Roger M. "Buzz" Kirkhart
The Mt. Vernon & Johnstown Northridge Years

Contributed by Eric Cline, Fredericktown, OH
Regarding the story you have on Roger "Buzz" Kirkhart, in case you did not know, Buzz was also head coach at Mount Vernon for four seasons, from 1991 to 1994. I used to be assistant sports editor at Mount Vernon's daily newspaper and it was my job -- partially -- to follow all the area teams. His tenure was short, but his 1993 squad went to the Division I Regional Championship.

I'm sending my records of his years at both Mount Vernon and at Northridge (we covered both teams), where he almost literally rebuilt the program from the ground up. In 1999, he led the Vikings to their first ever 10-0 regular season, their first Mid-Buckeye Conference title and their first state playoff appearance. My sports editor back then, Tom Wilson, who covered the Kirkhart-led Jackets through all four seasons of his tenure, told me he was the most interesting person he'd ever met in football (and this coming from a man (Wilson, that is) who was second string quarterback behind close friend Art Schlichter at Miami Trace High School).

I finally got to cover his Northridge teams. I can honestly say I agree with Tom.

Home games are capitalized, other information is at the bottom of each season. Do with this information whatever you like. I  just thought you might like to have it, possibly to add to the story on Buzz.

All the best.

Eric Cline
Fredericktown, OH


MOUNT VERNON YELLOW JACKETS 1991
HC: Roger "Buzz" Kirkhart
8/30   at Newark                      L  0- 6
9/6    at Grove City                  L  0-42
9/13   MANSFIELD MADISON              L  0-43
9/20   at Cols. Franklin Heights*     L  0-13
9/27   PICKERINGTON*                  L 14-40
10/4   at Reynoldsburg*               L 14-42
10/11  WHITEHALL-YEARLING*            W 29-13
10/18  at Marysville*                 L  0-21
10/25  PATASKALA WATKINS MEMORIAL*    L 10-20
11/1   DELAWARE HAYES*                W 20-18
*Ohio Capital Conference Capital Division game.

MOUNT VERNON YELLOW JACKETS 1992
HC: Roger "Buzz" Kirkhart
9/4    NEWARK                         L  6-32
9/11   GROVE CITY                     L  6-21
9/18   at Mansfield Madison           L 12-34
9/25   COLS. FRANKLIN HEIGHTS*        W 16-12
10/2   at Pickerington*               L 13-17
10/9   REYNOLDSBURG*                  L  9-14
10/16  at Whitehall-Yearling*         W 18- 0
10/23  MARYSVILLE*                    W 20-12
10/30  at Pataskala Watkins Memorial* W 20-15
11/6   at Delaware Hayes*             W 32-12
*Ohio Capital Conference Capital Division game.

MOUNT VERNON YELLOW JACKETS 1993
HC: Roger "Buzz" Kirkhart
9/3    at Newark                      W 20- 6
9/10   at Columbus Beechcroft         W 26-20
9/17   MANSFIELD MADISON              W 35- 7
9/24   PICKERINGTON*                  W 21-14
10/1   at Reynoldsburg*               W 16-13
10/8   WHITEHALL-YEARLING*            L 14-40
10/15  at Marysville*                 W 21- 0
10/22  PATASKALA WATKINS MEMORIAL*    W 45- 8
10/29  DELAWARE HAYES*                L 34-35
11/5   at Cols. Franklin Heights*     W 27-20
11/20  Lima Senior(Dublin)+           W 21-20
11/27  Hilliard(Dublin)+              L 19-27
*Ohio Capital Conference Capital Division game.
+State Playoffs.

MOUNT VERNON YELLOW JACKETS 1994
HC: Roger "Buzz" Kirkhart
9/2    NEWARK                         W 35- 0
9/9    COLUMBUS BEECHCROFT            L 14-15
9/16   at Mansfield Madison (2OT)     L 14-20
9/23   at Pickerington*               L  7-26
9/30   REYNOLDSBURG*                  W 14- 6
10/7   at Whitehall-Yearling*         W 22- 6
10/14  MARYSVILLE*                    L 14-21
10/21  at Pataskala Watkins Memorial* L 21-27
10/28  at Delaware Hayes*             W 34- 0
11/4   COLS. FRANKLIN HEIGHTS*        W 30- 6
*Ohio Capital Conference Capital Division game.


