One of the most difficult aspects of writing this essay is where to start. There are so many names of contributing players, all-stars, and records/awards, especially through the 1980's and 1990's, many pages could be filled just with lists.
Finally, I thought the best lead-in would be numbers. They shouldn't overshadow the accomplishments of the coaches and players, but the numbers do immediately initiate the question.
How did they execute these feats?
Smethport High School had a 67 game regular season winning streak between 1989 and 1996.
After an overtime loss that broke the streak, they ran off 23 more consecutive victories.
They had 10 undefeated regular seasons.
The team won 11 division titles, 12 league titles, six district IX championships, five PIAA Region III championships.
The Hubbers won the 1992 Western championship and were the state runners-up in that year.
Carl Defilippi was the assistant football coach at Smethport High from 1975-1981 before taking over the head coaching duties in the fall of 1981.
He was a 10-time AML/Border Conference Coach of the Year. He's the only three-time winner of the Big 30 Coach of the Year.
Defilippi was named District IX COY in the 1995.
He concluded his Smethport head coaching duties with an overall mark of 186-37-2, an 83 percent winning mark.
Point #1- The Coaching Staff. Coach Defilippi once said, "Continuity is the key." The greatest example of that in Smethport football history (and possibly in high school football play across the country) is the assistant coaching staff staying together as a unit during Defilippi's tenure as a head coach.
Years of ultra-dominating football through the 90's (107-16) and the assistant coaching personnel never changed. That's a 87 percent winning percentage- nearly an average of a 9-1 mark every year
They knew what offensive plays would work and how to stop the opposition.
Many schools see a 9-1 season as possibly the best in school history and the Hubbers were posting that or better for more than a decade.
Ward Baun and Head Coach Carl Defilippi.
Baun, Rick Woodring, Denny Maynard and Jim McGuire were Defilippi assistant coaches beginning in 1981 when Defilippi took over the reins as the man-in-charge of the Smethport Hubbers' football program.
Defillippi had been an assistant coach from 1975-1981 succeeding Henry Reap.
A team of four high school assistant coaches and a head coach staying together for that time period may be one of the greatest examples of Coach Defilippi's, "Continuity is key."
No where was that more evident than the head coach and his staff of assistants.
All five were teachers in the Smethport School District which in itself is highly unusual, especially in the last 20-30 years of high school football.
Many high school football programs are forced to have an almost constant turnover of head coaches, not even considering the number of assistants who leave after a short (1-2 years) or even a longer term (maybe 4-5 years?).
It is an extensive sacrifice to give up so many hours of your day. Coaching time (practice, scouting, travel, etc.) adds countless hours to a regular work day of teaching and/or school counseling or a job outside the school district. The coaching responsibilities are present for months at a time.
It can be a strain, but in Smethport's program during their years of unparalleled, won-loss success, it's also a sign of respect and enjoyment of working with Coach Defilippi, his coaches and hundreds of young athletes during those two decades.
Some might say, 'Well, it's pretty easy to coach when you are winning all the time.' There certainly were some excellent athletes contributing outstanding performances game in and game out.
One of the central reasons for that was the work of the coaches. A week before the game they were scouting, watching film, conducting practices with an objective and sharpening their ability to make adjustments during games.
There's a phrase "will to win" that I've always felt was a little over-used and did not state the true significance behind the more important reason why the phenomenal results took
POINT #2- Preparation
It's actually the "will to prepare" and that's an area where the Hubbers were way ahead of the field.
Opposing coaches and players (both opponents and Smethport team members) recognized how well-prepared the Hubbers were. Quality football practices became a staple of their everyday workout.
Bradford Era writer, Ron Kloss, has seen hundreds of games and practices during his long career as a sports writer. After viewing an intense Hubbers' football practice, he mentioned to one of the first-team players that it seemed this was an especially tough workout.
The player simply replied that it was just a typical day on the practice field.
Several interviewed Hubbers' players said there were many times they knew what play was being run by the opposition simply by the way they lined up.
