Aug 23, 2020 9 min read

Forty years later, they are no longer adversaries or the leaders of crosstown rival football programs.

These days, Bob Johnson and Guy Montecalvo are good friends, well into coaching retirements and frequent walking partners on a trail around Wild Things Park.

It wasn’t always that calm or stress-free for Johnson and Montecalvo.

Johnson, longtime football coach at Trinity High School, and Montecalvo, longtime football coach at Washington High School, were center stage at the start of a number of football seasons, including in 1980 for the renewal of the Trinity-Wash High series.

Johnson was in the midst of rebuilding the Hillers, who were coming off a 6-3 season. The 1980 Trinity team was big and physically strong. Despite moving into the WPIAL’s newly formed Class AAAA, Trinity was ranked in the preseason top 10. It was a realistic rating given the talent on the Hillers’ roster, including two players who went on to play Division I football.

Montecalvo was hired as the Little Prexies’ new coach the prior spring, succeeding Don Clendaniel. The 24-year-old Montecalvo became one of the youngest head coaches in WPIAL history. Wash High graduated its entire offensive and defensive lines, three linebackers, a quarterback and a host of defensive backs, receivers and a key running back from an underachieving 4-5-1 team in 1979.

The Trinity-Wash High game hadn’t been played since 1973.

In re-establishing of the rivalry, the school districts made sure the game would be played the opening week of the season on Saturday, in the daylight.

The Hillers were prohibitive favorites to win the game and start a march toward a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

“The game worried me,” Johnson said. “You prepare the best you can. It was an old rivalry game and Wash High had great tradition.”

Wash High was simply trying to get their new coach off to a good start and hoping to stay with Trinity.

“We knew they had some fine players, a tremendous defense and were a real solid team,” Montecalvo said. “It was an extremely hectic time. I had a lot of anxiety but there was a lot of excitement.”

Prior to the game, Montecalvo was quoted in the Observer-Reporter saying: “We have nothing to lose and everything to gain, while it’s just the opposite for (them). Trinity has little or nothing to gain and a lot to lose.”

Spot on.

In the end, Trinity and Wash High battled on that bright sunny Aug. 30, 1980 day. It wasn’t the prettiest game. Both teams missed opportunities. First-game jitters and mistakes were present.

The effort, in front of 4,000 fans at Wash High Stadium, was not questioned.

In the end, the drama was captivating.

The Little Prexies won on a miracle – a 72-yard punt return by the late John Cohen – who crossed the goal line with the winning touchdown with no time left on the clock. The original walk-off winner.

“We were hoping to stay with them,” said George Robinson, a long-time assistant to Montecalvo and Trinity graduate. “I’m not sure we thought we could beat them. It sure was an exciting way to win. I know Guy and I were hugging each other and jumping up and down.”

It was the first of a school-record 192 coaching wins for Montecalvo, including two WPIAL Class AA championships and a PIAA title in 2001 at Wash High. The Little Prexies won three games in 1980 but that victory seemed like 10.

Trinity never recovered, finishing 1-9. The Hillers just could not overcome the sting of that defeat nor a string of injuries that ruined their season.

“I struggled with (the outcome) immensely,” said Jon Celani, the Hillers’ center. “We thought we could win the game. We had a very good lineup. We expected big things.”

Keeping it close

Wash High’s objective was to keep the game close, hang around and catch a break and capitalize on it.

Trinity simply wanted to flex its muscles, establish its physical advantage and put the Little Prexies away.

Orlando Williams, a tight end-linebacker for Wash High, joined Trinity’s Brian Shields and Don Muncie as three players in the game to go on and play Division I football. Williams played at Virginia Tech, Shields at Pitt and Muncie at Colorado.

“I thought we could beat them,” Williams said. “I really did. I thought, at the skill positions, we could match up with them. We knew they were good. But we weren’t afraid of them. On paper, they probably should have blown us out.”

As a little extra motivation, Williams pointed to a stunt Wash High assistant coach the late Bob Mazzie pulled the week of the game, having cream puffs delivered to the Little Prexies’ locker room during the week, with a tag line – from Trinity. Mazzie never admitted to the gag until much later.

“I wasn’t happy,” Williams chuckled. “We didn’t know it was a trick.”

