SCOL Football Notebook: On the football road
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
Hey everyone, hope your August has started off well. I know mine has, and this is my first SCOL Notebook of the football season.
The first two days of August have allowed me to meet with two South Central Ohio League football programs as I travel to five different counties in the next couple of weeks to talk high school football.
This month, I've decided it is the perfect time to start drinking iced coffee because I took myself off the stuff because I could never sleep. I drink iced coffee right now because it is so hot, but I won't complain about the heat because I'm just watching and writing about football. But to practice in the heat, or at least hot weather, is just a rite of passage for not just football, but every fall sport.
Plus, this time of year I abuse caffeinated drinks because sleep is overrated.
Monday was a good day to see my alma mater in the Washington Blue Lions and one of my former coaches, varsity head coach Corey Dye, as the Blue Lions prepare for the upcoming season.
Though it was just the first day of two-a-days, you could just sense the excitement of the upcoming football season.
It is always fun to talk about the "old days," so to speak. It's hard to realize it has been 10 years since my last football game and that Coach Dye has been with the Blue Lion program for what will be his 12th season. He came to the program as a coach my junior year of high school.
Washington is coming off a playoff berth last season, a season where they finished 8-3 overall, losing just one SCOL game.
I came away impressed with Blue Lion linebacker/full back Reily Shaw. Some of you might know Shaw from the wrestling arena, as he was a state champion wrestler last season for the Blue Lions. He has a bright future ahead of him, and as Coach Dye said in talking about him, "He's just a great leader, smart, understands football well and is a well-respected young man in this community."
Washington will also enter the season losing 14 seniors (11 starters) from their eight-win year.
It should be interesting to see how they replace players such as Washington's all-time leading rusher Ben Parks (he rushed for well over 3,000 yards in his career), Colin Farmer, Patrick Wilson, Jacob Parks, Paul Grynick and Julian Wyatt, to name just a few.
Just from my observations and conversations I've had … I look for the Blue Lions to be near the top in the South Central Ohio League. WCH will start their season at home against Logan Elm.
On Tuesday, I visited with players and coaches from London High School. It's always fun to go there because one, I like the area where their football field is located. I don't know why, but I like it.
Another fun reason I enjoy visiting LHS is getting the chance to see one of my old Wilmington College classmates in Jimmy Wolverton (an LHS assistant football coach), who is also the LHS varsity baseball coach.
I also got the opportunity to visit with the new LHS varsity head coach Jerry Wasserman, though he's been a head coach a lot longer than I've been alive.
Wasserman has 42 years of head coaching experience, and after retiring from being a head coach, he has been an assistant coach at London for the past five years.
I like meeting new coaches and players I've never met, and it was a good experience learning the football stories of Dylan Follrod and Josh High of LHS, both seniors.
Last season, Follrod was 44-for-89 for 652 yards passing with six interceptions. On his feet, Follrod had 72 rushes for 214 yards. As for High, he's coming off a season with over 80 tackles.
Again, two polite young men and two very good football players. Follrod took over at quarterback last season in the second game when Jeff Yates was injured.
Last season, the Red Raiders finished 5-5 overall and 4-2 in the SCOL for a third-place finish.
With all the talent London returns this season, again, I look for them to be near the top of the SCOL as well. The Red Raiders open the season at Urbana.
Remember the 2nd Annual Highland County Press high school football preview edition will be released before the start of the season, and if you want to advertise, contact Caitlin or Angie at (937) 840-9490.
OK, well, I have another trip planned for Wednesday … check back for details about more from the SCOL football scene.[[In-content Ad]]
The first two days of August have allowed me to meet with two South Central Ohio League football programs as I travel to five different counties in the next couple of weeks to talk high school football.
This month, I've decided it is the perfect time to start drinking iced coffee because I took myself off the stuff because I could never sleep. I drink iced coffee right now because it is so hot, but I won't complain about the heat because I'm just watching and writing about football. But to practice in the heat, or at least hot weather, is just a rite of passage for not just football, but every fall sport.
Plus, this time of year I abuse caffeinated drinks because sleep is overrated.
Monday was a good day to see my alma mater in the Washington Blue Lions and one of my former coaches, varsity head coach Corey Dye, as the Blue Lions prepare for the upcoming season.
Though it was just the first day of two-a-days, you could just sense the excitement of the upcoming football season.
It is always fun to talk about the "old days," so to speak. It's hard to realize it has been 10 years since my last football game and that Coach Dye has been with the Blue Lion program for what will be his 12th season. He came to the program as a coach my junior year of high school.
Washington is coming off a playoff berth last season, a season where they finished 8-3 overall, losing just one SCOL game.
I came away impressed with Blue Lion linebacker/full back Reily Shaw. Some of you might know Shaw from the wrestling arena, as he was a state champion wrestler last season for the Blue Lions. He has a bright future ahead of him, and as Coach Dye said in talking about him, "He's just a great leader, smart, understands football well and is a well-respected young man in this community."
Washington will also enter the season losing 14 seniors (11 starters) from their eight-win year.
It should be interesting to see how they replace players such as Washington's all-time leading rusher Ben Parks (he rushed for well over 3,000 yards in his career), Colin Farmer, Patrick Wilson, Jacob Parks, Paul Grynick and Julian Wyatt, to name just a few.
Just from my observations and conversations I've had … I look for the Blue Lions to be near the top in the South Central Ohio League. WCH will start their season at home against Logan Elm.
On Tuesday, I visited with players and coaches from London High School. It's always fun to go there because one, I like the area where their football field is located. I don't know why, but I like it.
Another fun reason I enjoy visiting LHS is getting the chance to see one of my old Wilmington College classmates in Jimmy Wolverton (an LHS assistant football coach), who is also the LHS varsity baseball coach.
I also got the opportunity to visit with the new LHS varsity head coach Jerry Wasserman, though he's been a head coach a lot longer than I've been alive.
Wasserman has 42 years of head coaching experience, and after retiring from being a head coach, he has been an assistant coach at London for the past five years.
I like meeting new coaches and players I've never met, and it was a good experience learning the football stories of Dylan Follrod and Josh High of LHS, both seniors.
Last season, Follrod was 44-for-89 for 652 yards passing with six interceptions. On his feet, Follrod had 72 rushes for 214 yards. As for High, he's coming off a season with over 80 tackles.
Again, two polite young men and two very good football players. Follrod took over at quarterback last season in the second game when Jeff Yates was injured.
Last season, the Red Raiders finished 5-5 overall and 4-2 in the SCOL for a third-place finish.
With all the talent London returns this season, again, I look for them to be near the top of the SCOL as well. The Red Raiders open the season at Urbana.
Remember the 2nd Annual Highland County Press high school football preview edition will be released before the start of the season, and if you want to advertise, contact Caitlin or Angie at (937) 840-9490.
OK, well, I have another trip planned for Wednesday … check back for details about more from the SCOL football scene.[[In-content Ad]]