Many teams scout their opponents, but Smethport took it to the a new level. The players watched film tediously, film that detailed the tendencies of the next opponent. Together with a flawless offense that was machine-like, but flexible when personnel changed in certain years (Ryan Woodruff as QB), more passing was added to the attack.
Coach Defillippi once said, "Everyone has their own style of coaching. Winning breed success. Once you start winning, it feeds itself.
Seldom did Smethport have the size advantage, especially in playoff competition. Under Defilippi, the Hubbers played in 15 state playoff games, compiling a 9-6 record.
Defilippi's defense was named the top defensive team in the state for the 1990's by Pennsylvania Sports Fever Magazine.
Point #3- An Outsider.
The last Smethport HS football game I saw was September 22, 2018. When my cousin asked me if I wanted to see Smethport host Otto- Eldred, I jumped at the chance.
I hadn't seen my alma mater play in almost 45 years and the last time I saw any Hubbers' football was 1971 when I played against them as a sophomore in high school.
Mike Miller, our speedy halfback, was the deep man on our kick return team and I was one of the two players that flanked Mike, maybe 7-8 yards ahead of him on the left side of the field.
I don't know if the right footed kicker hooked the ball to me intentionally, but I received a kickoff four times-didn't break any, but got the ball in decent field condition for our offense each time. That was my highlight that night against an undefeated Smethport team.
We grabbed a 14 point halftime lead behind the offensive play of Jim Slavin, Gary Silvis and Joe Kahle. Smethport came back in the second half, scoring the winning touchdown in the final quarter led by quarterback Ed Swanson and running back Rob Maynard.
Researching this piece, Rob Maynard was mentioned several times as one of the outstanding running backs in Smethport history. Rob Tronetti, an early 80's back was also a name that came up a lot.
Above and below: the Hubbers' preview and the Border Conference All-Stars. Smethport finished 8-1 overall and 5-0 in the conference. Coach Defilippi was named Border League COY. The Border League All Stars had seven Smethport players named including; Jim Russell (OT), Glenn Riddell (end), Brad Jordan (QB), Rob Tronetti (RB), Al Wilson (DE), Tom Raught (LB) and Chris Barr (LB). Barr was a repeat selection from the previous year.
For Coach Defilippi, it was his first of ten AML/ Border Conference COY Awards.
1982 Cameron County foursome: left to right-Bob Quinn, Paul Schager, Leo Grimone and QB Brian Lovett.
My trips home never coincided with area high school football games. Mid summer, Thanksgiving and Christmas were the usual arrivals back in the Big 30 area. Even the Bradford Era and Times Herald had very little high school football information during those times of year.
Mostly, I recall calling home, and after hellos and checking on family, there usually was a question of two about local sports and during football season, my mother would always say, "Well, Smethport won again." I don't know if she was necessarily elated about that, but it became a staple in our phone conversations-year after year after year.
The next Smethport game I saw was against O-E again. This time the date was September 22, 2018. It was homecoming for the Hubbers. They were 4-0 at the time and the Terrors were 3-1.
It was the game that was delayed over two hours because of the threat of high winds and strong rains. My cousin and I had seats at the 50 yard line, minutes away from the opening kickoff when the public address announcer issued the warning.
Fans headed to their cars, players, coaches, cheerleaders and some fans took refuge in the gymnasium.
Over two hours later, just when it seemed the only option was to postpone the game until the next day, the rain stopped and the officials left their safe haven and the players soon followed to the field.
We had lost our 50 yard seats, but at least the game was going to start shortly after 9:30 p.m.
It was a well-played, exciting game, similar to the one I played in 47 years earlier. Smethport won again, 22-20.
Coach Adam Jack's team went 9-0 during the regular season, won the District IV title and eventually lost in the playoffs to Tom Storey's Coudersport squad.
Jack was a Smethport standout from 1987-1990 as a quarterback and safety.
I watched, with a strong interest, as both teams took the field and began getting loose.
I stood in a corner of the end zone as the coin was tossed and the opening kickoff finally got this game rolling.
It wasn't until the starting offense and defense were on the field when I noticed something was clearly different. It took me a minute or two, but I soon realized that both teams appeared to have almost the same number of players on their sideline/bench area as they did on the field.
