It took Phil Collins three years to reach the pinnacle of Missouri high school football.
Collins, the head coach of the Joplin Memorial High School football team, directed the Eagles to the 1976 MSHSAA Class 3A State Football Championship with a 31-0 victory over Sullivan at Missouri Southern State College Football Stadium ( now Fred G. Hughes Stadium). It was Eagles’ first playoff appearance and first state title.
The Eagles romped through their 10-game regular season with a 9-1 record outscoring opponents 305-60. Victories over Neosho (20-3), Grove, Okla. (19-0), Miami, Okla. 928-6), Lebanon (49-6), Springfield Central 949-6), Glendale (42-14), Parkview (42-0), Hillcrest (42-0), and Kickapoo (14-6) preceded a loss to Joplin Parkwood.
Memorial traveled to Jefferson City to open playoff action against Helias Catholic and earned a 35-8 victory. In the semifinals at Junge Stadium, the Eagles held off Chillicothe 34-31 in double-overtime. Quarterback Mike Massey’s option keeper in the second overtime lifted the Eagles to the victory.
In the state championship, and estimated 3,500 fans filled the MSSC football stadium watching in temperatures that rose only to mid-20’s with strong northeast wind of 20-25 mph with gusts up to 35mph.
Memorial, running a splitback veer offense, rushed for 375 yards on the artificial turf at Missouri Southern. Don Reppond rushed for 165 yards on 26 carries with three touchdowns, Massey and David Burton had 78 yards each and harry Jameson added 54 yards.
The Eagles’ defense — facing a pass-happy Sullivan offense — posted a fourth shutout on the season limiting the visiting Eagles to 6 of 19 passing for 67 yards and 83 yards rushing on 36 carries.
Massey finished the season with 1,199 passing yards and 15 touchdowns while rushing for 360 yards. Burton was the Eagles’ leading rusher with 905 yards; Jameson added 692 yards rushing, Reppond had 608 yards. Tony Thompson was the leading receiver with 708 yards on 41 receptions.
The Memorial coaching staff included Forrest Reed, Marty Galbraith, Jerry Chew, Mike Mitchell, Steve Hall and Joe Ketchum.
