Not off the Press
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
This past Friday, I took a break from South Central Ohio League football and traveled to Ross County, more specifically Bainbridge, to watch the Paint Valley Bearcats host the Southeastern Panthers.
It was a nice atmosphere to watch a game (PV has one of my favorite fields to watch a game) because the back drop of all the mountains is just a really nice sight to see.
Well, the game, though full of many, many turnovers (nine, to be exact) was enjoyable game to watch because of the intensity, both teams played inspired throughout the four quarters. To be honest, this was the first game I've covered all season where the game came down to the final minutes as it was tied at 6-6 with around seven minutes to go. PV scored two big touchdowns (along with a 2-point conversion and extra point) for the 21-6 win Friday.
Like I've said before in previous columns, I enjoy seeing how other schools host a football game, and just how teams prepare for games … quite simply, I like to see traditions of teams and schools.
Here are two things that stood out to me while standing on the Bearcat sideline:
- They have a tunnel with band members, students and cheerleaders for the team to run through before the game.
- Before kickoff, cheerleaders and students form a circle on the sideline (track area) and start cheering, then it turns into a group of 50-75 students jumping in a big circle to get the fans pumped up for the game. (I thought that was a very cool way to get the crowd into the game before the kickoff.)
Next week, I'll be back to the SCOL schedule, but at the mid-point of the season it was nice to see two teams I don't get the chance to watch often play a game.
• High school soccer
On Saturday, I covered the Hillsboro Lady Indians at Lynchburg-Clay Lady Mustangs girls soccer match. I liked the 1 p.m. start (gave me time to sleep after a long Friday night of high school football), and overall it was an entertaining match against two of the best girls soccer teams in Highland County.
What stood out the most was the defensive play by each team, but the Lady Indians kept a team in LC, who was scoring at will against their opponents most of the season to just one goal. Each team also had good play at keeper for most of the match.
Hillsboro, though, had a competitive week on the soccer field. In a seven-day span, they played two SCOL matches and two non-league matches, where they went 3-0-1, defeating LC, Wilmington and Washington while tying the Lady Falcons of Clinton-Massie.
The match of the week was the HHS and CM girls soccer match that finished in a 1-1 tie. It was very high-quality, physical soccer from both sides. Those two teams proved in that match why they are the two best teams in the SCOL.
This week, HHS has Highland County rival McClain at 5 p.m. at McClain Field on Tuesday and vs. Miami Trace on Thursday at Richards Memorial Field in Hillsboro.
This past week was a tough one for the Hillsboro Indians boys team, going 0-2-1 in three matches. The two losses hurt because they were SCOL losses, and that hurt them in the league standings as they trail the McClain Tigers.
One positive for HHS is they can cut the deficit in half if they can defeat Tigers on Tuesday at McClain Field. It will be a tall order to take on, and for me this will be a fun match to watch. (By the way, in their first match of the season the teams tied at RMF.)
Again like I said last week, this should be a game to watch if you are a fan of high school soccer.
• A quick congratulations
I just wanted to send out a quick congratulations to the McClain Lady Tigers as they won the 2011 SCOL girls golf championship.
• Schedule this week
Here are some games that I think will stand out this week:
- Monday: Miami Trace at McClain volleyball. (This will be a good SCOL matchup against two of the better teams in the league.)
- Tuesday: Look early on in the column for thoughts on Hillsboro at McClain boys soccer. Also, Fairfield at Manchester volleyball will be important because the Lady Lions are in first place in the Southern Hills League.
- Wednesday: This will be a battle of Highland County rivals Fairfield and Lynchburg-Clay in boys and girls soccer. The boys game should be a fun match as FHS is coming off a recent win against a good Unioto team.
- Thursday: The LC Lady Mustangs and FHS Lady Lions will play in a volleyball match at LCHS. This is important to not only the SHL standings, but county bragging rights will be on the line.
- Friday: Football Friday night will be Hillsboro hosting the Chillicothe Cavaliers as the Indians will be celebrating homecoming. This will also be the Indians' fifth home game of the season in their first six games. In their homecoming game, the Indians will take on the 0-5 Chillicothe Cavaliers, who have the same record as Hillsboro.
• 10 Thoughts on high school sports
1. The way the McClain Lady Tigers won the SCOL golf championship is what makes the story of high school sports so enjoyable. Also, congrats to the HHS Lady Indians on their regular season, as not many teams can have the type of regular season they accomplished.
2. This entire past week of high school sports was one of the best in recent memory. This week's slate of games will have a lot to live up to, but from the looks of it, this too could be a very intriguing week of events.
