Not off the Press: Let the 'regular season' games begin
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
Saturday was a great day to watch soccer at Richards Memorial Field. Less than 24 hours removed from watching the Hillsboro Indians and the Paint Valley Bearcats partake in a football scrimmage at RMF, the Hillsboro Lady Indians soccer team opened their 2011 regular season with a convincing non-league win over the Eastern Brown Lady Warriors of the Southern Hills League.
This week I'll be not only talking about soccer, but there is some football talk ahead, food recaps and other random thoughts on all things high school sports.
One other thing … I hope everyone enjoyed the 2011 First and Ten High School Football Preview that was released Friday. If you still want a copy before the start of the regular season, there are copies available free of charge at the office of The Highland County Press. (If you look closely, you'll notice from Page 2 to 32 there is an ad on each page.) So thank you to everyone who advertised within the football preview.
OK, now let's talk sports.
• Saturday and Lady Indian soccer
What a way for the Hillsboro Lady Indians to start their regular season with a 3-1 win over the Lady Warriors of Eastern Brown. From what I watched of the match (OK, I was late … I saw the entire second half, though), the Lady Indians look like a team to be reckoned with in not only non-league games, but in the South Central Ohio League. But honestly, (and I'm not being a "homer" here) but would you expect anything less from the Lady Indians and head coach Leslie Molen?
HHS girls soccer is always one of the most competitive teams I get to cover not only in the fall, but all high school season long, counting the winter and spring teams too.
This team, this program is always fun to watch, and you don't even have to be a super fan of soccer to like this team. In fact, if you just like seeing a team and program play hard, tough and competitive in any sport, then this is the type of team any sports fan can enjoy.
For those counting, the win Saturday was the 96th career win for Coach Molen. HHS is at Miami Trace on Tuesday, and they host the Washington Lady Blue Lions on Thursday at RMF, both scheduled 6:45 p.m. starts.
• Final football scrimmages
The scrimmage season was finally over Friday night with the completion of the Hillsboro Indians and Paint Valley Bearcats at Richards Memorial Field.
Hillsboro at times looked like a young team, then at others they made a few impressive stops, and once scored a touchdown on a defensive interception.
It will still be a learning year for the Indians, but they did have some nice plays in motion out of their offense.
What will be interesting all season is to see how this team progresses from Week 1 through Week 10. Though they are a young team, the Indians did some things well that can go to good use to start the season.
In the Friday night scrimmage, the Indians had some defensive pressure at times (getting into the backfield to the quarterback and running back), but again, there is still a lot of learning to be done.
What also can make the season interesting is seeing the younger players get used to playing at the varsity level. I did like what I saw from the wide receiver position with screen plays and their short-yardage game.
One of the positives was the play of freshman Logan Lesley. I realized how long I've been doing this because I remembered the name from covering little league baseball a few years ago. Anyway, Lesley just seemed to be everywhere the ball was on defense, and he also made a couple nice catches on offense.
I wasn't the only person who thought he played well that night. Like I said … seeing the progression of this team from the first week until the final snap of the regular season will be worth watching itself.
Just from what I watched, my opinion was Hillsboro played a pretty good middle portion of the scrimmage.
Here are some other HHS plays or moments that stood out from the scrimmage:
- Christian Cundiff threw a nice screen pass to Chase Gilliland on the second play of Hillsboro's first drive for around a 20-yard gain.
- Cundiff made something out of nothing after picking up a low snap on a fourth down play.
- Hillsboro did have a few problems on defense on third and fourth down, but again, they are young and it is still August.
- There was another nice screen throw-and-catch from the Cundiff to Gilliland combo that went for a first down. But this time there was a block in the back and none of the yards counted.
- Cundiff again impressed at quarterback for Hillsboro when he made yards out of another mishap, this time running the ball for positive yardage.
- The Indians' defense caused and recovered a fumble with 5:45 left in the second 15-minute half.
For Paint Valley, this is what I noticed:
- Mark Clifford (sophomore running back) had a very good running game for the Bearcats. I think he finished with three touchdowns.
- Eli Barker showed some positive moments when he took control of the game, including with his running game.
- PV had a chance to work on a fourth-and-1 situation … they converted for a first down.
• 10 thoughts on high school sports
1. I'm looking forward to Monday's Lynchburg-Clay vs. McClain Tigers boys soccer match at LCHS. Though some of the faces have changed on both teams, this is a game between two defending league champions from a year ago. For the last couple seasons that I can remember, these games have been interesting and enjoyable to watch. It will be nice to see as the season continues if either team is able to repeat as champions in their respective league.
2. This coming Saturday will be the 7th Annual Highland County Bump, Spike and Dig Volleyball Tournament. For the third year, it will be held at Hillsboro High School, and the McClain Lady Tigers are the defending two-time champions of the tournament. This is usually a neat tournament to watch because four of the five Highland County schools participate in this to start the season. Varsity starts at 10:30 a.m., and the JV matches start at 10 a.m.
3. I honestly wonder how many high school football coaches in the state will dress like Jim Tressel this Friday night for the opening games of the football season? I know of at least one coach that won't be partaking in the activities.
