Spartan Football by Decade (1980s)
- nssite8
- Nov 22, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
The 1980s were a dynamic decade for North Schuylkill Spartan Football, filled with challenges, significant victories, and milestone achievements. Early in the decade, the Spartans established themselves as a competitive force under Coach Barry Hackenberg, highlighted by the 1982 team’s historic victory over Mount Carmel, marking the first time in school history they defeated the Red Tornadoes.
By the mid-1980s, under Coach Bob Moyer, the Spartans reached new heights. The 1986 season was a standout year, with the team achieving an impressive 11-1 record and winning the District XI Class AA Championship, capped off with a dominant 21-0 victory over Catasauqua in the title game. This season solidified their reputation as one of the region's top programs.
The Spartans maintained strong performances throughout the late 1980s, including an 8-3 season in 1987 and an 8-4 record in 1988, which included a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference Class II Semifinals. Though they fell short against Danville in 1988, the Spartans’ consistent success exemplified their competitive spirit and ability to rise to challenges.
The 1980s showcased the growth of the program, setting a strong foundation for future decades with hallmark moments that built Spartan pride.
1980 VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Date | Team | Location | Spartan Score | Opponent Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aug. 29 | Tamaqua Area | Away | 27 | 8 | Win |
Sept. 6 | Shamokin Area | Home | 3 | 3 | Tie |
Sept. 12 | Bloomsburg Area | Away | 7 | 6 | Win |
Sept. 20 | Blue Mountain | Away | 34 | 15 | Win |
Sept. 26 | Shenandoah Valley | Away | 28 | 6 | Win |
Oct. 4 | Shikellamy | Home | 16 | 21 | Loss |
Oct. 11 | Mount Carmel Area | Home | 7 | 14 | Loss |
Oct. 17 | Hazleton Area | Away | 0 | 28 | Loss |
Oct. 25 | Panther Valley | Home | 20 | 6 | Loss |
Oct. 31 | Minersville Area | Away | 14 | 8 | Win |
Nov. 15 | Berwick Area | Away | 14 | 13 | Win |
RECORD: Won 6, Lost 4, Tied 1.
COACH: Barry Hackenberg
1981 VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Date | Team | Location | Spartan Score | Opponent Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sept. 4 | Tamaqua Area | Home | 25 | 6 | Win |
Sept. 11 | Shamokin Area | Away | 20 | 26 | Loss |
Sept. 18 | Bloomsburg Area | Home | 25 | 18 | Win |
Sept. 26 | Blue Mountain | Home | 33 | 8 | Win |
Oct. 3 | Shenandoah Valley | Home | 34 | 8 | Win |
Oct. 9 | Shikellamy | Away | 7 | 35 | Loss |
Oct. 16 | Mount Carmel Area | Away | 6 | 37 | Loss |
Oct. 24 | Hazleton Area | Home | 13 | 14 | Loss |
Oct. 31 | Panther Valley | Away | 27 | 0 | Win |
Nov. 7 | Minersville Area | Home | 12 | 6 | Win |
Nov. 13 | Pottsville Area | Away | 14 | 35 | Loss |
RECORD: Won 6, Lost 5.
COACH: Barry Hackenberg
1982 VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Date | Team | Location | Spartan Score | Opponent Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sept. 3 | Tamaqua Area | Away | 12 | 21 | Loss |
Sept. 11 | Marian Catholic | Home | 7 | 14 | Loss |
Sept. 17 | Bloomsburg Area | Away | 21 | 27 | Loss |
Sept. 25 | Blue Mountain | Away | 6 | 9 | Loss |
Oct. 1 | Shamokin Area | Away | 6 | 0 | Win |
Oct. 9 | Shikellamy | Home | 26 | 16 | Win |
Oct. 15* | Mount Carmel Area | Home | 28 | 27 | Win |
Oct. 22 | Hazleton Area | Away | 28 | 6 | Win |
Oct. 30 | Panther Valley | Home | 23 | 6 | Win |
Nov. 5 | Minersville Area | Away | 6 | 28 | Loss |
Nov. 13 | Pottsville Area | Home | 29 | 40 | Loss |
RECORD: Won 5, Lost 6,
COACH: Barry Hackenberg
*The 1982 North Schuylkill Spartans football team was the first in school history to beat the Mount Carmel Red Tornadoes 28-27!