Counting the 11 players on the field, neither side appeared to have more than 35 players on their rosters. I was too far away to count, but if I would have been looking for a specific player and he wasn't on the field, he would have been easy to find on the sidelines.
POINT #4- The Number of Participants
The previous couple of days had shown me that the Eldred area, among others, had fewer active businesses, more abandoned storefronts and in general, fewer people.
It was my understanding that graduation class sizes were about half the size of mine, over four decades ago.
I had done some population research for a book I wrote three or four years ago.
I took all the towns, both in Pennsylvania and New York, that we had competed against in athletics. Then I added a town that bordered them. Eventually, I had a nice round number of 40 municipalities.
I took the 2010 census and the 2018 population numbers for each town and every one of the chosen 40 had decreased. Some had dropped less than 10-15 people, but several (Emporium and Bradford for example) had dropped dramatically.
The equation was simple, fewer jobs equals fewer residents. This filtered its way in to the schools, fewer residents=fewer students. Teaching jobs were lost, coaching jobs and programs were shut down or the numbers were so small that a sports exchange/consolidation was established.
If you were a baseball player, but your HS did not have a team, you could play at X school while one of their students who had a wrestling interest (but no program in his school) could wrestle in your program.
It was a way to give students a chance to participate in a sport not offered by their school and also a way to add to the numbers of an existing program.
A District IX coach informed me that more school consolidations are almost certain for the near future as many school football programs hover in the 25-35 number of varsity participants.
The coach explained three central issues. One, the injury factor can deplete a roster dramatically, secondly the weekly practices can have only limited contact-again injury concerns and finally there are times that young players are forced to replace a player(s) because of an injury, illness, suspension, etc. when they may not have the experience and requirements yet to play that position.
Entire schools have been forced to consolidate; Bolivar and Richburg, Ridgway and Johnsonburg, Allegany-Limestone, Cuba- Rushford, Ellicottville- Franklinville, etc.
Again, that's a definitive reason why Defilippi and his four assistants staying together for two decades was improbable then and virtually impossible now.
Less students means less teachers with few of them having a coaching background or interest.
This is not a condemnation of coaches who do not work in the school systems. It's easy to find many athletic programs who have tremendous success with non-teachers or school personnel.
Point # 5 College vs. High School.
Back row- AU assistant head coach, Cal Mosher, Jack Gorsham (Bolivar-Richburg), Kevin Fox (Salamanca), Sam Heffner (Smethport), Boomer Lickfield (Portville), Ryan Woodruff (Smethport), and Tom Callen (Salamanca)
Four Smethport players are part of this '97 Alfred squad.
I've always been disappointed when I find out that a graduating senior who wants to play college football and has the academic qualifications: 1) selects a college program above his level or 2) obtains no help from his high school coach regarding this major choice.
An important part of coaching is preparing individuals to be competitive at the level they will be facing that year, but also to give them a small taste of what it's like at the next level.
Most high school players, if they have attended a college football game, it has involved major, D-1 programs like Pitt, Penn State, or in my neck of the woods; Iowa, Iowa State, Illinois or Northwestern.
There are hundreds of college programs out there, but most players need guidance as they approach a selection and a head coach should play a vital role. He should care and be proud that he and his fellow coaches have helped develop a player who has the potential to play college football.
If everything is equal as a player narrows down his decision; academics, financial, socially, etc., the biggest question remaining is "Can I play there?" Athletically, that's what a player is going to remember. The sack that he made on a big third down play, the punt return for a touchdown, the interception that clinched the game- those are the memories of years to come.
Not, "Boy I didn't dress for the game, but that sure was a nice hotel where we stayed or a beautiful bus we rode on- those events are not going to enter in to any conversations.
We have three colleges within our Quad Cities border, Black Hawk College (JC), Saint Ambrose University (NAIA) and Augustana College (Division 3) NOTE- former Cincinnati Bengals All-Star QB, Ken Anderson went to Augustana.