4. It was good to be back on the football sidelines the last couple weeks. I'm ready for the intensity the sideline offers once the real games start.
5. Week 1 is one of my favorite weeks of the high school football season for the simple fact there is so much unknown. Sure, the scrimmages are fun, but everything changes once the real games begin. Plus, I'm excited to see what all a team has to offer because teams don't use their entire playback during the scrimmage games.
6. Speaking of unknowns … this is a time where everyone (myself included) has an opinion where teams are going to finish once the season is over. What makes this time of season so great besides the unknown is the fact everyone has an opinion.
7. When looking on the back end of the website last week I read an really ridiculous comment pertaining to a high school player and team from a name of (fill in school name) parent. I don't even know why whomever that was (of course there was no real name given) wasted their time even typing that having to realize nobody would ever in their right mind approve the comment for others to read on our website.
8. I finally had a Hillsboro fish sandwich prior to the Hillsboro-Paint Valley football scrimmage Friday. Anyone who reads what I write about concessions knows I am a big fan of fish sandwiches during McClain games. Both sandwiches have their good points (I liked the spices on the Hillsboro sandwich), but I'm looking forward to my dinner this Friday at the McClain vs. Adena varsity game.
9. One thing I realized from all the football profiles I wrote about players in the football preview is just how much tradition means to them. Every player I spoke with talked about the tradition, past players or both. That is a good quality to have from high school students. The high school student-athletes I speak with any season are more mature and respectful than some adults I've read about in the news lately.
10. It is time to get out my two favorite movies pertaining to high school football in "Remember the Titans" and "Friday Night Lights." It is hard to pick a favorite.
• Stat of the Week
In the only regular-season game I covered, I'm going with two saves from Hillsboro keeper Sara Sexton against EB. She and the HHS defense kept the Lady Warriors scoreless nearly 79 consecutive minutes.
• Quote of the Week
"You can either have first and a lot of yards or second and a whole bunch." — An official to a coach during Friday's football scrimmage at Richards Memorial Field following a flag. (Yes, I laughed and it was funny).
• (Another) Quote of the Week
"I thought we dominated the game and ran very well. Would have liked to see some of our crossing better, but overall our defense played well, and our halfbacks played well. Everyone played well, and this was a good team performance." — Leslie Molen, Hillsboro varsity soccer coach.
• One final item of business
I wanted to wrap this week up just quickly and simply by wishing all the Highland County teams the best of luck this fall season.
Coaches can email game information to me at sforsha@gmail.com or call (937) 840-9490 or fax at (937) 840-9492.
Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of The Highland County Press. He can be reached at sforsha@gmail.com. Follow Stephen on Twitter @hcpsportseditor.[[In-content Ad]]
This week I'll be not only talking about soccer, but there is some football talk ahead, food recaps and other random thoughts on all things high school sports.
One other thing … I hope everyone enjoyed the 2011 First and Ten High School Football Preview that was released Friday. If you still want a copy before the start of the regular season, there are copies available free of charge at the office of The Highland County Press. (If you look closely, you'll notice from Page 2 to 32 there is an ad on each page.) So thank you to everyone who advertised within the football preview.
OK, now let's talk sports.
• Saturday and Lady Indian soccer
What a way for the Hillsboro Lady Indians to start their regular season with a 3-1 win over the Lady Warriors of Eastern Brown. From what I watched of the match (OK, I was late … I saw the entire second half, though), the Lady Indians look like a team to be reckoned with in not only non-league games, but in the South Central Ohio League. But honestly, (and I'm not being a "homer" here) but would you expect anything less from the Lady Indians and head coach Leslie Molen?
HHS girls soccer is always one of the most competitive teams I get to cover not only in the fall, but all high school season long, counting the winter and spring teams too.
This team, this program is always fun to watch, and you don't even have to be a super fan of soccer to like this team. In fact, if you just like seeing a team and program play hard, tough and competitive in any sport, then this is the type of team any sports fan can enjoy.
For those counting, the win Saturday was the 96th career win for Coach Molen. HHS is at Miami Trace on Tuesday, and they host the Washington Lady Blue Lions on Thursday at RMF, both scheduled 6:45 p.m. starts.
• Final football scrimmages
The scrimmage season was finally over Friday night with the completion of the Hillsboro Indians and Paint Valley Bearcats at Richards Memorial Field.
Hillsboro at times looked like a young team, then at others they made a few impressive stops, and once scored a touchdown on a defensive interception.
It will still be a learning year for the Indians, but they did have some nice plays in motion out of their offense.
What will be interesting all season is to see how this team progresses from Week 1 through Week 10. Though they are a young team, the Indians did some things well that can go to good use to start the season.
In the Friday night scrimmage, the Indians had some defensive pressure at times (getting into the backfield to the quarterback and running back), but again, there is still a lot of learning to be done.
What also can make the season interesting is seeing the younger players get used to playing at the varsity level. I did like what I saw from the wide receiver position with screen plays and their short-yardage game.
