The Indiana Senate honored two former Fort Wayne high school football coaches Thursday.

Senate President Pro Tem David Long (R-Fort Wayne) and Sen. Tom Wyss (R-Fort Wayne) joined Sen. Dennis Kruse (R-Auburn) in co-authoring a resolution paying tribute to Snider's Russ Isaacs and Concordia's Dean Doerffler.

Isaacs stepped down after last season, while Doerffler called it a coaching career after this past season. Both are their respective school's athletic director.

Isaacs finished his career with a .858 winning percentage during nearly two decades – the highest winning percentage in the state. His career included Fort Wayne's only Class 5A football state championship in 1992.

"(Isaacs) always stressed nothing is easy," Long said in a written statement. "Character and action are everything. He consistently reminded his players that football should never come before God, family or school."

During his coaching career, he led the Panthers to nine SAC titles, 13 sectional championships, seven regionals and three semistates.

Wyss said one of the best tributes for Isaacs came from current coach Kurt Tippmann, a former Snider player and assistant coach.

"Kurt talked about how Coach Isaacs always said honesty was the best way to deal with people – no matter what the situation," Wyss said.

Doerffler, who also coached at Northrop, won regional and sectional titles with Concordia in 2002 and 2007.

"He was a Concordia alum who strived to live by the school athletics motto – developing student-athletes in a Christ-centered environment," Kruse said.