SCOL Football Notebook: Week 8
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
With only three weeks remaining in the high school football regular season, there is still a tie for first place in the South Central Ohio League, there is a tie for last place in the SCOL and in the middle there are many teams looking to improve in the league or teams who want to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Talk about an interesting Friday night ahead.
Let's get into the previews and predictions for this Friday.
• Previews and Predictions
- London Red Raiders (0-4, 0-7) at Hillsboro Indians (0-4, 0-7)
Someone will leave the field with their first league and overall win of the season this Friday at Richards Memorial Field.
But who?
London has their quarterback healthy again in Kyle Fisher but are coming off a loss to the Clinton-Massie Falcons.
The Indians played a productive game last week against the East Clinton Astros, where they led at times, scored 26 points, and from the article by Rory Ryan, it seemed they had momentum during the game.
This is the Indians' next to last home game of the season, and with momentum from last week, a 10-0 team being honored the same night and a hunger of a team looking for their first win of the year, after being close at times last week … it could be a perfect storm for the home team.
Prediction: Hillsboro wins.
- McClain Tigers (3-1, 5-2) at Miami Trace (4-0, 4-3)
I've had the opportunity to see both of these teams play this season, and I feel both teams are impressive in their own right.
The Panthers have a quick offense that goes through junior quarterback Jimmy Stroker, and the Tigers, the OHSAA Region 12 No. 6 ranked team this week, have a defense that is playing some of their best football of the season.
This is my "Game of the Week," and there is a lot on the line for these teams. MT is working its way up though the rankings (they are 17th), but a win against a team ranked as high as the Tigers could go a long way. MT is also 4-0 in the SCOL but have yet to face the powerhouse Clinton-Massie, who has steamrolled through the league thus far.
MHS is working their way toward the playoffs and are coming off a 400-plus yard offensive performance one week ago.
This game could come down to the wire … I'm excited.
Prediction: McClain wins.
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- Madison-Plains Golden Eagles (1-3, 4-3) at East Clinton Astros (1-3, 2-5)
I haven't had the chance to see either team but kept up with them this season. East Clinton is coming off their second win of the year, and the Golden Eagles have lost three straight games in the same amount of weeks, all games in the SCOL.
MP is no longer ranked in the Top 12 of Region 20 in the computer rankings in Division V, but these two teams match up well with offense capable of scoring points with the big play.
Each team posses top-notch running backs in the SCOL, so I have the feeling this game will come down to who has the most big-time plays.
It will be fun to see who ends up with more rushing yards in the running back battle of Max Morrow and Stephen Lemieux because both are two of the better RBs in the league.
Prediction: Madison-Plains wins.
- Washington Blue Lions (3-1, 4-3) at Clinton-Massie Falcons (4-0, 7-0)
It's Washington's turn to face the Clinton-Massie Falcons … and if it is similar to the rest of the teams who have already faced the defending champions of the league, it won't go the way of the team from Fayette County.
Washington (who have been outscored 192-221 this season) is coming off their first SCOL loss of the year, and the Falcons have defeated McClain, Madison-Plains, Hillsboro and London as they are the No. 2 team in the OHSAA Region 16 rankings and Associated Press No. 3 team in the state (tied with Creston Norwayne).
CM is currently running on all cylinders (they've outscored seven opponents 398-40), and I don't see that changing anytime soon this season.
Prediction: Clinton-Massie wins.
• Last Week's Scores
(Friday, Oct. 5)
East Clinton 31, Hillsboro 26
McClain 21, Washington 15
Clinton-Massie 62, London 13
Miami Trace 29, Madison-Plains 19
• Last Week's Predictions
Last week, in the four SCOL games predicted, I finished 4-0 overall. That makes me 31-9 on the year after seven complete weeks. Back-to-back 4-0 weeks.
• 5 Things I'd like to see in Week 8
1. I know I write this every week, but I'd like to see the HHS Indians leave Richards Memorial Field with a W. They have momentum this week.
2. I'd like to see a big following travel to Eber to see the McClain Tigers (in my opinion) play one of their bigger games in recent memory. It would be a great thing to see the Tiger fans sell out the visitor bleachers.
3. I'd like to see a score in the SCOL that exceeds 100 total points. No real reason really, but sometimes those big score games are fun for fans.
4. I'd like to see a surprise score in the league this week.
5. I'd like to see the Miami Trace and McClain game just be one of those games I'll be talking about 10 years from now.
Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of The Highland County Press. He can be reached at sforsha@gmail.com. Follow Stephen on Twitter @hcpsportseditor.
