Tag: nfl

Bert Johnson ranks among Tomcat football’s all-time greats

Any list of the greatest athletes in Ashland High School history must include Bert Edward Johnson. A standout for the Tomcats before continuing his career at the University of Kentucky and later in the NFL, Johnson left a lasting legacy at every level he played.

Johnson’s high school career unfolded during the Great Depression, before Putnam Stadium existed. From 1930 to 1932, he starred as a dynamic running back, scoring 247 points while earning All-State honors twice and All-South recognition as a senior. Ashland captured state titles in all three of those seasons and was even named the nation’s top team in 1931. The Tomcats went 10-0 in both 1930 and 1931 and 8-2 in 1932.

Despite the rarity of sophomores seeing playing time, Johnson not only played but started in the backfield alongside standout Eck Allen. Known for his explosive acceleration, he contributed as a running back, quarterback and punter.

David Patton, a 1950s star in baseball and basketball for the Tomcats and a former college basketball coach, was a nephew of Johnson’s. He provided the cartoon from The Cats Pause printed in 1977.

During Johnson’s three-year tenure, Ashland compiled a 28-2 record, claiming three mythical state championships and the 1931 national title. His 30-game totals are remarkable:

  • 2,700 rushing yards on 245 carries (11.0 yards per carry)
  • 46 rushing touchdowns
  • 56 completions on 87 attempts for 945 yards and 15 touchdowns
  • 5 receptions for 144 yards and one touchdown

Johnson often delivered his best performances against Louisville teams. In October 1930, Ashland traveled by train to face unbeaten Louisville Manual and returned with a stunning 91-0 victory. Back home, fans gathered on 17th Street outside The Daily Independent, cheering as scores were relayed via ticker-tape from a second-floor window.

The following year, Ashland again traveled to Louisville and defeated Male, a top contender, 31-6. Johnson rushed for 194 yards, while teammate Glenn Overley added 170 in a dominant showing. Later that season, the Tomcats crushed Decatur, Georgia, 85-6 in the Southern Bowl, with Johnson setting career highs of 213 rushing yards and 37 points. National polls later crowned Ashland the best team in the country.

In 1932, Johnson quarterbacked one of the most dramatic games in program history. Ashland’s 66-game unbeaten streak (62-0-4) ended in a heartbreaking 19-13 loss to Erie East, Pennsylvania. After tying the game late and setting up for a final drive, a pass by Johnson was intercepted and returned for a touchdown as time expired. It was Ashland’s first loss since 1925, leaving players and fans stunned.

The Tomcats’ only other defeat that season was a 7-6 loss to Huntington High, but they remained unbeaten against Kentucky opponents and still claimed the state title.

Johnson’s high school success drew national attention, but he chose to stay close to home and attend the University of Kentucky. There, he lettered in football from 1934 to 1936 and briefly played basketball, scoring two points in a single appearance during the 1934-35 season.

Nicknamed “Man o’ War” for his burst off the line, Johnson’s standout college performance came in 1934 against Alabama, when he scored both of Kentucky’s touchdowns in a 34-14 loss. That Alabama team would go on to an undefeated season capped by a Rose Bowl victory. Johnson became Kentucky’s second All-Southeastern Conference selection, earning the honor as a sophomore.

He went on to play six seasons in the NFL, suiting up for Brooklyn, the Chicago Bears under legendary coach George Halas, the Chicago Cardinals and the Philadelphia Eagles. Among his highlights were a pair of 50-yard runs—one with the Bears and another in an exhibition game for Brooklyn in Louisville.

Athletic success ran in the family. His son, Phil Johnson, later played basketball for Kentucky from 1956 to 1959, appearing in 64 games.

Bert Johnson passed away in 1993 at the age of 81. He was the third inductee into the Ashland Sports Hall of Fame, selected by the late John McGill. His legacy remains firmly cemented among the greatest in Tomcat football history.

Remembering Don McReynolds: A coach, fan and faithful friend of the Ashland Tomcats

Don McReynolds—a former Ashland Tomcats assistant coach, dedicated fan, and longtime sideline photographer—passed away Friday. He spent a decade coaching Tomcat football and more than 30 years afterward capturing the action through a camera lens, becoming a familiar presence at games long after his coaching days ended.

McReynolds also coached girls track and field at Ashland and was known as a well-liked, effective high school history and science teacher. Though his role as a coach placed him in the press box as an offensive coordinator, his later role behind the camera made him just as recognizable to generations of players and fans. He first served as offensive coordinator for his longtime friend and classmate Mike Manley, and later for Vic Marsh.

Though he became synonymous with Ashland athletics, McReynolds wasn’t an Ashland native. He grew up in Mt. Sterling and played receiver on the 1967 state runner-up team that shocked McKell and star athlete Don Gullett, 21-13, in the semifinals before falling to Bardstown in the Class A championship. That title game was played just before Ashland claimed its own Class AA championship with a win over Elizabethtown.