1983 VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Date | Team | Location | Spartan Score | Opponent Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sept. 2 | Tamaqua Area | Home | 22 | 0 | Win |
Sept. 10 | Marian Catholic | Away | 0 | 7 | Loss |
Sept. 16 | Bloomsburg Area | Home | 20 | 7 | Win |
Sept. 23 | Blue Mountain | Home | 0 | 14 | Loss |
Oct. 1 | Shamokin Area | Home | 7 | 0 | Win |
Oct. 7 | Shikellamy | Away | 9 | 23 | Loss |
Oct. 14 | Mount Carmel Area | Away | 13 | 36 | Loss |
Oct. 22 | Bye Week | Bye | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Oct. 29 | Panther Valley | Away | 12 | 7 | Win |
Nov. 4 | Minersville Area | Home | 13 | 13 | Tie |
Nov. 11 | Pottsville Area | Away | 0 | 18 | Loss |
RECORD: Won 4, Lost 5, Tied 1.
COACH: Barry Hackenberg
DROPPED CLASS B RANKS SINCE 1966 FORMATION
1984 VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Date | Team | Location | Spartan Score | Opponent Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aug. 31 | Danville Area | Home | 27 | 6 | Win |
Sept. 7 | Marian Catholic | Home | 26 | 8 | Win |
Sept. 14 | Bloomsburg Area | Away | 14 | 13 | Win |
Sept. 22 | Blue Mountain | Away | 6 | 21 | Loss |
Sept. 28 | Shamokin Area | Away | 0 | 3 | Loss |
Oct. 5 | Tamaqua Area | Home | 8 | 13 | Loss |
Oct. 12 | Mount Carmel Area | Away | 12 | 40 | Loss |
Oct. 19 | Stroudsburg Area | Away | 0 | 45 | Loss |
Oct. 26 | Panther Valley | Home | 21 | 20 | Win |
Nov. 2 | Minersville Area | Away | 0 | 38 | Loss |
Nov. 9 | Pottsville Area | Home | 0 | 24 | Loss |
RECORD: Won 4, Lost 7.
COACH: Bob Moyer
1985 VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Date | Team | Location | Spartan Score | Opponent Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aug. | Danville Area | Away | 12 | 12 | Tie |
Sept. | Marian Catholic | Away | 0 | 7 | Loss |
Sept. | West Hazleton | Away | 27 | 0 | Win |
Sept. | Blue Mountain | Home | 21 | 35 | Loss |
Sept. | Shamokin Area | Home | 0 | 7 | Loss |
Oct. | Tamaqua Area | Home | 21 | 13 | Win |
Oct. | Mount Carmel Area | Away | 13 | 29 | Loss |
Oct. | Bye Week | Bye | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Oct. | Panther Valley | Away | 14 | 9 | Win |
Nov. | Minersville Area | Home | 14 | 12 | Win |
Nov. | Pottsville Area | Away | 14 | 39 | Loss |
RECORD: Won 4, Lost 5, Tied 1.
COACH: Bob Moyer
1986 VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
DISTRICT XI CLASS AA CHAMPIONS
Date | Team | Location | Spartan Score | Opponent Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aug. 29 | Danville Area | Home | 20 | 7 | Win |
Sept. 6 | Marian Catholic | Home | 0 | 7 | Loss |
Sept. 12 | West Hazleton | Home | 35 | 3 | Win |
Sept. 20 | Blue Mountain | Away | 26 | 7 | Win |
Sept. 26 | Central Columbia | Away | 20 | 14 | Win |
Oct. 4 | Tamaqua Area | Home | 21 | 0 | Win |
Oct. 10 | Mount Carmel Area | Away | 13 | 9 | Win |
Oct. 17 | Chief Logan | Away | 27 | 0 | Win |
Oct. 24 | Panther Valley | Home | 34 | 7 | Win |
Oct. 31 | Minersville Area | Away | 33 | 14 | Win |
Nov. 7 | Pottsville Area | Home | 28 | 13 | Win |
Nov. 21 | Catasauqua Area ¹ | Tamaqua H.S. Field | 21 | 0 | Win |
RECORD: Won 11, Lost 1.
