Coach: Steve Gilbert
80-24, 10 years
2003 Record: 8-3
WHITMER LOST 21-35
CLYDE WON 34-6
at FREMONT ROSS WON 56-7
FOSTORIA WON 35-6
at NORWALK WON 53-6
at GALION WON 35-0
BELLEVUE WON 17-10
SHELBY WON 49-14
at WILLARD WON 24-8
at UPPER SANDUSKY LOST 14-21
PLAYOFFS
at Maumee LOST 12-14


Coach Gilbert
Tiffin Headcoach Steve Gilbert
2003 Outlook

  The 2004 Columbian football team has a shot at making school history. With Northern Ohio League trophies from the 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003 seasons already in their pockets, the Tornadoes are in position to win five consecutive league championships in the school's 104-year football history. And with an 83-16 regular season record over the past 10 years, and a strong senior class returning, there's little reason to believe the Tornadoes won't be at or near the top again this season. Just how dominant has Columbian been over the last 10 years? Not only does no NOL school have a winning record over TC the past decade, but only three schools have won more than twice, and only Bellevue at 5-5, is at .500. In fact, Bellevue is the only team over the last 10 years to win more than twice against Columbian. The Tornadoes are 69-10 in league games the last 10 years and are a perfect 20-0 against Norwalk and Willard. Galion, Upper Sandusky and former league competitor Bucyrus have just one win each, while Shelby has defeated the Tornadoes twice. After years of running an I-formation offense the Tornadoes have gone to a spread offense the past two years, though the team still featured the running game. This year the Tornadoes are likely try a little of both with a host of young, but talented group of skill players. The offensive line returns almost intact from a year ago, and many of the skill players have varsity experience but not at their current positions. How fast and well the offense develops will be the key that unlocks the door to whatever is in store for this football team. Defensively eight of 11 starters are back, and judging by the preseason, that group is the strength of the team.

Media's 2003 Predicted League Finish : 1st
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RETURNING LEADERS

Passing: Greg Kiser
7 comp. 10 att., 87 yds, 2 td's 0 int's

Rushing: Greg Kiser
21 att., 181 yds., 2 tds and
Josh Perkins
27 att., 119 yds.
Receiving: Justin Reinbolt
33 rec., 494 yds., 5 tds

Scoring: Justin Reinbolt
5 tds, 30 pts.

Punting: Mike Work
2 att, 27.0 avg.

Kicking: Cody Hufford
22 XP, 2 FG

Tackles: Judd Lutz
57 tackles and
Tim Focht
55 tackles

Sacks: Cody Hufford
10 sacks

Interceptions: Justin Reinbolt
2 ints

Kickoff returns: Josh Gahnis
3 ret., 25.3 avg.

Punt returns: Justin Reinbolt
17 ret., 18.1 avg., 2 tds

 
Tiffin Tornadoes
OFFENSE - 6
----RETURNING STARTERS----
DEFENSE - 8
KEY LOSSES
OFFENSE: Weston reinbolt-QB, Tim Spencer-RB, Jon Weininger-FB, Dan Reamer-WR,
DEFENSE: Cory Decker-DT, Chase Ranker-S, Jon Hall-LB, Jon Weininger-LB, Tyler Shuff-DT
2003 OFFENSE

Written by HooDoo


Quarterback:
  To say that senior Greg Kiser (6-0, 180) has done a little bit of everything for Columbian is like saying the Cleveland Browns once had this running back named Jim Brown who did some good things. In last year's Week 8 win over Shelby Kiser ran six times for 101 yards, completed 7-of-8 passes for 88 yards and a touchdown, caught two balls for 56 yard and had an interception. This year Kiser's focus has become a little more narrow as he grabs the reigns of the Tornadoes' offense. He takes over for Weston Reinbolt, who graduated after completing 90-of-151 passes for 1,419 yards, 10 touchdowns and four interceptions. He also rushed 141 times for 684 yards and 11 touchdowns. Last year Kiser threw only 10 passes, but two went for scores. He was TC's fourth-leading pass catcher with nine receptions. Sophomores Drew Ardner (6-0, 165) and Kyle Gilbert (5-9, 156) will back up Kiser, but neither has varsity experience.

