Post 4: Tuesday, July 8, 2014: 5 SCOL games to circle on calendar
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
Looking at the South Central Ohio League football schedules today, I realized there are some good matchups on the slate this season, whether it be within the league or out of the league.
I thought last season was one of the most competitive seasons in the league, and with the addition of Wilmington, the games and matchups become that much more intriguing.
Here are just five SCOL games I believe can be good matchups, meaning they will be competitive games for the upcoming season.
1. Wilmington at Clinton-Massie
(Week 8: Oct. 17, 2014)
This is a big game for all of Clinton County, and as a casual observer of the SCOL, this is a matchup in the regular season I've wanted to see happen for a long time now.
I believe all teams who are in the same county should play each other every season because it just makes sense to play your "rivals" from the same county, plus it is always fun to have the bragging rights when you play a team from down the road, so to speak.
This matchup even has more of an interest with former two-time state champion Clinton-Massie defensive coordinator Scott Killen taking over at Wilmington. It should make for a fun, but interesting night of football at Clinton-Massie that October Friday evening.
2. McClain at Hillsboro
(Week 10: Oct. 31, 2014)
On this Halloween evening, to wrap up the regular season, the McClain Tigers will be going for their third straight Rotary Bowl win, something they've never accomplished since the trophy has been awarded, starting in the 1985 season.
The past two Rotary Bowl games have been dominated by the Tigers, winning 54-6 in '12 and 53-13 last season.
Can the Tigers win a third straight Rotary Bowl? That is one thing to look forward to with these two teams this season.
[[In-content Ad]]3. Miami Trace at Chillicothe
(Week 4: Sept. 19, 2014)
Besides Clinton-Massie last season, the two best teams in the SCOL were the Chillicothe Cavaliers and the Miami Trace Panthers.
In 2013, the win went to the Cavs by a 20-14 score at Miami Trace, and as these two programs have two great head coaches who've had a lot of success as high school head coaches, this is always going to be a "must-see" matchup when they take to the gridiron.
Both of these teams lost a good group of seniors, including their starting QBs, two QBs who started multiple years under center, so it will be very interesting to see how these two programs regroup with a new QB.
4. East Clinton at Washington
(Week 4: Sept. 19, 2014)
When these two teams have played games the past two seasons, it has been about scoring a lot of points. In '13, the two teams combined for 81 points, with WCH winning by a 49-32 score. In '12, it was WCH winning by a 46-43 score, with the two teams combining for 89 points.
Add those two games up, and in the past two seasons, the Blue Lions of Washington and Astros of East Clinton have combined for 170 points.
So, if you are a fan of many touchdowns ... this could be the matchup for you.
5. Clinton-Massie at Chillicothe
(Week 7: Oct. 10, 2014)
Their meeting last season might have been the best game in the SCOL regular season in 2013 with CM winning by a 17-7 score at CMHS.
The game will have two state champion coaches with Clinton-Massie's Dan McSurley being the head coach for the past two Division IV State Champions, while Ron Hinton of Chillicothe won titles at Amanda Clearcreek in the '90s.
I would love to see these two teams' game plans for each other during game week and how much work goes into what these coaches do to prepare for the other.
From what I read in different articles last season, it seemed this was a very toughly played game. The game last season was basically a SCOL playoff matchup, and I hope it can be the same this season.
I thought last season was one of the most competitive seasons in the league, and with the addition of Wilmington, the games and matchups become that much more intriguing.
Here are just five SCOL games I believe can be good matchups, meaning they will be competitive games for the upcoming season.
1. Wilmington at Clinton-Massie
(Week 8: Oct. 17, 2014)
This is a big game for all of Clinton County, and as a casual observer of the SCOL, this is a matchup in the regular season I've wanted to see happen for a long time now.
I believe all teams who are in the same county should play each other every season because it just makes sense to play your "rivals" from the same county, plus it is always fun to have the bragging rights when you play a team from down the road, so to speak.
This matchup even has more of an interest with former two-time state champion Clinton-Massie defensive coordinator Scott Killen taking over at Wilmington. It should make for a fun, but interesting night of football at Clinton-Massie that October Friday evening.
2. McClain at Hillsboro
(Week 10: Oct. 31, 2014)
On this Halloween evening, to wrap up the regular season, the McClain Tigers will be going for their third straight Rotary Bowl win, something they've never accomplished since the trophy has been awarded, starting in the 1985 season.
The past two Rotary Bowl games have been dominated by the Tigers, winning 54-6 in '12 and 53-13 last season.
Can the Tigers win a third straight Rotary Bowl? That is one thing to look forward to with these two teams this season.
[[In-content Ad]]3. Miami Trace at Chillicothe
(Week 4: Sept. 19, 2014)
Besides Clinton-Massie last season, the two best teams in the SCOL were the Chillicothe Cavaliers and the Miami Trace Panthers.
In 2013, the win went to the Cavs by a 20-14 score at Miami Trace, and as these two programs have two great head coaches who've had a lot of success as high school head coaches, this is always going to be a "must-see" matchup when they take to the gridiron.
Both of these teams lost a good group of seniors, including their starting QBs, two QBs who started multiple years under center, so it will be very interesting to see how these two programs regroup with a new QB.
4. East Clinton at Washington
(Week 4: Sept. 19, 2014)
When these two teams have played games the past two seasons, it has been about scoring a lot of points. In '13, the two teams combined for 81 points, with WCH winning by a 49-32 score. In '12, it was WCH winning by a 46-43 score, with the two teams combining for 89 points.
Add those two games up, and in the past two seasons, the Blue Lions of Washington and Astros of East Clinton have combined for 170 points.
So, if you are a fan of many touchdowns ... this could be the matchup for you.
5. Clinton-Massie at Chillicothe
(Week 7: Oct. 10, 2014)
Their meeting last season might have been the best game in the SCOL regular season in 2013 with CM winning by a 17-7 score at CMHS.
The game will have two state champion coaches with Clinton-Massie's Dan McSurley being the head coach for the past two Division IV State Champions, while Ron Hinton of Chillicothe won titles at Amanda Clearcreek in the '90s.
I would love to see these two teams' game plans for each other during game week and how much work goes into what these coaches do to prepare for the other.
From what I read in different articles last season, it seemed this was a very toughly played game. The game last season was basically a SCOL playoff matchup, and I hope it can be the same this season.