It¹s not hard to see that the bar has been set pretty high in Tiffin. Although the Tornadoes lost their top eight offensive linemen, return just three starters on offense and have virtually no experience in the receiving corps, they earned 11 of the 12 possible first place votes in the media poll and are an overwhelming favorite to earn a fourth consecutive NOL championship. Those expectations, though, are a byproduct of the success TC has had under coach Steve Gilbert over the past decade. Gilbert took control of the Tornadoes in 1993 after the program labored through an 0-10 season in 1992. Columbian went 3-7 in Gilbert¹s first year, but the program has not lost more than two games in a single season since. Whether or not the Tornadoes return all their starters or none of them, two goals remain constant in the program ( win the NOL and make the playoffs). Although Columbian has won three consecutive league championships and made the playoffs three of the last five years, the program is in search of its first postseason victory since 1987, when the Tornadoes bounced Whitehouse Anthony Wayne, the only playoff win in school history. The Tornadoes last three trips to the postseason were ones-and-done, although all three losses came against top programs. In 1998 Columbian lost a 45-42 thriller to Sylvania Southview, a team that reached the 1999 Division II state finals. In 2000, TC lost a 42-7 road game to Green, which qualified for the regional finals a year later. And last season, the Tornadoes fell victim to Toledo Central Catholic, 32-31, on a gutsy two-point conversion fake by the Irish with just 1:25 left in the game. Columbian rallied from a 10-0 halftime deficit to score 31 second-half points and take a 31-24 lead on Weston Reinbolt¹s 37-yard touchdown sprint with 3:24 remaining. Some top skill players from that team return, including first team district performers Reinbolt and tailback Tim Spencer. Spencer eclipsed the 1,000-yard barrier last year, becoming the seventh TC runner in the last eight years to accomplish the feat. Historically, the Tornadoes have been a pound-it-out group under Gilbert on offense. But last year, with a smaller offensive line and a multi-talented quarterback in Reinbolt, Columbian joined the recent football trend of the spread offense. The results played favorably as the Tornadoes scored just under 30 points per game. TC will be tested early with a home game against Division I Toledo Whitmer, a 5-5 team a year ago that played one of the top schedules in the state. Whitmer returns senior tailback Edwin Hood, who already has a pair of 1,000-yard seasons under his belt. The Tornadoes then tangle with non-league foes Clyde and Fremont Ross before opening the NOL schedule with long-time rival and NOL-newcomer Fostoria.

Media's 2003 Predicted League Finish : 1st

Passing: Weston Reinbolt
54 comp. 107 att., 896 yds, 7 td's 3 int's

Rushing: Tim Spencer
172 att., 968 yds., 18 tds

Receiving: Tim Spencer
15 rec., 350 yds., 3 tds

Scoring: Tim Spencer
23 tds, 138 pts.

Punting: Frank Perna
30 att, 31.6 avg.

Kicking: Greg Kiser
25 XP, 1 FG

Tackles: Jon Weininger
71 tackles

Sacks: Cody Runion
6 sacks

Interceptions: Chase Ranker and Frank Perna each with 2 ints

Kickoff returns: Tim Spencer
9 ret., 34.4 avg., 2 tds

Punt returns: Weston Reinbolt
15 ret., 14.6 avg.

Written by HooDoo

Defensive line:
  Columbian returns to a 4-man front after running a 5-2 the past two years. The inside, down position belong to Decker (8 tackles) and Wahl (53 tackles, three sacks), while Focht and Hufford (9 tackles) will man the end spots. Senior Andy Laubender (6-1, 177), senior Nick Bishop (5-9, 171) and junior Zach Peiffer (6-2, 212) can also fill in. The ideal situation is to develop depth along the front to give two-way players like Decker, Wahl and Hufford enough rest.

Linebackers:
  Weininger returns to his inside spot where he finished last season with 72 tackles, third best on the team. The other starting spot is a battle between Hall and sophomore Jud Lutz (6-0, 190). Hall had eight tackles and a sack a year ago. On the outside, Chase Ranker returns as a starter after recording 52 tackles and 1 sack from the safety position. But Ranker is locked in a battle with Kiser and Coger for a starting spot. Bishop and Weston Reinbolt provide depth on the outside.

Secondary:
  Justin Reinbolt led the team with five interceptions a year ago, but in the interest of depth he was moved to the offensive side. This year, senior Matt Diehm (5-11, 178) looks to be the safety and junior Drew Lucius (5-11, 172) and Moore have the inside edge at the corner positions. Perna and Gahris are also fighting for playing time.

Special teams:
  Perna returns to handle the punting chores after averaging 31.6 yards per kick a year ago. He¹ll be backed up by Weininger. Spencer, the tailback, should handle the place-kicking.

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"How They Look"

- An opposing NOL team's head coach sizes up the Tornado's

"Coach Gilbert is one of the better coaches in the league...They always have great numbers and excellent skilled players...The Spencer kid has to be one of the top two players in the league and is a threat every time he touches the ball...Their Defense lost a good number of starters but they played a lot of kids on that side of the ball last year... They lose a lot on the offensive side of the ball with the entire line graduating but yet went undefeated at the Junior varsity level last year...If they can come together quickly on the offensive line they could be very tough again this year"