H.S. Football Coach gets his "300"th Win...
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H.S. Football Coach gets his "300"th Win...
Dunmore coach joins "300" club....
Henzes is fifth in state to reach milestone
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
The Patriot-News
One of these days, it's possible there will be enough high school football coaches in this state with "300" victories that the accomplishment will seem routine.
But it's not. It's an accomplishment that speaks not just of longevity but of dedication.
That's a pretty fair description of Dunmore's Jack Henzes.
Henzes became the fifth Pennsylvania coach to claim his 300th victory when his Bucks pounded Scranton Prep 32-7 Friday.
He's keeping pretty good company these days: George Curry (Lake-Lehman, Berwick and Wyoming Valley West), Mike Pettine (Central Bucks West), Frank Pazzaglia (Valley View) and Jim Render (Upper St. Clair) are the only other state coaches to have crossed that threshold.
Henzes, 70, who has coached at Wyoming Area as well as Dunmore, is in his 40th year as a head coach, following in the footsteps of his father, John "Papa Bear" Henzes, who reached his own legendary status by winning 251 games at Blakely High School, now part of the Valley View jointure.
Henzes is nothing if not dedicated. He actually has a history of heart problems and has missed a few games while being hospitalized for issues related to those problems. But he has come right back to coach each time and last Friday he celebrated his milestone achievement with friends, family and even a few former players.
Henzes' 1989 team was his most notable, at least on a statewide basis, for winning the second PIAA Class A championship in convincing fashion.
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RED-FACED TORNADOES: We have spilled a lot of ink over the years writing about Mount Carmel football, and for good reason. The Red Tornadoes have won more games than any other Pennsylvania school and have been the dominant Class AA program in Pennsylvania during the state playoff era.
The Tornadoes have five state championships, winning each even-numbered year starting in 1994 and had a near-miss in 1999 when they lost to Tyrone in the state finals.
Those memories have faded fast. Mount Carmel has struggled to make the playoffs recently and struggled within the playoffs once there.
Now this: Last week, Mount Carmel, admittedly damaged by injuries, was shut out by a winless Shikellamy team, 8-0.
"It's a terrible, terrible loss," Mount Carmel head coach Mike Brennan told the Shamokin News-Item. "We all have to look in the mirror in this program."
The loss included a hefty goal-line stand by Shikellamy in the last five minutes of the fourth quarter. The Braves celebrated by dancing on the field -- at least it was their home field -- and posing for pictures on Senior Night.
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NOTES: Limited changes in the top 10 this week, but they are notable.
Erie Cathedral Prep makes its first appearance of the year in the Class (AAAA) top "10" after a 21-7 win over General McLane, which once sat at the Class (AAA) No. #2 spot but has lost consecutive games. ... Everybody's excited about Berks County's new superstar, Daniel Boone, and for good reason. The Blazers have posted superb wins the last two weeks (over Governor Mifflin 22-10 and last year's PIAA Class (AAA) runner-up, Pottsville, 46-28), enough to vault Daniel Boone into the top "10" for the first time in school history at No.# 6. ...
Folks have been nudging us to move Wilson Area, last year's Class (AA) runner-up that returned several starters, above the No. #4 spot. But the Warriors, while unbeaten at 8-0, have developed a penchant for slow starts and good finishes. Twice in recent weeks Wilson Area has had to rally in the second half to claim victories. Even in last week's 21-0 triumph over Pen Argyl, Wilson Area played a sluggish first quarter -- star quarterback D.J. Lenehan was sacked once and fumbled the ball away twice -- before it ramped up to cruising speed. ...
Biggest shocker of the week was clearly Montour's 29-28 triumph over previously unbeaten and then-Class (AAA) No.# 2 Blackhawk. Montour (3-5) scored 22 fourth-quarter points, including an 11-yard scoring pass from E.J. Banks to Bryce Pfeuffer and a two-point conversion run by Christian Wilson with 47 seconds left. "This isn't the end for us, but it's a huge setback," said Blackhawk head coach Joe Hamilton, who is also on the verge of winning 300 games.
