Golden anniversary
It has been 50 years since Carmichaels won a WPIAL title CARMICHAELS – Since this turned out to be a golden football season for Carmichaels, it would be only fitting if this year’s team could celebrate a “Golden” anniversary by equaling the achievement of another Mikes team.
WPIAL playoffs start this week, and Carmichaels will be going into the competition as the only undefeated team in the Class “A” lineup.
It is also another notable year in Carmichaels football history – the 50th anniversary of the school’s only WPIAL champion.
It was back in 1952 that the school – then known as Cumberland – compiled an 11-0 record, still a single season winning high in school history. Included were wins over Zelienople (40-14) and Wilmerding (12-6) to win the WPIAL Class A championship. The name didn’t officially change to Carmichaels until 1963.
The 1951 team finished 4-4-1 and had the nucleus of that lineup returning for 1952, including all-county choices Charles Grimm at end, guard Jerry Urda and running back Tom Buday.
Bill Cree, who coached the Mikes from 1945 through 1953, was the head coach, assisted by Fred Stuvek. Joe Siko, Dick Hathaway and Tom Cuismano were also assistants in Cree’s tenure.
When talk turns to championship teams of long ago, that usually means a chance to dig around in the old Herald-Standard files, which can consume all or most of an afternoon.
This time there was added help from Gary C. Osborne, who has compiled an interesting and very informative history of Cumberland-Carmichaels football, starting in 1923 with the first team (coached by Harry T. McHenry) and running through John Menhart’s 2000 tenure.
The 1952 championship lineup included starters John (Yogi) Jazwa or Ralph Brand at left end, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Ward, left tackle; co-captain Urda or George (Bud) Johnson, left guard; Ken Nopwasky, center; co-captain Tom Kaprive, right guard; Jim Gray or George Krosunger, right tackle; Leonard Visnesky or Robert Kromer, right end; Joe Cielensky, quarterback; Larry Krutko, left halfback; Jim Haught or Ed Bandish, right halfback and Tom Colbert, fullback.
Other members of the team (first names not available for some) included: Bill Shaffer, Joe Smith, Don Whipkey, Bob Colbert, Don Johnson, Bob Pevarnik, A. Reposky, P. Boord, B. Reynolds, W. Swihart, R. Yarish, C. Hopton, D. Horkey, P. Baily, J. Hawley, M. Krewasky, B. Luxner, J. Kesock, J. Rudolph, A. Smith, C. Janes, H. Hartman, K. Gdovka, F. Herczyk, J. Girgas, D. Kowaleski, J. Firestone, W. Reynolds, E. Yowler and B. Kennedy.
The championship season started with a 19-0 win over South Union, which was coached by the late Ringy Stefancin.
It was only fitting that Larry Krutko, who would go on to set what was then a single-season Greene County scoring record, would get the first score of the game, from the four, and then ran the PAT (worth only one then) for a 7-0 lead.
In the third quarter, fullback Colbert ran 22 yards to the SU 14, and Krutko scored from there. Haught closed the scoring in the fourth quarter, returning a pass theft 30 yards.
Carmichaels 31, East Bethlehem 6 – The Mikes drove 65 yards for the score that left them up 6-0 through the first half. In the third, East Beth fumbled at its own 22, from where Cielensky passed to Visnesky on the seven, and Colbert scored from there. Krutko plunged over for the PAT. Nopwasky returned an interception 45 yards for a 19-0 lead after three. In the fourth, Krutko ran an interception 55 yards, and Cielensky ended a 50-yard push, scoring from the two. Late in the fourth, EB moved 50 yards to score, DeWitt going the last 15.
Carmichaels 45, Masontown 0 – Colbert scored on runs of 10, 30 and two yards, plus added one PAT for a 19-0 halftime lead. In the third, Cielensky passed 15 to Jazwa for the TD and again for the PAT, Krutko ran 50 yards, Haught ran 50 yards with a pass interception, and a Cielensky to Visnesky pass added the PAT. A 30-yard pass from Cielesnky to Gray in the fourth quarter ended scoring.
Carmichaels 19, North Union 0 – A 30-yard touchdown pass from Cielensky to Haught 30 opened the scoring. In the second quarter, the Mikes drove from their 29 to the NU 1-foot line from where Cielesnky scored on a keeper. In the fourth, the Mikes moved from their 20 to the 49, and Colbert scored from there, around left end with a pitch.