All three colleges went to their district baseball playoffs this spring. When I ask some of my local instructional league kids if they have ever seen a college baseball game besides the ones on ESPN, I usually get, "Yeah, I saw Purdue at Iowa or Indiana at Iowa."
Well, that's good, but if you want to play college baseball and you are not a Division 1 talent then you definitely should see the level of play of schools in your backyard. Maybe you'll be surprised. "Hey, I can play with these guys" or it might be, "These guys throw harder than I thought."
As I learned some about Coach Defilippi, I noticed how many of his players went to good colleges and played football. It doesn't matter if it's D-1, D-2, D-3, NAIA or a community college, if you can further your education and play some more ball- that's a pretty good deal.
Edwin Moses, Olympic hurdler-122 consecutive victories ('77-'87)
Rocky Marciano, Heavyweight fighter- 49 straight victories ('52-56)
Rafael Nadal, tennis-81 straight wins on clay
Martina Navratilova, tennis-74 consecutive winning matches
Orel Hershiser, baseball-59 and a third scoreless innings in a row.
Those were and probably still are individual professional records.
U. of Oklahoma football, 47 straight victories (1953-1957)
U. of Connecticut Womens Basketball, 90 consecutive wins
UCLA Men's Basketball, 88 wins in a row
New England Patriots, 21 straight wins in a row (parts of '03 and '04)
Philadelphia Flyers, hockey 35 regular season wins in a row ('79-'80.
Team records, some college and some professional.
Let's focus on the team records and also keep Smethport High's 67 regular season winning streak in mind and we won't even mention the one loss and then 23 more W's in a row. Well, I guess we did mention it.
I know there are quite a few readers asking what does this have to do with an essay about Smethport HS football and how can you make any comparison between high school, college and professional sports?
The Hubbers' winning streak certainly received a lot of attention, but, do area football fans really understand how difficult that was?
If you are a college basketball coach and you lose your best player to graduation or the players' draft, maybe even after one year, you've planned for that and you just recruit another high profile player-maybe even better than the guy you lost.
The same holds true in football, Top quarterback leaves and you recruit another or with the transfer rules changing so dramatically, you just bring a major talent in to your program immediately.
There are no trades in high school ball. There is no recruiting at public high schools. There are no 14-year-old free agents. You dance with who brung you.
Many of the top W-L high school teams in the country can put together runs, sometimes three or four straight years beginning with a sophomore class that's outstanding combined with solid juniors and seniors.
We all know that in the high school we attended, some classes had better athletes than another. They were not all the same yet as they reached the varsity level they had to face the same teams as the previous class.
The only way you can put together consecutive wins like the Hubbers did is to create a tremendous "feeder" system that teaches what the young players will need when they reach the varsity level.
You just do not get lucky 67 times in a row. You do not get a set of 6'5, 240 pound, athletic twins move in to your town.
Again, I'm an outsider, but this isn't a mystery. It's the right people working together with the same objectives and with kids with athletic ability and enthusiasm.
Point #6- Jim McGuire.
2021 will mark Coach McGuire's 40th year as an assistant coach for the Smethport Hubbers.
Jim began his football career as most coaches do-as a player for Smethport High from 1959-1962.
When Carl Defilippi took the head coaching position in 1981, he brought Jim on his staff and the program started a clear ride to multiple championships.
Border Conference and Allegheny Mountain titles-District 9 titles, both in Class A and AA and soon to be, at the time, a state record for consecutive regular season wins (67) and multiple awards for players, Coach Defilippi, who in turn shifted the credit to his four-long time assistants.
In 1992, Smethport finished as the state runner-up that may have been the their height of achievement although the streak ran from 1989 to 1996. The state finals' loss was a disappointment, but it was a slight detour, not a roadblock.
"It's just a source of pride and amazing to think about. There were a a lot of really good teams back then," Coach McGuire stated.
"It's for the love of the game, McGuire said. "I love football and love working with the kids and all of the coaches. I have worked with a lot of coaches over the years and have had great relationships with all of them."
The Hubbers won a final AML title in 2001 and then hit the inevitable point where the area team with unparalleled success for 20 years began to find rough road ahead.
