Allegany Campers Football: ALCO's Football History
Probably one of the most over used term in all of sports is that of CHAMPION or CHAMPIONSHIP. In Websters Dictionary, the word champion is written as; A combatant for an other, or for a cause: a hero; one victorious in contest or to fight for. A championship is defined as: The state of being a champion: support of a cause.
Sound familiar. It should. Allegany High School in Cumberland Maryland is the epitome of a champion. Not because they have won many, many championships, but because they emulate that what makes champions.
The Campers from Allegany County have won the most championships ever in the county among all high schools. 14 in Basketball alone which is still the leader in the entire state of Maryland. 7 State title in football which lead the county and second only in the state to Seneca Valley. This part of the Big Blue Review is dedicated to the fabulous football history of Allegany High School. Although records show the history starts in 1926, it should be known that Allegany played football many years before 1926 and the Big Blue Review is working on those stats as well.
So come with us as we demonstrate to one and all why the Allegany Campers Football program is second to none in the state of Maryland and will always be No. 1 in Allegany County.
 |
 |
| |
 | |
| Walter Bowers, Alco's first coach | |
1926, the Roaring Twenties, the Charleston was being danced and Cumberland was booming with many industries and companies working full bore. It was the first year for the Campers of Allegany to start their new football team.
The first head coach for the new Camper football team was the legondary Walter L. Bowers. Coach Bowers coached the Campers on two different occasions, 1926 - 1933 and 1943 - 1945. He combined a fabulous record of 59 wins and 33 losses with only 9 ties. The Campers opened the new era in football in 1926 with the following schedule:
Allegany 33 Parsons WV 7
Allegany 0 Johnstown PA 6
Allegany 0 Hagerstown MD 0
Allegany 3 Keyser WV 0
Allegany 48 Meyersdale PA 0
Allegany 48 St. Johns 0
Allegany 7 Martinsburg 0
Allegany 22 Bedford PA 0
Allegany 55 Thomas WV 0
Allegany 0 Alumni 6
For those of you that are counting, that is a 7-2-1 record in the first season and they actually played the Alumni from Allegany County High School or ALCO!
Members of the very first team are as follows:
Albert Wolfe, John Pitzer, Auston Fleming, Lester Siebert, Jack Treiber, Jack Wilkinson, Ernist Hutcheson, Henry Kuhn, Robert Wolfe, John Sapp, Frank Barrett, Espy Barley, Gene Burns, Guzz Lloyd, Rod Ford, Jerry Schontze, Melvin Rice, Merle Golden, Howard VanHorn, Watson Pritchard, Elmer Robinson, Wayne Browning, Frank Carter, Ralph Ashby and Robert Stimler.
These folks listed above are Big Blue Royality. These are the guys that started it all. Started it for the likes of Scotty Bauer, the Erhichs, Earl "Lefty" Bruce and all the other outstanding athletes to follow.
The picture below is of the old Allegany County High School or "ALCO" formerly on Greene Street in Cumberland. It was situated where the current Coca Cola bottling plant and Citgo Gas Station is located today. This is a famous school as the Guiness Book of Records has it listed as having a bad fire that raged out of control. The wonder of it all was that the Cumberland West Side Fire department was located right next door to the school and never responded. Huh? That's right folks. But that's another story.
So, here we go with the History of Allegany High School football.
 |
| "IT ALL STARTED RIGHT HERE!" |
THE SECOND YEAR 1927 THROUGH 1929
After a very good start for Coach Bowers and the Campers in 1926, the Big Blue went into 1927 with high expectations ...
 |
|
The Camper head into another decade with some outstanding aspirations. Still lead by Coach Bower, Allegany with the speed of Fred Tack Clark and others begin to turn the other school on the West Side of Cumberland into the legend that it is today. Starting in the 30s, we start to see some of the famous names of the Allegany Football dynasty. So lets get into the 1930s and see how the only 4 year old school starts to get on the road to football greatness.
HARD TIMES DURING THE 1930 - 1935 SEASONS
The Campers again lead by Coach Bowers start off another season of football with yet again some new names on the ...