Carmichaels 40, Mapletown 7 – Carmichaels took the opening kickoff to the Mapletown 4. Colbert scored, and Bandish kicked the PAT. Krutko ran five yards, Colbert scored twice on 50-yard runs, and Bandish kicked two PATs for a 27-0 halftime lead. In the fourth, Bandish ran 10 yards for a 34-0 lead. George Johnson blocked a punt, his brother Don recovered at the two, and Bill Clark plunged in for the score.
Carmichaels 20, Jefferson 0 — Jefferson was WPIAL co-champion the previous year (with Wilmerding) and had a 20-game winning streak going into this game. The Mikes drove to the Jefferson 2 and fumbled. Jefferson tried to move but was held, went to punt, but a bad snap out of the end zone gave Carmichaels a 2-0 lead. Krutko scored from the four in the second, then Urda recovered a Jefferson fumble at the one, Krutko was stopped at the 1-foot line, and Cielensky scored from there. In the fourth quarter, Haught ran 69 yards for the final score.
Carmichaels 40, Waynesburg 14 -Mikes clinched the Greene County championship with this win. In the first quarter, Krutko scored from the two. Colbert ran for 91 yards, Krutko seven and Colbert 16 to score in the second. A Cielensky to Visnesky scoring, runs by Colbert and Krutko PAT gave Carmichaels a 27-0 halftime lead. Colbert returned the second-half kickoff 86 yards and ran the PAT, and Cielensky plunged two for the last score. For Waynesburg, Ed Tewell ran 30 yards in the third quarter and kicked the PAT, and Jim Dobish had one-yard TD in the fourth.
Carmichaels 41, Glassport 12 – Krutko scored three TD’s and gained 122 yards in 23 carries, and Colbert was 19-for-112, plus he had a 90-yard punt return. Pass interceptions by Haught, Krutko and Ward set up second half scores.
The win moved Carmichaels into the WPIAL playoffs, where it routed Zelienople in the first round, 40-14, at the Wilkinsburg field and advanced to the finals.
The Mikes rushed 340 yards, led by Krutko with 177 on 20 carries for three TDs, and four PATs.
The Mikes led 14-7, 21-7 and 34-7 at the stops. Zelienople was led by Ambrose (Bugs) Bagamery, who scored both TDs.
In the first quarter, Haught ran 41 yards to the Zelienople 14, and Krutko scored from there. Two plays after the kickoff, Zelienople fumbled and Urda recovered at the 35. The drive ended at the eight, and on the first play from there, Bagamery ran 92 yards to score. Cielensky returned the kickoff to the Zelienople 45, and on the first play, Krutko scored, then ran the PAT for a 14-7 lead. In the second quarter, Carmichaels put a punt in play at its own 47 and scored in five plays with a Cielensky to Haught pass covering the last 16 yards. Colbert returned the second half kickoff 90 yards to score, but a clip at midfield put the ball on the Carmichaels’ 35. Eight plays later, Colbert scored from the 19. Haught’s interception put the Mikes on the Zelienople 40, but penalties moved them back to where it was fourth down and almost 40 yards to go. Cielensky fired a long pass to Visnesky at the 20 and he went in to score.
Zelienople fumbled the kickoff, Carmichaels recovered at the 34, and Krutko ended the push from the three.
The championship final against Wilmerding was rained out of its Saturday date and moved to Monday with German Twp. and its Ford-and-Ward combo playing the same day against Midland. German lost 14-6, but Carmichaels won 12-6 to take home the WPIAL Class B title.
In the first quarter, the Mikes drove 80 yards with Krutko scoring from the two. Wilmerding came right back for a 6-6 tie that held into the third. Five minutes into the third, Colbert went over guard, behind a key block by Haught, for 24 yards and a TD. Haught also made a key defensive play in the fourth quarter when Wilmerding drove to the Mikes’ 20, intercepting a pass at the 10 and returning it 80 yards to the Wilmerding 10. Wilmerding scored in the fourth, but a holding call nullified the play.
Now, the Mikes are on the threshold of making history repeat itself?