By Garth Shanklin
Sports Editor

As the New Richmond Lions prepare for their playoff opener against Mount Healthy at 7 p.m., a look back at the team’s past playoff results seems appropriate.

New Richmond made their first playoff appearance in 1999. Led by then-junior quarterback Adam Armbruster, the Lions rolled to an 8-2 record and the eighth seed in the tournament. Their opponent? Top-seeded and undefeated London, who were the favorites to challenge Bishop Watterson and Poland for the state title.

They never had a chance to challenge anyone. The Lions defeated London 42-32, booting the top-ranked team in their region from the postseason in the first week.

Michael McMonigle rushed for 162 yards on 20 attempts and scored three second-half touchdowns to push the Lions ahead.

New Richmond’s playoff run would end in the regional semifinals with a 42-17 loss to Galia Academy the very next week.

The squad returned to the postseason in 2000 as the number three seed, drawing sixth-seeded Logan Elm in the first round. That would be the first playoff game hosted by the Lions, and the home fans would come away happy.

New Richmond found themselves trailing 12-6 at the end of the first quarter, but Armbruster would tally 97 yards and a pair of rushing touchdowns along with a 66-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown to put New Richmond ahead for good. The Lions scored 16 points in the second quarter in what turned into a 44-12 blowout victory, setting up a second-round match with second-seeded Chaminade Julienne.

Again, the Lions found themselves on the wrong side of the scoreboard in the second round. New Richmond fell 15-14 to the second-seeded Eagles.

The Lions would make their third consecutive playoff appearance in 2001 and with it came their third consecutive opening-round win.

The Lions battled Hamilton’s Ross High School to a 28-28 tie until the fourth quarter, when the Rams scored a quick 10 points to take a 38-28 lead. The Lions answered with an 80-yard touchdown run by John McMonigle, who tallied 216 yards and four scores in the game. A 27-yard scamper by McMonigle later in the fourth quarter proved to be the game-winner and sent the Lions to the regional seminfinals for a match against top-seeded Bellbrook. For the third straight year, New Richmond’s season would end in the regional semis, as the team fell to Bellbrook 62-28.

The Lions then went eight seasons without a playoff berth before returning to the postseason in 2009 as a fifth seed against Logan Elm. New Richmond lost that road contest 28-12. The team returned to the playoffs in 2015 as a fifth seed, only to see their season end in a 46-27 loss at the hands of the very same Mount Healthy Owls they face in their playoff opener at 7 p.m on Nov. 4, 2016.