SCOL Football Notebook: Week 9
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
This is the next to final week of the high school football season, and no less than a share of the South Central Ohio League football championship will be clinched this weekend when the Miami Trace Panthers host the Clinton-Massie Falcons on Saturday.
But before we get into the previews and football talk, I just want to send my condolences to the Miami Trace football team, students and the family of Nick Havens, who passed away last weekend at the age of 16.
I had the opportunity to know his family away from the football field through a mutual friend, and they are very great people. I'm sorry for their loss.
- - - - -
This week, the game of the week in terms of SCOL record will be the Panthers and Falcons as they both enter Week 9 at 5-0 overall, but on paper and on the field, the Falcons are the better overall team as they are ranked No. 1 in Region 16, and in the Associated Press poll, they are No. 4 in Division IV, gaining two first-place votes.
I want to go into more detail about the Falcons as they are just one win away from clinching no less than a share of their seventh consecutive league championship as they have a 30-game league winning streak, and since joining the SCOL in '05, the Falcons are 47-2 with losses to MT in '05 and Washington in '07.
This season in SCOL play (through five games), the Falcons have outscored their SCOL opponents 323-19 with wins of 66-0, 42-0 (3 quarters), 77-6, 62-13 and 76-0.
I can't stress enough not only how dominating that is … but just how hard it is to outscore an entire league, especially as a Division IV school.
Just for fact purposes, in 47 SCOL games, starting at the '05 season, CM has outscored their opponents 2,202-424.
Their record against Miami Trace since '05 is 6-1 with a score of 284-110, winning the past six meetings by a combined score of 261-73.
Since the reformation of the SCOL in '03, either Miami Trace or Clinton-Massie (with the exception of WCH in '07) have won the league football championship with MT winning the league title in '03, '04, '05, '07 and CM winning the title in '06, '07 (tri-championship with MT and WCH), '08, '09, '10 and '11.
More on that game later.
As for the rest of the SCOL, there are still important games to be played as the No. 9 ranked (Region 12) McClain Tigers are hosting Madison-Plains with the Tigers still holding on to playoff hopes if they can win their final two games and maybe a team or two ahead of them in the standings loses a game (plus Miami Trace is No. 10 in Region 12).
So that game right there has big potential as MP can play spoiler.
East Clinton plays London in two teams near each other in the league standingsm and in Washington Court House, the Hillsboro Indians will look to gain their first win of the year with just two chances remaining in their final road contest.
This week in the SCOL is not short on storylines or excitement this week.
[[In-content Ad]]• Previews and Predictions
- Hillsboro Indians (0-5, 0-8) at Washington Blue Lions (3-2, 4-4)
As I wrote in the actual preview story, both teams are coming off tough losses, and this week for the Indians won't get any easier as they are still looking for that elusive first win of the year.
The Blue Lions are looking to finish out the year with hopes of a winning record in a season where they had to play through injuries and partly rebuilding their team. Thus far, they have four wins, and a win this Friday would keep them from having a losing record this season. In head coach Corey Dye's tenure at Washington, his teams have never had a losing record with marks of 6-4, 8-3 and 5-5.
This season, Washington has scored 192 points and allowed 297 while HHS has scored 85 points and allowed 368 in eight games.
Prediction: Washington wins.
- Madison-Plains Golden Eagles (1-4, 4-4) at McClain Tigers (3-2, 5-3)
This could be the "Game of the Week" in terms of play on the field as the Tigers are coming off a loss to Miami Trace and the Golden Eagles have lost their past four games with their lone SCOL win against HHS in Week 4, which was the last time MP has won a game this season.
This will be the final home game for MHS this season, and it's easy to call this a must-win for the Tigers as they have playoff hopes on the line at 5-3, but a win would really help that cause.
If MHS can win their fourth SCOL game this season, it would be the first time they've accomplished that feat since the '06 season where they were 4-2 in league games and 5-5 for the season. The last time MHS had a winning overall record was the '10 season at 6-4.
Neither team can win a league title this season, but both have a lot to play for this week with MP having a chance to also gain six wins this season and MHS playing for a playoff spot.
To read the actual game preview, click here.
