By MONTE DUTTON
Young men wouldn’t play football if it wasn’t fun. The most fun is winning.
At the same time, a losing season, while unthinkable, can be beneficial.
Dick Sheridan, who died last summer, coached the Paladins for eight seasons, accumulating a record of 69 victories, 23 defeats and two ties. Many today have never experienced a tie, which means they have likely never heard the old Frank Howard remark that a tie is “like kissing your sister.”
Sheridan’s teams won five Southern Conference titles outright and shared another. Seven had winning seasons. The exception was 1979, Sheridan’s second at the helm. Furman went 8-3 in his first and followed up ‘79’s 5-6 with records of 9-1-1, 8-3, 9-3, 10-2-1, 8-3 and 10-2.
The Paladins started the season 0-5: Clemson, 21-0; Presbyterian, 17-10; Chattanooga, 45-14; East Tennessee, 28-24; and Wofford, 27-17.
Coincidentally, Sheridan had only one losing season in seven at North Carolina State, and it was also his second (4-7 in 1987).
Not coincidentally, in 1979, Furman won five of its last six games. That was emblematic of Sheridan’s indomitable will.
The most memorable game was the ninth, when Furman and Davidson played what was then the highest scoring game in Division I history. It was also the only time the Wildcats came within two touchdowns of the Paladins. Sheridan’s last four matchups with Davidson ended with scores of 63-14, 55-7 twice and 58-7.
In this one, though, held at Richardson Field on Nov. 3, 1979, Davidson led 28-7 and 35-14 in the first half.
The halftime score was 35-35. The final score was Furman 63, Davidson 55.
The score should have been 56-55. A game that was bereft of defense was decided by a break-up of a two-point conversion.
In the final minute, after an onside kick, the Paladins immediately advanced to the one-yard line. Sheridan wanted to run out the clock. He told fullback Sandy Davis to run the ball straight into the line and not, repeat not, leave his feet.
Sandy sailed into the air as if wind-surfing and landed in the end zone. Hence, 63-55.
It was both the funniest moment of the season and the maddest I ever saw Dick Sheridan get.
Now to the affairs of 44-plus years later …
The biggest match of Furman lacrosse to date is on Wednesday evening at 6 p.m.
Mercer (6-5, 3-0 Big South) takes on Furman (5-7, 3-0) at Paladin Stadium.
The Paladins are riding a three-game winning streak entering the contest after a 17-6 road victory last Saturday at Presbyterian.
Mercer is tied with the Paladins in the conference standings with a 6-5 overall record and 3-0 mark against league opponents.
Furman and Mercer are meeting for the 13th time in program history with the all-time series tied at 6-6. The Bears are under the direction of 10th-year head coach Samantha Eustace.
The Paladins start a two-game road trip on Saturday afternoon when they travel to Rock Hill for a 1 p.m. opening draw at Winthrop.
Southern Conference leader East Tennessee State edged the Furman men’s tennis team, 4-3, Monday att Mickel Tennis Center.
The Buccaneers (9-9, 6-0 SoCon) trailed 3-1 after the Paladins captured the doubles point and won two of the first three singles matches. Pedro Cressoni and Peter Kalocsai tied the match at 3-3 following their wins at No. 3 and No. 4. Cressoni, who played at No. 4, topped John Rado, 6-4, 6-2, and Kalocsai defeated Emil Westling in the No. 3 match, 6-3, 6-3. In the No. 1 contest, Dimitri Badra held off Elijah Poritzky in three sets to clinch the match.
Furman took an early 1-0 lead after clinching the opening point with wins at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles. ETSU captured the No. 1 match before Ben Cahill and Emil Westling, Adam Nagoudi. The deciding match at No. 3 saw Cole Burnam and Alex Han top Cressoni and Alberto Garcia in a tiebreaker, 7-6(1), for their team leading ninth win of the year.
The Paladins extended their advantage to 3-1 with singles victories from Kennedy at No. 2 and Walker Allen at No. 5. After East Tennessee State tied the match, Allen put Furman back in front with his straight-set victory over Garcia, 6-0, 6-3, and tied him with Westling for first on the team in wins. Kennedy extended the Paladins’ lead in his No. 2 match, winning 6-4, 6-1 against Milledge Cossu.
Furman plays its final home match of the season Wednesday afternoon when it hosts Wofford at 3 p.m. for Senior Day.
Seven Furman student-athletes have been recognized for exemplary leadership by the university’s Shucker Leadership Institute.
Cameron Ponder (men’s cross country/track), Camryn Bolick (women’s soccer), Sophie Shaw (lacrosse), Sara Snyder (women’s tennis), Christian Newman (men’s soccer), Denison Jones (men’s soccer) and the late Bryce Stanfield (football) were honored for leadership.
Ponder and Bolick were accorded the C. Dan Joyner Athletic Leader Award.
Represented by his parents, Teri and Fred Stanfield, Bryce Stanfield, who died suddenly on Feb. 9, was honored with the President’s Award, which is presented to two students who, by general conduct and relationships with others, have exhibited high aspirations and noble humanitarian qualities of character in all areas of campus life: academic, social, religious, and athletic.
Prior to passing away, Stanfield, from Acworth, Ga., was conferred his Bachelor of Science degree in health sciences, magna cum laude, by Furman President Dr. Elizabeth Davis in ceremonies surrounded by family and Paladin football teammates and coaches.
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