THE CHOPS
Henzes is fifth in state to reach milestone
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
The Patriot-News
One of these days, it's possible there will be enough high school football coaches in this state with "300" victories that the accomplishment will seem routine.
But it's not. It's an accomplishment that speaks not just of longevity but of dedication.
That's a pretty fair description of Dunmore's Jack Henzes.
Henzes became the fifth Pennsylvania coach to claim his 300th victory when his Bucks pounded Scranton Prep 32-7 Friday.
He's keeping pretty good company these days: George Curry (Lake-Lehman, Berwick and Wyoming Valley West), Mike Pettine (Central Bucks West), Frank Pazzaglia (Valley View) and Jim Render (Upper St. Clair) are the only other state coaches to have crossed that threshold.
Henzes, 70, who has coached at Wyoming Area as well as Dunmore, is in his 40th year as a head coach, following in the footsteps of his father, John "Papa Bear" Henzes, who reached his own legendary status by winning 251 games at Blakely High School, now part of the Valley View jointure.
Henzes is nothing if not dedicated. He actually has a history of heart problems and has missed a few games while being hospitalized for issues related to those problems. But he has come right back to coach each time and last Friday he celebrated his milestone achievement with friends, family and even a few former players.
Henzes' 1989 team was his most notable, at least on a statewide basis, for winning the second PIAA Class A championship in convincing fashion.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RED-FACED TORNADOES: We have spilled a lot of ink over the years writing about Mount Carmel football, and for good reason. The Red Tornadoes have won more games than any other Pennsylvania school and have been the dominant Class AA program in Pennsylvania during the state playoff era.
The Tornadoes have five state championships, winning each even-numbered year starting in 1994 and had a near-miss in 1999 when they lost to Tyrone in the state finals.
Those memories have faded fast. Mount Carmel has struggled to make the playoffs recently and struggled within the playoffs once there.
Now this: Last week, Mount Carmel, admittedly damaged by injuries, was shut out by a winless Shikellamy team, 8-0.
"It's a terrible, terrible loss," Mount Carmel head coach Mike Brennan told the Shamokin News-Item. "We all have to look in the mirror in this program."
The loss included a hefty goal-line stand by Shikellamy in the last five minutes of the fourth quarter. The Braves celebrated by dancing on the field -- at least it was their home field -- and posing for pictures on Senior Night.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTES: Limited changes in the top 10 this week, but they are notable.
Erie Cathedral Prep makes its first appearance of the year in the Class (AAAA) top "10" after a 21-7 win over General McLane, which once sat at the Class (AAA) No. #2 spot but has lost consecutive games. ... Everybody's excited about Berks County's new superstar, Daniel Boone, and for good reason. The Blazers have posted superb wins the last two weeks (over Governor Mifflin 22-10 and last year's PIAA Class (AAA) runner-up, Pottsville, 46-28), enough to vault Daniel Boone into the top "10" for the first time in school history at No.# 6. ...
Folks have been nudging us to move Wilson Area, last year's Class (AA) runner-up that returned several starters, above the No. #4 spot. But the Warriors, while unbeaten at 8-0, have developed a penchant for slow starts and good finishes. Twice in recent weeks Wilson Area has had to rally in the second half to claim victories. Even in last week's 21-0 triumph over Pen Argyl, Wilson Area played a sluggish first quarter -- star quarterback D.J. Lenehan was sacked once and fumbled the ball away twice -- before it ramped up to cruising speed. ...
Biggest shocker of the week was clearly Montour's 29-28 triumph over previously unbeaten and then-Class (AAA) No.# 2 Blackhawk. Montour (3-5) scored 22 fourth-quarter points, including an 11-yard scoring pass from E.J. Banks to Bryce Pfeuffer and a two-point conversion run by Christian Wilson with 47 seconds left. "This isn't the end for us, but it's a huge setback," said Blackhawk head coach Joe Hamilton, who is also on the verge of winning 300 games.
THE CHOPS