First-and-Ten Football Notebook: Welcoming East Clinton to the SCOL
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
LEES CREEK — Welcome to the South Central Ohio League, East Clinton.
That's right, four-time reigning Southern Buckeye Athletic and Academic Conference (SBAAC) champion East Clinton has relinquished their grapple hold on their former league and have entered the South Central Ohio League this upcoming season.
With it being the first day of two-a-day practices when I visited them on Monday, it was easy to see the team was excited for the season, but they will be doing so while trying to rebuild their program as they lost 10 seniors from last season who were a very big part of the team's success the past four seasons.
The numbers for the Astros, who finished 7-3 last season and won five straight at one point last year, are about the same as usual, and head coach Matt Hodge is prepared to coach and teach more than he's had to in the past, grooming the next group of potentially successful East Clinton teams.
There are some good storylines with this team, especially the return to the football field in senior tackle Robby Minney. I just learned of Minney's story Monday, but he was involved in an auto accident last year and not only missed most of the season, but had many injuries to recover from in the process (more on that in the First-and-Ten Football Preview), but he's recovered from all those injuries, and he's ready for the upcoming season.
Another story of return is senior Max Morrow, who missed half of the games last season after suffering a broken leg. Again, more on that in the First-and-Ten Football Preview.
As for the Astros' joining the SCOL this season, I really like it. They were voted into the league in 2010, and it's finally their time to make it an eight-team league for at least one season.
Coach Hodge told me this year will be fun, but challenging, as they have a fresh group with little varsity experience, but there is more teaching involved. What he said he enjoys about "rebuilding" a team is seeing the progress of the players this offseason … he called it "phenomenal."
East Clinton opens the 2012 season at Waynesville.
3 Quick Thoughts on East Clinton
1. Though they lost a lot of top players from last season, this team seems to have the willingness to put in the hours of hard work it takes to compete in the SCOL. The seniors I spoke with said they were proud of all the effort and work the team put into the offseason weight room program.
2. The Astros have a good attitude headed into the season. Coach Hodge said he likes the work ethic of his team, he likes how his kids are coachable and he likes their willingness to learn.
3. I saw this team play last year, and though a majority of their players are gone, they do have experience at quarterback and running back returning, along with some experience returning to the defense. Those are some great spots to have players returning, and it will be even more intriguing to see who will be the new faces on the Astros who make their mark on the program.
Two Must-See Games
- Week 2 (Aug. 31) vs. Blanchester — Former league mates will play in this game, not to mention rivals in Clinton County. Last season, East Clinton defeated Blanchester 14-0 at BHS en route to their fourth straight league title.
- Week 4 (Sept. 14) at Washington — Traditionally, these two teams have been known to play in a scrimmage game, but this season, it will the first SCOL game the Astros play in.
Who to Watch
- Robby Minney, offensive and defensive tackle, senior
Minney returns for his senior season after missing a majority of the '11 season due to injuries. EC will depend on Minney to be a vital part of both the offensive and defensive lines.
- Max Morrow, running back, line backer, senior
Morrow missed half of the regular season after suffering a broken leg during a game last year. Morrow will be one of the featured backs this season.
- Dalton Floyd, quarterback, junior
As a sophomore, Floyd passed for 1,030 yards (84-161) with seven touchdowns. This year, he'll be looked upon to take more of a leadership role in his second season as the starting quarterback.
Player Quote
"It's not like it's even a sport anymore, it's just hanging out with your friends. It's like you are family … these guys are my home away from home." — Max Morrow, East Clinton senior, on what it is like to play football with fellow seniors since the fourth grade as they head into their senior season.
Coach Quote
"We've scrimmaged or played some of the teams in the SCOL. I got some experience with the SCOL, and I know it's a very demanding league. Night in and night out, you have to bring your best or you are going to get beat. We are definitely looking forward to the challenge." — Matt Hodge, East Clinton head coach, speaking about joining the SCOL this season.
Final Thoughts
Like I've stated before, I'm happy the SCOL is an eight-team league this season, and I'm happy East Clinton is joining the league. I respect what their program has accomplished the past four seasons, so the Astros are a great addition to the SCOL.
Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of the Highland County Press. He can be reached at sforsha@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @hcpsportseditor.[[In-content Ad]]
That's right, four-time reigning Southern Buckeye Athletic and Academic Conference (SBAAC) champion East Clinton has relinquished their grapple hold on their former league and have entered the South Central Ohio League this upcoming season.
With it being the first day of two-a-day practices when I visited them on Monday, it was easy to see the team was excited for the season, but they will be doing so while trying to rebuild their program as they lost 10 seniors from last season who were a very big part of the team's success the past four seasons.
The numbers for the Astros, who finished 7-3 last season and won five straight at one point last year, are about the same as usual, and head coach Matt Hodge is prepared to coach and teach more than he's had to in the past, grooming the next group of potentially successful East Clinton teams.
There are some good storylines with this team, especially the return to the football field in senior tackle Robby Minney. I just learned of Minney's story Monday, but he was involved in an auto accident last year and not only missed most of the season, but had many injuries to recover from in the process (more on that in the First-and-Ten Football Preview), but he's recovered from all those injuries, and he's ready for the upcoming season.
Another story of return is senior Max Morrow, who missed half of the games last season after suffering a broken leg. Again, more on that in the First-and-Ten Football Preview.
As for the Astros' joining the SCOL this season, I really like it. They were voted into the league in 2010, and it's finally their time to make it an eight-team league for at least one season.
Coach Hodge told me this year will be fun, but challenging, as they have a fresh group with little varsity experience, but there is more teaching involved. What he said he enjoys about "rebuilding" a team is seeing the progress of the players this offseason … he called it "phenomenal."
East Clinton opens the 2012 season at Waynesville.
3 Quick Thoughts on East Clinton
1. Though they lost a lot of top players from last season, this team seems to have the willingness to put in the hours of hard work it takes to compete in the SCOL. The seniors I spoke with said they were proud of all the effort and work the team put into the offseason weight room program.
2. The Astros have a good attitude headed into the season. Coach Hodge said he likes the work ethic of his team, he likes how his kids are coachable and he likes their willingness to learn.
3. I saw this team play last year, and though a majority of their players are gone, they do have experience at quarterback and running back returning, along with some experience returning to the defense. Those are some great spots to have players returning, and it will be even more intriguing to see who will be the new faces on the Astros who make their mark on the program.
Two Must-See Games
- Week 2 (Aug. 31) vs. Blanchester — Former league mates will play in this game, not to mention rivals in Clinton County. Last season, East Clinton defeated Blanchester 14-0 at BHS en route to their fourth straight league title.
- Week 4 (Sept. 14) at Washington — Traditionally, these two teams have been known to play in a scrimmage game, but this season, it will the first SCOL game the Astros play in.
Who to Watch
- Robby Minney, offensive and defensive tackle, senior
Minney returns for his senior season after missing a majority of the '11 season due to injuries. EC will depend on Minney to be a vital part of both the offensive and defensive lines.
- Max Morrow, running back, line backer, senior
Morrow missed half of the regular season after suffering a broken leg during a game last year. Morrow will be one of the featured backs this season.
- Dalton Floyd, quarterback, junior
As a sophomore, Floyd passed for 1,030 yards (84-161) with seven touchdowns. This year, he'll be looked upon to take more of a leadership role in his second season as the starting quarterback.
Player Quote
"It's not like it's even a sport anymore, it's just hanging out with your friends. It's like you are family … these guys are my home away from home." — Max Morrow, East Clinton senior, on what it is like to play football with fellow seniors since the fourth grade as they head into their senior season.
Coach Quote
"We've scrimmaged or played some of the teams in the SCOL. I got some experience with the SCOL, and I know it's a very demanding league. Night in and night out, you have to bring your best or you are going to get beat. We are definitely looking forward to the challenge." — Matt Hodge, East Clinton head coach, speaking about joining the SCOL this season.
Final Thoughts
Like I've stated before, I'm happy the SCOL is an eight-team league this season, and I'm happy East Clinton is joining the league. I respect what their program has accomplished the past four seasons, so the Astros are a great addition to the SCOL.
Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of the Highland County Press. He can be reached at sforsha@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @hcpsportseditor.[[In-content Ad]]