Redskin Gridiron History – Fun Facts 3
Redskins Visitors at The Ridge: Before you protest that we’ve lost our senses, does Saturday, October 15, 1977 mean anything to you? It should. For it was on that day and date that the Neshaminy Redskins found themselves on the Eastern side of the field (that’s for the visitors – yikes – get with the program people).
How could that be? Well, if you had been poking around all the nooks and sidebars of this site (like we asked), you’d know that from 1976 through the 1981 the Neshaminy School District was split into two separate high schools – the “old” Neshaminy and the “new” Maple Point. The former remained as our cherished Redskins while the latter became the Cougars.
With both playing at “The Ridge”, home and away games between the two were traded each year and in 1977 it was the Redskins turn to play a road game. Traveling can be tough, and so it was for the ‘Skins as the obvious confusion of looking West all game long was too much for Neshaminy as they lost to their brother (or would it be sister), 7-0.
Redskins Visitors At The Ridge II & III: And while we’re at it (as seems to be the case throughout), it would appear that in 1979 the ‘Skins were once again confused as they came up short for a second time when lining up as visitors and playing the Cougars (16-7 this time).
Try as they might, the ‘Skins never did quite get a grip on the Lincoln Highway side of the field as they closed out their “visitor” career in 1981 by tying Maple Point 0-0 (a little closer to the W column but not close enough). Fortunately the school district put itself back together the following year with the two-school “experiment” then relegated to the lead balloon file.
What’s with the number 3: We’ve obviously got too much time on our hands because we just noticed our ‘Skins have tied 33 games over the years (that’s about 1 every 24 games).
With that said – explain to us (if you will) the 1951 season when 3 contests ended up all knotted up! And if that isn’t “coincidental” enough, those 3 games in 1951 went into the books as follows: Game 1 against Pennsbury – 6 to 6; Game 2 against Doylestown – 6 to 6; and, Game 3 against Jenkintown – 6 to 6.
We’re not sure what this all means but it does keep us occupied.
What’s with the number 3 (part II): This is getting weird (and to make matters worse – we don’t feel very pithy today). Anyway, in 1937 the ‘Skins registered 3 ties as well! Only this time they were all 0 to 0 (at least there was some scoring by 1951)!!! For more on this we respectfully direct you to: Lowest Scoring Game.
What’s with the number 3 (part III): Now here’s something we think you’ll enjoy (and we thought we’d write it down before we forget) – we wanted to congratulate the Kinney family for providing 3 boys (Jarred, Jason and Justin – listed alphabetically if you hadn’t noticed) to help Coach Schmidt and the rest of the squad in its recent victory over Archbishop Ryan (September 9, 2005). Scratching our heads as we might (and thumbing through our Redskins “books”) we couldn’t find another game when 3 ‘Skins from the same family (that means they’re brothers) suited up and and played in the same game! Quite a feat!
And if anyone has information that this has happened before – please let us know so we can give a tip o’ the hat to that family as well.
What’s with the number 3 (part IV): It is hard to get selected for the All State team even once, but Oleh Manzyk, class of 2019, made All-State three times. He is the first player in Neshaminy history to do so. In 2016 he made 1st team Offense, in 2017 he made 1st team Defense and in 2018 he made 2nd team Defense. Oleh chalked up 237 career tackles with 41 of those for a loss, 14 sacks, 9 forced fumbles, 7 fumble recoveries, 72 receptions for 1,520 yards, 106 carries for 725 yards, 38 touchdowns and 37 wins. Whew! Oleh was nicknamed “The Iceman” as defenders slipped off of him like he was ice.
Oleh Manzyk, The Iceman
Lowest Scoring Game: It can’t get any lower than 0-0 tie and the ‘Skins have seen 13 contests end knotted at double-ought. Those games were played in 1932, 1933, 1934, 1937, 1938, 1943, 1947, 1949, 1963 and as recently as 1978 and 1981. And we didn’t forget to list a couple of years (that is only eleven seasons) as rather incredibly, 3 of those side-by-side goose egg finals were posted during the same campaign (1937) when New Hope, Morrisville and Quakertown held the ‘Skins scoreless while also failing to cross the goal line themselves. Now that’s some defense!
Worst Defeat I: Bristol halted Neshaminy (then called Langhorne-Middletown) 60-0 in long ago 1939 (maybe that had something to do with the 1961 game between the Warriors and the ‘Skins – check out “Biggest Margin of Victory”). Click here for the 1939 newspaper article!
