The camaraderie between the Elyria Catholic 1977 and ’78 state champion cross country teams was special, to say the least.
Sure, both teams were outstanding. The 1978 squad was so good the Division II state meet-record 43 points it scored stood for 28 years until nationally-rated Peninsula Woodridge finally matched it in 2006.
But talent alone didn’t carry Elyria Catholic to the top. The bonding and unity the teams enjoyed carried the program through the blood, sweat and tears of its developmental stages.
The 1977 and ’78 EC cross country teams will be enshrined in the Elyria Sports Hall of Fame’s 37th class Saturday at Lorain County Community College’s Spitzer Center along with Peggy Fortune Yetman, Brad House, Jack Marsh, Suzanne Camp and Jerry Gilbert.
The camaraderie that helped carry those Panther teams to glory still exists, too. How else to explain some team members traveling halfway around the world just to make it to Saturday’s induction ceremonies?
Larry Mahl (class of ’78), John Murphy (’79) and John Williams (’80) now call Japan home, yet all three will be in town Saturday.
Sort of ironic, since those EC teams probably logged enough training miles in a season to run to the Far East.
“We knew of each other in grade school at St. Mary’s, but really only became friends through running at EC,” said Mahl, who lives in Tokyo and works as a consultant on distribution, management and marketing for companies with offices in Japan.
Murphy is managing director and general counsel for JP Morgan in Asia, while Williams, who fell in love with the country upon visiting Murphy, was one of the first foreign teachers to get a tenured position at a high school in Japan. He’s been there 20 years, teaching and coaching track.
“Dick Elsasser, Tom Mahl, Chuck Lynch and Steve Currier each made an impact on us,” Murphy said. “There is no doubt that Tom and Dick had the strongest impact, since they developed the program. Dick is an incredible motivator.”
Though things always seemed to work out for the best during those years, there were some bumps in the road.
Elsasser left EC after the 1975 season to go into real estate. Tom Mahl coached through 1976 before quitting EC in a dispute with the nuns. Steve Currier coached the team in 1977 and led it to a state championship trophy, then left coaching all together.
”We were able to increase competitive intensity each year,” Murphy said. “We never lost our focus through all of the coaching changes and physical challenges. It was a special group of people. Despite the strength of his program, Dick was never able to find a similar group either at EC or at Amherst.”
Elsasser returned in 1978, Murphy’s senior year. Chuck Lynch, who also assisted Currier in ’77, and Tom Mahl helped out on a part-time basis during the 1978 championship run.
“The disappointment of the 1976 season, the year the team didn’t make state, was one of the things that built upon their greatness in ’77,” Elsasser said. “I always call the 1978 season a ‘show of power.’ Those kids were the dominant force in cross country. I thought they were the best team in the state, Class AAA, AA or A. All of our top five kids finished in the top 15. It was an amazing show of force.
“Things just fell together in 1978. I happened to be in the right place at the right time. My old job came up at EC and the principal contacted me and asked if I would ever consider coming back. I said, ‘Let me think about … Yes! I’d love to come back.’ That was a fun time for me to get back into it, especially with those guys.”
The 1977 and ’78 sweep capped a run of four state crowns by Elyria Catholic in a six-year span beginning in 1973. The 1973 and ’74 teams also won Class AA titles. The Panthers were second in 1972 and ’78.
In 1977, Elyria Catholic defeated Cincinnati Greenhills 106-122 for the state crown. Three runners from top seven came back the following year to help EC defeat Navarre Fairless, 43-127.
House ran only four races in 1977 due to mononucleosis, but was the team’s No. 2 runner at the state meet with a 13th-place finish. House was a freshman on the 1974 team. Other seniors in 1977 were Bob Sabo and Larry Mahl.
Tom Mahl, who replaced Flint McCullough as head coach, was the one who first talked Elsasser into coaching with him back in 1971.
The remainder of the 1977 team included juniors Bill Kukucka, Murphy and Adam Rick, along with junior Dan Kuhman. Kukucka, Murphy and Rick led the way in 1978. Williams, along with junior John Boylan, sophomores Ron Rick (Adam’s brother) and Mike Wirscham, were also key members of the 1978 squad.
“All of us are just driven because running is different than a lot of sports,” House said. “When you’re running you’re kind standing there naked. You’re either going to do or don’t do it. Your efforts are right out there to be seen. You know you have to take care of your side of it.”

  ELYRIA SPORTS HALL OF FAME

WHAT: Induction banquet for 37th class
WHEN: Saturday, social gathering at 5 p.m.; dinner at 6:30
WHERE: Spitzer Center, LCCC

---

Print this story
Report an inappropriate comment

---

In order to comment, you must agree to our user agreement and discussion guidelines.

Need help? Email Us.

---