3. Who cares if Highland County has one win in high school football this season? We only get 10 weeks of this and then winter comes. I hope everyone comes out and supports the two teams this week as they are both hosting home games on Friday. The Tigers have been on the road the past two weeks, and it would be nice if they had a stadium full of fans wearing purple and gold cheering them on when they take the field. Playing in a full stadium on a Friday night means a lot to the student athletes.
4. I've never enjoyed covering soccer as much as I have this season. I still don't understand all of the rules or why some of the rules exist, but this competition has been great this season.
5. Again, if anyone has "Volley for the Cure" dates, let me know and I'll post them on the web site. I have a lot of events going on in a given week, and it would be good to promote the game.
6. I was told by many people how they were impressed with how the Hillsboro Indians football team played on Friday night in the first half. I really hope the Indians can gain a win this season. Continue to work hard, HHS.
7. I have the feeling the two football losses by the CM Falcons earlier in the season woke up a sleeping giant. Since those losses, the Falcons have scored 144 points in two games. Their defense has allowed just 14 points in that span.
8. I wish the HHS and CM girls soccer teams had another game against each other this season. Their match was the best I've seen all season.
9. Everyone needs to find something to enjoy about a season when it isn't going as expected. It isn't always just one person's fault.
10. Can you believe the fall sports season is halfway finished? Pretty soon I will basically be living in gyms for five months.
• Stat of the Week
Before suffering their first loss, the LC Lady Mustangs outscored their opponents 76-1. I don't care who you play, that is impressive. I'm more impressed by allowing just one goal, rather than the 76 scored.
• (Another) Stat of the Week
The HHS Indians had an estimated 26 penalty flags thrown on them Friday night. My question isn't if they all were deserved, but rather, did the refs need to ice their arm after the game like a pitcher would following a start?
• Quote of the Week
"The coaches and young ladies in our league have worked hard and have improved since the beginning of the season. Everyone wants to be on top, and Saturday was our day to be there." — Tracey Cokonougher, McClain girls golf coach said after her team won the SCOL girls golf championship.
• (Another) Quote of the Week
"We told our kids to keep plugging away. We had marched the field on them all game, and we got a short field there late. We told the kids we needed a statement drive … we really hadn't beaten a good team, and that (SE) is an awfully good team." — Pete Hollon, Paint Valley head football coach following their win Friday night against Southeastern.
• (A third) Quote of the Week
"We are improving on the little things. In the first few games, we had blown assignments, but in mid-season we are watching that disappear. Our kids are understanding we are doing things right … we are running the right routes, hitting the gaps … we are doing all of that now." — Brian Spicer, Hillsboro head football coach when talking about his team after four weeks of football.
• 10 non-high school sports and non-sports thoughts
1. What kind of world are we living in where the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions are 3-0? This isn't 1992, and Thurman Thomas, Bruce Smith, Barry Sanders or Herman Moore aren't on those respective teams. This is why I love the NFL … any week or season, any team can win. This is why MLB needs a salary cap.
2. I worry too much about my fantasy football teams … way too much.
3. I ate dinner Saturday evening at Three Spoons Diner … it is Sunday (as I am writing this) and I'm still full. Great food and great service. I really want to go back again.
4. Before you ask … I don't care about Carrie Underwood's new haircut. OK, I was on Yahoo and it was the main story … so what if I clicked the link? Don't judge me.
5. I'm currently addicted to food and drinks that taste like pumpkin. Ask HCP advertising rep Caitlin Ryan for her recipe for pumpkin cheesecake.
6. So … I didn't see the Arizona Diamondbacks winning the NL West this season. I'll admit … I had them in last place at the start of the season. In fact most of my preseason baseball predictions were wrong.
7. On Sunday night, the season premiere of "The Cleveland Show" was funny for the reason that the "Nature Boy" Ric Flair was in it. Woooo!
8. I really wish the MLB regular season was over for a couple reasons.
- I'm tired of watching my White Sox get beaten.
- I'm really tired of waiting to see what will happen to White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen (hope he stays).
- I love playoff baseball.
9. If you enjoy reading sports books, read one of the four books by Jeff Pearlman. I'm pretty excited for his fifth book coming out in a couple weeks. He has biographies on the '86 Mets, the '90s Dallas Cowboys, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens. His newest book will be about Walter Payton.
10. Did I mention I worry way too much about fantasy football?
• One last item of business
The annual Run 4 Hannah will be held on Saturday, Oct. 22 at 10 a.m. The race is in memory of Hannah Marie Losey, with all the proceeds going towards the Hannah Marie Losey Scholarship Fund.
The Race will begin on the bike path near Felson Park on Macarthur Way (behind Travelers Rest). Preregistration begins at 9 a.m.
Entry fee is $15 and includes a T-shirt. Entry deadline is Oct. 21. Forms are available at Jetts Pro Embroidery.
The motto of the race: "Let the work I've done speak for me."
Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of The Highland County Press. He can be reached at sforsha@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @hcpsportseditor.[[In-content Ad]]
It was a nice atmosphere to watch a game (PV has one of my favorite fields to watch a game) because the back drop of all the mountains is just a really nice sight to see.
Well, the game, though full of many, many turnovers (nine, to be exact) was enjoyable game to watch because of the intensity, both teams played inspired throughout the four quarters. To be honest, this was the first game I've covered all season where the game came down to the final minutes as it was tied at 6-6 with around seven minutes to go. PV scored two big touchdowns (along with a 2-point conversion and extra point) for the 21-6 win Friday.
Like I've said before in previous columns, I enjoy seeing how other schools host a football game, and just how teams prepare for games … quite simply, I like to see traditions of teams and schools.
Here are two things that stood out to me while standing on the Bearcat sideline:
- They have a tunnel with band members, students and cheerleaders for the team to run through before the game.
- Before kickoff, cheerleaders and students form a circle on the sideline (track area) and start cheering, then it turns into a group of 50-75 students jumping in a big circle to get the fans pumped up for the game. (I thought that was a very cool way to get the crowd into the game before the kickoff.)
Next week, I'll be back to the SCOL schedule, but at the mid-point of the season it was nice to see two teams I don't get the chance to watch often play a game.
• High school soccer
On Saturday, I covered the Hillsboro Lady Indians at Lynchburg-Clay Lady Mustangs girls soccer match. I liked the 1 p.m. start (gave me time to sleep after a long Friday night of high school football), and overall it was an entertaining match against two of the best girls soccer teams in Highland County.
What stood out the most was the defensive play by each team, but the Lady Indians kept a team in LC, who was scoring at will against their opponents most of the season to just one goal. Each team also had good play at keeper for most of the match.
Hillsboro, though, had a competitive week on the soccer field. In a seven-day span, they played two SCOL matches and two non-league matches, where they went 3-0-1, defeating LC, Wilmington and Washington while tying the Lady Falcons of Clinton-Massie.
The match of the week was the HHS and CM girls soccer match that finished in a 1-1 tie. It was very high-quality, physical soccer from both sides. Those two teams proved in that match why they are the two best teams in the SCOL.
This week, HHS has Highland County rival McClain at 5 p.m. at McClain Field on Tuesday and vs. Miami Trace on Thursday at Richards Memorial Field in Hillsboro.
This past week was a tough one for the Hillsboro Indians boys team, going 0-2-1 in three matches. The two losses hurt because they were SCOL losses, and that hurt them in the league standings as they trail the McClain Tigers.
One positive for HHS is they can cut the deficit in half if they can defeat Tigers on Tuesday at McClain Field. It will be a tall order to take on, and for me this will be a fun match to watch. (By the way, in their first match of the season the teams tied at RMF.)
Again like I said last week, this should be a game to watch if you are a fan of high school soccer.
• A quick congratulations
I just wanted to send out a quick congratulations to the McClain Lady Tigers as they won the 2011 SCOL girls golf championship.
• Schedule this week
Here are some games that I think will stand out this week:
- Monday: Miami Trace at McClain volleyball. (This will be a good SCOL matchup against two of the better teams in the league.)
- Tuesday: Look early on in the column for thoughts on Hillsboro at McClain boys soccer. Also, Fairfield at Manchester volleyball will be important because the Lady Lions are in first place in the Southern Hills League.
- Wednesday: This will be a battle of Highland County rivals Fairfield and Lynchburg-Clay in boys and girls soccer. The boys game should be a fun match as FHS is coming off a recent win against a good Unioto team.
- Thursday: The LC Lady Mustangs and FHS Lady Lions will play in a volleyball match at LCHS. This is important to not only the SHL standings, but county bragging rights will be on the line.
- Friday: Football Friday night will be Hillsboro hosting the Chillicothe Cavaliers as the Indians will be celebrating homecoming. This will also be the Indians' fifth home game of the season in their first six games. In their homecoming game, the Indians will take on the 0-5 Chillicothe Cavaliers, who have the same record as Hillsboro.
• 10 Thoughts on high school sports
1. The way the McClain Lady Tigers won the SCOL golf championship is what makes the story of high school sports so enjoyable. Also, congrats to the HHS Lady Indians on their regular season, as not many teams can have the type of regular season they accomplished.
2. This entire past week of high school sports was one of the best in recent memory. This week's slate of games will have a lot to live up to, but from the looks of it, this too could be a very intriguing week of events.
3. Who cares if Highland County has one win in high school football this season? We only get 10 weeks of this and then winter comes. I hope everyone comes out and supports the two teams this week as they are both hosting home games on Friday. The Tigers have been on the road the past two weeks, and it would be nice if they had a stadium full of fans wearing purple and gold cheering them on when they take the field. Playing in a full stadium on a Friday night means a lot to the student athletes.
