First-and-Ten Football Notebook: MP and London begin final season in SCOL
The fourth installment of the First-and-Ten Football notebook takes us to Madison County, where I had the chance to visit with the Madison-Plains Golden Eagles and London Red Raiders football teams.
The big news for the two schools this season is this will be their final go-round in the South Central Ohio League as the '12-13 school year is the "swan song" for MP and LHS, who will relocate their athletic programs into the Mid-State League following the conclusion of the upcoming school year.
First, let's start by talking about the Golden Eagles of MP.
Last year was the first season for MP under head coach Mike Siders, where the Golden Eagles finished 3-7 overall, 1-5 in the SCOL.
But that was last season for the Golden Eagles, and this year they are continuing to improve their overall win total, while along the way rebuilding their football program one game at a time.
Though I didn't have the opportunity to watch the Golden Eagles practice due to a packed schedule, I did get the sense this program knows what they face each week playing in the SCOL, but look forward to the challenge playing in the league one last time.
Last season, I had the opportunity to watch Madison-Plains host Hillsboro, and even though Hillsboro won its first game of the season that game with a one-point win, that Golden Eagle team showed me then they don't quit, and they have gained the necessary experience to take another step forward this season. At the skill position, they do, in fact, have some high-quality athletes, athletes who gained experience last season.
As for the Red Raiders (4-6 in '11, 4-2 in SCOL), they are entering the season with a tough task of replacing many players lost to graduation … 19 seniors, to be exact.
This group is replacing starters at many positions, but some of the players returning did have an impact last season. Gone from last season is their starting quarterback from a majority of last season, along with much of the running game and other players from the offensive line and defense.
The one game in which I had the opportunity to watch London last season was a 49-0 win over McClain, a night where London ran and ran with the football.
What I liked about London is their "no excuses" attitude headed into the season because even though they lost a lot of their experienced players from last year, they are headed into the season not believing in the term "rebuilding," as veteran head coach Jerry Wasserman said the term "rebuilding" is just a preseason excuse.
3 Quick Thoughts on Madison-Plains
1. They know they are one of the smaller schools in the league, and they know they haven't had the wins in the past, but none of that matters to the coaches and players this season … which is something everyone has to respect.
2. They have some talented athletes on their team. Two that come to mind are seniors Stephen Lemieux and Ryne Davis. Both play three sports and are two of the better athletes in the entire SCOL.
3. This team wants to win … bottom line. They know its a tough road ahead, but they are willing to accept and take on that challenge.
3 Quick Thoughts on London
1. Having to replace all the players they lost will be tough for the Red Raiders, but like their Madison County counterpart, they are taking on the task head on.
2. London has some good athletes at the skill positions. What will be their hurdle this year, so to speak, is their depth.
3. Another good thing the Red Raiders have going for them is their leadership, as the three seniors I spoke with talked about what makes a good leader … the Red Raiders are in good hands with seniors like that leading them on and off the field. There is a sign at LHS that says … "Let's see what can be accomplished when no one cares who gets the credit."
Two Must-See Games (MP)
Week 4 (Sept. 14) at Hillsboro — Last season, these two teams battled until the final minutes of the fourth quarter. Though neither team had a very good record at the time of the game, the competition of that game one year ago made it one of the better games of the SCOL season. This year could prove to be more of the same … not to mention this game opens the SCOL schedule for seven straight weeks.
Week 9 (Oct. 19) at McClain — This was the lone SCOL win for the Golden Eagles last season … a 14-7 victory. If both teams can stay healthy by this point of the season, it could be a competitive game.
Two Must-See Games (LHS)
Week 1 (Aug. 24) vs. Urbana — London plays their annual opening night game against Urbana. Last year, the two teams played into triple overtime with Urbana winning 35-34. In 2010, the two teams played to another one-point game with UHS winning 21-20.
Week 10 (Oct. 26) at Madison-Plains — This will be rivalry night between the two schools, but it will also be the final game as members of the SCOL for both schools.
Who to Watch (MP)
- Stephen Lemieux, running back, senior
Lemieux is not only one of the better football players in the SCOL, but one of the best all-around athletes in the league. He's rushed for over 1,000 yards in each of the past two seasons.
- Ryne Davis, quarterback, senior
Again, he's one of the better athletes in the SCOL, as he's played wide receiver and quarterback during his time at MP. Each year he's improved on the football field.
Who to Watch (LHS)
- Kyle Fisher, quarterback, senior
Fisher is one of the better athletes at London and will be looked upon to take over full time at quarterback this season. Kyle is coming off an injury but played with a cast at different positions last year.
- Dustin Coffey, wide receiver, senior
One of the senior leaders who the Red Raiders will look to be productive on the field.
Player Quote (MP)
"I keep playing football because I love it. I love to play and love being around my teammates, coaches and the community." — Grant Johnson, junior running back, about why he goes through all the hard work each season to play football.
Player Quote (LHS)
"Friday nights, there is nothing like being under the lights with your friends … going out on the field with your friends … that's what it's all about." — Kyle Fisher on why he continues to play football each year.
Coach Quote (MP)
"We can add on this year. We can add different twists to our schemes, and that's been big this year. That's what builds a program … it's the first steps, and being able to add to everything from last year is big for us." — Mike Siders, MP head coach, on entering his second season at the helm and what the biggest difference is.
Coach Quote (LHS)
"It's a challenge, but what we do is look at this year. We can do things like saying things like this is a rebuilding year, but to me, a 'rebuilding year' is a preseason excuse to lose. These kids don't want to lose, and our job is to put them in the best position we can so they can be successful as they can and we can compete." — Jerry Wasserman, LHS head coach, on having to replace 19 seniors from one year ago.
Final Thoughts
Since this is the last time London and Madison-Plains are both members of the SCOL on the football field, I hope both team can be competitive in the league their final season. I've always enjoyed going to both of the football stadiums, as they both have great home atmospheres. Both are entering the season with something to prove … they want to be competitive.
Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of the Highland County Press. He can be reached at sforsha@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @hcpsportseditor.