Guido: Highlands football set to celebrate 50th season

By: HSSN Staff
Tuesday, September 12, 2017 | 8:15 PM

Highlands will mark its 50th football season with a celebration Friday as part of its home game against Knoch.

All football alumni are invited, but the school hopes to have a number of players from the 1968 team attend.

Former Highlands players who still want to be part of the recognition should call the athletic office at 724-226-2400, ext. 4518.

The merger of Tarentum and Har-Brack high schools took place in 1968, making 2018 the school's 50th anniversary. But this year is the 50th time the school has fielded a football team.

Some might not realize the current makeup of the school district wasn't the first format to be considered.

An early plan had Tarentum, Fawn, East Deer and Frazer combining for one high school. Har-Brack and West Deer high schools would have been left intact.

But the State Department of Education had other ideas.

Until State Act 561 of 1961 came along, each municipality had its own school district. That included the former Brackenridge, Harrison, Tarentum and Fawn school districts.

If a municipality didn't have a high school, tuition was paid for students to attend a high school after eighth or ninth grade.

Toward the end of the 1950s, the state wanted to reduce the 2,508 school districts to the current 498.

Part of that meant Tarentum and Fawn would combine with Har-Brack for one high school, and East Deer, Frazer and West Deer would join forces for another.

Har-Brack and Tarentum balked, and the state threatened to sue the communities if they didn't dance to Harrisburg's music.

But when State Act 299 of 1963 offered “special payments” (also known as “money” to you and me), opposition to mergers dissipated.

The Highlands School District then was formed in 1964 and got its name from the fact that the terrain of the school district resembled that of Scotland.

Here are some Highlands football firsts:

• First game: Sept. 6, 1968, a 12-6 loss to North Catholic.

• First touchdown: Marv Abrams, 6-yard pass from Tony Prazenica with 3 seconds left in second quarter.

• First tie: Sept. 20, 1968 — Highlands 12, Ambridge 12

• First victory (night): Sept. 27, 1968 — Highlands 40 West Mifflin North 19. It was considered a big upset at the time because the Titans were undefeated.

• First victory (day): Oct. 18, 1969 — Highlands 30, Valley 0. Game time was 11 a.m.

• First safety: Sept. 13, 1968. Bill Chada tackled Kiski Area quarterback Tom Robinson in the end zone.

• First PAT: Sept. 13, 1968 by Fran Murar with 9:21 left in second quarter.

• First shutout: Oct. 25, 1968 — Highlands 12, Canevin Catholic 0.

• First winning season: 1972 — 6-2-1

• First conference title: 1976 — West Penn Conference 7-0-2

• First playoff victory: Nov. 7, 1997 — Highlands 31 Blackhawk 28.

Return to normalcy

While high school sports scheduling should be at the bottom of the totem pole when it come to priorities during a hurricane, it was something special when two Corpus Christi area high schools returned to the field Friday, two weeks after Hurricane Harvey blew through the area.

When Rockport-Fulton and Sinton played their season openers Friday, there was a sense that life was returning to normal and that high school sports often can bring a community together after tragedies.

Host Sinton won 25-6, but both teams received an ovation from their fans as the game ended.

There is a possibility it might be Rockport-Fulton's only game of the season. Many of the school buildings reportedly were damaged by Harvey.

Sinton, however, plans to play a full schedule.

We are certain to hear stories soon about Florida schools resuming football after Hurricane Irma's devastation.

George Guido is a Valley News Dispatch scholastic sports correspondent. His column appears Wednesdays.

Tags: Highlands