Former Hubbers' quarterback Adam Jack was hired as head coach in 2017 and after a bumpy first year, he has brought Smethport back to area prominence again.
Jack's association with Smethport High goes back to the early 90's. He graduated in '91 and played quarterback and safety for those outstanding teams that the Hubbers turned out year after year.
His senior year club made it to the state semis and it was the next year's team that made the trip to the state finals.
McGuire has been a huge asset to Coach Jack and the head coach recognizes the veteran's contribution.
"Coach McGuire has seen just about everything on a football field. He can give us advice how to handle something and its always valuable. But more than game situations, his overall knowledge and his staying power with the program are invaluable. He is a staple," Jack stated.
He continued, "He has a passion for the program and game of football and you can tell he really cares about the kids.
Some Smethport High clubs and players Coach McGuire has worked with during his tenure. Top photo of the 1984 team-nine seniors including: Chuck Dickinson, Brian Green, Mike Swanson, Brian Lathrop and Scott Burdick.
Returning starters ('82)- Joe Huntzinger-senior halfback and DB, Rod McCaslin, senior fullback and LB, Allen Reynolds, senior guard, DE, Rob Tronetti, senior- tailback, DB, Shawn Wolfinger, senior quarterback and safety and Randy McCaslin, junior, guard-tackle and DE.
Photo below: 2014 Smethport High- 8 of 11 returning lettermen. Team was coached by former Hubber standout player, Jim Berlin
Front row, left to right: Daniel Confer, Brayden Howard, Justin Elder and Adam Shunk.
Back row, left to right: Ryan Burdick, Dylan Dinch, Caleb Wian and Dustin Zetwick.
Missing- James Duffy, Devon Brown and Akete Kindle
One of Jack's favorite memories with Coach McGuire was after Smethport's victory over Union/A-C Valley in 2018.
"That was our first home playoff in about 20 years. I remember when the clock wound down, we just locked eyes and the emotion he had and the joy he was feeling in that moment is something I'll always remember," the head coach stated.
Jack's teams have gone on to capture D9 Small School Division titles in 2018 and 2019.
POINT #7- Hubber Players, Opponents and Events
The following is a hodge-podge of names and teams through the years. Several opposing coaches and long-time observers were asked to submit players who impressed them during a wide range of eras.
Big 30 All-Stars-1971
Kim Danielson, defensive tackle-Smethport
Big 30 All-Stars-1972
Kerry Snow, quarterback-Otto-Eldred (Bucknell University)
Fran Gleason, linebacker-Bradford Central Christian (West Virginia University)
Big 30 All-Stars-1973
Kevin Kohn, guard- Smethport
Randy Reinard, alternate-Smethport
Bob Torrey, named as defensive end as a junior-Bolivar and eventually NFL
Randy Reinard wins Woody Maynard Award.
I thought this was a great rundown of a 1934 contest between Smethport and Eldred. The write-up is an interesting read and I have to think some of the players listed are connected to the present day. NOTE- It's a 25-0 win for Smethport and the list of players are located about six photos down**
John Dubots, running back-Coudersport
NOTE: Reap and Dubots became college teammates at New Hampshire University.
NOTE: Reap and Dubots became college teammates at New Hampshire University.
Reap's interception TD return led the Hubbers to a win over Coudersport- at that time the largest crowd to see a game at Coudersport's CARP field
1984- Defensive player of the week-Smethport's Brian Colton.
Hank Reap's junior running back, Steve Mix awarded Player of the Week.
*****from 1934 Eldred-Smethport game.
Smethport HS and area players named by a panel of observers: (Only a partial list)
Jim Stayer, Port Allegany (U. of New Hampshire)
Jeff Defilippi and Mike Defilippi, Smethport (RPI)
Barry Bova, Port Allegany
Mike Dodge, Smethport- Big 30 Game
John Gardner, Portville (Bucknell U.)
