Ironton 49 Gallia Academy 0

[loganlocos]

Blue you are correct.

Many people will quickly come on here and say that success at the lower levels doesn't correlate to varsity football however what does correlate is that if your Junior High teams suck then by all means when they get to the varsity level they too will suck. Take it to the bank.

My class won two games in Junior High School at Logan.

We went 31-4 in three varsity seasons including 29-1 in the regular season.

So I hope the bank rejects your deposit.

[79Tiger]

Blue you are correct.

Many people will quickly come on here and say that success at the lower levels doesn't correlate to varsity football however what does correlate is that if your Junior High teams suck then by all means when they get to the varsity level they too will suck. Take it to the bank.

My class won two games in Junior High School at Logan.

We went 31-4 in three varsity seasons including 29-1 in the regular season.

So I hope the bank rejects your deposit.

I would say your team was the exception and not the norm. I don't pay enough attention to football at the lower levels and some things fans see, coaches don't see I am sure.

[wobycat]

Burgs current seniors, won 2 games in eighth grade and maybe 3 or 4 seventh grade. They have a shot right now of 20-0 regular season for junior and senior years. I would put more stock in pee wee.

[Blitz]

Burgs current seniors, won 2 games in eighth grade and maybe 3 or 4 seventh grade. They have a shot right now of 20-0 regular season for junior and senior years. I would put more stock in pee wee.

Without a doubt the main driving force to Wheelersburg's 40 years of success is the youth program. Learning the base high school system. You also see numerous high school and junior high coaches attending the games, giving advice to the pee wee (non parent) coaches and ensuring that they are running the 1 defense they are allowed to run as well as base offensive plays. sorry no triple reverse pass plays

I think this is why everyone always comments that Burg seems to be in mid season form game 1 every year.... its cause the kids have been running the system since 5th grade

[svac83]

wow i dont know where to start. gallipolis last playoff team did not win very many jr. high games and almost no j.v. games.

All gallia athletics in great decline. is that why they are league champs in soccer and volleyball already and think they are second in cross country and golf team holding there own. and they will in many other sports. my guess is if the league has a all sports trophy they will be very competitive.


On the game ironton wins easily.

The state of the program. first i keep hearing all these things about numbers. gallia had 49 kids on roster game 1. only one blue devil team since they started varsity soccer has had more. but the numbers are deceiving. 3 coaches in years and why and how the coaches left and then the way new coaches were made. set this program back further then anyone can calculate. When Eddy left several kids did not come back. Coach Bart not only abandoned the weight lifting program also alienated several kids. this year i do believe we started with 10 seniors, but 3 of those kids are first year seniors and 3 more are second year seniors. so a lot of seniors are not really seniors. the same can be said for the junior class. That is why the team looks weak. players in a weight lifting program one summer. are not going to be as strong as kids in a program 3 or 4 years.

the coaching staff may be ok. But i think they need a new head coach. someone on staff or off of it. I am a big fan of coach Riffe the man. and i think he has great football knowledge, the problem is at this stage of his life this football team is not his focus it is his family which has 2 or 3 kids that aren't school aged yet. that is his dedication the man in me supports that and likes that. the fan in me thinks we need to look elsewhere for that reason.

I believe the youth program after many years being on wrong track is finally on right track. and i believe the junior high program may finally be on right track. right now it is not easy turning a program around that has poor fi=fundamentals especially in tackling a blocking. The reason i say that in all honesty i think maybe teams go full contact full speed maybe 7 or 8 days tops.

the offense that everyone talks about being so predictable is predictable for a reason. it isn't that the offense isn't designed to be more dynamic. go watch a practice loo at what they practice. the problem is it isn't ready for prime time. you can't run certain plays that take a little longer to develop. because the line cant hold blocks long enough. you cant roll a pocket and do other things with bad footwork. it is a work in progress. and i think they are waiting to get it right all the time in practice before they roll it out in a game. you probably wont see much of it against ironton. But i think you might see it against south point. the one thing you may see against ironton you haven't scene is a little option football or pitch plays trying to get wide. but i think it will be left in bank.

