600 Wiins!

December 10, 2011.  The Washington Hatchets (3-2) defeated Forest Park, 52-50, when Dylan Ervin penetrated the Rangers’ defense and passed off to Cody Milligan for a game-winning lay in as time expired at the Hatchet House.  In the process, Hatchet Coach Gene Miiller won his 600^th game of his hall of fame career.   Coach Miiller is just the 5^th active coach in Indiana to have 600 wins.  His .704 career winning percentage is 3^rd best.  Ervin finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds.  Cullen Arnold added 17 points on the strength of 5 3-pointers. 

Oliphant, Miiller Selected for Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame

November 28, 2011.  Current boys basketball coach Gene Miiller and former Hatchet Elmer Oliphant have been selected to be inducted into Indiana ’s Basketball Hall of Fame.  There are now 14 former Hatchet coaches or players enshrined in the Hall. 

Elmer Oliphant graduated from Linton High School in 1910.  After lettering in football, basketball, baseball and track at Washington High School , his family moved to Linton in the middle of his junior year (January 1909).

During his junior year at WHS, Elmer led the 1908 football team through an unbeaten season and a mythical state championship.  At Linton, the Miners won the 1909 mythical state football championship and the official 1910 track and field state title.

Oliphant went on to letter in football, basketball, baseball and track at Purdue from 1911 through 1915.  In 1912, he scored 43 points against Rose-Poly, still a Purdue football record.  He made the All-Big Ten football team in both 1912 and 1913.  Oliphant was also named basketball All-American for the Purdue in 1914. 

In 1915, Oliphant enrolled at West Point (Army) to play football.  In those days, eligibility at military academies was not reduced by prior college play.  Elmer was selected football All-American in both 1916 and 1917 while at Army.  He still holds Army’s single game (45 points) and single season (125 points) scoring marks in football.  Oliphant also lettered in basketball, baseball, track, swimming, hockey and boxing.  He became West Point ’s heavyweight boxing champion and the world record holder in the 220-yard low hurdles.  While at West Point, Oliphant became good friends with Dwight D. Eisenhower, who later would become President of the United States .

While in military service in 1919 at West Point , Oliphant created the intramural sports system as we know it today at various high schools and colleges.  In 1920, he played football for the Rochester Jeffersons of the American Professional Association.  The following season, Oliphant led the NFL in scoring while playing for the Buffalo All-Americans. 

After the 1921 season, Oliphant retired from active participation in sports.  He became an AAU coach and was instrumental in preparing American athletes for the 1924 Olympics in Paris .  Oliphant was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955 and the Indiana Football Hall of Fame in 1975.  Purdue University inducted him into its Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997.  He was also in the inaugural group of sixteen inducted into the Army Sports Hall of Fame at West Point in 2004.

Along with Paul Roberson and Jim Thorpe, Oliphant is widely considered one of premier players of pre-1920’s college football.

Coach Gene Miiller took over the Hatchet program starting in the 2005-06 season and has led the Hatchets to state titles in 2008, 2010 and 2011.  Coach has won 130 games at WHS while losing only 22.  His Hatchet winning percentage of .855 ranks first in Washington history.  Overall, Coach has won 598 games, which ranks 5^th among active coaches in Indiana .

   

Hatchet Hall of Famers:

Marion Crawley, coach

Burl Friddle, coach

Dave Omer, coach

Gene Miiller, coach

Robert Downey, player

Dave DeJernett, player

Leo Klier, player

Leroy Mangin, player

Art Grove, player

Charles Harmon, player

Jim Riffey, player

Sam Alford, player

Steve Bouchie, player

Elmer Oliphant, player

 

 

Thanks Hatchet Pep Band for supporting the Hatchets and fans all season, every season!