This week in Ross football history....1980

ROSS 7
SANDUSKY 0

The tenth week of the 1980 season saw the Little Giants hosting arch-rival Sandusky in a Buckeye Conference showdown at Harmon Stadium. Ross was 5-0 in the Buckeye and 8-1 on the season.

The game was a typical Fremont Ross-Sandusky defensive battle that was the norm for the era. The Little Giant defense was tough all night allowing the Blue Streaks just 72 yards of offense, all on the ground for the entire game. The Sandusky defense was almost as stout, allowing the purple and white to score just once.

The Little Giants scored on their fourth offensive posession of the night. Eric Bates punched it in from six yards out to put Ross up 6-0. Bates followed the blocking of Shawn Simms, Scott Manahan, and Bill Hicks over the left side to put Ross in the lead. Greg Bobay made the extra point kick and that was all the scoring that the Fremonters would need to win the game.

The Ross scoring drive was helped out by QB Mike Eichers 23 yard run on a first and 22 situation at the Little Giant 48 yard line. The Eicher run gave Ross the ball deep in Sandusky territory. Two plays later Bates followed his wall of blockers and put it in.

Sandusky had their scoring chances. The Streaks recovered a Fremont fumble and were threatening at the Ross 29 yard line. The Little Giant D however would have none of it and stuffed the boys in blue and white. Little Giant defender Dennis Murray had two key tackles against the Streaks in the offensive series for eight yards in losses.

When Sandusky went to the airways to try to move the ball Ross star Tony Gant was there to intercept three of Blue Streak QB Craig Cliffs passes. Gant had picks at the Ross 40, nine and 23 yard lines.

The win over the Blue Streaks gave the Little Giants their first Buckeye Conference title since 1976 season. Ross finished 6-0 in the BC and 9-1 overall, their best overall mark since finishing 9-0-1 in 1974. Sandusky finished the season at 8-2.

Eric Bates finished the night with 27 carries for 91 yards. That put him at 1,025 yards for the season.