This coaching staff knew what they were up against this year. They are still spending time teaching fundamentals in week 9 that should be a refresher for kids in preseason. So when they look unprepared for thing sin a game they are. because they are that far behind. but they are trying to fix this so they don't have that problem again. they are also beginning to get jv and junior high games on tape and getting kids involved in film earlier. even though it does not look like it. this is a program moving in right direction.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

Let me give you my opinion coming from a spectators stand point. I have watched the boys in blue for several years, the past few years there is no denying that the numbers are down, size is down, speed is down, and strength is down. There are kids in that school that could possibly help out the team drastically. Kids do not have the interest and desire to put forth the effort and dedication it takes to build and maintain a solid program. As for kids going to other schools, yeah it has happened, but I believe that stuff happens everywhere when the grass looks greener down the road. Fundamentals, well all you have to do is watch a single quarter and you will see a lack of fundamentals. But I believe a large part of that starts at the lower levels of a program. But when there is not a sound youth program, new coaches at the jr high level every couple of years, and a general lack of program implemented, I think that all spells for a struggle each Friday. Also, when you are forced to play several sophomores at the varsity level, they are missing out on quality JV experience where you can gain confidence and valuable learning. As for coaching, I personally believe the coaching staff is a knowledgeable group of guys, however, if the staff isnt providing lower level (youth football) with a foundation of what is needed from the kids as they move through each age group, are they really doing the most they can?

I know its a lot easier to call the shots from the 5th row of the bleachers, but I do believe there are many factors that could be to blame for the struggles the boys in blue are facing.

ACTUALLY BLUE THAT EXPLAINS A BUNCH.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

where are all the posters from the French city, this hain't much fun.

The number of Gallia posters is probably equivalent to the number of fans that will be on the visitor's side Fri. Gallia is in drastic athletic decline. I know it seemed like a non brainier adding them to the OVC. But football wise, no OVC team gains anything by playing them. You don't get points and they don't bring enough fans to make money at the gate. And oh my, if you have to play in their field. Gallia football will be between 2-8 and 0-10 for the next 5 years. Their other sports are in a free fall. Might sound crazy, but re-read this post in 4 years and it will be spot on. You're (OVC) league got worse by adding Gallia. You're league was fine. You made a mistake.

Let me be clear. My post was not about bashing coaching staffs. There are probably many reasons for athletic decline at Gallia. But I believe my point (opinion) is still valid. The OVC made a mistake by adding Gallia.

I've not seen anything from any posters bashing on gahs. and my questions were legit as well. I honestly wanted to know what has caused the decline. myself , I'm glad to have them back as a league foe. I just never saw this coming.but they'll be back.and good luck in those regards. for anybody to think that you can have non quality football at the lower levels though. and all of a sudden you get to high school, and play good sound football, they're wrong. this stuff starts in the 3rd grade. and they build upon this. when they get to senior high they should be a pretty polished product. muscular and well taught. coaching turnover at the lower levels has to be a huge problem. but coaching is a hard gig too. I been there in youth football, taking over a winless team. you think it's tough when the program gets turned around and it's winning. see who sticks around in the bad times. no wonder for so much turnover. but my kids were taught solid fundamental football, and then the wins came.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

GOOD LUCK TO THE IRONTON ''FIGHTING TIGERS'' TONIGHT AT SENIOR NIGHT AT TANKS MEMORIAL STADIUM AGAINST THE GAHS BLUE DEVILS.PROUD OF YOU GUYS, AT 1-3 YOU COULD HAVE FOLDED YOUR TENT UP. BUT KEPT FIGHTING THROUGH EVERYTHING.AND THANK ALL THE SENIORS FOR YOU TIME WITH THE FIGHTING TIGERS. GOOD LUCK MOVING FORWARD IN THE PLAYOFFS AND LIFE.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

GOOD LUCK TO THE IRONTON ''FIGHTING TIGERS'' TONIGHT AT SENIOR NIGHT AT TANKS MEMORIAL STADIUM AGAINST THE GAHS BLUE DEVILS.PROUD OF YOU GUYS, AT 1-3 YOU COULD HAVE FOLDED YOUR TENT UP. BUT KEPT FIGHTING THROUGH EVERYTHING.AND THANK ALL THE SENIORS FOR YOU TIME WITH THE FIGHTING TIGERS. GOOD LUCK MOVING FORWARD IN THE PLAYOFFS AND LIFE.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

not sure why my computer is doing this, but sorry.

