Storied schools
Many legends have played for Warren football
AP File Photo Walter Payton (34) of the Chicago Bears breaks into the right end in a run that gained 9 yards in the game against the Detroit Lions in Pontiac, Mi., on Sept. 17, 1978. Blocking for Payton are Golden Richards (83), Revie Sorey (69) and Ted Albrecht (64) as Lions' John Woodstock (77), Bruce Rhodes (33) and Ed O'Neil (behind Payton) close in to make the stop.
AP File Photo Penn State linebacker Ed O'Neil sits in front of a class at Latrobe Senior High School where he is a student teacher, just prior to learning that he was the top draft choice of the Detroit Lions, Jan. 29, 1974. O'Neil, from Warren, was the eighth man selected in the NFL draft of college players.
AP File Photo Walter Payton (34) of the Chicago Bears breaks into the right end in a run that gained 9 yards in the game against the Detroit Lions in Pontiac, Mi., on Sept. 17, 1978. Blocking for Payton are Golden Richards (83), Revie Sorey (69) and Ted Albrecht (64) as Lions' John Woodstock (77), Bruce Rhodes (33) and Ed O'Neil (behind Payton) close in to make the stop.
AP File Photo Penn State linebacker Ed O'Neil sits in front of a class at Latrobe Senior High School where he is a student teacher, just prior to learning that he was the top draft choice of the Detroit Lions, Jan. 29, 1974. O'Neil, from Warren, was the eighth man selected in the NFL draft of college players.
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EDITOR'S NOTE: With the highly anticipated Warren at Eisenhower football game set for Friday, Times Observer correspondents Steve Younger and Nate Sandberg have collaborated to write daily articles pertaining to the matchup of the Warren County rivals. Today's topic: The success of each football program over the years.
Warren Area High School has put out a football team since 1905, per The Dragon yearbook. Throughout these 120-plus years, Warren has had great success, starting with Coach J.B. Leidig's 40-year tenure (1912-1951) where he amassed a District 10-record 270 wins.
One also can't talk about Warren High football without mentioning Ed O'Neil ('70); the legendary 1976 undefeated 11-0 team that earned a No. 1 state ranking; or even the 2003 campaign that featured Ben Maljovec, Mike Cradduck, Dave Ditka and Mike Moore. These teams, along with many others throughout the years, have made former players proud to have put on the blue and white, and will make fans reminisce for years to come.
The program has produced numerous athletes who went on to play Division I football through the years, including Ted Shattuck (Penn State University), Ed O'Neil (PSU), Dan O' Neil (Villanova), Joe Wozneak (Notre Dame), Kelly Fredericks (PSU) Jeff Erickson (Rutgers), Kevin Walter (Temple), Colter Johnson (UMass), Ben Maljovec (Syracuse) and Jake Kupchella (Robert Morris).
Warren football has also been fortunate to enjoy the long and successful head coaching tenures of Leidig, Toby Shea, Jeff Flickner, Greg Latimer and Mark Morelli, to name a few.
Needless to say, Warren High football is rich in history from an individual and team perspective.