Don McReynolds loved the hobby of photography after his coaching days ended.

That Mt. Sterling team also featured a future Tomcat connection: Manley, who would later coach Ashland for the 1980 season, was the quarterback. His punt return for a touchdown sealed the semifinal win over McKell, and years later he would help bring McReynolds to Ashland.

Thirteen years after their high school run, Manley was hired to revive an Ashland program coming off three straight losing seasons following Herb Conley’s successful 1971–76 run. After one season, Manley left to become offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Morehead State—just 29 years old at the time.

McReynolds had been coaching at Fleming County before Manley persuaded him to join the Tomcat staff in 1980. Marsh, then the defensive coordinator and the only holdover from Mike Holtzapfel’s staff, would eventually take over as head coach after Manley departed.

Manley and McReynolds shared more than a backfield history—they even shared a birthday. Their close friendship played a major role in McReynolds’s move to Ashland. He recalled the phone call in December 1979 when Manley invited him to the Ashland Invitational Tournament to watch the Tomcats face Phelps and high-scoring Ervin Stepp.

Don McReynolds

“I told him, ‘We won’t be able to get tickets,’ and he said, ‘Don’t worry about that,’’’ McReynolds once said. “So I told him I’d go with him. He also told me Ashland had a head coaching opening and he might apply for it. I said, ‘They’ll never hire you.’”

Manley slipped away during the first quarter of the opening AIT game for a meeting and didn’t return until the fourth quarter. “He told me he was going to apply and he was going to get the job,” McReynolds said. “He asked me if he did, would I come with him. That’s what brought me to Ashland.”

He may not have known it then, but that trip set the course for the rest of his life.

In 1980, McReynolds worked from the press box as offensive coordinator, though Manley—an offensive mind himself—was eager to call plays. It took some adjusting.

“I remember the first game against Scott County,” McReynolds said of the 35–0 win. “I was upstairs and didn’t get to call one play. He was calling everything. I came down after the game madder than a hornet. I told him if he was going to call all the plays, what am I supposed to be doing? … We came to an understanding. It got better as the season went along.”

Their offensive spark helped the Tomcats finish 9–4, led by junior quarterback Scott Crank (1,127 passing yards; 516 rushing), halfback Dave Hall (1,353 yards, 11 TDs), receiver and future MLB pitcher Drew Hall, lineman Tony Consiglio, future Tomcat quarterback Greg Conley, and hard-running Paul McPeek (563 yards, 8 TDs). The season ended in the quarterfinals with a 21–6 loss to Henry Clay.

After Manley left, Marsh took over and eventually became Ashland’s all-time wins leader, taking the Tomcats to a state championship in 1990. Ashland wouldn’t win another state title until 2020. Though McReynolds left coaching after the 1989 season, he had coached many of the players who would hoist the trophy the following year.

I got to know Don best through his photography. For two decades or more, he shot assignments for the newspaper, and we knew we could rely on “Donnie Mac” for quality work. He also photographed Kentucky football games for us. His talent behind the camera was matched by his easy humor—something our staff appreciated every bit as much.

He even once helped prevent what could have become a family feud. My daughter and her boyfriend had been using our UK football tickets all season, but when LSU came to town ranked No. 1, my son decided he wanted to go. My daughter was not pleased. Then Don called on Friday afternoon and offered me two extra tickets. I took them, crisis averted—and Kentucky went on to stun No. 1 LSU that night. I thanked Don more than once for keeping the peace in my household.

McReynolds and former Tomcat assistant Mark Renfroe remained close friends for years, bonding over football and traveling together on their own SEC stadium tour. Those who coached with Don could talk football with him for hours.

Students, coaches, players and fellow teachers admired him. He was respected, warm-hearted and deeply appreciated by those who knew him.

Former Tomcat quarterback Greg Conley, a player from that first 1980 team, remembered him fondly:

“He was a great person, coach, and had a creative offensive mind. He loved his players and coached with passion. He brought energy to every practice and game. Everyone loved being around coach. Lifting his family up in prayer. Another Tomcat who will be greatly missed.”

Amen to that.

Former Tomcat great Jay Rhodemyer was WWII bomber pilot, UK star under ‘Bear,’ and All-Pro with Packers

Jay Rhodemyer isn’t a name many Ashland Tomcat fans may recognize today, but they should. The 1940 Ashland graduate may be the most accomplished football player in school history — an All-SEC and third-team All-American center for Bear Bryant at Kentucky and a second-team All-Pro with the Green Bay Packers.