One of the positives was the play of freshman Logan Lesley. I realized how long I've been doing this because I remembered the name from covering little league baseball a few years ago. Anyway, Lesley just seemed to be everywhere the ball was on defense, and he also made a couple nice catches on offense.
I wasn't the only person who thought he played well that night. Like I said … seeing the progression of this team from the first week until the final snap of the regular season will be worth watching itself.
Just from what I watched, my opinion was Hillsboro played a pretty good middle portion of the scrimmage.
Here are some other HHS plays or moments that stood out from the scrimmage:
- Christian Cundiff threw a nice screen pass to Chase Gilliland on the second play of Hillsboro's first drive for around a 20-yard gain.
- Cundiff made something out of nothing after picking up a low snap on a fourth down play.
- Hillsboro did have a few problems on defense on third and fourth down, but again, they are young and it is still August.
- There was another nice screen throw-and-catch from the Cundiff to Gilliland combo that went for a first down. But this time there was a block in the back and none of the yards counted.
- Cundiff again impressed at quarterback for Hillsboro when he made yards out of another mishap, this time running the ball for positive yardage.
- The Indians' defense caused and recovered a fumble with 5:45 left in the second 15-minute half.
For Paint Valley, this is what I noticed:
- Mark Clifford (sophomore running back) had a very good running game for the Bearcats. I think he finished with three touchdowns.
- Eli Barker showed some positive moments when he took control of the game, including with his running game.
- PV had a chance to work on a fourth-and-1 situation … they converted for a first down.
• 10 thoughts on high school sports
1. I'm looking forward to Monday's Lynchburg-Clay vs. McClain Tigers boys soccer match at LCHS. Though some of the faces have changed on both teams, this is a game between two defending league champions from a year ago. For the last couple seasons that I can remember, these games have been interesting and enjoyable to watch. It will be nice to see as the season continues if either team is able to repeat as champions in their respective league.
2. This coming Saturday will be the 7th Annual Highland County Bump, Spike and Dig Volleyball Tournament. For the third year, it will be held at Hillsboro High School, and the McClain Lady Tigers are the defending two-time champions of the tournament. This is usually a neat tournament to watch because four of the five Highland County schools participate in this to start the season. Varsity starts at 10:30 a.m., and the JV matches start at 10 a.m.
3. I honestly wonder how many high school football coaches in the state will dress like Jim Tressel this Friday night for the opening games of the football season? I know of at least one coach that won't be partaking in the activities.
4. It was good to be back on the football sidelines the last couple weeks. I'm ready for the intensity the sideline offers once the real games start.
5. Week 1 is one of my favorite weeks of the high school football season for the simple fact there is so much unknown. Sure, the scrimmages are fun, but everything changes once the real games begin. Plus, I'm excited to see what all a team has to offer because teams don't use their entire playback during the scrimmage games.
6. Speaking of unknowns … this is a time where everyone (myself included) has an opinion where teams are going to finish once the season is over. What makes this time of season so great besides the unknown is the fact everyone has an opinion.
7. When looking on the back end of the website last week I read an really ridiculous comment pertaining to a high school player and team from a name of (fill in school name) parent. I don't even know why whomever that was (of course there was no real name given) wasted their time even typing that having to realize nobody would ever in their right mind approve the comment for others to read on our website.
8. I finally had a Hillsboro fish sandwich prior to the Hillsboro-Paint Valley football scrimmage Friday. Anyone who reads what I write about concessions knows I am a big fan of fish sandwiches during McClain games. Both sandwiches have their good points (I liked the spices on the Hillsboro sandwich), but I'm looking forward to my dinner this Friday at the McClain vs. Adena varsity game.
9. One thing I realized from all the football profiles I wrote about players in the football preview is just how much tradition means to them. Every player I spoke with talked about the tradition, past players or both. That is a good quality to have from high school students. The high school student-athletes I speak with any season are more mature and respectful than some adults I've read about in the news lately.
10. It is time to get out my two favorite movies pertaining to high school football in "Remember the Titans" and "Friday Night Lights." It is hard to pick a favorite.
• Stat of the Week
In the only regular-season game I covered, I'm going with two saves from Hillsboro keeper Sara Sexton against EB. She and the HHS defense kept the Lady Warriors scoreless nearly 79 consecutive minutes.
• Quote of the Week
"You can either have first and a lot of yards or second and a whole bunch." — An official to a coach during Friday's football scrimmage at Richards Memorial Field following a flag. (Yes, I laughed and it was funny).
• (Another) Quote of the Week
"I thought we dominated the game and ran very well. Would have liked to see some of our crossing better, but overall our defense played well, and our halfbacks played well. Everyone played well, and this was a good team performance." — Leslie Molen, Hillsboro varsity soccer coach.
• One final item of business
I wanted to wrap this week up just quickly and simply by wishing all the Highland County teams the best of luck this fall season.
Coaches can email game information to me at sforsha@gmail.com or call (937) 840-9490 or fax at (937) 840-9492.
Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of The Highland County Press. He can be reached at sforsha@gmail.com. Follow Stephen on Twitter @hcpsportseditor.[[In-content Ad]]