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Dave Merrill, 'Bud' Orndorff unsung coaching heroesDave Merrill and Walter “Buddy” Orndorff know what it must be like for the men who have served as our country’s vice presidents down through the years. The do evetything expected of them behind the scenes but hardly ever do they get more than a thimble of praise from the media.Both Merrill and Orndorff played key roles in the success Allegany High School’s Campers and the Leopards of Smithsburg in Washington County have enjoyed since they began as “first lieutenants” on the coaching staffs. Both schools have fared well in the state playoffs that began in1974.But inasmuch as the head coaches assume full responsibility for their teams and absorb the criticism when things go awry, they should also merit the lion’s share of the praise when their teams catch fire.Buddy, who followed in the footsteps of his father, Walter “Pooch” Orndorff, as an allround star athlete at Fort Hill, yearns to get a crack at Smithsburg where he just completed his 20th season as the main man to Carroll Reid who has become a Leopard legend.Merrill, on the other hand, according to unverified reports, is contemplating relinquishing the position he has held at Allegany, his alma mater, for 26 consecutive seasons. If that turns out to be a fact, Dave will follow in the footsteps of Jack Gilmore who was head coach of three Allegany state-champi-onship teams and announced after losing the 1994 Maryland state semi-final battle to Fort Hill that he was calling a finish to his highly-successful career.Merrill was the starting center on the undefeated 1960 Allegany eleven but switched to fullback and linebacker the next two years. He went to the University of Pittsburgh on a football scholarship and began his coaching career at Campobello in 1969. He was an Alco assistant first under Ed Schwarz, then under George Stimmell, Jim Refosco, and Gilmore.A member of Allegany High’s Hall of Fame, Merrill turned down an offer some years ago to be head coach of the Campers.Orndorff, an All-City end at Fort Hill, has made more state tournament appearances as an assistant coach, than any other person, Smithsburg having the record in that department with 16. Reid, of course, has the record for head coaches, having been at the Leopard helm since1975.Fort Hill has had more state appearances (12) than any Allegany County team, Alco is second with 11 and Beall next with seven. The Campers, though, have the best percentage, having won six Maryland crowns and being finalists on two other occasions. Fort Hill has won only one title and was a finalist twice, while Beall is 0-1. Valley (now Westmar) was a two-time state champ.When, or if, Reid calls it quits at Smithsburg, Orndorff willmost likely be his successor. Buddy has had quite a bit of success as a head coach in track, being the head man for both the boys’ and girls’ track teams at Smithsburg. And this is both the indoor and outdoor version of the “run-and-jump” sport. In 1992 his outdoor female Leopard leapers won the state championship.It takes a lot of time to fill all of those shoes but Buddy, who sparkled in football, basketball, baseball, and track while attending Fort Hill, loves a challenge. And a coaching job, regardless of the sport, is almost without exception a challenge.One of the big reasons he wants to try his hand as head coach in football is because at Smithsburg he’s the offensive coordinator and a team that is capable of putting points on the scoreboard with its offense has a good chance of traveling the highway that leads to Titletown.The Leopards under Orndorff employ a multiple offense. “Carroll and I both are pleased with the success we’ve had with that style of play,” he said.After playing under Charley Lattimer at Fort Hill, Orndorff had an outstanding four years as an offensive and defensive player in football at Western Maryland College. He sparkled just as brightly, too, in baseball with the glove as well as the bat.His dad is remembered as having played a key role on the best basketball team Fort Hill ever had. That was the 1939 club that won 31 games and lost only one under the tutelage of John J. “Bobby” Cavanaugh.J. Suler Kegg is sports editor emeritus of the Cumberland Times -News.
Newspaper Details
Cumberland Sunday Times News
Cumberland, Maryland, US
Sun, Dec 11, 1994
Page 20
Full Page
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Anonymous
MD, USA 12 Jul 2024
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