Jason Woodruff, Smethport
Bruce Tessena, Smethport
Tim Woodruff, Smethport
Eddie Maynard, Smethport
Matt Baun, Smethport
Josh Costa, Smethport
Lenny Hungiville, Smethport
Mike Wood, Smethport
Tyce Miller, Port Allegany
Dirk Cowburn, Coudersport
Nate Maynard, Smethport- Big 30 Game
Kevin Kohn, Smethport-(Grove City)
Mike Bodamer, Port Allegany
Evan Furlong, Ridgway
Logan Frank, Franklinville/Ellicottville
Jerry Treitley, Olean
Tim Myers, Johnsonburg
Nick Conway, Port Allegany
Nick Budd, Port Allegany
Alex Gular, Port Allegany
Seth Lowrey, Port Allegany
Chris Bass, Smethport
Russ Gould, Bolivar
Tom Raught, Smethport
Paul Schager, Cameron County
Darren Keglovits, Coudersport
Dylan Baumgarner, Port Allegany
Aaron Wolfinger, Coudersport
Mac Tanner, Port Allegany
Mitchell Yehl, Portville
Jake Smith, Bolivar-Richburg
Tim Raught, Otto-Eldred- Big 30 Game
John Wilcox, Otto-Eldred
Scott Hungiville, Smethport
Roy Zelinski, Smethport
Dean Goodwill, Smethport
Luke Fragale, Cameron County
Kyle Haskins, Coudersport
Joe Huntzinger, Smethport
Marty Alter, Smethport- Big 30 team
Denny Mitchell, Smethport
Tom Nasto, Port Allegany
Matt Milne, Portville
Rob Wolfer, Portville
Fran Williams, Portville
Kris Holcomb, Portville
Brian Lovett, Cameron County
Tim Sherry, Cameron County
Bill Blessing, Allegany
O-E Terrors- left to right: Jeff Payne, Tim Webster, Terry Bosworth and Tim Raught. NOTE: Wilcox and Raught were Big 30 Classic players
Mike Blose, Smethport tackle
Braedon Johnson runs against Elk County in 2019
Portville's wide receiver, Matt Milne catches a pass with Smethport's TJ Reap defending. Portville won the battle of unbeatens, 14-7.
POINT #8 -THE COACH
Winning football games.
Carl Defilippi played on back-to-back championship football teams as a player at Leechburg High School.
That team was on a 23-game winning streak when he graduated in 1967.
He was a three year letterman at the University of New Hampshire.
The team won the conference championship in 1968.
As the head coach for the Smethport Hubbers, he became the only coach to be named Big 30 COY three times. He was the 1995 District 9 Coach of the Year and an assistant coach for the Big 33 game in 1998.
He coached 21 seasons at Smethport High with one losing season.
1984 Big 30 Coach of the Year after 8-1 mark that put his four year mark at 31-5. His defensive team gave up only two touchdowns all year.
Ridgway went 27-0 over a three year period, but Smethport (in Defilippi's opening three years) was 23-4-quite a start to his head coaching career.
Coach Defilippi was inducted in to the Pennsylvania Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 2006.
He credited the contributions of his staff and the players he coached over the 21 seasons he spent as head coach of the Hubbers.
"This honor is certainly a tribute to our coaching staff of Denny Maynard, Ward Baun, Rick Woodring and Jim McGuire, who stayed together those 21 years and to our school district and the players, themselves. It shows the public where Smethport is and what a "Hubber" is.
One of the highlights of his coaching career was coaching his sons, Jeff and Mike, and their friends. In 1992, Jeff, Woody Maynard and Matt Baun were all recognized for their academic and athletic skills. They all were National Honor Society members and high honor students. Today, all three are engineers.
Jeff and his younger brother, Mike, graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y, where they both were scholar-athletes.
Carl Defilippi finishes with an 8-1 record with a 43-6 victory over Coudersport and his brother, Ed, wins 100th game as St. Marys beat Dubois, 28-12.
Eisenhower's head coach, Jim Penley, was speaking about another opponent when he said, "They really remind me of those old Smethport teams when I was playing. You could have a really good team and it was so difficult to beat them because of how they played. They were never huge. They just played perfect defense, they got off the ball on offense and were just relentless."
