Week 1 Preview: Bearcats prepared for Belpre
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
BAINBRIDGE — It is a new season for the Paint Valley Bearcats, and this season they have a new Week 1 opponent for the '11 season in the Belpre Golden Eagles.
Belpre, of the Tri-Valley Conference, finished last season at 1-9 overall but will have some experience back with nine offensive players and eight players on the defensive side returning.
"They are a traditional smash-mouth football team," Paint Valley head coach Pete Hollon said. "Their quarterback is athletic, and their running back is a 215-pound bruiser."
The offensive line for the Golden Eagles averages 6-1 to 6-2 in height with an average weight of 225 pounds, which is good for them as Hollon estimates Belpre runs the ball 70 percent of the game.
"Their offensive line is experienced with five players back who played for them last season." Hollon said. "With their line, their quarterback becomes better as he's multidimensional with his arm, or he can take off and run."
The defensive set by Belpre is a traditional 4-4 set, and they like to bring the pain by blitzing, sending everybody on every down.
"They will come after an offense in a hurry," Hollon said. "They are not as big up front defensively, but we've noticed they like to rotate players a lot."
One aspect of the game that is similar to that of the Bearcats, who went 2-8 last season, is the linebacker play.
"They are athletic, quick and they mirror us at the position," Hollon said. "Like earlier, the love to blitz and create havoc. Coming off a one-win season, they are gaining their own identity."
As for PV, Hollon was happy with the two scrimmages his team played, saying they progressed in each one. On Friday at Hillsboro, he said his Bearcats improved on things they may not have done so well in the first scrimmage.
"Our scrimmages counteracted each other. We got to play a lot of kids, and defensively, I like where we are at," Hollon said. "I think in two scrimmages (82 defensive plays), we only allowed three snaps across the 50-yard line.
"We need a better tempo on offense, and after we threw an interception against Hillsboro where they scored a touchdown … last season we may have folded. This year, we continued to play, and if we can create the tempo on offense, it will give us a chance. What we do on offense will be vital to us and how successful we are."
There was another positive for the Bearcats as they enter the season.
"For the first time in three years, we got out of the scrimmages major injury-free," Hollon said. "We've been dismantled for the past two years, and this summer the team got disciplined. We are excited about where we are at, and I'm pleased with the defensive unit."
PV and Belpre will kick off at George Knisley Field in Bainbridge at 7:30 p.m.[[In-content Ad]]
Belpre, of the Tri-Valley Conference, finished last season at 1-9 overall but will have some experience back with nine offensive players and eight players on the defensive side returning.
"They are a traditional smash-mouth football team," Paint Valley head coach Pete Hollon said. "Their quarterback is athletic, and their running back is a 215-pound bruiser."
The offensive line for the Golden Eagles averages 6-1 to 6-2 in height with an average weight of 225 pounds, which is good for them as Hollon estimates Belpre runs the ball 70 percent of the game.
"Their offensive line is experienced with five players back who played for them last season." Hollon said. "With their line, their quarterback becomes better as he's multidimensional with his arm, or he can take off and run."
The defensive set by Belpre is a traditional 4-4 set, and they like to bring the pain by blitzing, sending everybody on every down.
"They will come after an offense in a hurry," Hollon said. "They are not as big up front defensively, but we've noticed they like to rotate players a lot."
One aspect of the game that is similar to that of the Bearcats, who went 2-8 last season, is the linebacker play.
"They are athletic, quick and they mirror us at the position," Hollon said. "Like earlier, the love to blitz and create havoc. Coming off a one-win season, they are gaining their own identity."
As for PV, Hollon was happy with the two scrimmages his team played, saying they progressed in each one. On Friday at Hillsboro, he said his Bearcats improved on things they may not have done so well in the first scrimmage.
"Our scrimmages counteracted each other. We got to play a lot of kids, and defensively, I like where we are at," Hollon said. "I think in two scrimmages (82 defensive plays), we only allowed three snaps across the 50-yard line.
"We need a better tempo on offense, and after we threw an interception against Hillsboro where they scored a touchdown … last season we may have folded. This year, we continued to play, and if we can create the tempo on offense, it will give us a chance. What we do on offense will be vital to us and how successful we are."
There was another positive for the Bearcats as they enter the season.
"For the first time in three years, we got out of the scrimmages major injury-free," Hollon said. "We've been dismantled for the past two years, and this summer the team got disciplined. We are excited about where we are at, and I'm pleased with the defensive unit."
PV and Belpre will kick off at George Knisley Field in Bainbridge at 7:30 p.m.[[In-content Ad]]