Hardesty: One of the greatest years in the history of Portage County football

Hardesty: One of the greatest years in the history of Portage County football

- Tom Hardesty

I don’t know where the time went, but this fall represents the 40th anniversary of the great 1981 Rootstown football team.

The Rovers of coach Doug Mori, led by howitzer-armed 6-foot-6 senior quarterback Brian McClure, steamrolled to a perfect 10-0 regular season and made the state playoffs for the first time in school history. They sent notice early that they were a force to be reckoned with when they routed Mogadore 55-14 in the season opener — the same Mogadore that had lost exactly two regular season games in three years.

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