Skip to main content

Le Roy and Mike Hart

By Brian Hillabush

 Back in 2002, the Le Roy football team went to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association semifinals.

We are still a few weeks away from this level of play, but both Le Roy and Oakfield-Alabama will get a shot to make the state final four.

That game was an epic one and one of the greatest high school football games every played, with powerhouse Onondaga beating the Oatkan Knights 13-10. 

Mike Hart - who went on to star at Michigan and is a rookie with the Indianapolis Colts this year - was the biggest name in New York football. He set all kinds of records and was an almost larger than life figure.

He didn't disappoint. Le Roy did a good job of holding him to just 123 yards and a touchdown, but the touchdown run came at the right time of the game. Late in the fourth quarter, Hart broke six tackles and ran it in from 63 yards to give Onondaga the trip to the finals, which they also won.

He also caused four turnovers on the defensive side of the ball.

Le Roy fans are as loyal as any and those that attended this game remember it as a tough loss for the kids, but also remember that they witnessed something special.

Here is a copy of Hart's amazing touchdown run.

Lorie Longhany

I can't show this to my daughter's boyfriend. He wore # 1 and I know that he still has nightmare's about that one run. But what a thrill for these LeRoy kids to have played against such a fine athlete.

Hilly, what about the LeRoy girl's sectional volleyball win? This is only the second time in the program's history that LeRoy has brought home a sectional championship in volleyball. I watched them play last Saturday. This is a very young, balanced team that looks like they will be pretty dominant the next couple years. Congrats to all the girls and to Kelly and Sue for a great season!

Nov 6, 2008, 8:32pm Permalink
lazario Ladou

That's a pretty-looking run but are the other guys allowed to tackle? lol At least 4 missed tackles and at least half of those are unforgivable in not bringing him down ..countless whiffs, lunges and VERY bad angles to the ball
Huge #80 did a nice skip dance, though.

No excuse for not being a 0 gain
no excuse for why not only a 5 yard gain
no excuse for not holding to a 15 yard gain

6 or more guys and not one touch after the missed tackle on sideline

You know it's bad defense when players on the sideline get excited after 10 yards with 50 yet to go

Nov 6, 2008, 11:59pm Permalink
Brian Hillabush

Lorie,
It is awesome that those girls won the title. At this point I'm still learning what I can and can't do at The Batavian. It's different for me now because I'm basically a one person sports staff. I need the support of the coaches for reports and coverage.
My goal has always been, and always will be, to deliver the best coverage of local sports. I will not be giving daily scores - heck, you can get those at probably four different sites at this point. I'm going to try and give you the in-depth look at the athletes and what they do. That is a lot more interesting than a 25-12, 25-20, 25-22 win during the regular season.
We are growing still. As good as The Batavian is, it is just the start, we are still learning.

Nov 7, 2008, 6:07am Permalink

Authentically Local