldred Basketball, 1969-1970

The '69-70 squad.

This 1970 ('69-'70) team's 15 win season was the most in the school's history dating back to 1958. The 1959 team was 14-7. The '62 team won ten games and the '64 team won 11. 

The 1970 team began a run of double digit victories in eight of the next nine years.

Johnny 'O's' one handed put-back against Emporium. Judd Schager, Carl Carlson and Pat Vogt are the defenders. O-E defeated the Red Raiders in this home contest.

Otto-Eldred HS individual player records for a single game: Oszustowicz-42 points, Wolcott (1972), 31 rebounds and Oszuztowicz ('69) and Snow ('72) assists- 12.

That's Oszustowicz going up with teammate Gary Morton boxing out.

Austin's 69-62 win over the Terrrors was the second time they defeated Otto-Eldred that season. Tom Ripple had 34 points for the Panthers with Oszustowicz scoring 26 and Slavin 12. Also, partial clips of O-E wins over Northern Potter and Emporium.

Steve Cook of Richburg won the scoring crown with Ripple in the second spot and Oszustowicz third. Other North Tier top scorers were Rob Maynard (Smethport), Tony Flint (Port Allegany) and Judd Schager (Emporium).

Terrors' top rebounders in a career. Wolcott, Oszustowicz, Steve Barrett, Denny Glenn and Barry Houben round out the top five. NOTE- These numbers include up to 1978.

Oszustowicz' 23 points took him to 1,007 as O-E defeated Port Allegany 49-47. Morton and Slavin backed up Johnny "O" with ten points each. Tony Flint led the Gators with 18.

Otto-Eldred Playoff teams through the 70's.

NOTE: We took a student fan bus to St. Marys for O-E's playoff game. Down 11 after the first quarter, the Terrors outscored Union Joint 21-8 in the second quarter to take a halftime lead. Steve Milne came off the bench in the second quarter and hit some long jumpers to spark the comeback. It was a one point game with a couple minutes remaining when Union Joint pulled away. Oszustowicz had 32 and Slavin 16 to lead O-E. Emporium had five players in double figures to win their Class B game by 20.

O-E's North Tier League team records thru the 70's.

Otto-Eldred league championships through the 70's plus a couple of Christmas Tourney championships ('77 and '64)

Front row (left to right)-Rich Bisso (Emporium), Tony Flint (Port Allegany) and Judd Schager (Emporium). Back row- Rob Maynard (Smethport), Tom Ripple (Austin) and John Oszustowicz (Otto-Eldred).

Jim Slavin (O-E), Jeff Lloyd (Emporium) and John Plant (Austin) were among the 6 players on the second team.

Coach of Terrors' Basketball through most of the 70's, Jim Kinsler,,  Kinsler, an Emporium graduate, is seen here as a player with Mansfield University (Pa.). He was an excellent guard and is also a member of the Emporium Athletic Hall of Fame, one of many outstanding athletes the Cameron County HS has produced. He is pictured far left in the second row.

NOTE: Jim Manners ('64 grad of Emporium) was our freshmen coach at O-E then and later junior varsity and assistant varsity coach. 

A celebration party  for the 8-1 football team with family, friends and school officials.

Four sophomore players plus senior Dale Goodell who were part of Coach Fazio's fine squad the following year combining with Jim Slavin, Gary Silvis, Tim Gross, Bruce Fowler, Dick Windsor, Steve Boyle, John Todd, Art Ewings, Mike Spencer, Jim Gross and other contributing players.

Senior, #44, John Oszuztowicz

Center: Johnny O's basketball signifying his 1,200 career points, left-April Batt's, girls; 1,000 point scorer, right-1944-45 , District IX Basketball with Otto defeating Sykesville and on top 1973's O-E's one point win win over Cameron County.

This clipping should have gone in my recent blog story about the North Tier League, but I just located it . It occurred two years prior to the '70 squad and I had previously mentioned it, watching it as a young teenager thinking it was the "best HS game I ever saw O-E play." The game, a 64-51 win over Emporium with Jim Kinsler as a first year coach for the Terrors.

The Red Raiders loss broke a 44 game regular season winning streak and its first loss in 43 North Tier games. It was O-E's first win over Emporium in 11 years.

The Terrors led the entire way with Tom Sherwood pacing the win with 18 points, Johnny "O", then a sophomore, also had 18 as he and Tut Hanks (6 points) controlled the boards.

Randy Nuhfer had 13 and guards, Sherwood and Shoff, hit shots from the outside and fed the ball inside as the game plan and execution was superb. 

Coach Kinsler predicted the win in our first period, 8th grade math class. We listened, but questioned his declaration. He hit it out of the park.

The game took place on January 18, 1968.