4. I've never enjoyed covering soccer as much as I have this season. I still don't understand all of the rules or why some of the rules exist, but this competition has been great this season.
5. Again, if anyone has "Volley for the Cure" dates, let me know and I'll post them on the web site. I have a lot of events going on in a given week, and it would be good to promote the game.
6. I was told by many people how they were impressed with how the Hillsboro Indians football team played on Friday night in the first half. I really hope the Indians can gain a win this season. Continue to work hard, HHS.
7. I have the feeling the two football losses by the CM Falcons earlier in the season woke up a sleeping giant. Since those losses, the Falcons have scored 144 points in two games. Their defense has allowed just 14 points in that span.
8. I wish the HHS and CM girls soccer teams had another game against each other this season. Their match was the best I've seen all season.
9. Everyone needs to find something to enjoy about a season when it isn't going as expected. It isn't always just one person's fault.
10. Can you believe the fall sports season is halfway finished? Pretty soon I will basically be living in gyms for five months.
• Stat of the Week
Before suffering their first loss, the LC Lady Mustangs outscored their opponents 76-1. I don't care who you play, that is impressive. I'm more impressed by allowing just one goal, rather than the 76 scored.
• (Another) Stat of the Week
The HHS Indians had an estimated 26 penalty flags thrown on them Friday night. My question isn't if they all were deserved, but rather, did the refs need to ice their arm after the game like a pitcher would following a start?
• Quote of the Week
"The coaches and young ladies in our league have worked hard and have improved since the beginning of the season. Everyone wants to be on top, and Saturday was our day to be there." — Tracey Cokonougher, McClain girls golf coach said after her team won the SCOL girls golf championship.
• (Another) Quote of the Week
"We told our kids to keep plugging away. We had marched the field on them all game, and we got a short field there late. We told the kids we needed a statement drive … we really hadn't beaten a good team, and that (SE) is an awfully good team." — Pete Hollon, Paint Valley head football coach following their win Friday night against Southeastern.
• (A third) Quote of the Week
"We are improving on the little things. In the first few games, we had blown assignments, but in mid-season we are watching that disappear. Our kids are understanding we are doing things right … we are running the right routes, hitting the gaps … we are doing all of that now." — Brian Spicer, Hillsboro head football coach when talking about his team after four weeks of football.
• 10 non-high school sports and non-sports thoughts
1. What kind of world are we living in where the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions are 3-0? This isn't 1992, and Thurman Thomas, Bruce Smith, Barry Sanders or Herman Moore aren't on those respective teams. This is why I love the NFL … any week or season, any team can win. This is why MLB needs a salary cap.
2. I worry too much about my fantasy football teams … way too much.
3. I ate dinner Saturday evening at Three Spoons Diner … it is Sunday (as I am writing this) and I'm still full. Great food and great service. I really want to go back again.
4. Before you ask … I don't care about Carrie Underwood's new haircut. OK, I was on Yahoo and it was the main story … so what if I clicked the link? Don't judge me.
5. I'm currently addicted to food and drinks that taste like pumpkin. Ask HCP advertising rep Caitlin Ryan for her recipe for pumpkin cheesecake.
6. So … I didn't see the Arizona Diamondbacks winning the NL West this season. I'll admit … I had them in last place at the start of the season. In fact most of my preseason baseball predictions were wrong.
7. On Sunday night, the season premiere of "The Cleveland Show" was funny for the reason that the "Nature Boy" Ric Flair was in it. Woooo!
8. I really wish the MLB regular season was over for a couple reasons.
- I'm tired of watching my White Sox get beaten.
- I'm really tired of waiting to see what will happen to White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen (hope he stays).
- I love playoff baseball.
9. If you enjoy reading sports books, read one of the four books by Jeff Pearlman. I'm pretty excited for his fifth book coming out in a couple weeks. He has biographies on the '86 Mets, the '90s Dallas Cowboys, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens. His newest book will be about Walter Payton.
10. Did I mention I worry way too much about fantasy football?
• One last item of business
The annual Run 4 Hannah will be held on Saturday, Oct. 22 at 10 a.m. The race is in memory of Hannah Marie Losey, with all the proceeds going towards the Hannah Marie Losey Scholarship Fund.
The Race will begin on the bike path near Felson Park on Macarthur Way (behind Travelers Rest). Preregistration begins at 9 a.m.
Entry fee is $15 and includes a T-shirt. Entry deadline is Oct. 21. Forms are available at Jetts Pro Embroidery.
The motto of the race: "Let the work I've done speak for me."
Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of The Highland County Press. He can be reached at sforsha@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @hcpsportseditor.[[In-content Ad]]