ST. MARYS - SKIP BAUGHMAN STADIUM -- The St. Marys Roughrider football program kicked off the 2000 season with the annual Chicken Bowl scrimmage against Urbana. Like Ted Liette (left), the Rider coaches were all smiles as their charges took control of the game on both sides of the ball, outscoring the outmanned Hilltoppers 7 touchdowns to 1.
Running back Eli Holsinger broke free several times for big gains and 2 TDs. The Hilltoppers also showed some speed with a couple of break-away touchdown runs, one of which was called back on a clipping penalty.
The Rider playbook held true to form as few passes were attempted by the home team, but the pass protection was good and a couple of nice receptions were made, one for a touchdown.
The Chicken Bowl was moved to a Friday this year by edict of the Ohio High School Athletic Association, which limited teams to one scrimmage to be played either on Wednesday, August 16, or Friday August 18. Your tax dollars at work. The move did little to discourage the Roughrider faithful, who turned out by the thousands to get a preview of this year's team.
Heard in the Stands:
The offensive center and guards played well, according to the "coaches" on the bleachers, recording some nice traps and pulling plays. The numbers are down a little in 2000 for a Roughrider team with "only" 59 players on the roster. That still compares quite favorably with the competition - Urbana brought less than 30 players to the scrimmage. MHS policy banning 2-concurrent-sport participation holds: there will not be any soccer players on the kicking teams of the Roughriders this year.
The Spring Street Journal apologizes for the lack of player identification in this article - the Chicken Bowl is played in practice jerseys which do not have the correct numbers.
