Week 5 Ironton @ Gallipolis

[WitnessProtection]

Jackson is probably Gallia's biggest rival. I think GAHS leads that series by about 5 more wins. I think there have been 5 ties.
I agree with Larusso that the GAHS-Ironton series is ending due to the SEOAL as a whole dumping Ironton. A sportswriter friend of mine says that appears to be the case.
You get more playoff points beating an OVC team with 4 or 5 wins than losing to Ironton.

[Daniel Larusso]

They can drop Ironton just as long as Gallipolis don't beat their chest too much when they handle those OVC teams every year. This will be a win 9 out of 10 times they play anyone in the OVC. And just remember, you probably won't be getting too many playoff points by beating these teams.

I agree completely, but I'm not the AD. I also don't have a problem with dropping Ironton if it's to prove a point.

[pappy1]

I understand about Ironton and the SEOAL. However dropping them will remove the program that bests lets you know where you need to be to compete at the state level. I'm not sure its a good idea.

[GAHS83]

I understand about Ironton and the SEOAL. However dropping them will remove the program that bests lets you know where you need to be to compete at the state level. I'm not sure its a good idea.

It really is a catch22 situation. If you replace them with someone you'll beat most years, you'll get more points in most years than you would playing Ironton because you don't get any points if you never beat them. However, if you play mostly cupcakes, you won't be prepared when you do make the playoffs and you'll get blown out in the first round. Last year, if we had replaced Ironton with a D4 team that we beat that won 4 or 5 games, we would've made the playoffs at 8-2. As it was, we finished 9th in the region at 7-3. It would have been better last year to make the playoffs for what it would do for the program even if we lost big in the first round.

I think what GA needs to do is schedule down in the short term and make the playoffs a few years to build the enthusiasm in the program and then gradually schedule back up in the longer term as the program gets stronger to better prepare yourself for the post-season. I think Athens has done a nice job of this the last few years. I think both Chillicothe and Logan need to do this ASAP to let their programs recover a bit. As it stands now, playing Ironton does Gallia Academy no good because our program isn't at the level to compete with them consistently. If we're on the edge of making the playoffs every year and on the outside looking in, we need that spot in the schedule to be a game we can win more often than not. Yes, playing Ironton lets us know where we are as a program, but I think we need some post-season appearances to build the excitement in the program. Playing a school of that caliber isn't good for the program when a win or loss there makes the difference between making the playoffs and not.

All that being said, I understand if the league makes a decision not to schedule Ironton anymore. They play so many of the schools in the league, that they should be in the SEOAL. With the possibility of Chillicothe and Logan leaving the league, it looks like the SEOAL may be in trouble and Ironton leaving has added to that. If they're going to play most of the schools in the league, they should be in the league. Sometimes you have to take the good with the bad. I think that it will be interesting to see what Ironton's schedule ends up looking like if all the SEOAL schools stop playing them.

[maniac66]

I think this is a move for the long run I would not be suprised to see gallia making moves for the future in case it becomes a case where the seoal does become a after fact.
They have a good history with Coal Grove and wants to start playing Fairland.
They may be looking at what Portsmouth is and trying to get in to the SEOAL and with it being as weak as it is they may decide to admit these two teams.
I believe the SOC proved that point to them this year pretty well by smacking them around yes I know Chesapeake never got blown out in their games but they still lost and unless the OVC wants to be laughed at all the time they need to step up and make a move.
A long shot maybe but a possibility for sure.

[maniac66]

I think this is a move for the long run I would not be suprised to see gallia making moves for the future in case it becomes a case where the seoal does become a after fact.
They have a good history with Coal Grove and wants to start playing Fairland.
They may be looking at what Portsmouth is and trying to get in to the SEOAL and with it being as weak as it is they may decide to admit these two teams.
I believe the SOC proved that point to them this year pretty well by smacking them around yes I know Chesapeake never got blown out in their games but they still lost and unless the OVC wants to be laughed at all the time they need to step up and make a move.
A long shot maybe but a possibility for sure.

Add to the fact if this was to happen would Jackson apply to join the SEOAL lol.
Just a joke but a funny one in some ways lol

[superblue]

Good points by Pappy & 83.... But let me ask this.... Do you think GAHS will ever compete on the state level in football....I believe there are to many factors working against us for this to ever happen..... I use to believe that playing I-town would make us a better team, but I am not sure as of now... We have played them approx the last 30 years & can you honestly say that one game a year against them has made us a better team???? Plus this year I believe the Athens & Wellston games have showed us we are not ready to compete on the state level...... Someone mentioned I-town being our biggest rival.... NOT True.... Jackson is and will always be the #1 rival for GAHS, and no other school is even close..... Now its looking like another 7-3 season and No play-offs..... We should win the next 3 games but will earn very little second level points.... Winning game #10 would probably get us in & if we play like we did against I-town that is a good possibility

[pappy1]

superblue....you have more confidence in our offense than I do. Your won loss numbers are possible, but so is 4-6 or anywhere inbetween. I think your programs goal should always be to compete for a state championship. We should teach our young people to reach for the sky!

