Great PA Teams State College, 1973

Tagged under: Coaches Corner, Great PA Teams, News

Hal Wilson | October 11, 2019

We are pleased to begin a series, Great PA Teams, by the great Hal Wilson, a long time contributor to PA High
School Football. Hal has written many stories in the past for PAFootballNews dating back to
our print days.

1941-2019

Todays Story is dedicated to Coach Williams. Keep the sidelines bright for us coach.

STATE COLLEGE 1973

Winning 36 straight games from the final contest in 1970 into mid-season in 1974, the mighty State College Little Lions happily shared billing in Happy Valley with the Penn State varsity. State High’s 1973 team reached the heights with a climactic final game victory over Pittsburgh Central Catholic and recognition as the Pennsylvania state champion.

1973 State College included some extraordinary people. Brothers Matt and Paul Suhey went on to star at Penn State. They were mainstays of the 1978 Nittany Lion team that barely missed the national championship. Matt became the fullback and blocker for Walter Payton and the Chicago Bears, while Paul became a prominent orthopedic surgeon. He is also now a Penn State trustee.

The Suhey’s are part of a four generation State College and Penn State tradition. Grandfather Bob Higgins coached the 1947 Cotton Bowl team and is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. His daughter, Virginia, married Steve Suhey, an All-America guard on that team and a Hall of Fame member. Matt, Paul, and 1971 Little Lions star Larry are sons of Steve and Virginia, All three of the Suhey boys appeared on the field for Penn State at one time during the 1976 college season.

Matt Suhey, only a sophomore in 1973, was named to the All-State first team offense an unprecedented three consecutive years, 1973, 1974 and 1975, while Paul was a first team linebacker as a 1974 senior. Larry Suhey was an All-State first team selection at running back in 1971.

2003 Little Lion quarterback Kevin Suhey, Paul’s son, is interning with the Detroit Lions and will be a member of the 2005 Penn State squad.

Tackle Clay Singletary was a 1973 second team All-Stater, and later a standout lineman at West Virginia. Junior Gary Ellis played at Maryland and Craig Coder was a special teams star for the Nittany Lions.

Coach Jim Williams’ 1973 edition started the season inauspiciously with 6-0 wins at DuBois and Lock Haven. Then a convincing 35-12 victory over visiting Central Dauphin launched what was to become a great campaign. Sophomore Matt Suhey was emerging as a dominating running back.

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A game at undefeated Hollidaysburg provided a stern mid-season test. The Little Lions prevailed 28-20 as a 14-14 deadlock after three quarters was broken. A 65 yard pass play from quarterback Bill Curley to flanker Gary Ellis put State ahead. The small, quick Golden Tigers came back to score, but State College then put the game away on Curley passes to split end Tim Gambocurta and Paul Suhey, combined with Matt’s running.

North Catholic of Pittsburgh had a fine running back in Wylie but the Little Lions manhandled North gaining 372 yards to 181 for the visitors from Pittsburgh. Matt Suhey carried 40 times for 214 punishing yards. The final score of 14-6 belied the State College domination.

Altoona and its Mountain Lions came to State College to avenge the 1972 surprise – but the visitors left with their tails between their legs, 35-13 victims.

At Indiana, a balanced Little Lion attack featured both running by Matt Suhey and Curley passes to John Sefter and Ellis as well as to Matt. State High won 27-0.

The season-ending showdown with Pittsburgh’s Central Catholic was played on a frigid night before a packed house at old Memorial Field. A snow-covered gridiron was cleared before the game. Central had beaten New Castle, the eventual WPIAL AAA champion, and the game was billed as a clash for the state title. State College had won 29 straight games and Central 16 in a row. The squads were ranked one and two in the state.

Central’s All-State quarterback, the clever Eddie Smith, kept his Vikings in the game with his faking and play-action maneuvers, but the power of Matt Suhey and the overall strength of the Little Lions carried the evening and State College won 37-26.

The Little Lions scored on their first scrimmage play and Central never really recovered. A split end Craig Coder pass to tight end Sefter covered 42 yards. Matt Suhey then ran for three touchdowns as the Lions led 30-6 with nearly seven minutes left in the first half.

Central closed to 30-14 at the half with a 15 yard dash by tailback Watkins with just 30 seconds remaining.

In the third quarter, the Vikings recovered a Little Lion fumble at their own 14 and drove 86 yards to bring the score to 30-20. Central then brought an interception back to the State College 33. Five plays later, Central had a fourth and 17 at the 25. Sheldon Rider threw Watkins for a two yard loss and the Little Lions regained control of the game.