Worst Defeat II: Capping off a disastrous 1966 campaign, the ‘Skins closed out that year on the wrong end of a 60 to nothing rout against cross-town rival Pennsbury.
Worst Defeat III: In 1994, Head Coach Dick Bedesem’s last season, the ‘Skins lost their season opener to Allentown’s Louis Dieruff by the score of 61-24.
Worst Defeat IV: In the last playoff game of the 2012 season, the Redskins lost to Coatesville 63-28. It was the most points ever given up by a Redskins team.
Longest Unbeaten Streak: The ‘Skins posted a 51 game run which began with a win in the fourth game of 1961 and continued uninterrupted to the last game of the 1965 season. During that skein (under the guidance of the legendary John Petercuskie) their record was 47 wins, no losses and 4 ties.
Longest Winning Streak: The 51 game streak during the first half of the 1960s stands as the Redskins longest unbeaten streak; however, it is not the longest consecutive win streak. That honor falls to the 1952 and 1953 clubs (coached by another Neshaminy stalwart – Harry Franks) who reeled off 18 straight wins unmarred by a loss or tie. Thereafter, and not unlike a dormant volcano, it was nearly fifty years before the 2001 and 2002 teams (under Mark Schmidt) exploded to put together their own 18 game “perfect” mark.
The Humble Beginning: Neshaminy first fielded its own eleven in 1928 when the school was called Langhorne-Middletown High School. Preferring to stay close to home, that first and only game that year was against Newtown High School. Heart and history yet-to-come where not enough as our kids came up short, 13 to 0.
Langhorne Middletown HS 1944, 1945 or 1946.
Photo courtesy of Craig Schneider, son of Wayne “Inky” Schneider
Humble Beginning II: In 1929 (that’s the following year – stick with us) the ‘Skins exacted a measure of revenge when they put their first mark in the “W” column when they brought home a 13 to 7 victory over ‘ who else” Newtown High School. Wonder if they tore down the goalposts?
Lowest Scoring Year: In 1939 the season saw 8 games played and 0 points scored. Did someone say forward pass?
Longest Field Goal: In 2001 Kevin Kelly lined up for a 54 yard field goal try against Pennsbury. Guess what? He not only tried it – he made it! Beside that kick being an area record. Kevin also “owns” the District One record with a 53 yarder. We sure will miss him.
Source: Standard Speaker November 9, 2001
Kicking, Part II: Since we’re lamenting his graduation we feel compelled to point out that during the 2004 march to chocolate town Kevin was an astounding 58 for 58 on extra points. We might close with the fact his 4 year total of 142 for 153 “one-pointers” means he was on the mark 92.8% of the time. The Lions roared when Kevin came a calling.
Neshaminy places four players on All-Century Team: Well, we know the ‘Skins are tops in our hearts but apparently they’re tops in a few others as well. How’s that you ask? Check out our favorite gridiron newspaper – the Pennsylvania Football News. In their recently compiled All-Century Team (that’s 1901 through 2000 – the next one’s not quite ready) they listed 121 players from 90 schools on their First and Second Teams as well as those given Honorable Mention (the list was compiled by vote of fans and PFN staff). Only four schools had 4 or more players (the drum roll please):
- Altoona – 5
- Connesville – 5
- Neshaminy – 4
- Donora – 4
Our players? Harry Schuh, Chris Bahr, Matt Bahr and Bob Baxter. Schuh was a First Teamer on offense while Chris Bahr was on the Second Team offense. Matt Bahr and Baxter both received Honorable Mention.
Twentieth Century Team
And in case you were wondering, two schools had 3 players on the list, thirteen had 2 each and seventy-one had 1 of their boys on the team.
By the way, you might recognize a few of those other players: George Blanda, Chuck Bednarik, Jim Nance, Lenny Moore, Fred Biletnikoff, John Cappelletti, Leon Hart, Dan Marino, Johnny Lujack, Joe Namath, Dave Joyner, Herb Adderly, Ty Law, Jack Ham, Raghib Ismail, Ricky Waters, Tony Dorsett, Mercury Morris and Billy “White Shoes” Johnson – among others.
Not bad company, we’d say. And lest we appear remiss, congratulations to our All-Century Redskins!