Like grandpa, like grandson
KARNS CITY — History often repeats itself.
Only this time, it took a while.
Dalton Callihan was a coach on the Karns City Blue Devils (ages 11-12) football team that recently won the ABC Youth League's Super Bowl game.
His grandfather, Michael Callihan Sr., was coach of the Karns City Blue Devils 11-12 team that won the Little 12 league championship in 1970 — 50 years ago.
Slippery Rock, East Brady and Moniteau are other organizations that were part of both leagues.
Two players on that 1970 team — Ed Kepple and Rob Double — have grandsons — quarterback Cole Johnston and tackle-linebacker Landon Kerr — who played on this year's team.
“The whole thing is pretty cool,” Dalton Callihan said. “This year, I saw a picture of my grandfather's team that year. It was getting shown around.
“For this team to win it, too, exactly 50 years later, was kinda special.”
Both teams finished their respective seasons undefeated. The Blue Devils defeated Moniteau in the championship game in 1970, going 7-0.
This year's team defeated Armstrong, 67-18, in the Super Bowl, and went 10-0.
“Youth football is totally different now,” Kepple said. “Back in 1970, our offense was basically dive left, dive right ... now these kids are doing reverses, counters, options ... they know so much more than we did at that age.”
Callihan believes the kids have changed as football has changed.“We're talking about 1970,” he said. “That was before the Steel Curtain, West Coast offense, all of that stuff. No one was passing the ball.“It was all smash-mouth football back then, especially in the rural areas. That's how the game was played.”Michael Callihan took the reins of a Blue Devils team that hadn't won a game in two years. His teams were undefeated in the three years he coached.“Then we had another child and I had to go out and make more money,” the elder Callihan said, laughing. “I just didn't have time to coach anymore.”Prospect was the powerhouse team of the Little 12 in those days.“After not winning a game at all for two years, our kids tied Prospect, 0-0,” Callihan said. “You'd have thought we just beat the world.”And while most youth football teams have more structured training and organized workouts today, Michael Callihan's best practice tool was his 180-pound Saint Bernard.“I'd throw a football and tell the kids whoever retrieved it first would get the night off,” he said. “Well, my dog would always get to the ball first and the kids exerted a lot of energy trying to catch him and get the ball away from him.“By the time they were done chasing that Saint Bernard, they had their workout in.'Kepple remembers those days well.“We practiced at the Chicora Elementary School and he (Callihan) would always throw that ball up onto a hill,” Kepple said. “We chased that dog up and down that hill until we were dog tired ourselves.“I know he did that on purpose. But it was still fun.”And fun is what Michael Callihan and his grandson brought to their teams.“Dalton is so enthusiastic about the game and it rubs off on the kids,” Kepple said. “His grandfather was the same way with us.”“The parents of our kids were great,” Michael Callihan said. “Once you get the kids to have fun, they listen. Once the kids listen, the parents would follow right along. Whatever we needed from those parents, we got.”Dalton Callihan played football at Karns City High School and was a three-year starter at right tackle for Grove City College.Another Blue Devils' assistant coach, Christian Turner, is a friend of Callihan's and had a cousin on the team. He talked Callihan into joining the Blue Devils' coaching staff last year.“I quickly realized I could have as much fun coaching football as I had playing it,” Callihan said. “I love this.”The kids love him as well.“Dalton is great with those boys,” said Kellie Johnston, Cole's mother. “He's always positive and gets them pumped up. The kids on the team respect him because he's been there, done that.“For my father to win the Super Bowl, then my son, with a grandfather and grandson coaching them ... it's a great story for everyone.”Cole's father, Jordan Johnston, played football at Clarion-Limestone High School and Grove City College.“Cole couldn't wait to play football because his dad played,” Kellie Johnston said. “That sort of thing happens a lot around here.”So maybe it's no surprise that the Callihan family and Karns City are enjoying youth football championships 50 years apart.“Dalton's only in his second year of coaching and the kids respond to him so well,” Blue Devils head coach Jason Farren said. “They look up to him.”Just like Dalton looks up to his grandfather.“I've been around football all my life,” Dalton Callihan said. “My grandfather's told me stories through the years, stories about his teams.“Now, maybe I can do the same. I'm only 23 and who knows what life is gonna bring, but I'm not planning on giving up coaching, not anytime soon.”
