Haywood Tomcats

[802Tomcat]

It is so amazing to see our TOMCATS reload. Should be a great year for the Cats.

 

[ItsAlwaysSunnyInAtwood]

I took time last night to watch everything I could find on Jalen Lewis. Holy cow.

[chs1984]

We met you all two straight years in Nashville in the 90’s. 

[stacmot]

10 minutes ago, chs1984 said:

We met you all two straight years in Nashville in the 90’s. 

Haywood met Cleveland in the state championship game in 1994 and 1995.  Unfortunately, we lost both games.  (7-6 in '94 and 14-3 in '95.)  

[chs1984]

3 minutes ago, stacmot said:

Haywood met Cleveland in the state championship game in 1994 and 1995.  Unfortunately, we lost both games.  (7-6 in '94 and 14-3 in '95.)  

Yes, sir. I was there for both games, plus the ‘93 game vs. Brentwood Academy, which remains one of the 3 best games I ever saw. 

[chs1984]

…Actually, you all probably should have played Smyrna in ‘95. I’m still not sure how we pulled out that semifinal game. Y’all would have had a good shot against Smyrna. 

[stacmot]

7 minutes ago, chs1984 said:

Yes, sir. I was there for both games, plus the ‘93 game vs. Brentwood Academy, which remains one of the 3 best games I ever saw. 

There is some footage of the '95 Clinic Bowl on this link.  It starts about the 35:34 mark.

I was at both games as well.  I believe Bennie Monroe was Cleveland's coach at the time.  Where is  he now?  Phil Massey was Haywood's coach.  Coach Massey is the head coach at Chattanooga Baylor now.

[chs1984]

Just now, stacmot said:

There is some footage of the '95 Clinic Bowl on this link.  It starts about the 35:34 mark.

I was at both games as well.  I believe Bennie Monroe was Cleveland's coach at the time.  Where is  he now?  Phil Massey was Haywood's coach.  Coach Massey is the head coach at Chattanooga Baylor now.

Thanks for the video. Coach Monroe retired following the 1996 season. After 6 or 7 years of working in private business, he took the head coaching job at Ooltaweah (sic?) in Chattanooga for 5 years. He led them to two semifinal games, one a close loss at (ironically) Smyrna. The other was a blowout loss to Oakland. The opening of East Hamilton High took a lot of kids from Ooltaweah, and they are no longer competitive. Benny is in good health and enjoying retirement with Mrs. Jane and his grandkids. 

[stacmot]

3 minutes ago, chs1984 said:

Thanks for the video. Coach Monroe retired following the 1996 season. After 6 or 7 years of working in private business, he took the head coaching job at Ooltaweah (sic?) in Chattanooga for 5 years. He led them to two semifinal games, one a close loss at (ironically) Smyrna. The other was a blowout loss to Oakland. The opening of East Hamilton High took a lot of kids from Ooltaweah, and they are no longer competitive. Benny is in good health and enjoying retirement with Mrs. Jane and his grandkids. 

I'm glad to hear he is doing well.  He was a good coach.  Cleveland was the beast from the east in the early to mid 90s.

I guess I should say one of the beasts from the east before I get raked over the coals by some other East Tennessee fans.

Edited July 22, 2021 by stacmot

[stacmot]

19 minutes ago, chs1984 said:

…Actually, you all probably should have played Smyrna in ‘95. I’m still not sure how we pulled out that semifinal game. Y’all would have had a good shot against Smyrna. 

We were lucky to win our semifinal game in '95.  We beat Hendersonville Beech 24-17 in overtime.  The Cats had a tremendous goal line stand at the end of that game. 

[chs1984]

19 minutes ago, stacmot said:

We were lucky to win our semifinal game in '95.  We beat Hendersonville Beech 24-17 in overtime.  The Cats had a tremendous goal line stand at the end of that game. 

I thought going in that Beech would win. I remember hearing the final score on the radio as we were trying to get out of the parking lot. We had to score on a long TD run with a minute and a half left, and then stop Smyrna inside our 10 to hang on. Our radio announcer (who of course was on the home side) said he had never seen a group of kids more devastated following a game than that Smyrna team. Coach Monroe had been eligible to retire since after the ‘93 season. He deeply regretted his decision to coach the ‘96 team. Of course, that’s the year our 54 game winning streak was snapped in the 3rd round at Anderson Co. 

[Kruger77]

All gas no breaks!!!