1968 KHSAA football playoffs

CLASS AAA

Region One: Trinity was the city champion

(district 2) (district 1)

Region Two: (county final) Seneca 26, Valley 20 (9-2) Coach: Irv Spencer--2

Overall ChampionshipTrinity 29, Seneca 18 (10-2) Coach: Ron Cain--7

(10-1) Coach: Jim Kennedy--5

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A & AA finals were played at Fairgrounds Stadium, Louisville.

Class AA schools had 475 or more students in the upper three grades

Schools could “play up a class” if they so chose.

CLASS AA

(district 1) (district 2)

Region 1: PaducahTilghman 12,at Owensboro, Sr. 0 (8-2) Coach: Gerald Poynter--4

(district 1) (district 2)

Region 2: Elizabethtown14, at Danville 0 (8-3-1) Coach: Pat Dale--3

Region 3: at Ft.ThomasHighlands25,Lex. Bryan Station 0 (8-2-1) Coach: Dan Haley--3

(district 2) (district 1)

Region 4: at Belfry 20, Evarts 7 (7-5) Coach: Charley Hunter--14

semi-finals:at Elizabethtown31, Paducah Tilghman 0 (7-4-1) Coach: Ralph Colby--4

Highlands 48, at Belfry 0 (9-2-1) Coach: Al Vipperman--10

final:Highlands 32, Elizabethtown 7(10-3)Coach: Vince Hancock--2

(13-0)Coach: Mike Murphy--2

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CLASS A

(district 1) (district 2)

Region 1: at FultonCity 26, Glasgow 7(9-3)Coach: Butch Gilbert--6

(district 2) (district 1)

* Region 2: Frankfort14, at Bardstown 14 (10-1)Coach: Garnis Martin--17

(district 1) (district 2)

Region 3: at Dayton14, Mt. Sterling 13 (10-2)Coach: Charles Ishmael--3

(district 1) (district 2)

** Region 4: at Lynch 28, McKell 13 (7-4)Coach: Jim Hastings--1

semi-finals:Frankfort 26, at FultonCity 0 (10-1)Coach: Larry Shanks--1

Lynch 33, atDayton 6 (7-2-2)Coach: Ray King--3

final:Lynch 14, Frankfort 6 (11-2-1) Coach: Ollie Leathers--21***

(10-1-1) Coach: Ed Miracle--11

* Frankfort was declared the winner by having better statistics at the end of the game

**McKellHigh School (in GreenupCounty) featured 180-pound halfback Don Gullett, later a pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds & New York Yankees. In his last regular season game, he ran for 410 yards in 28 carries against Wurtland H.S.…scoring all 11 TD’s and kicking 6 of the 11 extra points in a 72-7 victory. His 72 points broke the individual scoring record set by Herbie Phelps (62) of OldKentuckyHomeHigh School in Bardstown in 1962.

***This was the last year for Ollie Leathers as head coach. His overall record...all at Frankfort...

was 114-81-9. He had been selected the Kentucky High School Coach of the Year in 1966.

1968 ASSOCIATED PRESS All-State Team

Player School Pos.

1st team

Hennessey, AlanLou. TrinityBack

Latham, BobbyHopkinsvilleBack

Ownby, HaroldFranklin-SimpsonBack

Racke, TimFt ThomasHighlandsBack

Jones, AllenLou. MaleCenter

King, KennyLou. FlagetEnd

Young, JimFranklin-SimpsonEnd

Johnson, JerryOwensboroGuard

Ware, BobbyAndersonGuard

Clark, TomOwensboro CatholicTackle

Dixon, TomHarrison Co.Tackle

2nd team

Bishop, DarylLou. SenecaBack

Brickler, DaveCampbell Co.Back

Christensen, MikeLou. DeSalesBack

Thompson, AlfredOwensboroBack

Coppage, HughOhio Co.Center

Kirksey, LarryHarlanEnd

McKay, PhilBardstownEnd

Jackson, NormanCaldwell Co.Guard

Rittle, TomLou. TrinityGuard

Barely, RobertMayfieldTackle

Melvin, CarlPaintsvilleTackle

3rd team

Collins, Alfred “Sonny” MadisonvilleBack

Gullett, DonMcKellBack

Talbott, BillHarrison Co.Back

Washington, JoeLynchBack

Peterson, JohnCaldwell Co.Center

Bates, MartyLex. Bryan StationEnd

Denny, WilliamLou. MaleEnd

Belote, SteveMayfieldGuard

Schardein, RexLou. St. XavierGuard

Hamberg, FredDaviess Co.Tackle

Sauer, EarlLou. ValleyTackle

1968 LOUISVILLE COURIER-JOURNAL All-State team

Player SchoolPos. Grade

1st team

Ware, BobbyAnderson Co.OG12

Hamberg, FredDaviess Co.OT12

Hoffman, RickFt ThomasHighlandsOB12

Young, JimmyFranklin-SimpsonOE12

King, KennyLou. FlagetOE12

Jones, AllenLou. MaleOC12

Eaves, CareyLou. SenecaOB12

Hennessy, AlanLou. TrinityOB12

Rittle, TommyLou. TrinityOG12

Washington, JoeLynchOB12

Gullett, DonMcKellOB12

Clark, TommyOwensboro CatholicOT12

2nd team

McKay, PhilBardstownOE12

Wagster, JohnCampbellsvilleOG12

Rocke, TimFt Thomas HighlandsOB12

Kirksey, LarryHarlanOE12

Dixon, TomHarrison Co.OT12

Latham, BobbyHopkinsvilleOB12

Correll, ArvelLou. EasternOB12

Vittitoe, DaleLou. Fern CreekOT12

Bishop, DarylLou. SenecaOB12

Schardein, RexLou. St. XavierOG12

Johnson, JerryOwensboroOC12

3rd team

Dailey, AlleyElizabethtownOE12

Estridge, RexEvartsOB12

Oetjen, GregFt Thomas HighlandsOT12

Ownby, HaroldFranklin-SimpsonOB12

Wolf, JoeLou. ButlerOE12

Scrivener, DraneLou. MaleOB12

Denny, WilliamLou. MaleOE12

McCollum, JamesLou. MaleOT11

Sauer, EarlLou. ValleyOC12

Johnson, TommyLynchOG12

Turner, DannyRichmond MadisonOG12

Perkins, JeffSomersetOB12

COACH -- Murphy, Mike -- Fort Thomas Highlands