(6-25-23) In 1968 Marion Local tried to appeal a missed call in a Tri-County League football lost to Piqua Catholic.

Piqua Catholic used an illegal play called the ‘sleeper’ that would turn the game around and end in a 24-21 loss for Marion Local.

What is a sleeper play?

It’s 4th down and five at the 30-yard line, and the offense begins to leave the field as the field goal unit comes on. One of those offensive players, however, doesn’t make it all the way to the bench. He stops a step short of the sideline, essentially hiding out there.

The ball is snapped, the holder stands and throws a perfect pass down the sideline to a wide-open player – that player who was hiding out at the sideline. Is this legal?

The answer is no. This is a foul for illegal participation. A team can never use a substitution or pretended substitution to deceive the defense.

The appeal was denied in a special TCL meeting on a 4-3 vote after the video of the play was shown and a letter from one of the referees ‘Doc’ Staley admitting the mistake he had made.

His letter included –

‘If there is anyway that you can find to forgive me I would appreciate it.’

It is one of those moments in high school football that might have been forgotten…

From October 10th, 1968 Mercer County Chronicle —

The loss would have an impact on the final TCL standings…Piqua Catholic would finish in 2nd place a half-game ahead of the Flyers. At the time the 7-2-1 record was the best in Flyers’ history.

From the Marion Local 1969 Yearbook—wrap up of the 1968 season

1968 Marion Local Football Team – 7-2-1

From the 1969 Piqua Catholic Yearbook

Did you know…

The Tri-County League would shut down after the 1971-72 season, with five of the schools becoming charter members of the Midwest Athletic Conference (MAC) was founded and started competition during the 1972-73 school year and began athletic competition in the fall of 1973. The original members of the MAC included Ansonia, Bradford, Coldwater, Marion Local, Minster, New Bremen, Parkway and St. Henry.

Delphos St. John’s would join the Western Buckeye League. In 1970 Piqua Catholic merged with Sidney Holy Angels to become Lehman Catholic. Versailles would finally would join the MAC in 2001.