WK 6 (0-5,0-3) Gallia Academy @ (3-2,1-1) Portsmouth SEOAL

[whodey99]

Gallia has been playing with heart but will fall to 0-6 this week. Portsmouth is just too much for them.

[91blue14]

moral victories

[pappy1]

GAHS has been unable to put four quarters together. They played well against Ironton and Logan early in the game and then fell apart. Against Hillsboro and Jackson they were behind by 14 points early and then played well in the second half. They need to put four quarters together, to post a win. That is something they have not been able to do, but I am looking for it to happen this week.

[jottings]

Gallipolis' line needs to improve its blocking technique. GAHS backs are getting killed because of the lack of blocking. Once they start blocking, things will improve.

[hardrock21]

I like Portsmouth in this one by a score. Should be a good game as Gallia is very hungry for a win. Portsmouth is having a good turn around season and I see them finishing the year at 6-4.

Portsmouth 28
Gallia 21

[BBallin fool]

Well they got 2 weeks!!! they better learn how to block before Oct 16!!!This team is 3 td's better than Logan. Who in the world scheduled this game??? Good LUCK AT portsmouth BLUE!!!

[TrojanXplosion]

I have really liked what Portsmouth has shown the past couple weeks. In my opinion though, they need to win 4 more games to seal a playoff spot. So with that in mind, take one game at a time and worry about how you are going to get that fourth win. So, as the saying goes, take it one game at a time. Good luck Trojans!

[ladycatherine]

Go get them this week Blue Devils! We believe in you!

Coach Eddy has made a difference in many of these boys' lives; the wins will come.

[trojandave]

Portsmouth is coming off its best game of the year vs. Chillicothe........the Trojans finally played good football all the way late into the 4th quarter..........and I agree with the other posters that Casey Sanders has made a huge difference on the offensive line. The second half of the season starts Friday, and Gallia Academy will be hungry to get in the win column........they will come and play hard for sure.

The playoffs are a real possibility for PHS, but we must win 4 of our next 5 to assure a spot in the top 8. A 7-3 record will get us in, but a 6-4 mark may or may not get us in. The games remaining are all winnable, but Portsmouth must play at the level they showed against the Cavaliers. Anything less and the Trojans will leave themselves on the outside looking in come playoff time. PHS has an excellent chance of finishing in the top half of the league after going 0-6 just a year ago.

The Trojans are gunning for their 6th playoff appearance of the decade.........correct me if I am wrong, but Portsmouth is the only school in the SEOAL that has made it to the state semifinals in the 2000's (we were not a member of the league at the time). We won our region in D3, beating a tough Chaminade-Julienne team 31-24 in the regional finals, then losing to Van Wert 28-21 in the state semis.

GO TROJANS!!!

[Trojan_FB_Alum]

The Trojans are gunning for their 6th playoff appearance of the decade.........correct me if I am wrong, but Portsmouth is the only school in the SEOAL that has made it to the state semifinals in the 2000's (we were not a member of the league at the time). We won our region in D3, beating a tough Chaminade-Julienne team 31-24 in the regional finals, then losing to Van Wert 28-21 in the state semis.

Dave not only that but we have played 12 playoff games this decade with a record of 7 and 5. That is with the 2000 run you mentioned, finishing as regional runner up in 2001, and 2002, and 1 and done in 2004 and 2007. I don't know but I think this may be the most in the league, however most came before we joined the SEOAL. I would have liked to have been in the SEOAL at the beginning of this decade, I think we would have some SEOAL Championship trophies if we were.

As for this weeks game with Gallia, if the Trojans play the way they did against Chillicothe, I think the Trojans could win this one by 3 scores, but the Devils will show up and fight you every inch of the way. I really think we may have turned the corner with the way we have played our last 6 quarters of football.

Here is my guess for the game.
1st
PHS 7
GA 0
2nd
PHS 14
GA 0
3rd
PHS 21
GA 7
4th
PHS 28
GA 14

As for the playoffs, right now we just need to concentrate on winning the game that week, if we do that we can do the same come week 11. I think the region is pretty weak this year, and a 6-4 mark would have a chance at sneaking in. I don't think we will have to worry about it but there is a lot of football still to play against some good teams. If we could win out it is definite that we get in and a home game, but 7-3 gets us in and I think we could sneak into the top 4 with a little help. We will just have to wait and see how it all works out. One game at a time Trojans, Win and Advance.

[Blue_nd_Gray]

Gallipolis' line needs to improve its blocking technique. GAHS backs are getting killed because of the lack of blocking. Once they start blocking, things will improve.

