Back in 2018, we lost former Sidney High School head football coach Dave Haines who guided the unblemished teams of 1968-69-70. At the funeral I asked his oldest son, Kris, if he’d represent his dad at our “30 and 0” 50th reunion in 2020. “I’d be honored. I’ll be there,” was his response.
While COVID delayed the reunion, Kris will return home in two weeks to pinch-hit for dad. The younger Haines was Sidney’s star running back in 1974 before a fine career as a Notre Dame wide receiver and several years with the Chicago Bears and other pro teams, also as a receiver.
He played major roles in a pair of Notre Dame Cotton Bowl victories, and was eventually named to the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame. Most of his post-football career has been spent as a teacher, coach, and athletic director in a Chicago area middle school.
Kris returned to Sidney this past summer to keynote a youth football clinic coordinated by Sidney coach Adam Doenges. His presentation included a segment on bullying that was very well received. Haines will now deliver that bullying message to middle schoolers at Anna and Fort Loramie on Friday, Sept. 3 in between his reunion duties. His youth overtures are well known in metro Chicago.
2020 state champs
Check ohsaa.org, website of the Ohio High School Athletic Association. The photo on the home page shows a cheerleader leading the New Bremen football team onto the field.
Loramie finds opponent
Fort Loramie knew that Dayton Jefferson was shaky as a week six football opponent after not fielding a team in 2020. Indeed, the Broncos will not play in 2021 but Loramie had no problem filling the gap with a decent opponent on a two year deal. The Redskins will visit Edon on Friday September 24 which will create a 2021 slate of six road and four home encounters. Edon needs that home game to reach that same 4/6 split. Loramie will have six home games in 2022.
Edon is Division VII, same as the Redskins. The community is 102 miles north of Fort Loramie, near the confluence of Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan. Edon went 6-4 in 2020 including two tournament games.
