Should Wellston Keep Playing Jackson?

[boilermaker]

Yes two 10-0 seasons ,but in the 50's I think.

[F-4 Phantom]

Should Michigan continue to play OSU?

[Solomon]

To me it is like this, Jackson is in a tough spot. They are too good for the TVC and not good enough for the SEOAL. They will struggle in the league this season. I would like to see them become an independent, and scheduling more to their size. I know, I think they should continue to play Wellston but like someone else said, later in the season. Jackson as an independent, would be perfect, here is my example of schedule,

Week 1 - d4 Gallia or d2 Athens
Week 2 - d3 Waverly or d4 Piketon
Week 3 - d3 Vinton County
Week 4 - d3 Logan Elm or d3 Circleville
Week 5 - d4 Wellston
Week 6 - d4 Meigs
Week 7 - d5 Nelsonville-York
Week 8 - d3 Greenfield McClain
Week 9 - d3's Hillsboro, Miami Trace or Washington Court House
Week 10 - d3 Chillicothe (could become a great rivalry)

It is perfect because, they still have Vinton County and Wellston, that is two wins, and they can be tested by the rest without having a soft or hard schedule. And they avoid Ironton who is going to be good every year and Logan who is the biggest fish in the pond and they stay away from the stupid SEOAL traveling. Their longest trip with these schedule is 45 to 50 minutes. It is common sense.

[grizzlynatural]

To me it is like this, Jackson is in a tough spot. They are too good for the TVC and not good enough for the SEOAL. They will struggle in the league this season. I would like to see them become an independent, and scheduling more to their size. I know, I think they should continue to play Wellston but like someone else said, later in the season. Jackson as an independent, would be perfect, here is my example of schedule,

Week 1 - d4 Gallia or d2 Athens
Week 2 - d3 Waverly or d4 Piketon
Week 3 - d3 Vinton County
Week 4 - d3 Logan Elm or d3 Circleville
Week 5 - d4 Wellston
Week 6 - d4 Meigs
Week 7 - d5 Nelsonville-York
Week 8 - d3 Greenfield McClain
Week 9 - d3's Hillsboro, Miami Trace or Washington Court House
Week 10 - d3 Chillicothe (could become a great rivalry)

It is perfect because, they still have Vinton County and Wellston, that is two wins, and they can be tested by the rest without having a soft or hard schedule. And they avoid Ironton who is going to be good every year and Logan who is the biggest fish in the pond and they stay away from the stupid SEOAL traveling. Their longest trip with these schedule is 45 to 50 minutes. It is common sense.

[91blue14]

thats funny

[Solomon]

What is so funny? That this old man thought of it first?

[ironman02]

Solomon,

I respectfully disagree. I don't think that being an independent would benefit Jackson at all. The notion that they're not good enough for the SEOAL is absurd in my opinion. It has been a while since the Ironmen last won an SEOAL title, and the team hasn't enjoyed the success that it did in the 90s and early 2000s recently, but it's not like they aren't competitive. They may have been blown out by the best teams in the league the last few years, but so has everyone else. Jackson will be an SEOAL title contender in the future. They've won 20 SEOAL championships, second only to Logan. They'll be back, hopefully sooner than later. Also, it's hard to be an independent. Teams have league obligations, usually from at least Weeks 5-10. It might be easy to find your first four games, but then you're going to struggle to fill the rest of the schedule. I'm not into playing schools from Kentucky, West Virginia, Canada, or wherever else to fill up an independent schedule. Because of other teams' league obligations, it's almost a guarantee that travel costs would increase because you have to look statewide for opponents from a variety of different conferences. Maybe I'm not looking at it the right way, but that's the way I see it. Change up the non-league schedule early in the year and continue playing in the SEOAL.



As for the Wellston game, it will continue to be played for the obvious reason...money. However, other than financial gain, the game is terrible for Jackson. What do they have to gain? Jackson is expected to win and they usually do. But what if they would lose? It would seem like the world is over for those kids. It's really a no-win situation if you ask me. Win a game that everyone criticizes you for anyway, or lose a game that you absolutely "should" never lose. In addition to the current 19 game win streak, Wellston has beaten Jackson only four times since 1968, with one tie as well. So in four decades, Wellston has won FOUR times...an average of once every ten meetings. How does that prepare Jackson for the SEOAL?

As was mentioned earlier, Nelsonville-York no longer plays Logan. The Chieftains have improved their strength of schedule and look at the results. Obviously Logan has had a nice run of talent, but the overall strength of their program has been helped by playing the likes of Lancaster, Pickerington North, etc. Now I'm not saying Jackson needs to schedule Lancaster, and I'm aware that times are tough financially which puts a strain on travel, but the Wellston game doesn't benefit the Jackson football program. It may benefit the athletic program as a whole through financial gain, but that's the only positive that I can see. If money drives the situation, then that's fine. But speaking purely from a football standpoint, this game serves no purpose for Jackson, and for that matter, Wellston as well.