State College drove 73 yards for the clinching TD with Ellis carrying the ball in from the eight on a flanker reverse.

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Matt Suhey had gained a total of 229 yards in the game and completed the season with 236 carries for 1,543 yards and 17 TD’s. Quarterback Curley completed 61 of 125 throws for 1,084 yards and nine touchdowns.

Mike Archer, who became the head coach at LSU, was the Little Lions’ QB in 1970.
The perfect record 1971 team was quarterbacked by Tim Curley, later a Penn State player, administrator, and the Nittany Lions’ Athletic Director.

In 1972, State College upgraded its schedule, booking games with Central Dauphin, Altoona and Indiana. The 14-13 win in suburban Harrisburg, a 35-7 romp over the bigger and slower Mountain Lions, and a 30-26 thriller with the Indians established the Little Lions as a state power. Bill Curley and Mike Sabock directed this club. Andy Sefter was the tailback.

The Little Lions’ remarkable run finally ended in the 1974 return game with Central. The game was played at Mt. Lebanon and the Vikings bested State College, 33-21.

Jim Williams coached State College through these remarkable years. Williams is a native of State College. He played at State High and then was a two-year letterman at center and linebacker for the Nittany Lions, graduating in 1963. After four years as an assistant at Bellefonte, he began the revitalization of the Little Lion program in 1969. Successful almost immediately, his eight-year record was 65-13.

Williams joined Joe Paterno’s Penn State staff in 1977. He worked as an assistant for 16 years, then joined football administration where he served the Nittany Lion program for many years.

Dedicated and hard-working, Coach Williams excelled as a teacher and tactician, as well as in program and team organization. His State College squads were a fortuitous merging of talent and coaching ability. He stated in 1969 before the season that he “wanted to achieve the respect of the teams we were playing and the opposing coaches.” After the 1973 campaign, he commented, “ The success is a tribute to the kids.”

Paul Suhey says today that, “We had toughness – we were not intimidated or afraid – in spite of playing some bigger teams with bigger reputations. Coach Williams gave us an edge. He put us in position to be competitive. Every week he had a new scheme, innovations, and trick plays to surprise and confound the next opponent. He did a great job for us.”

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State High’s 1973 state championship offense included.

85 E Tim GAMBOCURTA 6-1 175
70 T Clay SINGLETARY 6-2 215
65 G Norm FRYE 6-0 200
52 C Greg SMITH 6-1 190
66 G Scott YOCUM 5-11 190
76 T Chris HOOVER 6-2 225
82 E John SEFTER 6-1 205
8 Q Bill CURLEY 6-0 170
24 H Matt SUHEY 5-10 185
42 H Gary ELLIS 6-2 180
34 F Paul SUHEY 6-2 210
33 Sheldon RIDER 5-8 180

The 1973 Little Lion defenders were:

87 E Dave HARRIS 6-1 185
70 T Clay SINGLETARY 6-2 215
67 T Paul KANAGY 5-10 220
33 E Sheldon RIDER 5-10 185
11 LB Craig CODER 6-1 180
34 LB Paul SUHEY 6-2 210
82 LB John SEFTER 6-1 205
65 LB Norm FRYE 6-0 200
34 Matt SUHEY 5-10 185
43 CB Pat SNYDER 5-8 170
42 CB Gary ELLIS 6-2 180
85 S Tim GAMBOCURTA 6-1 175

78 Ed BOAL was a major contributor in the offensive line. 44 Denny DELONG handled the kickoffs and conversions, while Sheldon RIDER punted on the few occasions when a punt was required. 51 Mike TORETTI, son of long-time Penn State football staff member Sever Toretti, was the long snapper.

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The breakthrough 1972 record:

28 DUBOIS 0
7 LOCK HAVEN 0
14 CENTRAL DAUPHIN 13
42 CLEARFIELD 0
27 PENN HIGHLANDS 12
28 HUNTINGDON 14
35 ALTOONA 7
45 TYRONE 6
30 INDIANA 26
35 BELLEFONTE 8

The 1973 state championship season:

6 DUBOIS 0
6 LOCK HAVEN 0
35 CENTRAL DAUPHIN 12
41 CLEARFIELD 8
28 HOLLIDAYSBURG 20
14 PITTSBURGH NORTH CATHOLIC 6
35 ALTOONA 13
55 TYRONE 18
27 INDIANA 0
37 PITTSBURGH CENTRAL CATHOLIC 26

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