Adhering to rules, Mooney of '81 rules

A few weeks ago, I asked readers to send in their votes for the best area high school football team never to win a state title.
Before we decided, we set a couple ground rules.
First, the team had to be from 1972 or later, since that's the year the playoffs began. This eliminated Lowellville's 1962 team, which finished its fourth straight undefeated season and outscored its opponents 328-62. Those Rockets, argued one reader, "would have won the title if there was such a thing back then."
Second, the team had to make the playoffs, which eliminated South High's 1980 team. The Warriors, who were nominated by reader Bill Marrow, went 10-0 that season under Bob Stoops (whose nephew, of course, now coaches at Oklahoma). Garcia Lane (Ohio State) was a senior on that team and his son, Shaun, will play at Ohio State next fall after graduating from Hubbard in the spring.
That rule also eliminated Boardman's 1981 team, nominated by reader Chip Comstock, which went 5-0 but had five games wiped out due to a teachers' strike. The Spartans' quarterback that season was a junior named Bernie Kosar (you might have heard of him).
Third, the team had to win at least one playoff game, which eliminated Chaney's 1996 team. That Cowboys team, nominated by reader Bill Bundy, lost to Canfield in the first round after beating the Cardinals in the regular season 35-7. Chaney lost in the state championship game in 1997 to Columbus DeSales, 17-14, but -- for the only time in the last 14 years -- did not win the City Series that season. (East did.)
Those were the rules. After that, it came down to opinion.
Strong case
Reader John Grdic nominated Boardman's 1987 team, which lost in the state final to Cincinnati Princeton, 14-7. The Spartans beat the state's top-ranked team (Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph) and second-ranked team (Euclid) in the playoffs. Their only regular-season loss was to Mooney, which lost to VASJ in the regular season before winning the Div. III state title.
"Cincinnati should have been called for a forward lateral in the second half on a third down play when Boardman was winning by 7," Grdic wrote. "If not for that play, Boardman would have won the championship."
Ronald Clark considered Mooney's 1981 team and Campbell's 1989 team (which lost in the state final), but instead chose Mooney's 1985 team, which lost to Galion in the state final, 6-0.
Lee Owens was Galion's coach that season and later moved on to Massillon Washington and the University of Akron.
Other votes
Channel 21 sportscaster Dana Balash chose Warren Harding's 2001 team, which had Maurice Clarett and fell victim to an unlucky bounce in a regional final loss to eventual state champion Cleveland St. Ignatius, 40-33.
Channel 33 sportscaster Bob Hannon and Channel 27 sportscaster Robb Schmidt both chose Harding's 1991 team, which finished 8-2 and missed the playoffs after winning the state title in 1990. The Raiders had two future NFL linemen, Korey Stringer and LeShun Daniels, and dynamic wideout Omar Provitt, but lost to Boardman and Lakewood St. Edward.
We also got votes for West Branch's 1998 team, McDonald's 1994 team, Ursuline's 1992 team, Fitch's 1982 and 83 teams, the 1966 Chaney and Mooney teams and the 1967 and 68 Struthers teams.
In the end, however, one team stood out.
"Mooney's 1981 team may have been the best team ever from Mooney or from this area, championship or not," wrote reader Pat Kerrigan. "They were the core of a dynasty with multiple Division I and pro players. They were the best team from this area not to win a state title since the playoffs started."
We agree.
XJoe Scalzo is a sportswriter for The Vindicator. Write him at scalzo@vindy.com.