Talk about an interesting Friday night ahead.
Let's get into the previews and predictions for this Friday.
• Previews and Predictions
- London Red Raiders (0-4, 0-7) at Hillsboro Indians (0-4, 0-7)
Someone will leave the field with their first league and overall win of the season this Friday at Richards Memorial Field.
But who?
London has their quarterback healthy again in Kyle Fisher but are coming off a loss to the Clinton-Massie Falcons.
The Indians played a productive game last week against the East Clinton Astros, where they led at times, scored 26 points, and from the article by Rory Ryan, it seemed they had momentum during the game.
This is the Indians' next to last home game of the season, and with momentum from last week, a 10-0 team being honored the same night and a hunger of a team looking for their first win of the year, after being close at times last week … it could be a perfect storm for the home team.
Prediction: Hillsboro wins.
- McClain Tigers (3-1, 5-2) at Miami Trace (4-0, 4-3)
I've had the opportunity to see both of these teams play this season, and I feel both teams are impressive in their own right.
The Panthers have a quick offense that goes through junior quarterback Jimmy Stroker, and the Tigers, the OHSAA Region 12 No. 6 ranked team this week, have a defense that is playing some of their best football of the season.
This is my "Game of the Week," and there is a lot on the line for these teams. MT is working its way up though the rankings (they are 17th), but a win against a team ranked as high as the Tigers could go a long way. MT is also 4-0 in the SCOL but have yet to face the powerhouse Clinton-Massie, who has steamrolled through the league thus far.
MHS is working their way toward the playoffs and are coming off a 400-plus yard offensive performance one week ago.
This game could come down to the wire … I'm excited.
Prediction: McClain wins.
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- Madison-Plains Golden Eagles (1-3, 4-3) at East Clinton Astros (1-3, 2-5)
I haven't had the chance to see either team but kept up with them this season. East Clinton is coming off their second win of the year, and the Golden Eagles have lost three straight games in the same amount of weeks, all games in the SCOL.
MP is no longer ranked in the Top 12 of Region 20 in the computer rankings in Division V, but these two teams match up well with offense capable of scoring points with the big play.
Each team posses top-notch running backs in the SCOL, so I have the feeling this game will come down to who has the most big-time plays.
It will be fun to see who ends up with more rushing yards in the running back battle of Max Morrow and Stephen Lemieux because both are two of the better RBs in the league.
Prediction: Madison-Plains wins.
- Washington Blue Lions (3-1, 4-3) at Clinton-Massie Falcons (4-0, 7-0)
It's Washington's turn to face the Clinton-Massie Falcons … and if it is similar to the rest of the teams who have already faced the defending champions of the league, it won't go the way of the team from Fayette County.
Washington (who have been outscored 192-221 this season) is coming off their first SCOL loss of the year, and the Falcons have defeated McClain, Madison-Plains, Hillsboro and London as they are the No. 2 team in the OHSAA Region 16 rankings and Associated Press No. 3 team in the state (tied with Creston Norwayne).
CM is currently running on all cylinders (they've outscored seven opponents 398-40), and I don't see that changing anytime soon this season.
Prediction: Clinton-Massie wins.
• Last Week's Scores
(Friday, Oct. 5)
East Clinton 31, Hillsboro 26
McClain 21, Washington 15
Clinton-Massie 62, London 13
Miami Trace 29, Madison-Plains 19
• Last Week's Predictions
Last week, in the four SCOL games predicted, I finished 4-0 overall. That makes me 31-9 on the year after seven complete weeks. Back-to-back 4-0 weeks.
• 5 Things I'd like to see in Week 8
1. I know I write this every week, but I'd like to see the HHS Indians leave Richards Memorial Field with a W. They have momentum this week.
2. I'd like to see a big following travel to Eber to see the McClain Tigers (in my opinion) play one of their bigger games in recent memory. It would be a great thing to see the Tiger fans sell out the visitor bleachers.
3. I'd like to see a score in the SCOL that exceeds 100 total points. No real reason really, but sometimes those big score games are fun for fans.
4. I'd like to see a surprise score in the league this week.
5. I'd like to see the Miami Trace and McClain game just be one of those games I'll be talking about 10 years from now.
Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of The Highland County Press. He can be reached at sforsha@gmail.com. Follow Stephen on Twitter @hcpsportseditor.