Over the Decades: The 1990s

1990s

On the surface the 1990s, with three state championships, would appear to be the best decade in Dons history. It was not, though, finishing with the third-best performance over a 10-year span.

While the decade contained 18 of the 41 playoff games ever played and five of the school’s nine state championship games, it also had an equally vulnerable side. The second winless season was in 1997 and the ’97-’99 mark was 4-25. The Dons last football season was in 2000 under coach Tom Knauf and they sported a 5-5 record.

While it was the best of times (five of the six best offensive units; posting six 1994 shutouts) it was also the worst of times (four of the nine biggest losses; failing to score in five 1997 games).

Four coaches guided Columbus to a 70-37 record (.654). Steadfast Walt Kroll led the Dons for the first five years. After his untimely death, Tom Passe, Roger Capannelli, and Tom Knauf coached CHS gridders (for simplicity, the final season in 2000 is included in the 1990s decade).

Kroll’s coaching success peaked in the early 1990s. His teams stumbled but once in 28 CWCC encounters, and responded to that setback with three straight shutouts. The last one happened to be Kroll’s third state team title in 1994.

During this period Adam Michalek was one of only two linemen in history to make both the offensive and defensive unit two years running. Mike Scheuer became the only Columbus QB to be named first team All-State. Players on the 1993 team never lost a conference game in their four years.

The athletically-gifted Class of 1997, sophomores under Kroll, closed out the book on Columbus state football championships at four with their strong November 1996 finish at Camp Randall.

No Columbus football athlete will ever match the multi-talented Mike Weister. He shattered many records, with the most impressive being his 370 career points (the second most was 237). Weister’s singular accomplishment of scoring TDs five different ways truly set him apart. He was named second team All-State. But Weister was not alone on CHS’s last championship team in 1996. Jason Linzmeier and Rich Seubert (of NFL fame) also over-achieved on that team.

Mike Magistrelli tossed 30 TD passes during the ‘90s but Scheuer was right behind with 28 and Pete Schueppert tallied 22. Junior Jon Poehnelt had 16 total touchdown passes when his career was cut short one year by the dropping of football.

Top rushers were Mike Weister (45 TDs), followed by Mike Scheuer (30) and Justin Casperson (20). Jason Linzmeier smashed all receiving marks with his 15 TD catches. Four other receivers trailed with six nabs each—Mike McCormick, Adam Michalek, Nate Bennington, and Ted Nikolai.

1992 All-State place-kicker Kevin Ahmann finished second all-time on the school kick list. Scot Cook and Mike Magistrelli were also prolific place-kickers during this span. The 1992 team proved to be one of Kroll’s best ever—with a points scored/points given up differential of 26.2, a mark never bettered.

While Mike Weister’s 370 points dwarfed the competition, other scoring machines in the school’s best offensive decade included Mike Scheuer (206), Steve Nugent (153), Jason Linzmeier (148), Justin Casperson (136), Pat Schueppert (126), and Mike Magistrelli (125).

Ten players were named All-CWCC on both offense and defense in the same year during the 1990s: Adam Michalek, Pat Schueppert, Steve Nugent, Eric Heiting, Tom Backaus, Ryan Kolbeck, Mike Scheuer, Mike Weister, Jason Linzmeier, and Richie Seubert.

Another nine Dons were all-conference selections during two separate seasons in the ‘90s: Mike Magistrelli, Steve Nugent, Eric Heiting, Jeremy Sternweis, Tom Backaus, Jeremy Maurer, Adam Michalek, Brian McCormick, and Mike Weister.

Player numbers plagued Don footballers in the end. For safety’s sake, the sport was dropped just shy of seven months after the last game in the fall of 2000. The announcement ended a noteworthy 51-year run of football for a program known statewide for its tenacity and style of play.