Tigers return home; host Blue Lions
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
GREENFIELD - There's no place like home. Home sweet home. Any way you put it, the McClain Tigers are coming home.
After suffering a heartbreaking loss to the Madison-Plains Golden Eagles last Friday at MPHS, the Tigers are prepared to celebrate their homecoming, but standing in their way are the Washington Blue Lions, who defeated the Hillsboro Indians last week to improve to 2-0 in the South Central Ohio League, and 4-1 overall.
Last season the Tigers defeated the Blue Lions in Washington C.H.
This season both teams are improved, surpassing their win totals from a season ago, with the Blue Lions winning their past four games.
"Washington is a good football team,² McClain head coach Randy Closson said. "Their defense is fast to the ball. They have really good linebackers and are just really solid everywhere."
The defense of the Blue Lions will mix up fronts, using 4-3, 4-4 and even 6-2 looks.
"We have to fine tune our blocking schemes on the offensive line,"
Closson said. "Their defensive line and linebackers are really aggressive."
The Blue Lions possess a power-packed offense, capable of pounding the football or gaining the big play to reach the end zone. Last week against the Indians, Washington running back Ben Parks rushed for well over 100 yards against a tough HHS defense.
"They have running backs who are good," Closson said. "(Ben) Parks and
Riley Shaw are a good combo in the backfield. Their quarterback (Collin Farmer) can throw the ball pretty well."
But last week's loss to the Golden Eagles stung the Tigers, with Closson saying it was a tough loss for his team to handle.
"We took one on the chin with the loss to Madison-Plains," he said. "It's going to be tough to recover, but our kids are resilient and have turned the corner. Right now we are focused on Washington."
Week six is the first home game for the Tigers since they opened the season at McClain Field with a big win over the Adena Warriors. It was the first of three straight wins for McClain.
"We are glad to be home, celebrating our homecoming," Closson said. "We've had a good team effort and have done some good things so far this year. We keep shooting ourselves in the foot with mistakes and penalties.
"We haven't made the big plays when we¹ve needed them the past couple weeks and we need to finish drives."
Last week with a chance to take the lead late in the fourth quarter McClain was forced into a turnover near the end zone, allowing the Golden Eagles to win the SCOL contest.
MHS (0-2, 3-2) has failed to win a league game this season, with Miami Trace and Hillsboro being the other teams winless in the league, but the Tigers have had to play four tough road games, two being in the SCOL.
"It will be nice getting back home again," Closson said. "This is like a real homecoming, added with our traditional one. We are excited to play here, come out of our locker room and play in front of our fans for a change."[[In-content Ad]]
After suffering a heartbreaking loss to the Madison-Plains Golden Eagles last Friday at MPHS, the Tigers are prepared to celebrate their homecoming, but standing in their way are the Washington Blue Lions, who defeated the Hillsboro Indians last week to improve to 2-0 in the South Central Ohio League, and 4-1 overall.
Last season the Tigers defeated the Blue Lions in Washington C.H.
This season both teams are improved, surpassing their win totals from a season ago, with the Blue Lions winning their past four games.
"Washington is a good football team,² McClain head coach Randy Closson said. "Their defense is fast to the ball. They have really good linebackers and are just really solid everywhere."
The defense of the Blue Lions will mix up fronts, using 4-3, 4-4 and even 6-2 looks.
"We have to fine tune our blocking schemes on the offensive line,"
Closson said. "Their defensive line and linebackers are really aggressive."
The Blue Lions possess a power-packed offense, capable of pounding the football or gaining the big play to reach the end zone. Last week against the Indians, Washington running back Ben Parks rushed for well over 100 yards against a tough HHS defense.
"They have running backs who are good," Closson said. "(Ben) Parks and
Riley Shaw are a good combo in the backfield. Their quarterback (Collin Farmer) can throw the ball pretty well."
But last week's loss to the Golden Eagles stung the Tigers, with Closson saying it was a tough loss for his team to handle.
"We took one on the chin with the loss to Madison-Plains," he said. "It's going to be tough to recover, but our kids are resilient and have turned the corner. Right now we are focused on Washington."
Week six is the first home game for the Tigers since they opened the season at McClain Field with a big win over the Adena Warriors. It was the first of three straight wins for McClain.
"We are glad to be home, celebrating our homecoming," Closson said. "We've had a good team effort and have done some good things so far this year. We keep shooting ourselves in the foot with mistakes and penalties.
"We haven't made the big plays when we¹ve needed them the past couple weeks and we need to finish drives."
Last week with a chance to take the lead late in the fourth quarter McClain was forced into a turnover near the end zone, allowing the Golden Eagles to win the SCOL contest.
MHS (0-2, 3-2) has failed to win a league game this season, with Miami Trace and Hillsboro being the other teams winless in the league, but the Tigers have had to play four tough road games, two being in the SCOL.
"It will be nice getting back home again," Closson said. "This is like a real homecoming, added with our traditional one. We are excited to play here, come out of our locker room and play in front of our fans for a change."[[In-content Ad]]