CAMPER FOOTBALL 1935 - 1939, WAR LOOMING
The second half of the decade begins with another head coach in Herman Ball. Coach Ball will lead the Campers ...
 |
|
As the new decade begins, the Campers enter the 1940s with Coach Herman Ball still at the helm. After taking the Allegany football team and turning it into a offensive juggernaut, coach Ball looks forward to yet another year of Big Blue Football.
The 1940s may have been the most important decade of the century. World War II dominated the decade of course and many people of notoriety made their presents made throughout the decade.
The lovable Jeep made its début as the vehicle of choice for the war, Charlie Chapman and his Great Dictator mimicking Adolph Hitler is all the rage, the German Army conquers France and Winston Churchill become Prime Minister in Great Britton. The most noteworthy event of the 40s, many will say it was the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941, or was it the unveiling of Mt. Rushmore and the presidents, Charles DeGaulle and the French resistance. How about the battle of Midway, Anne Frank or the young Frank Sinatra. Bette Grable or the Atomic Bomb that change the world and the way we live. The breaking of the sound bearer in 1947 by Chuck Yeager, discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947, Israel becomes its own country in 1948, Harry Truman elected president after it was thought Dewey had won the election and Mao Tse-tung become President of Communist China.
Yes, the 40s were a big time for the United States and the World. So many things changed and the world became a unsafe place to live. Yet the world changes would shape the way we live even to this day and of course it also change Allegany football as well.
1940 - ALLEGANYS FIRST LOSS TO FORT HILL
1941 - THE WORLD AT WAR, CAMPERS UNDEFEATED
1942 - AGAIN UNDEFEATED AND RECORD SETTING
1943 - THE RETURN OF COACH BOWERS
1944 - THE OFFENSIVE MINDED CAMPERS AT IT AGAIN
1945 - UNDEFEATED, CITY, CVAL CHAMPIONS
1946 & 47 - A NEW COACH AND EARL BRUCE
1948 - CAMPERS BACK ON TRACK AND UNDEFEATED
1949 - BACK TO BACK 9 WIN SEASONS
 |
|
The 1950s will see the Allegany Campers change head coaches 3 times with Roy Lester, Chet Payne and Ed Schwarz taking the Campers teams. Coach Schwarz will set a new coaching record that will stand at Campobello for many years until another local legend - Jack Gilmore comes along to break it.
 |
1950 - A NEW DECADE, PEACE AND ANOTHER WAR
1951 & 1952 - TWO DOWN YEARS OF FOOTBALL AT ALCO
1953, 1954 & 1955 - NICE CARS AND TELEVISON TOO
1956 & 1957 - A NEW COACH, BUT STILL DISMAL YEARS
1958 & 1959 - A NEW COACHING LEGEND AND WINNERS
 |
|
| |
 |
Alleganys offense was really geared for scoring in the 60 season. Scoring an amazing 364 points vs. the opponents 59 was an amazing feat for the ground oriented Campers. It should also be noted that for the football season, some familiar faces appear in the Camper coaching ranks as well. As the Assistant Head Coach is Ronnie Chapman who will go on to become the Asst. principle at Campobello and then a young man by the name of Robert Hutchinson who also went on to become Principle of Allegany High School and county commissioner of Allegany County.
1960 SCHEDULE: 10-0
Allegany 39 Altoona Catholic PA 0
Allegany 35 North Hagerstown 0
Allegany 31 Keyser, WV 13
Allegany 29 South Hagerstown 27
Allegany 42 Martinsburg WV 0
Allegany 39 LaSalle 0
Allegany 21 Frederick MD 7
Allegany 27 Westminster MD 12
Allegany 40 Beall 0
Allegany 21 Fort Hill 0
1960 TURKEYDAY GAME:
Played November 24, 1960
Coaches: Schwarz, Allegany and Lattimer, Fort Hill
Scoring:
Alco - Ronald Evans, 20 yd run. PAT - Bob Gaffney run.
Alco - Tom Miller 10 yd run. PAT - Tom Miller run.
Alco - Ronald Evans 15 yd run. PAT - Bob Gaffney run.
A Turkeyday note: On the Fort Hill team this season was none other that current Athletic Director Paul Green.
