Playoff Qualifers (Pictured: Duane Bennett, Andy Waddel, 1986 Team Member, Rodney Byrd, Antoine Esters, Kareem Vaughn, Tommy Bonner, Junior Adams, and Dan Moore)


IHSA State Playoff Qualifiers
1986 • (7-3 Record, 6-1 Conference Record)

Coach: Gary Bridell

Conference: Mississippi Valley

Team Captains: N/A

First ever playoff appearance.

Lost in triple OT to Althoff by a FG (10-7 Final Score). 
Controversial call that is still talked about today - "too high to tell" as one ref put it.

1987 • (9-3 Record, 6-1 Conference Record)

Coach: Gary Bridell

Conference: Mississippi Valley

Team Captains: N/A

2nd time to the playoffs and the Panthers win 2 games reaching the "Elite 8" in Class 5A (6A was the highest class in IHSA).  Lost to #1 ranked Peoria Richwoods, who lost to Joliet Catholic 14-13 in the State Championship.

Results: OTHS 27, Marion 13
OTHS 34, Decatur MacArthur 13
Peoria Richwoods 28, OTHS 7

1988 • (7-3 Record, 6-0 Conference Record)

Coach: Gary Bridell

Conference: Mississippi Valley

Team Captains: Brian Garrett, Kirk Gass, Dave Bair

3rd consecutive playoff appearance.

Results: Mt. Vernon 27, OTHS 18

1989 • (10-2 Record, 5-1 Conference Record)

Coach: Gary Bridell

Conference: Mississippi Valley

Team Captains: Antione Esters, Chris Weakley, Jeff Ross

4th straight playoff appearance. 2nd trip to the "Elite 8" in 3 years.  Lost both games to eventual State Semi-Finalists (Highland and Peoria Richwoods).  At the time, this team set the record for most wins in a season (2004 team won 11).

Results:
OTHS 15, Cahokia 3
OTHS 25, Decatur MacArthur 0
Peoria Richwoods 21, OTHS 0

1990 • (8-3 Record, 4-2 Conference Record)

Coach: Gary Bridell

Conference: Mississippi Valley

Team Captains: Loren Buckner, Jarod Leffler, Mike Goodin

5th consecutive trip to the postseason. 3rd time reaching the 2nd round in 4 years.  Lost to Semi-Finalists and number 1 ranked Bloomington.

Results:
OTHS 14, Edwardsville 12
Bloomington 15, OTHS 0

1991 • (8-2 Record, 5-1 Conference Record)

Coach: Gary Bridell

Conference: Mississippi Valley

Team Captains: Rodney Byrd, Chris McCollum

6th consecutive playoff berth.  Panthers (ranked #6 in IHSA poll) draw #1 Carbondale in first round and play a home game in a snow storm.   About 2-4 inches of snow fall during the game.

Results:
Carbondale 20, OTHS 6

1994 • (8-2 Record, 5-0 Conference Record)

Coach: Gary Bridell

Conference: South Seven

Team Captains: Cory Alexander, Kareem Vaughn

Back in the postseason after 2 years out. Panthers lose to Rockton, who reach the quarterfinals.

Results:
Rockton (Hononegah) 36, OTHS 0

1995 • (9-1 Record, 5-0 Conference Record)

Coach: Gary Bridell

Conference: South Seven

Team Captains:  Adam Blankenship, Alti Taylor, Steve Pfieiffer, Andrew Reusche

1st ever undefeated regular season by OTHS. Bad draw as the Panthers (9-0) get East St Louis in the first round. East Side had a teachers strike and had 2 forfeit losses and a 6-3 record. They ended up advancing to the state semi-finals with 3 "losses".

Results:
ESL 40, OTHS 20

1997 • (6-4 Record)

Coach: Gary Bridell

Conference: South Seven

Team Captains: Ralph Holmes, Andre Ramsey, Jon Williams

Panthers back in the postseason after sitting a year out.

Results: Rock Island 49, OTHS 6

1998 • (7-3 Record, 5-0 Conference Record)

Coach: Gary Bridell

Conference: South Seven

Team Captains: Chris Orndoff, Preston Jacobs, John Hartman

Panthers travel north to take on IHSA #2 ranked Oswego. It is a 7-point game until late in the 4th quarter when a couple miscues lead to 14 unanswered points by Oswego.

Results: Oswego 35, OTHS 14

2002• (6-4 Record, 5-2 Conference Record)

Coach: Todd Moeller

Conference: Southwestern

Team Captains: Brandon Stewart, John Wicinski, Al Keeler, Jason Cobb

Panthers return to the playoffs for the first time since 1998. Edwardsville knocks them off en route to a 2nd straight championship appearance.

Results:
Edwardsville 31, OTHS 0

2003 • (8-3 Record, 5-2 Conference Record)

Coach: Todd Moeller

Conference: Southwestern

Team Captains: Kevin Duncan, Kevin Kombrink, Dan Moore

The Panthers earn just their fourth trip past the first round of the playoffs as they knock off conference rival Edwardsville before losing to another rival in East St. Louis.

Results:
OTHS 21, Edwardsville 14
East St. Louis 45, OTHS 3

2004 • (11-1 Record, 7-0 Conference Record)

Coach: Todd Moeller

Conference: Southwestern

Team Captains:  Dan Moore, Troy Wagner, Kris Kombrink, Ben Larimer, Scott Manning

This team is the 3rd team to reach the "Elite 8" in OTHS history.  Losing to Notre Dame.  Best overall record in OTHS history.  4 Division I-A players, 2 Division I-AA players.

Results:
OTHS 21, Alton 19
OTHS 38, Darien (Hindsdale South) 13
Chicago St. Rita 45, OTHS 20

2005 • (5-5 Record)

Coach: Todd Moeller

Conference: Southwestern

Team Captains:  Justin Stewart, Andy Waddel

4th consecutive playoff berth under Coach Moeller.  The Panthers lost to conference rival Edwardsville, who reached the state semi-finals and was ranked in the top 3 in the IHSA Class 7A polls most of the season.

Results:
Edwardsville 37, OTHS 0

2006 • (5-5 Record)

Coach: Todd Moeller

Conference: Southwestern

Team Captains:  Duane Bennett, Shane Trotter

5th consecutive playoff berth under Coach Moeller, which ends up being his final season.  The Panthers lost to eventual state champion Chicago St. Rita, who dismantled everyone they played to win their 2nd state championship.

Results:
Chicago (St. Rita) 45, OTHS 20

2009 • (8-4 Record)

Coach: Brandon Joggerst

Conference: Southwestern

Team Captains:  N/A

1st Playoff team under Coach Joggerst.  The Panthers lost 3 games to playoff qualifying teams and won a first round playoff game against Lincoln-Way Central 16-0. They become just the 6th team in OTHS history to reach the "Sweet 16" in the IHSA Playoffs (Class 7A).

Results:
OTHS 16, Lincoln-Way Central 0
OTHS 17, Lincoln-Way East 16
East St. Louis 27, OTHS 14