This week, Replays goes back 40 years, reviewing the football seasons of the three local teams -- Helena High, Helena Central and Carroll College. Central, which was in its last year of existence before merging with Helena, achieved the most success in 1968, posting a 7-1 record and finishing second in the Class A Western Division.

The Bengals went 4-6 and tied for their best mark in 10 years. Carroll football experienced a dry spell back then, winning just one game.

Central won their season opener 7-0 over Missoula Loyola, propelled by a 44-yard touchdown pass from Jim Manion to end Mike "Hands" Van Diest. The Cougars' defense held the Rams to 126 total yards.

Central posted another whitewash in beating Deer Lodge, 6-0. Manion and Tom Miller connected on a 71-yard bomb for the game's only score. The defense was anchored by Manion, who intercepted two passes, and tackle Charlie Poole.

Next, kicker Joe Kiely's 35-yard field goal with 17 seconds left in the game vaulted the Cougars to a 22-19 victory over Libby. The green-and-white's touchdowns came on two Manion runs and an 87-yard kickoff return by Joe Serati. The Kiely tradition of great kickers continues today in the person of daughter Lily Kiely, a sophomore on the Helena Lady Bengals soccer team.

Coach Cecil "Jim" Deming's gridders improved to 4-0 with a 27-14 win over Columbia Falls. Ken McLaughlin, Manion, John Marcinek and Ed Miller all scored for the locals. The defense held the Wildcats to 89 total yards.

In a match-up featuring a pair of undefeated teams to determine the conference championship, Hamilton shaded Central 3-0. The Broncs' Al Roy kicked the game-winning 27-yard field goal with just two seconds left on the clock.

The Cougars then defeated Anaconda Central 9-7 in overtime. After the game ended in a 7-7 tie, Central outrushed the Saints 18 to a minus four yards in a Montana tiebreaker for the 2-point win.

Central closed out the 1968 season with back-to-back shutouts, beating Dillon and Whitefish by scores of 41-0 and 40-0, respectively. Against the Bulldogs, the defense gave up just 60 total yards and four first downs.

Miller reached pay-dirt four times, and Manion twice. Also scoring in those final games were Serati (94-yard kickoff return), Larry Pfeiffer, McLaughlin, Pat "Weed" Donovan, Rick Pyfer, Tony Hunthausen and Brad Luck.

The Cougars finished the year outscoring their opponents 152-43. Jim Manion and Joe Serati were selected first team all-conference, while Charlie Poole, end Bert Gleuckert and guard Dan Noel were named second team. Tim Murray made honorable mention.

The Bengals, under coach Gene McKeever, lost their lid-lifter to Bozeman, 25-12. Helena's Tim Dolan, a 5-foot-9, 170-pound linebacker, amassed 18 total tackles in the loss. He is the second cousin of the current Saints LB Thomas Dolan.

Helena then edged Missoula Hellgate 14-13. Kicker Pat McEwen's two extra points made the difference. Quarterback Jim Chambers and halfback Keith Kovick both ran for TDs, while the defense limited the Knights to 74 total yards.

Kovick led Helena to its second win, 29-19 over Missoula Sentinel, racing for two touchdowns, of 41 and 45 yards. Bob Berry added a 64-yard sprint to the house, and Dennis "Bobo" Nebel scored from the three.

In a 16-7 loss to Kalispell, the Capital City's lone TD came on a 7-yard fumble return by Jim Fleming. One of the Braves' touchdowns was produced by a name familiar to local sports fans -- John Emmert.

Next, the Bengals upset fourth-ranked Billings Senior, 20-14, powered by two long Bob Berry runs, of 63 and 33 yards. Ken Ditto dashed 14-yards for the other score. The defense was spearheaded by Kapp Johnson, Pat Hurley, Bruce Mihelish and Jeff Salisbury.

Helena improved to 4-5 with a 19-0 win over Great Falls Central. Their tallies came on a pass from Nebel to Steve "Stooge" Harper, a 42-yard run by Dan Lieberg and Kovick's rush. The defense allowed the Mustangs just 42 total yards and two first downs, which still ranks as the third-lowest in school history.

The Bengals dropped their last game to C.M. Russell. Tim Dolan was chosen to the 1968 all-state second team. Receiving the team's Leadership Award was Dan Lieberg, while Dave Marshall was tabbed the Most Improved Player. Center Jim Valentine was praised for "not making a miscue all season."

At Carroll College, the Saints only win of the year was a 24-14 triumph over Rocky Mountain College. Halfback Denny Goodheart accounted for three touchdowns. Goodheart ran for one score and caught a pair of 27-yard strikes from Saints' quarterback (and future Montana governor) Marc Racicot.

In a 48-14 defeat at the hands of Montana Tech, Racicot sprinted for a 76-yard touchdown run and fired a 28-yard strike to Goodheart. Coach Tom Kelley's charges dropped the season finale to Northern Montana, 33-19. Goodheart registered a pair of scores, with Racicot passing for another, to Joe Hammond. Lights quarterback Ron Grovom fired two TD passes.

Carroll linebacker Bob Robinson was named to the all-conference squad, for his third straight Frontier selection. Several other Saints starters four decades ago were Tim McCauley, Bob Ronan, Jack Molloy, Kevin Hammond and Mick Robinson.

Reporter Curt Synness: 449-215 or curt52s@bresnan.net