1960 TEAM MEMBERS:
Tom Mahew, Doug Luzier, Louis Meager, Wayne Shook, Bill VanHorn, Dick Sindy, Gene Dickerson, Doug Ogden, Jim McKenzie, Charles Dillon, Ted Bennett, Roger Nesbitt, Jim Bell, Jim Walker, Mike Harvey, Dwight Pope, Gary Mulligan, Charles Butt, Charles Warnick, Bob Wharton, Tom Cecil, John Balch, Shannon Shook, Wayne Dehart, Bob Gaffney, Mervin Pope, Drake Gibbs, Tom Miller, Jeff Norris, Tom Winter, Ronnie Evans, Charles Davis, Terry Bolinger, Bill Pritts, Frank Ardinger, George Izat, Jim Ujcic, John Roy, Fred Shank, Sam Biller, Jame Sisk, Dave Merrill, Doug Haan, Dan Helker, Bucky Harris, Harley Winer, William Cowherd, Steve Curry, Jim Hoelzer and Jerry Lohnas.
 |
1961- 1962 - 1963 - HARD TIMES RETURN THEN TURN AROUND
1964 - 1965 - 1966 - BACK TO WINNING WAYS AGAIN
1967 - 1968 - 1969 -UGLY TIMES FOR THE BIG BLUE
 |
|
| |
 | |
| "HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM" |
 |
1970 - STARTING OFF THE NEW DECADE ON THE WRONG FOOT
1971 - THE TURN-AROUND BEGINS WITH A NEW COACH
1972 - ANOTHER GOOD YEAR BUT 3 HEART-BREAKERS
1973 - ANOTHER GREAT YEAR & RECORD SETTING TURKEYDAY
1974 - CAMPERS 7-2 AND PLAY SOMEONE NEW
1975 - 1976 - CAMPERS AGAIN HIT HARD TIMES
1977 - 1978 - 1979 - THE START OF SOMETHING BIG AT ALCO
 |
|
| |
 | |
| Coach Jim Refosco |
The Campers and the 80s went hand and hand throughout the decade. What a decade the 1980s was. A movie star by the name of Ronald Reagan was elected President in 1980 and only two months later, an Assassination attempt was tried on his life. A beloved Beatle, John Lennon was also killed in 1980 and the entire world mourned together. Believe it or not, even Pope John Paul II had an assassination attempt on his life as well.
The 1980 Allegany Campers came out smoking with the new decade. Winning 4 state titles and having some of the best teams the school has ever had and possibly the best team in the state ever with the outstanding play of the 1988 state champion Campers that set many state and local records. The Campers dominated area play and even the series between the cross town rival Fort Hill. Winning 7 of 10 from the Red Raiders, 4 in a row, the Campers had some of the most outstanding players the city of Cumberland had ever produced. Coach Jim Refosco demonstrated again how potent the Wing-T could be and right in the middle of the decade, turned the reigns over to a new head coach who would go on to beat even his own, (Refoscos), all time winning record at Big Blue.
So here we go Camper fans. The 1980s was a wonderful time for the team from Campobello that will be remembered by local and state people alike.
1980 - ONE OF THE BEST TEAMS ..EVER
1981 - 1982 - A HEARTBREAK & BACK TO STATE PLAYOFFS
1983 - 1984: ANOTHER CHAMPIONSHIP AND NEW COACH
1985 - 1986 - 1987 - A NEW COACH, MORE PLAYOFFS AND WINNING
1988 - 1989 - POSSIBILY ALLEGANYS BEST TEAMS ALL-TIME
 |
|
| |
 |
However, they came roaring back in 91 to get that championship again in what turned out to be the last one for 10 years. Oh the BIG BLUE came mighty close on a couple of occasions like in 94 with they're 10-1 record only to have to play Fort Hill twice in the season. That game may hold the all time record for a Fort Hill - Allegany game, (not homecoming), ever. It was played on a Friday night at Greenway and the house was rocking only to see the Campers loose a close game.
