Clarion Athletics

John Lovre, a record-setting receiver who was a great two-way player on the gridiron from 1951-52 and 1955-56, set an unbelievable standard of excellence on offense and defense. A sophomore in 1952, he was part of Clarion's great 1952 football team which posted an 8-0 regular season record, then won the Lions Bowl Game over East Carolina 7-6. Lovre caught 11 td passes and averaged 25.1 yards per catch in 1952, a record that still stands today. After spending 18 months in the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1955, he returned to Clarion to resume his football career and was a standout again in 1955 and 56. A versatile player, Lovre caught 15 career td's and ran for three more to give him 18 career td's. He also blocked six kicks, caught the longest td pass (85 yards), returned a kickoff 70 yards for a td, and earned all the awards that went with it. In 1952 he was first team All-District, Little All-American, and second team All Teachers Conference. In 1955 Lovre was first team All-State, first team All District, and second team All-Teachers Conference, while in 1956 he was first team All Teachers Conference, second team All-State and All-District, and HM All-State Class A (including Pitt, Penn State, etc). John also earned three letters in baseball at Clarion. A 1957 graduate in education with his degree in social studies, John taught and coached at Penn Twp. (Penn Trafford) High from 1957 to 1990, when he retired. He was head golf coach at Penn Twp. (Trafford) for 33 years.