Ten winning seasons in twelve seasons. Two unbeaten seasons. Two trips to the state playoffs. One state championship. One state runner-up trophy. Eighty-nine career wins.

After building a football powerhouse Larrie Tisdale has coached his last football game. He’ll likely go down as the most successful coach in the history of Covington football.

Coach Tisdale’s farewell season wasn’t what he had in mind, however. A season full of frustration and a losing record wasn’t the way to go out. But, he takes with him some of the greatest memories in Covington football history.

Tisdale’s final group of Buccaneers finished the season with a 3-7 record. Expectations were high in the first season of the Southwest Rivers Conference, but inconsistency was a key factor in some frustrating losses.

Covington opened the 1982 season with a narrow 19-14 loss to a powerful Coldwater team. Despite the loss, expectations continued to be high since the Buccs played Coldwater close throughout.

The Buccs showed signs of promise the following week with a 21-8 victory over Twin Valley South.

Looking to keep the momentum from its first victory, the Buccs lost by a disappointing 27-0 score to rival Bradford. The Railroaders, who had their best team in year, advanced to the regional finals in 1982. But, the shutout score had a lasting affect on the Buccs as they only won one contest in their next five games.

That win came at the expense of Graham, 31-6.

The only other victory the Buccaneers would capture throughout the remainder of the season came in week nine against Lehman. Covington played its best football of the season and the result was a 20-0 shellacking of the Cavaliers for Tisdale’s final win of his career.

Covington closed out the season with a 35-20 loss at the hands of Milton Union to finish 3-7.