1997 was again a heart break when the Campers had a monster season losing only to Fort Hill in the Homecoming game. Everyone in Cumberland thought this was the year that both city teams would bring back a championship together. So they thought. Fort Hill went on to with only there second state title in 1997, however, the Campers had a semi-final game with Beall at Greenway...the last time Greenway would ever have real mud. If you guess that Alco lost that game...you would be right...14-8 in mud so bad the ball would not bounce.
1998 again the Campers were back at it only to lose another close game to the speedy Forestville team in the last 38 seconds of the game. The Campers scored very late in the game only to kickoff to the speedster from Forestville who ran it back down to the Allegany 37 yard line before they caught him. A few plays later and Forestville came away with a 38-35 win at Greenway.
99 wasn't much different. The only good thing about 1999 was that the Campers upset the highly favored Sentinels 21-14 in the Homecoming game when Dan Shanholtz pulled in a 40 plus yard TD pass from Nathan Simpson with only 21 seconds left on the clock. That was a shock heard around Cumberland. However, the Campers missed the playoffs that year by .013 of a point...CAN YOU BELIEVE IT.
The 90's had some roller coaster times and some very down times as well. In 1997 in the 3rd game of the season, Allegany surpassed the coveted 500 all time wins mark by defeating Liberty, MD., 49-13 under then second year coach Tim Kane. On a sad note, the Campers said goodbye to the winningest coach of all time at Allegany in coach Jack Gilmore at the end of the second Fort Hill game.
The Campers for the entire decade were 73 wins and 33 losses with 1 state championship, was in the Maryland State playoffs 4 times and made it to the semi-finals twice. However, the 1990's was the decade of the Sentinel as Fort Hill dominated Alco by winning 8 of 10 games. 11 if you count the playoff game in 1994. However, it must be said that all the game in the 1990's homecomings were good close games. Of the 10 games, 6 games were 7 points or less.
So here we go with the 1990's. Lots happened during the decade and there is much to write about....so here we go!
 |
| Chris Golliday 1997 loss to Beall |
WHAT HAPPENED IN 1990?
ONE HELL OF A SEASON AND BACK TO BYRD STADIUM
1992 & 93...A GOOD SEASON...A BAD SEASON
1994 - ONE OF THE BEST, FORT HILL TIMES 2, JACK SAYS GOODBYE
A NEW COACH AND 2 SO-SO YEARS
A TOUGH YEARS FOR THE BIG BLUE
1997 - ANOTHER NEW COACH, ANOTHER FANTASIC YEAR
1998 - ANOTHER AMAZING YEAR WITH THE SAME RESULTS!
1999 - WHAT A YEAR AND A HEARTBREAKER TOO!
1999 HOMECOMING GAME...ONE FOR THE AGES!
 |
|
CAN YOU BELIEVE IT! A NEW DECADE....A NEW Millennium and A NEW CAMPERS LOOK!
That's right folks, we have made it through an entire decade of Campers football and yet...here we go with another 100 years or so of BIG BLUE FOOTBALL.
After the 1999 season, the Camper faithful were looking forward to thinks to come with the many athletes and coaches that Campobello had on hand. The Campers were loaded with talent at just about every position available including an unexpected transfer from another local school that seemed to turn around an already stacked team. The early part of the 2000 season saw several state records broken by our Camper players that still stand today. Yet the next year of 2001 saw the entire world change with Twin Towers of 911 and later on the two snipers who scared everyone in the United States for about 3 months. However, the 2001 team will go down as one of the finest to play at Campobello as well.
The Campers welcomed back they're old mentor in Jack Gilmore to the coaching ranks again, only to be followed by one of Allegany's own to take over the reigns and guide them back into the playoffs. The Camper family also lost one of the finest gentlemen and coaches on the Big Blue Campus as Mr. Ron Grabenstien lost his battle for life at the beginning of the 2004 season.
The new decade has only just begun, yet the Campers have some great moments already on the slate for the new Millennium to talk about.
2000 FOOTBALL SEASON...MY HOW THE RECORDS FELL
2001 AND THE CAMPERS RETURN TO GLORY
THE 2001 PLAYOFF RUN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday, April 22
2002 and 2003 CAMPERS GO JUST 5OO FOR BOTH YEARS
Saturday, April 22
2004...A NEW COACH AND A NEW ATTITUDE
