By Steve Ruman

sports@vindy.com

Like most of his counterparts, South Range coach Dan Yeagley has vivid memories of milestone games from throughout his career.

Yeagley easily recalls his first game as a head coach, which was with South Range in 1995. His Raiders fell to Lisbon 22-3. Lisbon would go on to log a 14-0 record and win a Division V state title.

“Welcome to coaching,” Yeagley says with a laugh. “We actually played well, I remember that our kids just hung in there until the very end, but we lost to a really, really good team.”

One week later, Yeagley earned the first win of his career with a victory over United Local. The Raiders finished 4-6 that year, but followed that up with an 11-1 showing in 1996.

Yeagley’s 100th win is engrained with a “what if” memory. In 2005, South Range won 13 consecutive games to advance to the Division V state semifinals. Yeagley entered Week 14 with 99 wins, but the Raiders fell to Patrick Henry, which a week later won the state title.

Yeagley earned his 100th victory in the opening week of the ‘06 season against perennial state power Mogadore.

“That was a pretty special game, and a special year for me, because my son was on the team,” Yeagley recalled of a squad which went 13-1.

Jump ahead 11 years, and Yeagley is again zeroing in on a milestone win. Now in his 23rd season at South Range, Yeagley (198-62) is two victories shy of career win 200.

Meanwhile, the Raiders are two wins away from a state title.

Tonight, South Range (13-0) and Pemberville Eastwood (13-0) will meet in a Div. V state semifinal game at Pat Catan Stadium in Strongsville.

The winner will play either Wheelersburg or Middletown Madison next week in the state title game in Canton.

A 1980 South Range graduate, Yeagley began his teaching and coaching career in Columbus at Watkins Memorial, where he served as an assistant coach. He returned home in 1992, and served as an assistant at his alma mater for three years before taking over the program.

“I enjoyed my time [at Watkins Memorial], but when the opportunity to return home came about, I didn’t hesitate,” Yeagley said. “This was home. This was where my family lived, so to have that chance to be back with them, to be back at my school, I couldn’t pass it up.”

In his 23 years at South Range, Yeagley has guided the Raiders to 15 playoff appearances. His teams own 17 playoff wins.

“I’ve been blessed, I’ve been surrounded with great people throughout my career,” Yeagley said. “Great coaches by my side, dedicated players who understand what it takes to win and who are willing to put in the time, and a very supportive community. You don’t last this long without a tremendous support system.”

“This year’s squad, they faced the uncertainty of playing as an independent, playing six new opponents in the final seven weeks of the regular season, but they didn’t let any of that affect them. The work ethic of this senior class is something special.”

While Yeagley insists that “the game still comes down to blocking and tackling, and fundamentals,” he has seen his share of changes over the years. Most notably, technology has altered the way he and other coaches teach the game.

“The way kids study and review the games has changed drastically,” Yeagley said. “It used to be we’d have a game film on a VCR tape. Today, we’re uploading film instantly, using drones to film practice. Today we hold a practice, then the players have instant access to it on their phones or on the Internet.”

“In that regard, things have changed for the better.”

Through all the changes, Yeagley’s ability to connect with his players has remained a constant, according to South Range defensive coordinator David Rach.

“Dan’s record speaks for itself, but beyond the wins, the love he has for his players and the passion he has for teaching is off the charts,” Rach said. “Dan is a teacher first. He really cares about his players.”

A South Range graduate, Rach played for Yeagley and has coached with his mentor for five years.

“When I played, Dan was also our defensive coordinator and he really helped develop my interest in coaching,” Rach said. “He taught me so much more than just Xs and Os. He left such a positive impression.”

If Yeagley is to secure his 199th win tonight, it will come against an Eastwood team which is averaging 41 points per game. The Eagles’ defense has held 10 opponents to seven points or less.

“They are so very good at what they do,” Yeagley said. “We’re going to have to slow down their Wing-T offense, we’re going to have to play our best. They do all the little things right, and they are very disciplined.”