The 1963 Caldwell County Tigers went 13-0 while claiming the Class 2A state championship.
Two state championship football teams will be honored Friday night in Princeton.
Caldwell County’s 1963 Class 2A state champs and the 1998 Class 2A state champs will be celebrated when the Tigers host Graves County at Tiger Stadium.
The 1963 squad went 13-0, including 3-0 in the playoffs, to capture the school’s first state title.
This season is the 60th anniversary of that run.
Caldwell allowed just 54 points the entire season and only one school scored more than once on the Tigers all season.
In the playoffs, Caldwell defeated Owensboro 14-7 at Butler Stadium in the first round.
In the second round, the Tigers hosted the top-ranked team in the state, Lexington Lafayette.
Both teams entered the game 11-0.
Heavy rains that day left a muddy field, but Caldwell prevailed 25-0.
The state semifinal game was played on an infamous date in U.S. history — Nov. 22, 1963, the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.
Caldwell faced Fort Thomas Highlands in the championship game at Stoll Field in Lexington.
Scottie Edwards scored on a 4-yard run on fourth down with 2:18 to play to break a 7-7 tie and give the Tigers a 14-7 victory.
Fred Clayton was named the AP State Coach of the Year following the season.
Assistant coaches included Charles Akers, Al Giordano and Charlie Davis.
Members of the 1963 team included Bill Hutchinson, Sammy Newsom, Kerry Curling, Pete Peterson, Johnny Beshear, Brent Caldwell, Terry Tandy, Guy Martin, Donnie Miller, Irl Stevens, Johnny Jaggers, Jim Crockett, Bill Henry Cartwright, Johnny Cartwright, Tommy Hughes, Denny Wadlington, Jon O. Nichols, Wayne Nichols, Paul Hunsaker, George Woolwine, Gregory Smith, Leslie White, Walter Bumphus, Charles Maxie, Marvin Copeland, Felix Boyd, Scottie Edwards, David Barnes, Donnie Sweeney, James Nichols, Donnie Yates, Alex Willoughby, Pete Moore, Ronnie Rogers, Ronnie Hubbard, Ronnie Jackson, Jim DeVillez, Joby Loftus, Steve Blackburn, Bill Johnstone, Frank Hopper, Tom Atwood, Wayne Hartigan, Joe McCalister, Eddie Gray, Dana Getz and Gordon Peterson.
Managers included Jesse Head, Ken Wilson, Denny Crisp and Ken Hollowell.
The 1998 team went 14-1 with only an early-season loss at Marshall County.
This is the 25th anniversary of that championship team. The 1998 squad will also be honored later this year during the Class 2A state championship game in Lexington.
In the playoffs, Caldwell defeated Muhlenberg County 31-16 and Edmonson County 16-0.
In the regional championship game, the Tigers outscored Hancock County 60-30 at Tiger Stadium.
Caldwell traveled to Bullitt East the next week for the state semifinals and ran out to a 21-0 lead after one quarter on the way to a 28-13 triumph.
That put the Tigers in the state championship game at old Cardinal Stadium in Louisville.
Caldwell trailed Danville 28-19 entering the fourth quarter, but rallied for a 38-28 victory and the state title.
Head coach Pat Gates was named Kentucky AP Coach of the Year following the season.
Assistant coaches on the team included Larry Curling, Neal Cummins, Will Brown, Waynee McGowan, Chris Cook and Lee James.
Players on the 1998 squad included David Wurtman, Casey Cooper, Sean Hollis, Joe Dan Talley, Craig Wyatt, Stewart Childress, Ryan Hodge, Zack Barnes, Bubbie Puckett, Austin Boaz, Justin Grooms, Devin Williamson, Logan Giannini, Bryan Cortner, Jerrold Fuqua, Daniel Cortner, Chris Gray, Edward Oden, Jason Faughn, Billy Hooks, Brian Hudson, Justin Traylor, Curtis Abbott, Seneka Hughes, Jim Hayes, Wes Bugg, Jason Roach, Adam Murray, Lucas Fraliex, Josh Hudson, Brandon Sherrill, David Phelps, Bryan Morgan, Chadd Carner, James Bond, Kelly Tinsley, Kelly Davis, Seth P’Pool, Evans Wells and Andrew Young.
Managers included Megan Scott, Becca Morris, Meredith Gates and Misty Jones.
Statisticians included Sara Wyatt, Lindsey Dees and Angie Abbott.
A reception for the two Caldwell state championship teams will be held prior to Friday’s game near the football fieldhouse. That reception is sponsored by First Southern Bank.
Kickoff time for the game is 7:00.
Both state title teams will then be recognized on the field at halftime.
