WEEK 10: JACKSON (9-0) at GALLIA ACADEMY (4-5)

[jottings]

Eight Gallipolis seniors will be playing their final game as Blue Devils Friday night.

Members of the 2015 GAHS class are Eli Miller, Blake Wilson, Dylan Saunders, Seth Wills, Payton Halley, Eric Sheets, Logan Few, and Cole Spurlin.

It would be nice for them to upset probably the best Jackson football team history and the Ironmen have had some great teams down through the years.

[superblue]

Have they scheduled the fire fighting drills and water cannon practice yet at Memorial Field, and also have they selected the referees for this game yet from all of the previous alumni candidates from GA

LOL.... I enjoy your sense of humor Double643.... The is a 2 foot waterline that runs under Memorial field and I hear it is in terrible shape and could burst any minute.... Plus Athens is loaning us the Fog Machine they used in 2003 when they tried to upset the Blue... Having a hard time finding officials, I volunteered to work the game and explained I know nothing about football, they said as long as I could distinguish between Red And Blue that I would be considered...... In all honesty I don't believe the officials will determine the outcome of this game... I attended the Ironton game and Jackson looked impressive... Jackson still needs to work on a few things and now would probably be the time to do so... You need to iron this out before week 11.

[doubleplay643]

Have they scheduled the fire fighting drills and water cannon practice yet at Memorial Field, and also have they selected the referees for this game yet from all of the previous alumni candidates from GA

LOL.... I enjoy your sense of humor Double643.... The is a 2 foot waterline that runs under Memorial field and I hear it is in terrible shape and could burst any minute.... Plus Athens is loaning us the Fog Machine they used in 2003 when they tried to upset the Blue... Having a hard time finding officials, I volunteered to work the game and explained I know nothing about football, they said as long as I could distinguish between Red And Blue that I would be considered...... In all honesty I don't believe the officials will determine the outcome of this game... I attended the Ironton game and Jackson looked impressive... Jackson still needs to work on a few things and now would probably be the time to do so... You need to iron this out before week 11.

Lol, I do enjoy the ribbing we get from our friends wearing blue down south and we like to give some good-natured teasing back as well.

As I said above traveling to Memorial Field on Halloween is a little "spooky" you just never know about how things will go. On paper the Ironmen may have an advantage but this game will be played on the "grass" lol and not paper. Jackson has to remain disciplined, no personal fouls or getting drug into a situation that may cause players to not be able to play in the play-offs. Just need to go quietly take care of business.

I think everyone recognizes GA has far exceeded some of the expectations that some were predicting in July and August, and you never know what to expect when 16-18 year olds play ball in any sport.

I will take a win no matter if it is just by 1, with few penalties, and no injuries and get out of town. To me that would be a huge success. I fully expect a very focused GA team set on trying to achieve a share of the league title. Ironmen best keep focused.

[local superstar]

The Ironmen roll again.

[jottings]

I"ve not checked, but wonder how many times Jackson-Gallipolis have battled for the SEOAL title down through the years?

[doubleplay643]

I"ve not checked, but wonder how many times Jackson-Gallipolis have battled for the SEOAL title down through the years?

Well Jottings Jackson has 22 league titles and Gallia Academy has 15 league titles. So a combined 37. My guess is a 1/3 of those years it may have came down to us two, and 2/3 of those years it probably came down to some others (Logan, Athens, Warren, etc.).

So my bet (assuming the 1/3 is quasi-accurate) is 12 to 13 years in the now 90 years of the SEOAL this game has determined the winner either outright or a share.

Hopefully, the SEOAL can get its mojo back, bring in 2-3 teams and continue on for another 90 years.

[BurgGrad6]

Jackson is one of those teams full of talent! Every position is played by a kid that has heart and a will to be the best. That's what has made this Jackson team so successful. If gallia can keep this game interesting I will be very surprised! I think Jackson will cruise in this one and let the starters rest in the second half. Region 9 better be ready. Jackson it going to make a lot of noise!!

[Ironman92]

I hear the ground conditions might be way better than expected for this titanic struggle.

[JacksonI]

Jottings, as for saying this is "probably the best Jackson football team in history" is absurd. I'm not taking anything at all away from our guys but we had some pretty dominant teams in the 90's. In my opinion, I would rank this year's squad up there with the other very successful years but would not call them the "best in history".

