Week 1 High School Football Pregame Notebook
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
Though the South Central Ohio League high school football season has already begun with Clinton-Massie (the reigning Division IV state champion) defeating the Blanchester Wildcats, 42-0 Thursday night in the 50th annual Cider Keg game, we still have to take a look at all the games on the schedule for Friday night.
In a tweet by @tramstetter, I learned Thursday night that CM senior running back Chayse Wolf ran the ball on the first play of scrimmage 58 yards for a touchdown, and from there … we all know what happened after that.
The Falcons are going to be a VERY tough team to beat this regular season, and they proved that in their win over Clinton County rival Blanchester on Thursday night.
CM led 21-0 at halftime. The Cincinnati Enquirer reported Wolf finished with 194 yards rushing and four touchdowns.
With the Falcons starting the season 1-0, which SCOL teams will follow them with a win to open the season?
Here is the rest of the SCOL schedule for Week 1:
• Chillicothe vs. Johnstown-Monroe
• East Clinton at Batavia
• Hillsboro at Western Brown
• McClain at Adena
• Miami Trace vs. Circleville
• Washington at Sheridan
• Wilmington vs. Little Miami
That is a very good slate of games for the new eight-team SCOL, and it should be a good night of high school football.
In looking at these games, here is what I'm thinking on game day:
• It will be time to see how well Chillicothe has replaced the 22 graduated seniors from their playoff team from last year. As head coach Ron Hinton said this preseason, they will find out.
• I have not seen East Clinton since their intrasquad scrimmage, but I expect this team to be improved from last year. After reading The Clermont Sun football preview of Batavia by writer Chris Chaney, the Bulldogs want to be back in the playoff picture with new head coach Caleb Corrill, who played high school football for the Batavia.
• After interviewing both head coaches in the Hillsboro at Western Brown matchup this preseason, I'm very intrigued to see how this game will ultimately turn out. These two teams had opposite seasons in '13, with the Broncos winning last year at HHS via a big margin at HHS. Though WB lost their All-Ohio QB, the Broncos are still a team to keep an eye on all season long.
• I'll be covering the McClain at Adena game this first week of the season, and to be quite honest, I don't know how to start a season any other way. With the Tigers having a new QB in Jason Flowers under center, along with other spots on the offense and defense, I'm excited to se how this group gels in the first game.
• The Miami Trace vs. Circleville rivalry is one of the better season-opening rivalries in the area. With Circleville and the Panthers having a good history of football against each other, with this be one of those games that shapes the season early on for each of these two teams?
• Here is a new matchup we aren't used to seeing … Washington at Sheridan. That will be interesting, but for the Washington Blue Lions, I want to see how having a new defensive coordinator will work out for them this season.
• For the Wilmington Hurricane, it is the start of a new era with a new head coach and being back in the SCOL for the first time in a couple decades. Should be fun to see.
[[In-content Ad]]Game Predictions:
Many games of the SCOL will be tough to pick this year, but as I've done for what is eight seasons now, I'm going to have some fun and humor myself by making game predictions all season:
Here are who I think will win (feel free to add who you think will win in Week 1): I picked Clinton-Massie (picked before Thursday's kickoff), Chillicothe, East Clinton, Western Brown, McClain, Miami Trace, Sheridan, Wilmington.
These picks are nothing personal, it is just how I'm thinking going into Week 1.
• Now a look at the SVC
The Scioto Valley Conference will be a tough conference in 2014. The coaches feel that way, and look at how they all beat up on each other last season with tri-champions in Paint Valley, Westfall and Zane Trace.
This year, I don't expect anything different, and neither do the coaches of the SVC. There are five teams (at least) of the eight in the conference that have a legitimate opportunity to win the conference title.
The SVC had three playoff teams last season, and they have the chance to repeat that again.
One game in the SVC that I'm really looking forward to seeing how it plays out is Paint Valley at Summit Country Day.
Here is what PV head coach Pete Hollon said about the first half of the upcoming season for the Bearcats:
"This is the beginning of five weeks of brutal football for us. This is by far the toughest non-league schedule Paint Valley has ever had. Hopefully the kids will elevate their game to the next level."
Here is the rest of the SVC schedule for Week 1:
• Adena vs. McClain
• Unioto vs. Vinton County
• Zane Trace vs. Logan Elm
• Huntington at Symmes Valley
• Southeastern at Northwest
• Westfall vs. Teays Valley
Just like with the SCOL, the SVC slate during Week 1 should have some good football. Having the chance to see the Adena Warriors up close will be fun, as a few coaches were high on what the Warriors had returning, as they did beat some good SVC team last season, even with just four wins in '13.
I bet Zane Trace and Logan Elm will be a tough-played game as well, as LE has a good football program, and the Pioneers of ZT were part of the tri-champions of the SVC last year.
• Final Thoughts:
It is no secret … football is extremely fun to me, whether it be high school, collegiate or the the professional level (including Arena and the CFL). If it is on, I will watch it. High school football was the first event I ever covered as an intern when I began in the newspaper business, and ever since then, I try to watch as much football as possible.
Best of luck to all the teams in the SCOL and SVC. Have fun playing the games. Win or lose, most teams get just 10 opportunities to play under the lights, so have fun with it.
Now the question all of us ask every year: Are you ready for some football?
Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of The Highland County Press. Follow Stephen on Twitter @hcpsportseditor. He can be emailed any stats/results from the SCOL or SVC football programs at sforsha@gmail.com.
In a tweet by @tramstetter, I learned Thursday night that CM senior running back Chayse Wolf ran the ball on the first play of scrimmage 58 yards for a touchdown, and from there … we all know what happened after that.
The Falcons are going to be a VERY tough team to beat this regular season, and they proved that in their win over Clinton County rival Blanchester on Thursday night.
CM led 21-0 at halftime. The Cincinnati Enquirer reported Wolf finished with 194 yards rushing and four touchdowns.
With the Falcons starting the season 1-0, which SCOL teams will follow them with a win to open the season?
Here is the rest of the SCOL schedule for Week 1:
• Chillicothe vs. Johnstown-Monroe
• East Clinton at Batavia
• Hillsboro at Western Brown
• McClain at Adena
• Miami Trace vs. Circleville
• Washington at Sheridan
• Wilmington vs. Little Miami
That is a very good slate of games for the new eight-team SCOL, and it should be a good night of high school football.
In looking at these games, here is what I'm thinking on game day:
• It will be time to see how well Chillicothe has replaced the 22 graduated seniors from their playoff team from last year. As head coach Ron Hinton said this preseason, they will find out.
• I have not seen East Clinton since their intrasquad scrimmage, but I expect this team to be improved from last year. After reading The Clermont Sun football preview of Batavia by writer Chris Chaney, the Bulldogs want to be back in the playoff picture with new head coach Caleb Corrill, who played high school football for the Batavia.
• After interviewing both head coaches in the Hillsboro at Western Brown matchup this preseason, I'm very intrigued to see how this game will ultimately turn out. These two teams had opposite seasons in '13, with the Broncos winning last year at HHS via a big margin at HHS. Though WB lost their All-Ohio QB, the Broncos are still a team to keep an eye on all season long.
• I'll be covering the McClain at Adena game this first week of the season, and to be quite honest, I don't know how to start a season any other way. With the Tigers having a new QB in Jason Flowers under center, along with other spots on the offense and defense, I'm excited to se how this group gels in the first game.
• The Miami Trace vs. Circleville rivalry is one of the better season-opening rivalries in the area. With Circleville and the Panthers having a good history of football against each other, with this be one of those games that shapes the season early on for each of these two teams?
• Here is a new matchup we aren't used to seeing … Washington at Sheridan. That will be interesting, but for the Washington Blue Lions, I want to see how having a new defensive coordinator will work out for them this season.
• For the Wilmington Hurricane, it is the start of a new era with a new head coach and being back in the SCOL for the first time in a couple decades. Should be fun to see.
[[In-content Ad]]Game Predictions:
Many games of the SCOL will be tough to pick this year, but as I've done for what is eight seasons now, I'm going to have some fun and humor myself by making game predictions all season:
Here are who I think will win (feel free to add who you think will win in Week 1): I picked Clinton-Massie (picked before Thursday's kickoff), Chillicothe, East Clinton, Western Brown, McClain, Miami Trace, Sheridan, Wilmington.
These picks are nothing personal, it is just how I'm thinking going into Week 1.
• Now a look at the SVC
The Scioto Valley Conference will be a tough conference in 2014. The coaches feel that way, and look at how they all beat up on each other last season with tri-champions in Paint Valley, Westfall and Zane Trace.
This year, I don't expect anything different, and neither do the coaches of the SVC. There are five teams (at least) of the eight in the conference that have a legitimate opportunity to win the conference title.
The SVC had three playoff teams last season, and they have the chance to repeat that again.
One game in the SVC that I'm really looking forward to seeing how it plays out is Paint Valley at Summit Country Day.
Here is what PV head coach Pete Hollon said about the first half of the upcoming season for the Bearcats:
"This is the beginning of five weeks of brutal football for us. This is by far the toughest non-league schedule Paint Valley has ever had. Hopefully the kids will elevate their game to the next level."
Here is the rest of the SVC schedule for Week 1:
• Adena vs. McClain
• Unioto vs. Vinton County
• Zane Trace vs. Logan Elm
• Huntington at Symmes Valley
• Southeastern at Northwest
• Westfall vs. Teays Valley
Just like with the SCOL, the SVC slate during Week 1 should have some good football. Having the chance to see the Adena Warriors up close will be fun, as a few coaches were high on what the Warriors had returning, as they did beat some good SVC team last season, even with just four wins in '13.
I bet Zane Trace and Logan Elm will be a tough-played game as well, as LE has a good football program, and the Pioneers of ZT were part of the tri-champions of the SVC last year.
• Final Thoughts:
It is no secret … football is extremely fun to me, whether it be high school, collegiate or the the professional level (including Arena and the CFL). If it is on, I will watch it. High school football was the first event I ever covered as an intern when I began in the newspaper business, and ever since then, I try to watch as much football as possible.
Best of luck to all the teams in the SCOL and SVC. Have fun playing the games. Win or lose, most teams get just 10 opportunities to play under the lights, so have fun with it.
Now the question all of us ask every year: Are you ready for some football?
Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of The Highland County Press. Follow Stephen on Twitter @hcpsportseditor. He can be emailed any stats/results from the SCOL or SVC football programs at sforsha@gmail.com.