[questionmark]

The question that comes to my mind is how long has this series been going on?

A tradition is a great thing in High School sports...
Players become part of them like a right of passage...
These games connect former players/coaches with players/coaches of today...

I played ball at Athens ('04 Grad), and you better believe their wasn't a bigger game then the 1st one.
Athens vs. Nelsonville
Us vs. Them
The 33 battle to brag
(You get The Picture)
The Doc Kroner Trophey on the line....

My Freshman and Sophomore Year I sat on a knee as Nelsonville took the Kroner Trophy for the 11th & 12th time in-a-row which was just a frustrating streak we needed to end....we did!
My Junior we won @ HOME for the 1st time in 12 tries and we got to walk across the field and hoist that Doc Kroner Trophy which had evaded us for way too long...Well, that wasn't enough. We defeated at home for the 1st time, but we knew we had to defend that trophy on the road the next year to ensure we made a dent in the series and help get us back with some confidence in the series...

Tradition

It may not have been happy times for us (losing 12 in a row), as it is for Wellston losing (19?) but to rob the kids a chance to play in a game that brings so much, has history behind it would be unfair to them.

FACT! Wellston will Beat Jackson in a Football Again ...

Why?
Kids will bust their tails for the season, but especially for that Rivalry Game...
Also, because its played Week I, and one of these times Wellston will click out of the gate while Jackson won't...

Rivalry Games are fun for all...why ruin something like that?

*(On The Indepentdent Thing)*
Why would Jackson want to leave a League, where they can battle for a League championship and go Independent where the games are not connected to anything so the kids don't have anything to strive for other than the play-offs...League Champions have won league titles and missed the play-offs, but wouldn't you rather let your kids earn some success (memories) and give them the most opportunities to do so...ala
-League Title
-Rivalries
-Play for Play-Offs

Independent for Jackson would be crazy, however I believe they'd be a perfect addition for the TVC-Ohio for all sports including Football ...

Jackson's drives to most TVC School's would be nice and picture this...
Wellston vs. Jackson would now not only be a rivalry game, it would be a League Game...
Maybe all this series needs is a push back in the season which would happen (like Athens vs. NY) and played in Week 7 or 8 when both teams would be a little better...

[Orange and Brown]

The question that comes to my mind is how long has this series been going on?

A tradition is a great thing in High School sports...
Players become part of them like a right of passage...
These games connect former players/coaches with players/coaches of today...

I played ball at Athens ('04 Grad), and you better believe their wasn't a bigger game then the 1st one.
Athens vs. Nelsonville
Us vs. Them
The 33 battle to brag
(You get The Picture)
The Doc Kroner Trophey on the line....

My Freshman and Sophomore Year I sat on a knee as Nelsonville took the Kroner Trophy for the 11th & 12th time in-a-row which was just a frustrating streak we needed to end....we did!
My Junior we won @ HOME for the 1st time in 12 tries and we got to walk across the field and hoist that Doc Kroner Trophy which had evaded us for way too long...Well, that wasn't enough. We defeated at home for the 1st time, but we knew we had to defend that trophy on the road the next year to ensure we made a dent in the series and help get us back with some confidence in the series...

Tradition

It may not have been happy times for us (losing 12 in a row), as it is for Wellston losing (19?) but to rob the kids a chance to play in a game that brings so much, has history behind it would be unfair to them.

FACT! Wellston will Beat Jackson in a Football Again ...

Why?
Kids will bust their tails for the season, but especially for that Rivalry Game...
Also, because its played Week I, and one of these times Wellston will click out of the gate while Jackson won't...

Rivalry Games are fun for all...why ruin something like that?

I agree to a point! Tradition does mean a lot but then again Logan vs. Athens used to be a big game to!!!!

[Keyser_sozeThrice]

Jackson High School athletic director Bob Kight informed me Tuesday evening that the gate was $16,248 from Saturday night's game with Wellston.

And keep in mind that Jackson sells athletic passes, which is good for admission into the football games. Parking passes too.

Should Wellston Keep Playing Jackson? We can debate this until we are Blue and Gold or Red and White in the face.

Will Wellston Keep Playing Jackson? You better believe it.

[questionmark]

Orange and Brown--

As I typed that I knew someone would bring Logan and Athens up...

My only argument to that is they are a BIG school, and Athens is not as BIG as our numbers of males indicate...a lot of our male students do not participate in sports, or play other fall sports like soccer, golf, cross country and so on... our numbers always seem big, but the sad truth is we are like most other teams. When I played we were the 'Dirty Thirty', 30 kids including Freshman is not a lot. Are numbers growing at Athens, I would say we have some more kids showing interest in football...that being said

Logan pulls from a lot of areas.
In comparision,
Athens, NY, Trimble would equal close to Logan's pool of players...

