Below is an article published by the Scholium staff of 1980-81. The article recaps EA/Haverford Day in 1980, containing descriptions of the pep rally, the scores from each of the competitions, and how Episcopal players performed. That year, Episcopal had a historic clean sweep, beating Haverford in soccer, cross country, and football, securing the iconic Victory sweater for the school for another year. Alumni still remember this day nearly forty years later.
Scholium Staff 1980-1981: Haverford Day 1980 was a clean sweep for EA sports teams. Varsity Soccer took a 2-0 victory which wrapped up an undefeated and untied Inter-Ac season. Cross Country won its fiftieth consecutive league meet and tenth consecutive league title with a 21-38 romp. Football avenged the defeats in 1978 (35-0) and 1979 (29-7) with a 28-0 rout that was dominated by sharp and aggressive EA play. The day put EA in sound shape with regard to the Hawyward Cup, and left EA in possession of a hideous-looking Victory sweater.
The day started at EA with a vigorous, well-organized pep rally that featured guest appearances by doll-toting, whimpering Haverford players, (actually Messers Dougherty, Burdick, and Parr). Mr. Lenard Haley deserves much credit for this event which greatly increased EA spirit. As always a large and loud group of EA fans were in attendance at Haverford to cheer on the teams. These fans included students, faculty, alumni, parents, friends, a major part of the EA community
The soccer fans watched EA win in a rather convincing style shutting out Haverford 2-0. EA forward Jim Crawford was out of the game early on due to a serious ankle injury. This hurt EA’s offense, but constant pressure on the Haverford goalie and superb work by Mike Murphy in goal for EA more than compensated for it. EA’s superior talent andcoaching carried the day as they ran their Inter-Ax record to 10-0. Coach Curt Lauber is to be congratulated for another title, and all of his players for a consistently excellent year-long performance.
Haverford really thought they had a chance to stop EA’s winning streak in Cross-Country this year. Coach Charles Latham’s runners were 8-4 coming into the meet but 4-0 in the league. They knew what this meet meant and were determined to end the Ford’s hopes. For a while, it was quite close. Although EA captain Chris Jordan led, consistently expanding his lead, Haverford kept a virtual tie in effect down to the last eight-tenths of a mile. There, EA runners Rich Allman, Charlie Philbrick, Gordon Tobias, and Paul Hayward turned it on to race past four Ford runners and hand Coach Lathan his tenth league title in a row, in addition to his fifieth straight league meet victory. This team is a true team: the camaraderie and spirit common to all great championship teams are here. Coach Latham is also to be given hearty congratulations for yet another great year.
The football game turned out to be “dull” in former Upper School director Mr. Robert Lee’s words. Why? “Not enough EA scoring.” Seriously, Coach Jim Auch’s outfit remembered those past two November afternoons when they had been defeated and decided to led the Fords know how it felt. Gene Tinari’s running prowess, especially on right side sweeps, provided 188 yards for EA. The offensive line cleared the way for EA runners as well as the gave quarterback Rob Allman enough time to throw, particularly to Skip Hager and Jim Viner. Defensively, through mistakes and penalties, haverford twice was inside EA’s 10 yard line but came away with no points on the board. EA’s defense continually hit hard, chasing two different Haverford quarterbacks, and hittin any red shirts in sight. EA constantly disrupted the Fords’ offensive plays and played as close to perfect defense as they had all year.
Despite not taking the league title, EA football’s record of 6-3 is respectable considering the fact that both Malvern and Germantown Academy won by long shot plays. All year the team kept its enthusiasm, and played every game with the intensity needed to win in football. Coach Auch’s efforts to strengthen the EA football team have been, and will continue to be, quite successful.