Former players help turn Spartans into winner

By Steve Gress
Mid-Valley Sports

It seems like eons since the Corvallis High football program was one of the most feared and respected in Oregon.

From 1978 to 1986, the Spartans won three state titles and played in a fourth while going 100-15 with six Valley League titles in nine seasons.

However, since 1992 the Spartans have posted a 23-74 record and have failed to finish with a winning season.

That has changed this year as the Spartans are 6-1, guaranteed of a winning season and can clinch a playoff berth with a win against McNary, the top team in the Valley League the past few years, tonight in the Spartans' final regular-season home game. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

While the importance of tonight's game could elicit memories of the glory days around CHS, second-year coach Chris McGowan, a member of the Spartan's last state title team, doesn't look at it that way.

"I haven't thought about it at all," McGowan said Wednesday when asked if the game compared to any he played in. "We're just thrilled to be in this position to secure a playoff spot."

Bridging the gap between the teams of the past and those of the past few years has been a group of former players turned coaches for the Spartans.

Head coach McGowan was a member of the 1983 team that captured the school's last state title as was assistant Mike Zandofsky, who spent time with five teams in the NFL. Bob Johnson was a member of the 1978 and '79 state title teams and Nick Todorovich, a 1986 graduate.

McGowan took over after the 2001 season and has helped guide the Spartans to a 9-7 record. He added Zandofsky to his staff and kept Johnson and Todorovich around as well as a number of other assistants like Jim Dort and Ron Sather.

The group often gets together away from the field to discuss this year's team and reminisce about their own playing days.

Everyone agrees the reunion has been fun.

"I love it," Todorovich said. "We get together talk and about players and there is always some discussion that goes back to the past. All the big games and we draw comparison to the past players. I love having those conversations. Everyone is knowledgeable and has a great sense of humor."

Zandofsky said he wasn't sure what to expect, and wasn't all that interested at the start to coach.

"I had never done anything like this, but it's really turned out to be something I have enjoyed," said Zandofsky, a 1984 graduate who went on to star at the University of Washington. "I want to see them have success. It might take a while. I was certainly a part of that with Gary (Beck) and I would kind of like to bring that back."

Johnson has spent the past few years assisting the Spartans, including coaching the freshman team to a 6-3 record in 2001. Many of those players are key contributors as juniors this year.

It was then that Johnson began to try to instill a bit of the old school tradition. He brought in former players like Paul Pinion, Gary Hamilton and Jamie Patton from the glory days, and ran some of those same plays that made them successful. It was a small step, but one that apparently had a positive impact.

"It is hard to know how that impacted the kids," Johnson said two years ago. "They weren't even born when we were playing, but I was just trying to let them know that Corvallis High has had success.

Johnson simply wanted those players to tell his team the mentality that they had when they were playing.

"We believed that we were supposed to win the state championship and that we were going to win the state championship and all of us had. We tried to relay that to the kids."

Johnson challenged his freshman to be the guys younger players now look up to when they came to watch the Spartans play. The group appears to be rising to that challenge.

Todorovich isn't coaching as much this year because of his job, but is there each Wednesday, Thursday and Friday night. He films games from the field each Friday. Still, Todorovich has worked with the senior class since they were in sixth grade.

"To say I'm proud of this team is a huge understatement," he said. "Especially the seniors. They are like sons to me.

"This 2003 team brings back wonderful memories for me. It reminds me of the '86 team because the defenses are so similar and the strength of the team. In all likelihood we will win seven or more games and the last time we did was in 1986."

McGowan wasn't trying to build a staff for effect, he was simply looking for guys he felt comfortable working with. He isn't sure if having former players on staff has meant anymore to the players.

"I don't think it does, I think it's how we approach things now," he said. "I think it's just a bonus for us to have had that common experience. I think what the respect they have for us comes from the way we treat them and how we coach them. We just try to do our business. That outshines the reputation we have."