NORTHRIDGE VIKINGS 1997
HC: Roger "Buzz" Kirkhart
8/29   at Licking Heights             L  0-23
9/5    UTICA                          L  7-42
9/12   at Millersport (2OT)           L 10-16
9/19   LUCAS*                         L  0-21
9/26   at East Knox*                  L  7-52
10/3   DANVILLE*                      L 14-41
10/10  at Johnstown*                  L  0-40
10/17  CENTERBURG*                    W 21-15
10/25  NEWARK CATHOLIC                L  0-41
11/1   vs. Marion Catholic+           W 28- 6
*Mid-Buckeye Conference game.
+at Ridgedale High School, Morral.

NORTHRIDGE VIKINGS 1998
HC: Roger "Buzz" Kirkhart
9/4    SUMMIT STATION LICKING HEIGHTS L  0- 9
9/11   at Utica                       L 14-27
9/18   MILLERSPORT                    L 14-22
9/25   HOWARD EAST KNOX*              L  0-13
10/2   at Danville*                   L  0-52
10/9   JOHNSTOWN-MONROE*              W  6- 3
10/16  at Centerburg*                 L  0-27
10/23  at Lucas*                      L  7-20
10/31  at Zanesville Rosecrans        L  0-31
11/6   MARION CATHOLIC                W 53- 0
*Mid-Buckeye Conference game.

NORTHRIDGE VIKINGS 1999
HC: Roger "Buzz" Kirkhart
8/27   at Summit Station Licking Hts. W 27- 0
9/3    ZANESVILLE ROSECRANS           W 42- 7
9/10   at Millersport                 W 41- 7
9/17   DANVILLE*                      W 35- 6
9/24   at Fredericktown*              W 41- 7
10/1   UTICA*                         W 13- 7
10/8   at Johnstown-Monroe*           W  3- 0
10/15  GAHANNA COLUMBUS ACADEMY       W 28- 0
10/22  at Howard East Knox* (OT)      W 21-14
10/29  CENTERBURG*                    W 36-16
11/5   at Chesapeake+                 L  3-13
*Mid-Buckeye Conference game.
+State Playoffs.

NORTHRIDGE VIKINGS 2000
HC: Roger "Buzz" Kirkhart
8/25   SUMMIT STATION LICKING HEIGHTS W 12- 0
9/2    at Zanesville Rosecrans        W 12- 7
9/8    MILLERSPORT                    W 32- 6
9/15   at Danville*                   W 28- 0
9/22   FREDERICKTOWN*                 W 44- 7
9/29   at Utica*                      L 13-15
10/6   JOHNSTOWN-MONROE*              L 14-21
10/13  at Gahanna Columbus Academy    W 21-12
10/20  HOWARD EAST KNOX*              W 34-17
10/27  at Centerburg*                 W 35- 7
11/4   at Beverly Fort Frye+          W 20- 6
11/11  Amanda-Clearcreek(Zanesville)+ L  0-20
*Mid-Buckeye Conference game.
+State Playoffs.

NORTHRIDGE VIKINGS 2001
HC: Roger "Buzz" Kirkhart
8/24   at Summit Station Licking Hts. L 17-47
8/31   NEWARK LICKING VALLEY          L  7-36
9/7    at Millersport                 W 47-12
9/14   DANVILLE*                      L 20-42
9/21   at Fredericktown*              W 50-25
9/28   UTICA*                         L 20-27
10/5   at Johnstown-Monroe*           W 13- 7
10/12  ZANESVILLE ROSECRANS           W 22-13
10/19  at Howard East Knox*           W 18-14
10/26  CENTERBURG* (2OT)              L 20-21
*Mid-Buckeye Conference game.

NORTHRIDGE VIKINGS 2002
HC: "Buzz" Roger Kirkhart
8/24   SUMMIT STATION LICKING HTS.#   W 34- 0
8/30   at Newark Licking Valley       L  7-54
9/6    MILLERSPORT                    L 12-14
9/13   at Danville*                   L  0-35
9/20   FREDERICKTOWN*                 W 24-14
9/27   at Utica*                      W 26-25
10/4   JOHNSTOWN-MONROE*              W 10- 0
10/12  at Zanesville Rosecrans        W 20-12
10/18  HOWARD EAST KNOX*              W 34- 0
10/25  at Centerburg*                 W 31- 0
11/2   at Amanda-Clearcreek+          L  7-14
*Mid-Buckeye Conference game.
#Game postponed 8/23 due to lightning.
+State Playoffs.