Glory Days: Chillicothe's family defense dominates Portsmouth West in 1996

There is nothing quite like the return of the high school football season each year.

The Aug. 31, 1996 headline in the Chillicothe Gazette said it all, "High school football back with a passion"

And for the Chillicothe Cavaliers, it was a family atmosphere among teammates who didn't realize they were actually family until their first week of practice.

“There is no such thing as an ugly win," exclaimed Cavaliers coach Bill Dennis as his team circled around him after a 21-12 win.

After the game, the team ran over to the home stands of Herrnstein Field and thanked the fans who stayed to cheer them on despite mistakes made in the second half.

But of note was the defense that worked together like family - because they were.

"We didn't really figure it out until after the first week of practice, but Dan (Wade) and I are brothers and I'm related to Kipp (Smith, a linebacker) by marriage in my family Jeremy Webb, the nose guard is related to me by blood," Dustin Wade said. "And we all feel like family out there on the field."

How tough was that defense?

The article stated, "Late in the fourth quarter, Kipp Smith was clipped at the CHS 15-yard line. He could barely crawl to his feet, and actually pulled himself forward with his arms, dragging his legs for several feet. Then, he hopped up gingerly, limped back to the huddle and picked off (Tyler) Hull's next pass to seal the win."

Smith was quoted as saying, "I wasn't going off the field for nothing. I wanted to be there when we won."

More: Huntington had its best start to a season in 20 years in 1998

Are you an area athlete past your high school days? If you want to relive some of your highlights, the Chillicothe Gazette has this new feature entitled Glory Days.

All you need to do is suggest a game from the past. If we have access to photos and information, we will include it as part of the series. To contact us email cgosport@nncogannett.com with the subject line Glory Days

This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Glory Days: Chillicothe's family defense dominates Portsmouth West in 1996