Prediction: McClain wins
- Clinton-Massie Falcons (5-0, 8-0) at Miami Trace (5-0, 5-3)
This is the best game record-wise, but I still feel the Falcons are the best team in the SCOL.
I've seen Miami Trace twice this season, and in my book, they are the second best team in the league. I like their running game, and they play the game the right way.
But the Falcons … they are just so good at everything they do when they play within the league, and nobody in the SCOL has really given them a game this season.
I feel Miami Trace will be their toughest league game of the seven on the schedule.
Prediction: Clinton-Massie wins
- London Red Raiders (1-4, 1-7) at East Clinton Astros (2-3, 3-5)
Both teams are coming off wins last week as EC defeated Madison-Plains, and the Red Raiders defeated HHS for their first win of the season.
Both team have good players at the skill positions, as LHS has scored 190 points, while EC has scored 207, so both teams are close in that respect. Their defenses have allowed 553 points, with LHS allowing 330 points and EC's allowing 223.
Prediction: East Clinton wins
• Last Week's Scores
- Washington 0, Clinton-Massie 76
- Madison-Plains 20, East Clinton 28
- London 34, Hillsboro 8
- McClain 8, Miami Trace 49
• Last Week's Predictions
Last week, in the four SCOL games predicted, I finished 1-3 overall. That makes me 32-12 on the year after eight complete weeks.
• 5 Things I'd like to see in Week 9
1. I'd like to see the McClain Tigers continue their run at the playoffs. The Tigers have never played in the postseason, and the last Highland County team to play in the postseason was HHS in 2005.
2. I'd like to see fans travel to Washington this week. Only have two more weeks of Friday Night Football. Bring a coat and just watch the Indians in Fayette County in their final road game of the season. Stay for the entire game as well … what else is there to do?
3. I'd like to see healing for everyone at Miami Trace this week. There are more important things than the result of a football game.
4. I'd like to see competitive games throughout the SCOL this week. No games decided by 30 or more points.
5. I'd like to see the week before rivalry week in the SCOL end with everyone in good health so the final week of the regular season can be competitive.
Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of The Highland County Press. He can be reached at sforsha@gmail.com. Follow Stephen on Twitter @hcpsportseditor.
But before we get into the previews and football talk, I just want to send my condolences to the Miami Trace football team, students and the family of Nick Havens, who passed away last weekend at the age of 16.
I had the opportunity to know his family away from the football field through a mutual friend, and they are very great people. I'm sorry for their loss.
- - - - -
This week, the game of the week in terms of SCOL record will be the Panthers and Falcons as they both enter Week 9 at 5-0 overall, but on paper and on the field, the Falcons are the better overall team as they are ranked No. 1 in Region 16, and in the Associated Press poll, they are No. 4 in Division IV, gaining two first-place votes.
I want to go into more detail about the Falcons as they are just one win away from clinching no less than a share of their seventh consecutive league championship as they have a 30-game league winning streak, and since joining the SCOL in '05, the Falcons are 47-2 with losses to MT in '05 and Washington in '07.
This season in SCOL play (through five games), the Falcons have outscored their SCOL opponents 323-19 with wins of 66-0, 42-0 (3 quarters), 77-6, 62-13 and 76-0.
I can't stress enough not only how dominating that is … but just how hard it is to outscore an entire league, especially as a Division IV school.
Just for fact purposes, in 47 SCOL games, starting at the '05 season, CM has outscored their opponents 2,202-424.
Their record against Miami Trace since '05 is 6-1 with a score of 284-110, winning the past six meetings by a combined score of 261-73.
Since the reformation of the SCOL in '03, either Miami Trace or Clinton-Massie (with the exception of WCH in '07) have won the league football championship with MT winning the league title in '03, '04, '05, '07 and CM winning the title in '06, '07 (tri-championship with MT and WCH), '08, '09, '10 and '11.
More on that game later.
As for the rest of the SCOL, there are still important games to be played as the No. 9 ranked (Region 12) McClain Tigers are hosting Madison-Plains with the Tigers still holding on to playoff hopes if they can win their final two games and maybe a team or two ahead of them in the standings loses a game (plus Miami Trace is No. 10 in Region 12).
