HDLNS GAMEDAY 02
BLAST PAST HAMILTON — Tommy Puma coined it the best game he ever played during his Badin High School football career. IT’S BEEN 23 YEARS SINCE HAMILTON, BADIN CLASHED ON THE GRIDIRON CHRIS VOGT BCHS SPORTS REPORT
On the other hand, Derrick Wilkinson questioned why he and his Hamilton teammates didn’t take the Rams as seriously as they should have.
That was 23 years ago — Friday, Oct. 27, 2000 — the last time the Showdown at the Schwarm took place.
“I think we were a bunch of underachievers,” recalled Puma, a 2001 BHS graduate. “We were coming in around .500, and I know we were way better than what our record indicated.
“Then over there … there was some elite talent,” Puma added of the Big Blue. “They had stuff over there that we never imagined having.”
Hamilton had Wilkinson at running back and guys like Nick Mahon, EJ Underwood and Tez Morris. Badin, on the other sideline, had Puma at quarterback, Andrew Thieken, Nate Bunce, Joe Roberto and Joe Webb.
Just a few that were named.
“That was a good team — I’m not gonna lie,” Wilkinson praised Badin.
It was longtime Hamilton coach Ed Mignery versus, at that time, the state of Ohio’s all-time winningest prep football coach in Badin’s legendary Terry Malone. The Rams entered with a 4-5 record, while Big Blue sat at 5-4. But, like most rivalries, numbers didn’t mean a thing.
Badin quarterback Tommy Puma runs for a 72-yard touchdown run against Hamilton in the Rams’ 16-10 win back on Oct. 27, 2000. It was the last time the two schools played each other. PHOTO BY JIM DENNEY/JOURNALNEWS
At least that Friday night they didn’t.
“It’s always been a rivalry because of the people living next door to each other,” said Mignery, who manned the Hamilton helm from 1988 to 2001. “Hamilton and Badin playing against each other makes the fans say,‘Hey, we are proud of our team.’”
Once Badin got its first look on offense, the Virgil Schwarm Stadium crowd watched in astonishment.
On just the third play from scrimmage, Puma faked a pitch to fullback John Klamo, turned up field and zipped past the Big Blue defense for a 72-yard score. Puma’s extra point gave the Rams a 7-0 lead. “I felt like everyone on Badin’s offense was key that year,” Puma said. “From a talent perspective, we were the underdog. This was a chance for us to compete against some big-time players. And in hindsight, we were looking to win that game for Coach (Terry) Malone.”
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