Hall of Fame
Richard "Dick" Thurnes was the starting center on back-to-back undefeated football teams during Coach Joe Bartell's legendary run before going on to carve his own Ohio Valley coaching legend at the high school level.
The Benwood (W.Va.) Union High School graduate was the Hilltoppers' starting center from 1948-50 as West Liberty went 26-1-1, capping back-to-back undefeated seasons in 1949 and 1950 with victories in the Smokey Mountain Bowl and the Pythian Bowl. The versatile Thurnes also played two years of basketball and baseball on the hilltop.
After graduating from West Liberty, Thurnes began his coaching and teaching career at tiny Cameron (W.Va.) High School. He led the Dragons to an 18-6-1 mark over three seasons, including an unbeaten 1955 campaign when they were ranked No. 2 in the state. Thurnes followed that up with a 12-year run at Tiltonsville (Ohio) Warren Consolidated High School. He was 78-27-5 with the Blue Ramblers, posting undefeated seasons in 1961, 1962, 1965 and 1967.
A four-time OVAC Coach of the Year, Thurnes is a member of the OVAC Hall of Fame and the Ohio Valley Football Coaches Hall of Fame.