COACH: Bob Moyer
¹ DISTRICT XI CLASS AA CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
1987 VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
SCHUYLKILL COUNTY CONFERENCE LEAGUE CHAMPIONS
Date | Team | Location | Spartan Score | Opponent Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sept. 4 | Danville Area | Away | 0 | 3 | Loss |
Sept. 14 | Marian Catholic | Away | 9 | 8 | Win |
Sept. 19 | West Hazleton | Away | 21 | 12 | Win |
Sept. 25 | Blue Mountain | Home | 37 | 19 | Win |
Oct. 2 | Central Columbia | Home | 34 | 0 | Win |
Oct. 9 | Tamaqua Area | Away | 43 | 0 | Win |
Oct. 16 | Mount Carmel Area | Home | 31 | 0 | Win |
Oct. 23 | Shamokin Area | Home | 0 | 7 | Loss |
Oct. 30 | Panther Valley | Away | 13 | 14 | Loss |
Nov. 6 | Minersville Area | Away | 30 | 8 | Win |
Nov. 13 | Pottsville Area | Home | 40 | 6 | Win |
RECORD: Won 8, Lost 3.
COACH: Bob Moyer
1988 VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
EASTERN CONFERENCE SOUTH DIVISION II-1 CHAMPIONS
SCHUYLKILL COUNTY CONFERENCE LEAGUE CHAMPIONS
Date | Team | Location | Spartan Score | Opponent Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sept. 4 | Shickellamy | Away | 27 | 7 | Win |
Sept. 9 | Marian Catholic | Home | 19 | 7 | Win |
Sept. 16 | West Hazleton | Home | 41 | 0 | Win |
Sept. 25 | Blue Mountain | Home | 17 | 0 | Win |
Sept. 30 | Central Columbia | Away | 33 | 6 | Win |
Oct. 7 | Tamaqua Area | Home | 29 | 0 | Win |
Oct. 16 | Mount Carmel Area | Away | 21 | 29 | Loss |
Oct. 21 | Shamokin Area | Away | 0 | 17 | Loss |
Oct. 28 | Panther Valley | Home | 27 | 0 | Win |
Nov. 4 | Pottsville Area | Home | 20 | 25 | Loss |
Nov. 11 | Minersville Area | Away | 21 | 14 | Win |
Nov. 19 | Danville Area¹ | Away | 23 | 37 | Loss |
¹ EASTERN CONFERENCE CLASS II SEMIFINAL GAME
RECORD: Won 8, Lost 4.
COACH: Bob Moyer
1989 VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Date | Team | Location | Spartan Score | Opponent Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sept. 1 | Shickellamy | Home | 27 | 17 | Win |
Sept. 9 | Marian Catholic | Away | 13 | 34 | Loss |
Sept. 18 | West Hazleton | Away | 7 | 0 | Win |
Sept. 25 | Blue Mountain | Home | 17 | 0 | Win |
Sept. 30 | Central Columbia | Home | 6 | 14 | Loss |
Oct. 6 | Tamaqua Area | Away | 23 | 0 | Win |
Oct. 13 | Mount Carmel Area | Home | 14 | 23 | Loss |
Oct. 23 | Shamokin Area | Home | 6 | 27 | Loss |
Oct. 27 | Panther Valley | Away | 12 | 20 | Loss |
Nov. 4 | Pottsville Area | Home | 2 | 49 | Loss |
Nov. 10 | Minersville Area | Home | 36 | 0 | Win |
RECORD: Won 5, Lost 6.
COACH: Bob Moyer