Rhodemyer was a first-team All-State center for a 5–4 Ashland team in 1940 after earning second-team All-State honors as a junior guard. His performance drew the attention of the University of Kentucky, which offered him the opportunity to play college football.

He enrolled at UK in 1942, but when World War II intensified, he left to join the Army Air Corps, serving as a bomber pilot. After the war, Rhodemyer returned to Lexington for the 1946 season — Bryant’s first — and became a cornerstone of the Wildcats’ resurgence. He earned second-team All-SEC honors in 1946 and followed that with first-team All-SEC and third-team All-America recognition in 1947.

He played in the 1947 Blue-Gray Game in Montgomery, Ala., and was named Most Valuable Player of the 1948 College All-Star Game at Soldier Field against the NFL champion Chicago Cardinals. The All-Stars lost 28–0, but Rhodemyer’s stellar performance earned him MVP honors.

Bryant said of Rhodemyer, “He was the doggondest best center I ever coached or have seen.” The Hall of Fame coach made that remark in 1968 after Rhodemyer died of a heart attack at age 45 in Lexington.

Rhodemyer was drafted in the seventh round (51st overall) of the 1948 NFL Draft by the Packers. He played center and linebacker, intercepting five passes and recovering a fumble during his career. Green Bay, then coached by Curly Lambeau, struggled during his tenure — going 3–9 in 1948 and peaking at 6–6 in 1952. He played in 1948, 1949, 1951, and 1952; records do not indicate why he did not play in 1950.

Two future Hall of Fame quarterbacks — Bobby Layne and Y.A. Tittle — were selected in the first round of that 1948 draft.

Rhodemyer, listed at 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds, appeared in 45 NFL games and was named second-team All-Pro by the New York Daily News in 1951. After retiring, he returned to Lexington, where he was part-owner and secretary-treasurer of Thermal Equipment Sales Co. and a member of Calvary Baptist Church. Following a memorial service in Lexington, his body was returned to Ashland for a second service at Steen Funeral Home and burial in Ashland Cemetery.

Arliss Beach and the NFL

Arliss Beach, a record-setting Tomcat running back from the Class of 2002 and a former UK standout, is the only other Ashland alum with NFL ties. He signed with the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2006 and impressed the staff enough to make the active roster. But in the final preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals, he suffered a high ankle sprain and spent the season on injured reserve. Beach appeared on track for a spot on the 53-man roster before the injury. Green Bay released him the following June.

Beach signed with the Dallas Cowboys in August 2007 but was released before the season. He later joined the Houston Texans’ practice squad in December 2007, signed a futures contract in January 2008, and was waived that May.

At Kentucky, Beach played during a period of coaching turnover and was often underutilized, though he delivered one unforgettable performance against highly ranked Florida. UK lost 24–21, but Beach scored all three Wildcat touchdowns. He finished his UK career with 951 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Beach’s 2001 senior season at Ashland remains one of the greatest in program history: 2,533 rushing yards and 39 touchdowns on just 244 carries (10.4 yards per attempt), including three games over 300 yards. He ended his Tomcat career with 4,711 rushing yards, 62 touchdowns, 5,073 total yards, and 426 points.

Rhodemyer and Beach remain the only Tomcats ever to reach the NFL — one earning second-team All-Pro honors and the other coming agonizingly close to playing in a regular-season game.

1975 JAWS Tomcats clamped down on rival Boyd County in a game with high stakes

In 1975, the stakes for the Boyd County-Ashland football rivalry moved beyond bragging rights. It meant everything. The season was on the line. For the winning team, it meant a trip to the Class AAAA state playoffs. For the losing team, it meant basketball season.

Unlike today’s playoff format, where four teams from each district advance, only the district champion went to the postseason party in 1975. As if it didn’t already mean everything, that made the game even bigger. There were no second chances. It was take-your-breath-away football.

It was played in the last week of the regular season, only adding to the drama that was building since before the season started when fans began comparing the rivals. The game was always big, and the series was tied 5-5 going into the 1975 battle between the Tomcats and Lions. Both came in with outstanding teams and the game was played in Cannonsburg.

They played in the preseason, meeting in a Grid-O-Rama game in Putnam Stadium on a rainy night that ended with Ashland winning 12-0. The teams played only for about a half on a muddy turf, so it wasn’t a true measure of what could be and everybody knew it. But it still added to the discussion throughout the week leading up to the game.

Herb Conley was the architect of the Ashland JAWS Tomcats in 1975.

Boyd County was coming off consecutive seasons where it made the Class AAA playoffs. The Lions were ranked No. 1 in 1974 and were stunned by Middlesboro 28-14 in the opening round. That came after the 1973 season when Boyd County roared into the state championship game before losing 27-8 to Paducah Tilghman at Hanger Field on EKU’s campus.