[Theherd83]

on the harbin points the most important game i see is week 10 baltimore liberty union plays at amanda clearcreek. liberty union is just a small amount behind ihs. granted ironton has to win out and harrison cadiz has 2 0-8 teams left. really needed the russell game. thats why they play them though. time will tell.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

YES HERD, THE EARLY GAMES KILLED US. IF WE MISS THE PLAYOFFS, THEY ONLY HAVE THEMSELVES TO BLAME.
BUT AFTER A 1-3 START, THEY COULD HAVE FOLDED UP THEIR TENTS, AND YET THEY DUG DEEP AND CLAWED THEIR WAY BACK IN TYPICAL FIGHTING TIGER FASHION. INJURIES HAVE ALSO PLAGUED THE TEAMS SORELY THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. BUT UNFORTUNATELY THAT'S FOOTBALL. NEXT MAN UP IS MUCH EASIER SAID THAN DONE IN THESE SMALL SCHOOLS. WHATEVER HAPPENS I'M DANG PROUD OF EM. I CAN'T BE THERE TONIGHT, BECAUSE MY WIFE WORKS LATE. I'LL BE IN TOWN TOMORROW THOUGH FOR MY COUSIN AARON CHRISTIAN'S FUNERAL. THE IRONTON AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES ARE MOURNING THE LOSS OF A BROTHER.AND A GREAT YOUNG MAN =========== REST IN PEACE OFFICER AARON CHRISTIAN END OF WATCH 10-18-16.

[ohbuckeye2]

Good luck Fighting Tigers and a BIG thank you to all of the Seniors on Senior night.

[Sportsfan1]

Yes football is way, way down. Let's talk about not gaining anything! Volleyball team at Gallipolis hasn't gained anything from the OVC.
Golf= league champs
Soccer= league champs
Volleyball= league champs
Volleyball And JV vball both undefeated.
Trust me the blue will compete just fine in sports.

[1906]

river valley dominated the ovc in volleyball I think

[ELChapo]

Tigers 49
Devils 0

Final

[Catchup13]

Yes football is way, way down. Let's talk about not gaining anything! Volleyball team at Gallipolis hasn't gained anything from the OVC.
Golf= league champs
Soccer= league champs
Volleyball= league champs
Volleyball And JV vball both undefeated.
Trust me the blue will compete just fine in sports.

Read the post again. I said that "no OVC football team gains anything by playing Gallia."

And indeed they don't. In fact, it hurts OVC football teams to have to play Gallia. They don't gain points. And Gallia doesn't bring enough fans to make any gate money.

I stated that the "number of Gallia posters (in this thread) is probably equivalent to the number of fans that will be on the visitor's side Fri."

Let's see if I was right. How about a Tiger fan tell us how many fans Gallia brought tonight. I bet they were easy to count.

I also stated that "Gallia athletics were in a decline."

You think their not because of volleyball and soccer. How about true facts. A few years ago when the Trojans joined the OVC, the volleyball team went 10-0 in their 1st year and won a league title. But in the Trojans entire history in the SEOAL, not only did they never win a volleyball title, they never won a single SEOAL match.
So Gallia winning a volleyball title doesn't prove you're not in athletic decline. You're just playing weaker competition. And the same can be said for soccer. Not saying the OVC is weak. It's just that many schools don't put a focus on certain sports like volleyball and soccer.

Leagues are put together with football in mind first, as they should be. A good football program can make revenue which helps all sports.
The OVC got it right with the addition of Ironton and Portsmouth. Things were fine.
Sometime in the future, an OVC team will miss out on the playoffs by a few points, and then you'll look hard at that Gallia game because, odds will be, the Devils went 0-10 or 1-9 and gave you nothing.
Fact is that the OVC was fine. You made a mistake by adding Gallia.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

very convincing win by the fighting tigers. good luck at Portsmouth.

[High Roller]

Blue Devils have a lot of work to do.

Would like to see this proud program get things clicking soon in the new OVC.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

I agree high roller. it looks like fairland is finally awaking the dragon. get south point and gahs up n running this would be a very deep league football wise.