Flashback for some of you "older" timers..
Fran Murphy, PA H.O.F. Mont. Co. chapter football coach passed away this week. Was the head coach of Upper Merion high school during it's glory years of the early '70's. Lead by the QB/WR duo of Bobby Baker and Bobby Thomas, reset the passing/receiving records for the state of Pennsylvania. I believe Baker held the passing records (high school 10-12 during that era) until broken by the Brett Gordon led LaSalle teams of the late '90's, and those eclipsed since then.
Coach Murphy was the head coach of the Big 33 squad that defeated Ohio 21-19 in the 1973 contest, again led by Baker and Thomas. Excerpt of game link below, also interesting the names of players that starred on the '73 and '74 PA squads.
A great coach, a better man!! R.I.P. Coach Murph, we will all miss you...
August 10, 1974
Jimmy Cefalo’s 20-yard run early in the final quarter carried Pennsylvania Big 33 to a 14-7 victory
over Ohio.
Cefalo shared the spotlight with Joe Montana, Mickey Shuler, Rich Fisher and Steve Geise.
Montana, who would later take the 49ers to the Super Bowl, completed 11 of the 24 passes for
167 yards. His chief targets were Shuler, with five catches for 74 yards, and Geise, with four for 59.
There was no score in the first quarter, with Pennsylvania’s Matt Bahr missing a 48-yard field
goal. In the second period, Montana passed 30 yards to Geise at the two. Fisher, who gained 60 yards on 18 carries,
took it in for the score. But Bahr’s kick was blocked.
Ohio went 72 yards on eight plays, with Jeff Logan scoring on a sweep from the 12. Chris Dennis added the point
to give Ohio a 7-6 lead at the half.
Montana was intercepted in the end zone in the third quarter. Early in the final period, Cefalo picked up a first
down at the Ohio 39 on a fourth down gamble. Shuler then made a circus catch of a Montana pass at the 25. Two plays
later, Cefalo burst through a big hole and went into the end zone untouched. QB Eddie Smith ran the option for two
points. Randy Sidler had two late interceptions and the game ended with Pennsylvania on the Ohio four.
August 18, 1973
Upper Merion's pass-catch combination of Bob Baker to Bob Thomas overshadowed Tony
Dorsett's running as Pennsylvania defeated Ohio, 21-19, at Hershey.
Baker completed 19 of 23 passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns in one of the finest passing
parades in Big 33 history.
Thomas had nine catches for 94 yards and two TDs. He opened the scoring on an 11-yard pass
to complete an 83-yard drive after the opening kickoff. Carson Long's kick was blocked.
Pennsylvania made it 14-0 later in the first period. This time Baker passed 18 yards to Thomas. Andy Sefter ran for
the two points.
John Crow's recovery of a Baker fumble at the Pennsy 20 set up a three-yard run by Jimmy Harrell. The kick was
wide, making it 14-6 at the half.
Dorsett caught two passes for 35 yards and Tony Melchiorre banged over from a yard out to put Pennsy up by 21-6
in the third period.
Scott Chrislip fell on a punt that was blocked by Ohio teammate Darrius Edwards in the fourth quarter. Later in the
period, Jim Walton got a high snap on a punt and was tackled on his own four. Jim Bolden scored from the three.
Dorsett rushed for 61 yards on 16 carries and caught four passes for 54 yards.
Fran Murphy, PA H.O.F. Mont. Co. chapter football coach passed away this week. Was the head coach of Upper Merion high school during it's glory years of the early '70's. Lead by the QB/WR duo of Bobby Baker and Bobby Thomas, reset the passing/receiving records for the state of Pennsylvania. I believe Baker held the passing records (high school 10-12 during that era) until broken by the Brett Gordon led LaSalle teams of the late '90's, and those eclipsed since then.
Coach Murphy was the head coach of the Big 33 squad that defeated Ohio 21-19 in the 1973 contest, again led by Baker and Thomas. Excerpt of game link below, also interesting the names of players that starred on the '73 and '74 PA squads.
A great coach, a better man!! R.I.P. Coach Murph, we will all miss you...
August 10, 1974
Jimmy Cefalo’s 20-yard run early in the final quarter carried Pennsylvania Big 33 to a 14-7 victory
over Ohio.
Cefalo shared the spotlight with Joe Montana, Mickey Shuler, Rich Fisher and Steve Geise.
Montana, who would later take the 49ers to the Super Bowl, completed 11 of the 24 passes for
167 yards. His chief targets were Shuler, with five catches for 74 yards, and Geise, with four for 59.
There was no score in the first quarter, with Pennsylvania’s Matt Bahr missing a 48-yard field
goal. In the second period, Montana passed 30 yards to Geise at the two. Fisher, who gained 60 yards on 18 carries,
took it in for the score. But Bahr’s kick was blocked.
Ohio went 72 yards on eight plays, with Jeff Logan scoring on a sweep from the 12. Chris Dennis added the point
to give Ohio a 7-6 lead at the half.
Montana was intercepted in the end zone in the third quarter. Early in the final period, Cefalo picked up a first
down at the Ohio 39 on a fourth down gamble. Shuler then made a circus catch of a Montana pass at the 25. Two plays
later, Cefalo burst through a big hole and went into the end zone untouched. QB Eddie Smith ran the option for two
points. Randy Sidler had two late interceptions and the game ended with Pennsylvania on the Ohio four.
August 18, 1973
Upper Merion's pass-catch combination of Bob Baker to Bob Thomas overshadowed Tony
Dorsett's running as Pennsylvania defeated Ohio, 21-19, at Hershey.
Baker completed 19 of 23 passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns in one of the finest passing
parades in Big 33 history.
Thomas had nine catches for 94 yards and two TDs. He opened the scoring on an 11-yard pass
to complete an 83-yard drive after the opening kickoff. Carson Long's kick was blocked.
Pennsylvania made it 14-0 later in the first period. This time Baker passed 18 yards to Thomas. Andy Sefter ran for
the two points.
John Crow's recovery of a Baker fumble at the Pennsy 20 set up a three-yard run by Jimmy Harrell. The kick was
wide, making it 14-6 at the half.
Dorsett caught two passes for 35 yards and Tony Melchiorre banged over from a yard out to put Pennsy up by 21-6
in the third period.
Scott Chrislip fell on a punt that was blocked by Ohio teammate Darrius Edwards in the fourth quarter. Later in the
period, Jim Walton got a high snap on a punt and was tackled on his own four. Jim Bolden scored from the three.
Dorsett rushed for 61 yards on 16 carries and caught four passes for 54 yards.