The Hillers dominated the first half and took advantage of a botched punt by Wash High to gain a 6-0 lead. The extra-point failed. Despite controlling play, Trinity saw a sure touchdown pass fall incomplete later in the quarter. Missed opportunity.

Trinity had seven first downs in the half. Wash High had one.

At halftime, the punchless Little Prexies were down but not out.

In the third quarter, Wash High managed its best offensive series of the game, going 45 yards in four plays, keyed by a big play from quarterback Cary Hughes, who found Donnie Cameron for a 31-yard gain. A few plays later, Richie Barnes scored on a short run. Jeff Frazier’s extra-point made it 7-6 Little Prexies.

Trinity shook off the score and thwarted Wash High’s momentum, driving 46 yards in eight plays and scoring midway through the fourth quarter to regain the lead on Joe Cario’s second one-yard TD run. The extra-point was blocked. The Hillers led, 12-7.

“Them staying in the game was a big deal,” said Scott Andrews, Trinity’s quarterback. “Wash High gained some confidence and gave itself a chance. I think we all played a little bit not to lose rather than to win the game. We left ourselves in a position to lose on one play.”

The Little Prexies drove to Trinity’s 35-yard line but were stopped on downs with 1:44 remaining.

The Hillers, who took a five-yard penalty, ran all of13 seconds off the clock and faced fourth down.

Johnson concerned about having his punter, Andrews, turning the ball over deep in Trinity by taking the ball and running around to kill the clock, decided to punt.

Wash High, with no timeouts, had only one hope.

“Guy had us convinced we could win the game,” said Tony Nicolella, a senior captain.

Walk-off winner

Celani recalls that with 13 seconds left, and Trinity facing fourth down, the late Gene Steratore, the game’s referee, walked up to the Hillers and said, “I want to congratulate you, it looks like you guys are getting a hard-fought win today.”

“In the midst of that, Scott yells to confirm with the sideline: ‘Punt?’ and the sideline says, ‘Yes, punt.’ I said to Scott in the huddle: ‘Are you sure they said punt?’ So, Scott walked away from huddle and asked again: ‘Punt?

“They said ‘Yes, punt.'”

Andrew punted with Barnes and Cohen waiting for Wash High’s last gasp.

Cohen caught the punt at the Wash High 28-yard line. He feigned right, toward the press box side of the stadium, and then started running left toward Trinity’s sideline.

Cohen, a senior, turned the corner after a couple blocks cleared the way. The only player close to him was his teammate, the late Lonnie Barnes.

“I know Scott and I were the last two guys left, being the center and the punter,” Celani said. “I saw Cohen and had an angle but there was no way I was going to catch him. He was too fast. Next thing I know, I got my clock cleaned and when I saw (Cohen) cross the goal line I just couldn’t believe we lost. You have to be kidding me. It was devastating.”

As awful as defeat felt for the Hillers, Wash High and its fans were euphoric.

“I was worried Lonnie was going to tackle Johnny,” Richie Barnes chuckled. “I wasn’t sure what he was doing. I was thinking ‘just let Johnny alone.’ Guy made us believe in ourselves. We weren’t going out there to get whipped.”

“We didn’t expect a punt,” Nicolella said. “I was on the field and the action was away from me. I knew when (Cohen) broke around the corner they weren’t going to catch him. No one on the field was going to catch him.

“We were elated. It was almost like watching it in slow motion. It was immediate elation. I saw the fans coming out of the stands and toward the field.”

Added Barnes: “Coach taught us that fake one way and go the other way. Orlando hit two of them. It was a big-league play.”

For Johnson, the ending was a brutal way to lose.

“They did a great job in the punt return,” Johnson said. “You learn lessons all the time. … It was tough. I think it was a factor on the rest of the season. It was a devastating loss, a negative result. I give Guy and Wash High credit, they kept themselves in position to win.”

For Montecalvo, it was an incredible way to start a head coaching career and first step in building a strong program at his alma mater.

“Seeing him return the punt and realizing he was going to score was very shocking,” Montecalvo said. “I dropped to my knees. It was beyond belief. We were fortunate. I was ecstatic. What a jumping off point for us.

“I also know how difficult a loss that was for Trinity. Bob and I have become very good friends. And I’ve been involved in a number of devastating losses as a coach. It hurts. I know what that feels like. They deserved to win. We happened to stay in the game and make a big play at the end.”

Said Robinson: “I never saw anything like it.”