Sports Extra with Dave Ross: Piqua coach/AD became Sidney football asset

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Back when I became Sidney’s kicker in 1969 I always checked boxscores to see how other kickers were doing around the Miami Valley. In those days, few teams kicked extra points, and field goals were downright rare. I took notice that powerful Northmont scored many touchdowns and enjoyed success in booting the extra marker.

Their kicker was Steve Magoteaux, also a fine linebacker, who went on to a Hall of Fame career at Wilmington College where he was a classmate/teammate of Lehman coach Dick Roll. I attended the state all-star game in Canton in the summer of 1971 where the just graduated Magoteaux was a teammate of Sidney’s Mike Flanagan (receiver), Dennis Powell (center/LB), and Bruce Williams (quarterback).

I next took notice of the Northmont product during six successful seasons as Milton-Union head football coach. He then answered Piqua’s call for eight solid campaigns before becoming Athletic Director in 1992 and retiring from coaching. Defensive coordinator Bill Nees was elevated to head coach and is still there with well over 200 wins and a state title in 2006.

During his AD tenure at Piqua, Steve was deeply involved in the school’s new stadium project which helped spawn interest in a similar undertaking in Sidney. Piqua’s Alexander Stadium opened in 2001 and Sidney Memorial Stadium in 2004. Magoteaux and his AD predecessor, Ed Purk, were both valued advisers to the Sidney effort. When we called or visited, they were glad to help.

Shortly thereafter Steve was ready to retire from administrative duties but had the bug to get back to his teaching and coaching roots. Sidney High School would be his vehicle where coach Dan Cairns welcomed his veteran presence for six seasons. Magoteaux also landed some teaching assignments in industrial arts where his specialty was drafting which came in handy when the Sidney stadium fieldhouse meeting area was partitioned. With coaching staff and athletic department input, Steve drew the rendering that was submitted to the contractor. That area continues to flow and function well.

Current head coach Adam Doenges just completed his tenth season as head coach. Before that he worked with Magoteaux on the Cairns staff. “I learned a lot from both of them,” Doenges recently acknowledged. “It was a good situation for me.”

Steve Magoteaux’s love of football is revealed when he mentions his biggest disappointment with his years at Wilmington College. “They only played nine games per season. I wanted to play ten like we did in high school.”

Deer hunting

A century ago deer hunting enthusiasts had to travel to places like Maine or Canada to ply their hobby. The herd in Ohio was minimal. Sighting of a single deer could become a newspaper headline. The Sidney Daily News once reported that a deer had been seen near Montra in the northeastern sector of Shelby County. The author mentioned that it could have been the same deer seen recently in neighboring Logan County.

Steve Magoteaux
https://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2020/12/web1_3267bb14ffcdf0c4-web1_SteveMagoteaux.jpgSteve Magoteaux

Sports Extra

With Dave Ross

Sports Extra normally appears each Friday but will run the next two Saturdays due to no publication on Christmas and New Year’s. The title “Sports Extra” is inspired by a radio show once hosted by the author.

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