Juriga is another Red Raider from school’s ‘Golden Age’ of athletics
Rich Juriga played at Uniontown Area High School during the 鈥淕olden Age鈥� of Red Raider athletics, when they were turning out college-bound athletes like a production line.
Juriga was a standout for the Red Raiders in football and track and field during the late 1950鈥檚. He played on Raider football squads that posted records of 8-0 in 1957, 7-1-1 capturing a Western Conference title in 1958 and 6-3 in 1959.
鈥淒uring my sophomore year I did get to play,鈥� Juriga stated. 鈥淲e had some great teams. In 1957, I was a cornerback behind Larry Franty. That team was 8-0 with Sandy Stephens at quarterback, but we didn鈥檛 go to the playoffs because we had games canceled because of the Asiatic Flu and didn鈥檛 have enough Gardner Points. It was terrible that year, the flu caused terrible problems. That was a team that probably could have won the WPIAL championship. We had outstanding players on that team.
鈥淚n 1958 we lost to German, 12-6, and tied Mt. Lebanon, 13-13. German had two outstanding players in Sam Sims and Bill Rutland. We tied Mt. Lebanon and we always had trouble with them. I was playing cornerback and halfback. We won the Western Conference and that was a great conference at that time. I was used at halfback and fullback during my senior season.鈥�
The 6-0, 185-pound Juriga was a second team All-Western Conference selection in 1959. Some highlights that year included a touchdown against German and a 90-yard touchdown run against Monessen in the Raiders鈥� 34-21 win.
鈥淚 broke through the line against Monessen,鈥� Juriga recalled. 鈥淚 running and a defensive back named Eric Crabtree, who went on to star at Pitt, almost caught me, he almost ran me down.鈥�
Juriga has high praise for his old coach at Uniontown, the late Bill Power.
鈥淗e was an excellent coach,鈥� Juriga said. 鈥淗e was backed by an great group of assistants: Al Broadhag and John Kruper to name a couple. Power made Uniontown a football power. He was a tremendous coach and a good man.鈥�
Juriga also participated in track and field for the Red Raiders. His specialty was the javelin, broad jump and other field events.
鈥淚 was a good javelin thrower,鈥� Juriga stated. 鈥淚 was good at the high jump, I loved track.鈥�
Juriga also played a lot of sandlot baseball.
鈥淚 played little league and midget league and I played with one team through the Midget League, the Pony League, the Teener League,鈥� Juriga said. 鈥淚 played for Yezbak鈥檚, I pitched and played the outfield. Bailey Park was a great place. We鈥檇 always look forward to the end of the game and getting snow cones from Muggsy. That a real class memory right there. I also played for the Uniontown Legion team.鈥�
When Juriga graduated from Uniontown in 1960 he wasn鈥檛 thinking about going to college.
鈥淚 had about five or six college offers,鈥� Juriga explained. 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 quite ready to go to college. I thought about going to the service. I went to the Uniontown Shopping Center and talked to the Marine recruiter. My dad and Coach Power got wind of it. My parents were disappointed that I didn鈥檛 want to go on the college. Coach Power called West Virginia football coach Gene Corum and he and Coach Power came to my house. Gene Corum and Coach Power talked me into going to West Virginia. They straightened things out with the Marine recruiter and I went to WVU.鈥�
Juriga played freshman ball for the Mountaineers in 1960 and scored one touchdown.
鈥淚 played halfback,鈥� Juriga said. 鈥淲e had a good freshman team, we played five games, and we won three. I was red shirted in 1961. In 1962, I didn鈥檛 see much action. That team went 8-2, with losses to Penn State and Terry Baker and Oregon State.鈥�
In 1963, Juriga was switched to end and played both ways on offense and defense. He saw action on a team that went 4-6, including a 51-7 loss to Roger Staubach and Navy, and a tough 13-10 loss to Fred Mazurek and Pitt. Juriga caught one pass for 18 yards against Pitt. He had 19 solo tackles and 15 assisted tackles that season.
The 1964 season saw the Mountaineers post a 7-4 record and earn a Liberty Bowl berth against Utah. Juriga missed a big chunk of the season. A knee injury sidelined Juriga for the final six games of the season. He did return to play in the bowl game.
鈥淯tah with Roy Jefferson, they were outstanding,鈥� Juriga stated. 鈥淭hat game was played indoors at the Atlantic City Convention Hall and the Utes beat us 32-6.鈥�
After graduating from WVU, Juriga was a grad assistant and left WVU with his masters degree. He went into teaching and his first job was at Sandusky, Ohio. He was there one year teaching and coaching football and swimming. That Sandusky team that he helped coach went 10-0. That team was inducted into the school鈥檚 Hall of Fame in May 2014.
He accepted a job at Brentwood High School just outside Pittsburgh in 1967. He taught and he was the defensive coordinator for football for 32 years. He also coached track for 16 years. He retired in 2001.
Juriga, 74, and his wife of 47 years, Shirley, reside in Uniontown. They have one son, Brian, who is 42.
George Von Benko鈥檚 鈥淢emory Lane鈥� column appears in the Monday editions of the 缅北禁地. He also hosts a sports talk show on WMBS-AM radio from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.