Rossville Bulldogs are Perfect in 1962

Georgia AA State Football Champs

Tuesday, August 7, 2012
B.B. Branton

1962 Rossville Bulldogs - Georgia AA State Champions

Doug Flury - All-American Running Back

“We started the season No.1 in the state polls and finished No.1. That’s pretty impressive.”

-- Doug Flury, Rossville All-American running back

(Editor's Note: Second in a five-part series on undefeated football teams in 1962)

Rossville coach Frank Fabris and staff produced a rock solid defense – posting six shutouts and allowing 25 points in 10 regular season games – and a offense averaging 25 points a game and guided the 13-0 Rossville Bulldogs to their third state championship since 1954.

The 1962 team was special as we had a perfect season and won three games in the playoffs to claim the state championship,” said halfback/kicker Doug Flury who was two-time all-state and honorable mention All-American.

“We started the season No.1 in the state polls and finished No.1.

That’s pretty impressive.”

All-State Trio: The defense, which allowed was rewarded at season’s end as seniors Sherold Walker (tackle) and Bill Hull (center) and junior halfback Doug Flury earned first team All-State honors. Walker was selected as the Georgia Class AA lineman of the year.

All-City (4): Sherold Walker (T), Bill Hull (Center), Doug Flury (HB), Paul Painter (QB)

Overall, the boys in blue outscored the opponents 331-50 as the veteran backfield consisted of Painter, Flury, Doug Wallin and Nelson Bowers.

Offensive Highlights: Flury scored three times (20, 80 and 5 yard runs) in 38-0 win against West Fannin … QB Paul Painter marched the Bulldogs 94 yards in the fourth quarter to beat McCallie, 14-7 … Painter scored three times in 31-6 win against West Rome … Painter had 75 yard punt returns for touchdowns vs. West Rome (opening game) and Northwest Whitfield.

Defensive Highlights: 21-0 vs. East Rome … allowed one first down and 53 total yards.

Rushing yards allowed vs. Ringgold (9), West Rome (33), East Rome (36).

Toughest Game: 21-19 win at Cedartown in state semis … Rossville converted two fumble recoveries into scores … Second win against Cedartown that season as the Bulldogs also won, 7-6, at home in mid-September.

“Cedartown and McCallie were our toughest opponents,” said halfback Nelson Bowers who later played at Georgia. “We had to drive 94 yards in the fourth quarter to beat McCallie at home. And we had to beat a strong Cedartown team, twice.”

Coach Frank Fabris: In seven years at Rossville (1957-63), coach Fabris was 55-15-3 … one perfect season and state championship (1962) …three trips to the championship game (1959-61-62) … lost two home games at Memorial Stadium in his last five years … coaches 11 all-state players, including state lineman of the year Layne Jenkins (1961) and Sherold Walker (1962) and honorable mention All-American running back Doug Flury … assistant coaches were Ben Boulware, Dave McInturff, Jim McDaniel and Lynn Murdock.

Playoffs

Nov. 16 - @Cedartown, 21-19

Bowers, Flury and Doug Jones scored for the visiting Bulldogs and withstood a spectacular offensive show by Cedartown junior all-state quarterback Bucky Ayers who passed for 113 yards and scored three touchdowns.

Cedartown drove to the Rossville 5-yard-line late in the fourth quarter, but time ran out as Cedartown lost to Rossville for the fourth straight time since 1959 … a state record fifth straight region title ... Cedartown would win the Georgia AA state crown in 1963.

Nov. 23 – Elbert Co, 21-0

Playing for the North Georgia title before 8,000 fans, Rossville posts its sixth shutout … 225-38 advantage in total yards … Eddie Wallin, Nelson Bowers and Donnie Morris have rushing scores.

Nov. 30 – North Clayton, 28-6

Running backs Eddie Wallin (11, 2 TDs) and Doug Flury (121) combined for 240 rushing yards and Paul Painter and Nelson Bowers also scored as Rossville completed its first perfect season in school history, winning its third state title in nine years (1954-55-62) … The seniors were 34-3-1 in three years losing to Gainesville (’60, region finals), Chattanooga City (’61), Waycross (’61, state finals) and tied Red Bank (’60) … seniors were 17-1 at home, including a win in their final high school game against North Clayton in the state finals.

1962 Rossville Bulldogs (13-0)

Ga. AA State Champs

Sept. 1 – 31-6 @West Rome

Sept. 7 – 21-0 LaFayette

Sept. 14 – 7-6 @Cedartown

Sept. 21 – 21-0 @City High

Sept. 28 – 34-0 @Ringgold

Oct. 5 – 26-6 Dalton

Oct. 12 – 38-0 @West Fannin

Oct. 19 – 21-0 @East Rome

Oct. 26 – 14-7 McCallie

Nov. 3 – 39-0 Northwest Whitfield