The OVAC was established in 1943 with Follansbee among its first members. At that time there were two divisions, class A and AA, with Follansbee classified as a smaller school in the A division.
Follansbee's Joe Chorba and Mario Lombardi played in the first WV-Ohio All Star game in 1940. The 1940 game occurred before the current OVAC was established in 1943. Photo Courtesy of Steubenville Herald Star.
First Ohio Valley All Star Football Game Program.
Three past presidents of the OVAC were directly connected to Follansbee. Follansbee’s Coach Mac Bowles served as president during 1949-1950. Homer Bodley, who was a principal at FHS, was OVAC president during 1968-1969. George Kohelis, who graduated from Follansbee High in 1961, served as president during 1999-2000 while at Weirton High School.
Four Follansbee coaches are celebrated for winning the OVAC class A football championships. Representing FHS, Mac Bowles’ Blue Wave teams were champs in 1947, 1948 and 1949. Gus Winter won in 1950.
Gus Winters 1950 10-0 Team.
Representing St. Anthony, Tony Paesano led the Follansbee St. Anthony Steelmen to the class A championship in 1958, and Ron Pawlowski won again for the Steelmen in 1960.
Multiple Follansbee High Coaches have led the West Virginia team in the Ohio-West Virginia All Star Game. They are the following:
- 1950 – Mac Bowles – Ohio 14 WV 0
- 1951 – Argue E. “Gus” Winter – Ohio 13 WV 6
- 1954 – Doug Stone – WV 13 Ohio 0
- 1955 – Doug Stone – Ohio 31 WV 20
- 1956 – Doug Stone – Ohio 27 WV 0
- 1967 – Denny Williams – Ohio 6 WvV 0
FOLLANSBEE FOOTBALL STARS IN OVAC ALL-STAR GAMES 1940 – 1969
FOLLANSBEE ST. ANTHONY
- Ciccarelli, Ralph 59)
- Anastasia, Anthony (61)
- Ciccolella, Mike (61)
- Julio, John (61)
- Martino, Enzo (62)
- Dudash, Rich (64)
FOLLANSBEE HIGH SCHOOL
- Chorba, Joseph (40)
- Lumbardi, Mutt (40)
- D’Aurora, Edo (47)
- Giannini, John (48)
- Hedmond, Bob (48)
- Hissom, Jim (49)
- Lewis, Sydney (49)
- Nowery, Bob (49)
- Jones, William (50)
- Rea, Vincent (50)
- Rocchio, Harry (50)
- Bogarard, Martin (50)
- Hickman, Jim (51)
- Kukura, Walt (51)
- Mikanik, Paul (51)
- Pascuzzi, Mike (51)
- Rogerson, Don (51)
- Barezinsky, Stanley (52)
- Schenerlein, Wilber (53)
- Sissini, Ross (53)
- Anastasia, Ralph (54)
- Ciccolella, John (54)
- Gawrych, Ron (54)
- Kuhns, Gene (54)
- Perna, Steve (54)
- Stift, Ralph (55)
- Bowen, Leon (55)
- Falbo, Mike (55)
- Floyd, Okie (55)
- Freshwater, Tom (55)
- Wilinski, Richard (55)
- Clarke, Melvin (56)
- Mentzer, Jim (56)
- Curtis, Russ (57)
- Bjelac, Samuel (59)
- Householder, Kent (61)
- Wisher, Richard (62)
- Dragovich, Joe (62)
- Goggin, Paul (64)
- Jeneskee, Bill (64)
- Fuscardo, Guy (65)
- Prantil, Glenn (65)
- Reitter, Dave (65)
- Sulek, John (65)
- Cucarese, Dave (66)
- Latiner, John (66)
- Layburn, Donald (66)
- Steele, Pat (67)
- Giglio, Pete (67)
- Kidder, Terry (67)
- Morrhead, Tom (68)
- Yevvta, John (68)
- Basil, Pete (68)
- Fleming, Alan (68)
- Hood, Larry (69)
- Barnhart, Charles (69)
Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Championships 1943 – 2009 http://www.ovac.org/Content/ViewPDF/notebook.pdf
“All Star Football Game History“ http://www.ovac.org/Content/ViewPDF/Notebook_Football_All_Star_Game_History.pdf