Bernie Kosar, Quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, Miami of Florida, and the Boardman Spartans runs smack into the Niles McKinley Red Dragons.

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Bernie Kosar, spent 9 years with the Cleveland Browns, 3 seasons with the Miami Dolphins and one with the Dallas Cowboys.

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After graduating from Boardman High School in 1982, Kosar headed for Florida and the University of Miami Hurricanes. The 1983 season Kosar was at the helm and led the Hurricanes to an 11-1 season and a spot in the Orange Bowl to take on the number one ranked team in the nation the Nebraska Cornhuskers for the National Championship. Bernie Kosar threw two TD passes in the game and 300 yards to down the Cornhuskers for Miami’s first National Championship 31-30.

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1985, Kosar was back in Northeast Ohio with the Cleveland Browns and became their starting QB in 1986.

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Before the University of Miami and the National Football League, Bernie was a Boardman Spartan and on two occasions would face Niles McKinley on the gridiron the first meeting in Niles and the second at Boardman.

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The 1980 Boardman Spartans quarterbacked by junior Bernie Kosar were off to a great start winning their first two games, a 13-6 victory over Youngstown Wilson and 33-0 win, over Canfield. However, with a 2-0 start, disaster strickes the Spartans in the way of a teachers strike. The Spartans were sidelined for five straight agonizing weeks until they took the field once again in week 8 against Campbell Memorial. The Spartans were able to get back on track with a slim 2 point win over the Red Devils and look to the Raiders of Warren Western Reserve for their fourth win of the year.

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In a battle the Spartans would sub-do the Raiders by the narrowest of margins 3-2 and now look to Niles in an effort to raise their season record to 5-0.

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Niles would start the season on the same foot as Boardman going 2-0 with wins over Hubbard and Cleveland East. The five weeks that Boardman sat idle the Dragons fortunes went awry winning one, over Girard, tying Youngstown Wilson in a scoreless game, and losing to Howland, Austintown Fitch and Rayen.  As the Spartans took the field against Campbell, Niles was taking on the Tigers of Massillon and fell way short. Massillon took Niles to task 56-8 with Warren Harding waiting in the wings.

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Niles traveled to the County Seat but have their spirits lifted sky high. The Dragons took on backyard rival Warren Harding and downed the Panthers 3-0.

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About 7,000 fans were on hand as Boardman at 4-0 takes on Niles at 4-4-1 but to see a whirl wind sweep the Dragons 40-0. Bernie Kosar tossed two TD passes but it was Steve Gresock that had the field day. Running for three TDs and grabbing a pass from Kosar for his fourth touchdown.

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With the season over for most, Boardman would play one more, a makeup game with Barberton. The Spartans finish the season with 6 wins.

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That was 1980 and in 1981 a fired up motivated, confident, determined bunch of Dragons  head for Boardman to take on the highly favored Spartans led by senior QB and High School  All American Bernie Kosar.

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1981 would pit the Dragons under first year head coach Jack Pierson against the Boardman Spartans once again the final contest of the year at Boardman. As expected the highly touted Spartans would make their way through the season only being tripped up twice going into the final game. The only stumbles were to Youngstown Chaney and Cardinal Mooney.

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Chaney an upset and Mooney undefeated until the second playoff game. Boardman waited for Niles with a 7 win, 2 loss mark and considered a huge favorite to down the Dragons.

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Niles with an up and down season would travel to Paul Brown Tiger Stadium to take on the Massillon Tigers with a season record of 3-3-1. Massillon hosted Niles toting a win, loss record of 5-2. The Dragons down 25-0 late in the third quarter would push over for one TD and again in the fourth to cut the deficit to two TDs. Niles would then host back yard rival Warren Harding and battled the Panthers to a 20-20 tie.

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The Dragons traveled to Boardman ready to give the Spartans one of its hardest fought games of the season and that they did.

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Kosar a 6 foot 4, 185 pound senior lit the airlanes throughout the season with 273 attempts, connecting on 151 for a 55% completion and 2,201 yards.

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Although Bernie Kosar found success vs. Niles (12-19-1 240) the Spartans found themselves in a battle for their lives against a fire up Red Dragons squad.

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Niles invaded Boardman with fired up Brad Dutton, Rob Howell, John Giangardella, Floyd Davis, Carmen Cicero, Shawn Bonner, Tom Mikesell, Mark DeMarko, John Johnson, Jon Elliot, Jeff Wrataric, Dennis Hulvalchick, Tim Trifilette, Chuck Canann, Jim Martin, Rick Horner, Tony Rosasco, Tim Lester and company.

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In the first quarter Kosar quickly hit Keith Parise who had slipped behind the Dragon defense covering 20 yards putting the Spartans up 7-0. Niles came right back marching 67 yards on 11 attempts as Tim Trifilette covering the final 3 into the end zone cut the Spartan lead to 7-6.

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The battle continued into the second quarter with a roughing the kicker penalty against the Dragons set up Boardman’s second score. Taking over at the Niles 25, Kosar found Todd Burkert for 6 and Brad Cailor hit the uprights to put the Spartans up 14-6. Niles’ QB Floyd Davis mixed running and passing plays to drive Niles 70 yards and Davis going over from the three to close the gap by two. Davis then hit Jon Elliot in the end zone for the two-point conversion tying the Spartans at 14. John Giangardella picked off a Kosar pass and ran it to the Spartan 15 to set up Niles’ next score.  The Dragons moved the ball in two plays to the Boardman one and Dennis Hulvalchick had the honors to pull in front of the Spartans. Giangardella split the uprights and Niles was in front 21-14. Boardman came right back with Kosar letting the ball fly 70 yards to Keith Parise setting up their third TD. On a quarterback sneak Kosar tied the Dragons up 21-21 at the half.

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The third quarter Niles and Boardman would battle back and forth with nether giving way and the quarter would end 21-21.

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Much the same into the final stanza until late in the quarter the Spartans drove to the Niles 15. Kosar hit Larry Napolitan on a screen pass and Boardman was on top 28-21 with 2:18 left on the clock.

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Niles however was not done as yet. The inspired Dragons drove 68 yards deep into Spartan territory. On a fourth down play with 19 seconds remaining Floyd Davis hit Jon Elliot in the end zone but was hit hard by a Spartan defender as the ball got there and the ball was knocked from his hands.

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The Spartans sighed a breath of relief and finished the season 8-2.

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