2012 River Pilots football team and season.....Thoughts?

[footballfreak22]

Do the Pilots have a break out season this year?

[riverpilot33]

River has all the pieces to the puzzle this year. Defense should be better than last year, and that was pretty darn good. Offense just took to long to come together, shouldnt be a problem this year. Strong backfield with Sapp & Asturi, the third spot could be a ? with Stewarts recurring knee problem. Hopefully not. Two senior QBs in Caldwell & Lucas that can both run & pass can be interchanged at any time for different packages or situations. Recievers will be solid with Cross, Necessary, and Brown. Offensive line will be the key. Eggleston and Rosen will both be coming back off injuries but should be good to go by summer. Several underclassmen are going to have to step in and contribute here. JD Dotson will most likely take over one of the empty spots. He could have a big impact. As I said, all the pieces are there. Just need put together. Also some of the teams River lost to are losing some big time talent this year. Lots of lessons learned last year. Everyone associated with River has huge expectations. Is it July yet?lol

[FatCharlie]

I doubt it. They play a pretty tough schedule this season, but you never really know. I would like to catch a couple of their games though.

[edforshey]

What is the schedule?

[I drain 3's]

No changes.

Fort Frye
@Newcomerstown
@Monroe Central
Magnolia
@Caldwell
@Zanesville Rosecran
Bridgeport
Shenandoah
@Buckeye Trail
Frontier

Early guess.

Losses to MC and Magnolia. Don't see any other definite losses, although i'm not sure what Bridgeport and Rosecrans will be like.

[sportsfan]

Would be suprised if they lost to both Monroe and Magnolia this year . May be a very solid year for the pilots. It is their turn . In small schools you must build over a few years and hope you have very few injuries.

[I drain 3's]

I know Central has to replace the Kinchen's and Wise, but other than that I thought they were pretty young for the most part last year. They always reload, and having a home game only makes it that much tougher for the Pilots.

[riverpilot33]

With the loss of the Kinchens, Wise, & Hogue for MC and Keller for Mag I dont know if either one of these teams will be better than last year. Bridgeport loses their best player in Smelley also. Rosecrans will possibly be the strongest team on Rivers schedule this year. River RB/LB Jordan Sapp suffered a season ending spleen injury at the OVAC wrestling tourny over the weekend but should be back to 100% long before football season starts.

[I drain 3's]

Those three will undoubtedly be big losses for the Noles, but they just seem to reload every year. Kinchen was a great athlete at QB, but many on here seem to think that Lafferree (sp?) will step in and be a much more well rounded QB in terms of airing it out than Kinchen was. Two or three holes to fill isn't that tall of a task for a team like MC.

[riverpilot33]

MC will definately be undergoing alot of changes this year, it should be to Rivers advantage playing them early in the season. Im sure it will be a good early test for both teams.

[Steely Dan]

I fully expect River to be much improved in 2012 and will definitely challenge for the PVC crown, barring a slew of injuries. MC loses some talent, but, from what I hear, they should be able to backfill pretty well, and the line is not an unknown going into 2012.

Granted, the game this year is in Woodsfield, but I expect the Pilots to put up quite a fight. August can't get here fast enough (not that I'm wishing my old butt away), but I am looking forward to HS football!

The good folks in Hannibal, Sardis, Clarington, and Powhatan have a promising season to look forward to. Oh, and I can't forget those folks in Cameron, Fly, and up on Syke's Ridge, silly me...

[selonmc]

MC will be mostly Lafferre running around making plays. QB draws and sweeps. How well they do depends on how well he can throw and his health. Will be similar to the year they moved Josh Ischy to QB his senior year.

MC is caught in a couple transition years. They'll have to break in new QBs the next 2 years which is important in the offense they want to run.