[GAHS83]

Good points by Pappy & 83.... But let me ask this.... Do you think GAHS will ever compete on the state level in football....I believe there are to many factors working against us for this to ever happen..... I use to believe that playing I-town would make us a better team, but I am not sure as of now... We have played them approx the last 30 years & can you honestly say that one game a year against them has made us a better team???? Plus this year I believe the Athens & Wellston games have showed us we are not ready to compete on the state level...... Someone mentioned I-town being our biggest rival.... NOT True.... Jackson is and will always be the #1 rival for GAHS, and no other school is even close..... Now its looking like another 7-3 season and No play-offs..... We should win the next 3 games but will earn very little second level points.... Winning game #10 would probably get us in & if we play like we did against I-town that is a good possibility

The goal of ANY team should be to compete at the state level. Beating a team like Ironton at least as much as they beat you would show that. We're not to that point yet, but that should be one of the goals/steps in the process. We've played them the last thirty years and it hasn't made us better because we aren't ready as a team/school/coaching staff/community to compete at that level. I've talked before about the levels of effort and expectation that the players/coaches/fans don't even realize exist yet. We've got to find those levels if we want to keep progressing.

I'm not an old-timer in this area, but after watching the last two years of GA vs. Ironton, I can say with certainty that we matched them from an athletic standpoint. We just don't match them from an effort and execution standpoint. That is the ONLY difference between the two teams. Coach Lutz instills that expectation at Ironton from the very beginning and it has worked so long that his players and the community buy into it. When I lived in Central Ohio, I saw first hand that it was much the same way with Coach Hinton at Amanda.

We have to find a way to push our team beyond what they think is possible. That's from the Midget League and Jr. High levels. It is from the players, parents, community and coaches. The main thing that it takes is a dynamic, committed individual as a head coach. As much as I've complained about our offense this year, I think Coach Eddy can be that guy. He does an outstanding job of physically preparing the boys to compete. He is also an excellent motivator. I've seen improvement in each of the years he's been here. Given time and a bit more help from his coaching staff from an X's and O's standpoint, I'm convinced that we can take those steps and be a team that expects to make the playoffs every year. After that, we'll need to up the level so that we expect to win in the playoffs every year. This isn't a quick process, but if our team continues to show improvement year after year, we'll get there.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

okay which is it then, they tryed to say scheduling conflict at first, but it seems the blue nation knows better. scheduling ovc teams in ironton's place will accomplish nothing in my opinion. they won't travel well there in my opinion. and i honestly believe, ironton's tough schedule is why they are always in the playoff mix. it's like playing golf, you play a less talented buddy, your game will suffer, you play someone as good or better than you, you are up for it, and try harder. look at the ga/ihs score this year. if it was easy everyone would be doing it.

[GAHS83]

okay which is it then, they tryed to say scheduling conflict at first, but it seems the blue nation knows better. scheduling ovc teams in ironton's place will accomplish nothing in my opinion. they won't travel well there in my opinion. and i honestly believe, ironton's tough schedule is why they are always in the playoff mix. it's like playing golf, you play a less talented buddy, your game will suffer, you play someone as good or better than you, you are up for it, and try harder. look at the ga/ihs score this year. if it was easy everyone would be doing it.

I'm kinda on the fence. There are many years where GA seems to go 7-3 and just miss the playoffs. That normal loss to Ironton in those years keeps us out of the playoffs in those situations. A win against a D4 or D5 school with 4 or 5 wins in the place of Ironton would put us in. If we were able to compete with Ironton like we did this past week on a regular basis, it would be a good thing, but we normally do not. If it becomes a choice of playing a tough schedule and just missing the playoffs or scheduling down and making the playoffs, I'd take making the playoffs. Making the playoffs most years will build interest and enthusiasim in your program and SHOULD help you build it up to the point where you could schedule back up in the future.

[Blue_nd_Gray]

I think we have Logan this week!
Are we still discussing Ironton? Lol

[Mighty Mighty Devils]

I think we have Logan this week!
Are we still discussing Ironton? Lol

For once I agree let's move on Last week was a tough loss let's look for the next victim of this pumped up Blue Devils team cause they are angry an looking for someone to take it out on

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

i myself was wondering why this was still going on, i just wanted a clear answer to why they won't be playing anymore. i think i just got it.

[Blue_Steel]

Lets win out and get to week 11!

[pappy1]

Lets win out and get to week 11!

And play Athens.

[Blue_Steel]

Athens again, that would be sweet!! I'm sure everyone on the sidelines would love another crack at them.