[jottings]

doubleplay643...According to my records, GAHS has won 17 football titles since 1925. Blue Devil title years are: 1931, 1932, 1947, 1948, 1960, 1962, 1970, 1985, 1986, 1990,1992, 1993, 1995,2002, 2003,2004 and 2012.

During the past 10 or so years, GAHS-Jackson have played the final league game of the year. From the mid 1930s to the mid 1960s, teams played round robin schedules which means they played the last game about every seven years.

Should Gallipolis upset Jackson Friday, the Blue Devils would share the 2014 crown with Jackson and it would be Gallia's 18th crown.

[doubleplay643]

doubleplay643...According to my records, GAHS has won 17 football titles since 1925. Blue Devil title years are: 1931, 1932, 1947, 1948, 1960, 1962, 1970, 1985, 1986, 1990,1992, 1993, 1995,2002, 2003,2004 and 2012.

During the past 10 or so years, GAHS-Jackson have played the final league game of the year. From the mid 1930s to the mid 1960s, teams played round robin schedules which means they played the last game about every seven years.

Should Gallipolis upset Jackson Friday, the Blue Devils would share the 2014 crown with Jackson and it would be Gallia's 18th crown.

Yes, Jottings you are correct I missed a couple of the years it was shared. 17 is the right number.

But I agree with one of the posters above, we have a long way to go and a lot to prove before we start throwing around the word "best"...good yes, and maybe even a bit surprising of a record to some given where a lot of the predictions were in July and August. Give credit to the kids and staff for working hard and believing. If we can get a win this week and make some noise in the Region then maybe we can reconsider what superlative to use to describe the 2014 team. But this week first things first.

On a related note, how is Memorial Field looking? A couple weeks ago during junior high ball it was in rough shape. Any improvement, have you seen it?

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

I SEE THE MEN IN RED TAKING THIS GAME FAIRLY HANDILY AND COMPLETING THEIR SCHEDULE 10-0 WITH NO BLEMISHES.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

A 12 POINT WIN OVER THE IRONTON FIGHTING TIGERS WAS THE CLOSEST GAME THEY PLAYED. AND THEY HAVE PITCHED 3 SHUTOUTS, ALL WITH TEAMS STARTING WITH W'S---------WAVERLY, WEST JEFFERSON, AND WHEELERSBURG.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

SO ONLY 6 TEAMS HAVE EVEN SCORED ON THEM SO FAR.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

ARE THE GAHS GAMES BEING STILL PLAYED AT THE OLD STADIUM, OR IS IT NOW IN CENTINNARY.

[jottings]

still playing in the swamp. Gallipolis is the only area school without a new football facility. Meigs, Jackson, Logan, Pt. Pleasant, River Valley, South Gallia, Lucasville Valley, Portsmouth, Athens, Nels-York all have modern facilities. Gallipolis has been working on a new stadium for years, but has had no success. We have new facilities in soccer, volleyball, track, tennis, basketball baseball, softball and cross country.

[doubleplay643]

still playing in the swamp. Gallipolis is the only area school without a new football facility. Meigs, Jackson, Logan, Pt. Pleasant, River Valley, South Gallia, Lucasville Valley, Portsmouth, Athens, Nels-York all have modern facilities. Gallipolis has been working on a new stadium for years, but has had no success. We have new facilities in soccer, volleyball, track, tennis, basketball baseball, softball and cross country.

If there was anyway to do a complete renovation of Memorial Field and modernize it, add turf, new locker facilities, etc. that would be pretty neat for us old-timers that like the nostalgia lol.

I always liked the hilltop at Logan as well, but times move on and things change and improvements must be made, can't live in the past forever.

I hope they steal all the drying agent from the baseball field and put it on Memorial Field lol, cause it is supposed to pour Friday...going to be a muddy one.

[jottings]

Because of flooding at least three times a year. can't renovate Memorial Field.

[doubleplay643]

Because of flooding at least three times a year. can't renovate Memorial Field.

Turf fields have a extensive stone drainage base and drains under them so it may be such a thing that it would solve a couple of problems, if there was pressure to keep the field in its present location.

Not sure that it wouldn't be more cost effective to start new out on Centenary or stay downtown. Obviously the parking would be easier to do out at the new school, plus you could charge $2 to park, and pay for that stadium in a couple years :122245

[grndma1]

I'd pay the $2.00 to park, just like I do at Jackson. I'd rather know I can park without driving around for a half hour looking for a parking spot, then have to walk for blocks to get into the stadium.