The Lions had beaten the Tomcats both of those years, albeit by narrow margins – 14-13 in 1973 and 20-8 in 1974. Those were the kind of scores that most fans expected when the bitter rivals met, no matter which team was superior. Ashland’s last win in the series was 24-8 in 1972 with a team that reached the Class AAA finals against Tates Creek, losing 16-7, at Stoll Field in Lexington.

The Boyd County and Ashland programs were recognized and highly respected statewide for their hard-nosed and hard-hitting styles of play.

Ashland went into the 1975 game looking for perfection and a district championship. It could be a historic night with the last undefeated Tomcat team coming in 1958 when Herb Conley was playing. Even that team had a blemish – a tie against Huntington East – in a 10-0-1 season.

Casey Jones was a standout tackle for the Tomcats.

The last undefeated and untied team in Ashland history came in 1942. The JAWS Tomcats were chasing history. They were more interested in making their own legacy in the Tomcat program and knew they had the makings of greatness.

The Ashland-Boyd County games of the 1970s and 1980s were almost always played on the last Friday of the regular season, always had high stakes and always drew a massive number of fans. Everybody in the area was watching and interested In the outcome. It was just that kind of game.

Given the Tomcats proudly using the JAWS nickname for its defense throughout much of the season, Boyd County’s fans decided to have some fun, calling their team the JAWBREAKERS. Electricity was in the air, the fans were packed in on Boyd County’s large home side and the smaller set of bleachers were full for the visiting fans. The hillside on the home side was crowded with a mix of fans too with the expectation that something special could happen no matter which side won.

Ashland came in a confident 10-0 and feeling good after blowing out Covington Catholic 56-14 the week prior. Boyd County was 7-3 and coming off a defensive battle with Russell won with a goal from Mark Rice that provided a 3-0 victory. The Lions had a star running back in James Tackett who was heading to play at West Virginia. He came into the game injured but still played, gaining 58 yards on 10 carries.

The Tomcats were ready and when big Terry Bell, Ashland’s All-State lineman, busted through a hoop coming onto the field it almost sent an instant message.

“Terry came running out there in the front,” remembered tight end Alan Mayo. “Terry, Chuck (Anderson) and Rick (Sang), were our captains. People came running out (behind them) and sprinted to the middle of the field. Everybody in the stadium went quiet. You knew he (Bell) was there and was going to give it his all.”

Mayo figured in setting up the game’s first touchdown. He slipped past the Lions defenders to pull in a catch and ran 41 yards to the Boyd County five. Mayo looked headed for the end zone until Tim Powers tripped him up from behind. But a three-yard run from Gary Thomas set up a two-yard plunge from Jay Shippey for the touchdown. Kevin Ward’s extra point made it 7-0 on Ashland’s first possession.

Terry Bell breaks through the hoop and runs onto the field.

Ashland made it 15-0 early in the second quarter when Jeff Slone finished off a drive with a seven-yard touchdown run. Anderson hit Mayo on the two-point conversion try.

Anderson, the quarterback-linebacker, played a huge role with a 6-for-13 passing performance that included a 20-yard touchdown pass to Sang eight seconds before halftime for a 23-0 lead. Anderson also rushed for 46 yards on 11 carries out of the wishbone.

In the second half, Thomas returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown and Greg Jackson ran in the two-point conversion to push the margin to 31-0. Anderson later scored on a 13-yard run and the last touchdown, set up by a 25-yard strike from Anderson to Jim Johnson, moved the Tomcats inside the 20. Shippey rumbled into the end zone on a 16-yard run with 2:27 remaining to bring the final score to a whopping 43-0.

Ashland outgained Boyd County 477-175 as the JAWS defense stated its case, clamping down on the Lions from start to finish. Boyd County made it inside Ashland’s 30 only once in the game and that came on the last series. Tackett had a short run and a facemask penalty put the ball on the 22. But any hope of ruining the shutout ended when quarterback Wayne Chaffin was sacked for a 10-yard loss on the last play of the game.

Greg Jackson (27) runs behind Jim Johnson for a big gain.

A 43-0 shutout victory over its biggest rival was enough to put Herb Conley in rare form and he did not hold back his excitement over the victory that was the biggest margin in the series. It also sent Ashland into the state playoffs as the top-ranked team in Class AAAA.

“The best team showed that it was the best tonight. We have the best team in the Tri-State and I can say it now. I’ve kept my mount shut all year, but I can say it now … we’ve beaten them all. This win was especially good after the last two years.”

The perfect season was intact and the victory over Boyd County was sweeter than ever for the Tomcats. But now the fun would begin. Despite being undefeated and ranked No. 1, the Tomcats only had one playoff game in Putnam Stadium. They played at Dixie Heights, home against Lafayette, at Paducah Tilghman and in Louisville against St. Xavier for the state championship.