 

Running backs:
  Columbian loses Tim Spencer, who became the seventh Tornado in eight years to crack the 1,000-yard barrier. Spencer scored 15 touchdowns, ran for 1,063 yards in 2003 and was voted MVP of the Time Warner Classic All-Star game at Fostoria in July. Set to replace Spencer at tailback is senior Frank Perna (6-1, 190), who was scheduled to back up Spencer last year before tearing his ACL in a preseason scrimmage against Toledo Central Catholic. Perna, who lettered as a sophomore punter, scored all three Columbian touchdowns in preseason scrimmages against Maumee and Central Catholic this year. He scored on a 50-yard pass from Kiser against the Panthers, and returned an interception and rushed for a score against the Irish. Junior Josh Perkins (5-9, 154) will back up Perna, and senior Justin Reinbolt (6-0, 193) could also see some snaps in the backfield. Perna's backfield mate, senior fullback David Wahl (5-8, 215), also missed much of last season due to injuries. He played in just three games after lettering as a sophomore. Junior letterwinner Judd Lutz (6-1, 220) will spell Wahl at fullback.

 

Receivers:
  This group is short on experience, but long on depth and talent. As many as six Tornadoes could see significant time on the flanks. The leader is senior Justin Reinbolt, who caught 34 passes for 514 yards and five touchdowns in 2003. The other starter looks to be junior Josh Moore (6-1, 190), who lettered as a defensive back last season. The only other Tornado returning to the receiving corps who had a catch last year is senior Derek Rinehart (6-4, 206), who had one catch for 11 yards. He, along with senior Drew Lucius (5-10, 152) will back up Moore. Seniors Josh Coger (6-0, 185) and Josh Gahris (5-9, 151) will back up Reinbolt. Rinehart is the tight end, along with junior Jeremy Weininger (6-2, 200).

 

Offensive line:
  An unknown a year ago, the offensive line is the team's top strength entering the 2004 season as four of the five starters return. Senior Andy Crerar (6-4, 264) returns at center, senior Cody Hufford (5-11, 217) returns at guard, senior Brandon Burner (6-0, 210) returns at tackle and junior Mike Johnson moves from tackle to guard. The remaining tackle spot is between junior Kenny Taylor (5-10, 215) and senior Brett Lucius (5-10, 231). Sophomore Bryan Hoover (5-10, 215) could also see some time. The group follows in Columbian's recent trend of smaller, quicker, more athletic lineman.

 
2003 DEFENSE

Written by HooDoo


Defensive line:
  Like the offense, the defense's top strength is up front where three of four starters are back. Ends Hufford and senior Tim Focht (5-11, 185) return to their starting spots, and senior Brandon Frankart (5-10, 180) is back to man one of the tackle spots. Hufford had 10 sacks and 54 tackles during the 2003 regular season. Focht made 55 stops and two sacks, while Frankart had 20 tackles and a sack. The other tackle spot belongs to Wahl, who started there as a sophomore. Wahl had 15 tackles last year in just two-plus games before succumbing to injury. Back-up ends include Jeremy Weininger, senior Zach Peiffer (61, 215) and senior Chris Cramer (5-11, 194).

 

Linebackers:
  The Tornadoes return two starters, but lose the team's top tackler from 2003. Junior Judd Lutz brings back 57 tackles from his inside spot, while Matt Frankart moves from outside to inside and will replace Jon Weininger, who made a team-high 85 stops last year. Backing up on the inside will be senior Brandon Gaskins (5-9, 177) and junior Max Lammlein (5-9, 173). The outside starters will be Perna and Josh Coger, and they will be backed up by Josh Perkins and Josh Moore.

 

Secondary:
  All three starters return to the backfield, although Josh Gahris may bump Drew Lucius from a corner spot. Gahris had 30 tackles and an interception last year, while Lucius made 37 tackles and also had an interception. The leader of the group is Justin Reinbolt, who led all Tornadoes a year ago with three interceptions. Reinbolt also had 47 tackles from his corner spot. Kiser returns as the starting safety where he had 28 tackles and a pick in 2003. Back-up corners include Josh Smith and Kyle Gilbert, while sophomores Drew Ardner (6-0, 165) and Reid Kagy (5-11, 164) are the back-up safeties.

 

Special teams:
  Perna will handle the punting chores this season while taking over for the departed Dan Reamer. Senior Matt Hoffman will take care of the kicking game while senior Justin Reinbolt will handle the return duties.

 
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Lettermen
2004 Returning Lettermen