Coach Of The Year

When practice began ion August, Jamestown had 20 returning players which sounded like the makings of an excellent team. However, Coach Wally Huckno was cautious and said, “I think it’s a team you have a chance with.”

Some critics might have thought, “Who’s he kidding?”

But when the team started off 1-2, suddenly a potential powerhouse didn’t look so powerful.

The road to the playoffs had taken a detour and someone had to get the Red Raiders back on track and that someone was Huckno.

Jamestown never lost another regular season game to qualify for the playoffs. But in their first playoff game at Sweet Home, it looked like the Red Raiders’ postseason would end when they trailed 9-0 after less than six minutes of play. That is when Huckno called a time out and chewed out his players with a “talk” that heated up the chilly surroundings. It also heated up the Red Raiders who went on to score 28 unanswered points and the playoff roll was underway.

Wins over Orchard Park, Fairport and Rome Free Academy involved plenty of passing from a team led by a coach who prefers the ground game. Huckno didn’t stick to a “It’s my way or the highway” philosophy. Instead he went with an offense that would produce wins.

After the win over Fairport, Huckno said about the passing game, “That’s contrary to my philosophy. I believe in the running game, but I know we’ve got to mix it up.”

And the Red Raiders mixed it up all the way to the state title game where they finally lost.

Huckno’s team finished 10-2, the first 10-win season in the 100 years of football at JHS.

Whenever asked about the team’s success, Huckno is always quick to point out that he is surrounded by quality people, but there is a quality person in charge – Huckno, the 1993 Post-Journal Coach of the Year.