Several Pennsylvania High School Football Coaches Approaching Victory Milestones

by Jeff Fisher
Pennsylvania High School Football Huddle

I got the juices flowing for the 2011 season with a trip back home to Easton this week.

After a visiting with family, I played in the annual Pius X Golf Tournament at Mountain Manor in Marshall's Creek last Sunday, and then spent two-days with head coach Phil Stambaugh as he put his team through preseason drills in plenty of heat and humidity in Roseto.

Stambaugh has high hopes as he enters his second season as head coach at his alma mater.  Last year the Royals went 8-4.

Now, Stambaugh's eight wins doesn't put him on any all-time wins list, but I thought I'd do a little research this weekend on coaches that have a shot at reaching a victory milestone this season...the 300 Win Club.

A couple of coaches have shots at entering the exclusive club that has only nine Pennsylvania coaches.

Jim Algeo, head coach at Lansdale Catholic since 1969, enters the season nine wins short of 300.  Algeo brings a 291-176-15 record into this season.

In the middle of the state Tim Rimpfel of Cumberland Valley needs a 12-victory season to get to 300.  Rimpfel enters the 2011 season with a record of 288-94-3.

Other possible milestones this year...Jack Henzes of Dunmore High, who Pennsylvania's second winningest coach, is three wins from 350 and Jim Rendor of Upper St. Clair is seven short of the 350 victory mark.

Here's a look at Pennsylvania's 300 Wins Club:

1. George Curry (1967-2008) Berwick & Wyoming Valley West - 413-94-4
2. Jack Henzes (1960-Present) Dunmore - 347-150-8
3. Jim Rendor (1969-Present) Upper St. Clair - 343-114-7
4. Frank Pazzaglia (1970-Present) Mid Valley - 334-131-8
5. Joe Hamilton (1965-Present) Blackhawk - 328-144-11
6. Mike Pettine (1967-1999) CB West - 326-42-4
7. Don Bailey (1974-2009) Forest Hills - 316-83-6
8. Mike Williams (1980-Present) Manheim Central - 310- 61-3
9. Jim Roth (1984-Present) Southern Columbia - 303-62-2

George Curry Becomes First in Pennsylvania to Win 400

During my TV life in Pennsylvania, George Curry was one of those head coaches you loved to hate. George was a tough old bird, who didn't shy away from "mixing it up" with the media. Covering Lehigh Valley football in the early 90's meant that the road to any state championship went right through the tiny town of Berwick, and that meant dealing with King George.

Today, I want to congratulate Coach Curry for quite a milestone...he coached his 400th victory from night when Wyoming Valley West beat Williamsport 41-7.

Curry is now one of only four active coaches in America in victory. At the head of the class is Summerville (SC) head man of 50-plus seasons, John McCissick who owns 547 wins heading into this weekend's game against Goose Creek. The other two head coaches with working with 400-plus wins are John Curtis, Jr. at John Curtis Christian (River Ridge, LA) and Larry Campbell of Lincoln County (Lincolnton, GA), who was the last the enter the exclusive club before Curry.

To read more about Coach Curry's milestone from the Times Leader, please click on our headline "George Curry Becomes First in Pennsylvania to Win 400"