So that game right there has big potential as MP can play spoiler.
East Clinton plays London in two teams near each other in the league standingsm and in Washington Court House, the Hillsboro Indians will look to gain their first win of the year with just two chances remaining in their final road contest.
This week in the SCOL is not short on storylines or excitement this week.
[[In-content Ad]]• Previews and Predictions
- Hillsboro Indians (0-5, 0-8) at Washington Blue Lions (3-2, 4-4)
As I wrote in the actual preview story, both teams are coming off tough losses, and this week for the Indians won't get any easier as they are still looking for that elusive first win of the year.
The Blue Lions are looking to finish out the year with hopes of a winning record in a season where they had to play through injuries and partly rebuilding their team. Thus far, they have four wins, and a win this Friday would keep them from having a losing record this season. In head coach Corey Dye's tenure at Washington, his teams have never had a losing record with marks of 6-4, 8-3 and 5-5.
This season, Washington has scored 192 points and allowed 297 while HHS has scored 85 points and allowed 368 in eight games.
Prediction: Washington wins.
- Madison-Plains Golden Eagles (1-4, 4-4) at McClain Tigers (3-2, 5-3)
This could be the "Game of the Week" in terms of play on the field as the Tigers are coming off a loss to Miami Trace and the Golden Eagles have lost their past four games with their lone SCOL win against HHS in Week 4, which was the last time MP has won a game this season.
This will be the final home game for MHS this season, and it's easy to call this a must-win for the Tigers as they have playoff hopes on the line at 5-3, but a win would really help that cause.
If MHS can win their fourth SCOL game this season, it would be the first time they've accomplished that feat since the '06 season where they were 4-2 in league games and 5-5 for the season. The last time MHS had a winning overall record was the '10 season at 6-4.
Neither team can win a league title this season, but both have a lot to play for this week with MP having a chance to also gain six wins this season and MHS playing for a playoff spot.
To read the actual game preview, click here.
Prediction: McClain wins
- Clinton-Massie Falcons (5-0, 8-0) at Miami Trace (5-0, 5-3)
This is the best game record-wise, but I still feel the Falcons are the best team in the SCOL.
I've seen Miami Trace twice this season, and in my book, they are the second best team in the league. I like their running game, and they play the game the right way.
But the Falcons … they are just so good at everything they do when they play within the league, and nobody in the SCOL has really given them a game this season.
I feel Miami Trace will be their toughest league game of the seven on the schedule.
Prediction: Clinton-Massie wins
- London Red Raiders (1-4, 1-7) at East Clinton Astros (2-3, 3-5)
Both teams are coming off wins last week as EC defeated Madison-Plains, and the Red Raiders defeated HHS for their first win of the season.
Both team have good players at the skill positions, as LHS has scored 190 points, while EC has scored 207, so both teams are close in that respect. Their defenses have allowed 553 points, with LHS allowing 330 points and EC's allowing 223.
Prediction: East Clinton wins
• Last Week's Scores
- Washington 0, Clinton-Massie 76
- Madison-Plains 20, East Clinton 28
- London 34, Hillsboro 8
- McClain 8, Miami Trace 49
• Last Week's Predictions
Last week, in the four SCOL games predicted, I finished 1-3 overall. That makes me 32-12 on the year after eight complete weeks.
• 5 Things I'd like to see in Week 9
1. I'd like to see the McClain Tigers continue their run at the playoffs. The Tigers have never played in the postseason, and the last Highland County team to play in the postseason was HHS in 2005.
2. I'd like to see fans travel to Washington this week. Only have two more weeks of Friday Night Football. Bring a coat and just watch the Indians in Fayette County in their final road game of the season. Stay for the entire game as well … what else is there to do?
3. I'd like to see healing for everyone at Miami Trace this week. There are more important things than the result of a football game.
4. I'd like to see competitive games throughout the SCOL this week. No games decided by 30 or more points.
5. I'd like to see the week before rivalry week in the SCOL end with everyone in good health so the final week of the regular season can be competitive.
Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of The Highland County Press. He can be reached at sforsha@gmail.com. Follow Stephen on Twitter @hcpsportseditor.