I was sad to see the game go as I played in 4 Logan vs. Athens games with the '02 & '03 games being crazy good (6-0) and (34-30) with Logan pulling out Wins both times, but they were Athens vs. Logan games alumni were used to. The Dogs/Chiefs from the 70's and 80's probably smile to see those games were very competitive....

To answer your question, I can't argue on why or why not to play the games anymore, but it just seemed like a good time to add a different opponent to our schedule ...

[ironman02]

Jackson High School athletic director Bob Kight informed me Tuesday evening that the gate was $16,248 from Saturday night's game with Wellston.

How exactly does that work? I ask because I was curious about the actual attendance for the game.

[Keyser_sozeThrice]

ironman02....I edited my above post to include the info about athletic and parking passes.

The figure is actual $$$$$$ at the gate on that night.

[ironman02]

Ok, thanks. No way to really tell the attendance just from the gate money then. Alumni Stadium's seating capacity is around 6,000 and there were plenty of people standing, so it looks like somewhere between 6,000-7,000. Not bad for a high school football game.

[Keyser_sozeThrice]

Yes, the passes don't count towards the actual gate figure. You figure between 6,000 or 7,000 people, and ticket prices range from $3 to $5.

[FANOSPORTS]

Tradition means a lot to the "old timers" but today's younger generation (administrators / decision makers) don't understand anything but $ and cents or care about the geographics of today to change anything. A lot of the school's in SEO used to have great rivalries but cannot compete with each other today basically for one reason: size. This is why, especially when jobs leave areas and there is nothing to take it's place, it takes a toll on the communities. Logan (New Rt.33, which is basically slowly becoming a bedroom community for Columbus) is now 2 and 3 times the size of schools they used to play in both the new and old SEOAL. Nelsonville-York on the other hand benefitted (especially in football) when the TVC schools kept getting smaller (i.e. Meigs, Wellston moving from the SEOAL) to being approximately the same size school districts nowadays. The Jackson - Wellston rivalry dates back decades but just as with Meigs - Gallipolis, Athens - Logan, etc. ended, so too now must this one but it won't happen because the powers that be, regardless of how many times certain schools humble the other on the field of play, only care about the almighty dollar and the revenue which will be generated. Let's not travel very far regardless of how uneven the playing field is and god forbid we take away a county rivalry for the sake of saving face for any community. That would be un-american.

[irish08]

Junglecat you are an idiot, your post makse no sense at all!!!!!!!!!

[2old]

Gee I hardly know where to start.

I guess I will go with the wisdom of 02. He understands. If Jackson is ever going to be the power in SE Ohio football on a regular basis it once was, Jackson has to improve the level of non conference scheduling and CHALLENGE the athletes at Jackson. Read quit scheduling Wellston and VC. Never a challenge,oh i know once every 10 or 20 years. Heck Jackson will have a good group once every 10-or 20 years. Challenge the kids and be better every year.

Now DO NOT call this game a rivalry. It is not. It is tradition. Traditionally Jackson beats Wellston. Jackson starts 1-0 and Wellston starts 0-1. Now there is a great TRADITION.


as for the money Jackson kills Wellston there too. Jackson can handle a much bigger crowd. Therefore the Jackson athletics benefits more than Wellston when it hosts the event. I know it is still a big gate for Wellston but jackson wins in the money column too. It makes me wonder what Wellston is thinking..

For the sake of the Rockets this game needs to stop.

As for chilidawg,

Any true Wellston fan would want to stop this lunacy. It is crazy to say it does not effect the playoff chances of the Rockets. You only get playoff points when you win. Wellston NOW has zero points. Wellston is already behind 14 teams in their region. Does losing the first game make a difference? Of course. Get real and learn how the playoffs work. This game is hurting Wellston and Wellston athletics.

[camnott]

I have ties to both teams and I can tell you why,PRIDE. Win or lose I guarantee there no game on either schedule that the kids get up for or want more. In the past the pep rallies have been explosive and left us with many fond memories win or lose. If you don't believe that then you must be new to the area. I've seen it for more than 35 years.

[Crazy Legs]

I have ties to both teams and I can tell you why,PRIDE. Win or lose I guarantee there no game on either schedule that the kids get up for or want more. In the past the pep rallies have been explosive and left us with many fond memories win or lose. If you don't believe that then you must be new to the area. I've seen it for more than 35 years.

AGREED!!!!! Wellston.. understandably so frustrated!! After the fact, but when you are playing this game and are in highschool, you work for, and look forward too this game. I would like to see this game played at game 10 then you put possible spoiler roll for either team.(then maybe it might not ruin your season?)