Blocking on Offense and tackling on Defense, we do neither well.If we lose this game I see 0-10 as a reality,simply no excuse for it. It isn't going to get any easier.
We should get in the OVC at least we could beat on River Valley and go .500 against the rest of that league.

[pappy1]

Gallipolis' line needs to improve its blocking technique. GAHS backs are getting killed because of the lack of blocking. Once they start blocking, things will improve.

Blocking on Offense and tackling on Defense, we do neither well.If we lose this game I see 0-10 as a reality,simply no excuse for it. It isn't going to get any easier.
We should get in the OVC at least we could beat on River Valley and go .500 against the rest of that league.

Am in total agreement that we neeed to improve on the O line. Tackling is the weakest part of the GAHS defense. They are the poorest tackling team I have seen this year. If there was a yards after contact statistic, the Blue Devils opponents would have big numbers in that category.

[bluedevil]

gallia 21 portsmouth 7

[pappy1]

By the time you get to the varsity, you are usually a junior or senior. A few sophs start but not the norm.

If you havent learned to block and tackle by your junior year, isnt this more an indictment against the entire system all the way back to MFL? It should be assumed that by the time the varsity coaches get ahold of players ready for varsity, these basic skills should have been ingrained in them for their entire football playing lives. At least it would seem that way.

Therefore isnt it a little unrealistic to expect a varsity coach to have to go back and teach things that should have been learned in the lower levels; especially when the varsity coaches only have the kids for a year or two? And then to compound the situation with a new coach coming in to face high (and sometimes unrealistic) expectations from a community that wants to see their children do well?

Any GAHS fans buy the season DVDs being produced and sold by the athletic boosters? I have most of the years, and I assure you that the problem of poor blocking and tackling isnt something that just popped up out of nowhere this year.

If for no other reason, we need to get behind our coach as he reaches down into the lower levels and works with his staff to make the improvements needed to compete at the highest levels of the SEOAL and beyond.

gahs4ever, I agree totally with your post. These fundamentals should have already been taught. I was not trying to put down the program or the coaching staff, just stating what I see as a glaring weakness with this team.

[FutureDevil]

The MFL has allowed 4th graders in this year. I'm told the six teams has an average of 25-27 kids participating for each respective team. Taken into account these kids are from the county, city, and I'm sure a few from neighboring counties.

Hopefully the basics can be taught to these young players as GAHS mentioned so the coaches at the JV and Varsity levels don't need to go back to square one with some. Not just at GAHS, but at RV and SG also. I for one would love to see all 3 county schools achieve winning seasons. Just a thought...

[TrojanXplosion]

Good luck Trojans! Make it 2 in a row and get that 4th win. Playoffs are only 4 more wins away.

[madfootballfan]

The Academy picks up their first win of the year 14-9

[NICKNEVADA]

PHS 24-6

[Blue_nd_Gray]

By the time you get to the varsity, you are usually a junior or senior. A few sophs start but not the norm.

If you havent learned to block and tackle by your junior year, isnt this more an indictment against the entire system all the way back to MFL? It should be assumed that by the time the varsity coaches get ahold of players ready for varsity, these basic skills should have been ingrained in them for their entire football playing lives. At least it would seem that way.

Therefore isnt it a little unrealistic to expect a varsity coach to have to go back and teach things that should have been learned in the lower levels; especially when the varsity coaches only have the kids for a year or two? And then to compound the situation with a new coach coming in to face high (and sometimes unrealistic) expectations from a community that wants to see their children do well?

Any GAHS fans buy the season DVDs being produced and sold by the athletic boosters? I have most of the years, and I assure you that the problem of poor blocking and tackling isnt something that just popped up out of nowhere this year.

If for no other reason, we need to get behind our coach as he reaches down into the lower levels and works with his staff to make the improvements needed to compete at the highest levels of the SEOAL and beyond.

gahs4ever, I agree totally with your post. These fundamentals should have already been taught. I was not trying to put down the program or the coaching staff, just stating what I see as a glaring weakness with this team.

I agree partially,the basic techniques need to be taught at earlier grades,but do you let someone chew your food before you eat it?
It is the job of the Coaching staff to make sure the kids are playing the game correct,i also know what these kids were taught in MFL and JR High,they know fundamentals! If they don't the coaches need to teach it. These kids are not in college or playing for Cinncinnati Moeller,GAHS is a public school,whether most of our followers want to admit it or not? WE ARE A public school not a program!
If Fundamentals need taught it is the coaches job to teach them if they want to win.
don't place the blame on someone else.

We are a long way from competing in this league and the future isn't looking any brighter.

[WTIGER 80]

Portsmouth rolls big. 35-0. Long trip for Gallia.