SOC2 Championship: Wheelersburg @ Portsmouth West

[Burg_Grad_77]

Like I said, let's start over from scratch and just talk football. All my posts are gone so you can delete yours now as well. Maybe it wasn't you and my apologies if it wasn't.

[West_Sider]

Like I said, let's start over from scratch and just talk football. All my posts are gone so you can delete yours now as well. Maybe it wasn't you and my apologies if it wasn't.

Done.... Regardless of this week I will be rooting Burg along in the playoffs. I always do. Thats the nice thing about not being in the same divison.

[Burg_Grad_77]

Same here. I hope West goes a long way in DIV, but that is one tough region this year and without Trevon it's going to be tough task to win Region 15.

[Catch24]

Burg 35
West 21

[Old*rocket]

like burg in this one.

[DIDO]

West in a close one.

[QB4]

West in a thriller....I hope! Only thing is if Burg loses do they make the playoffs...? Pretty good team to not make it I think? I say a West win/loss still makes it in. Also, IMO Burg is probably the most dangerous #8 seed in the State at this point!

[NY BUCKS]

if burgh loses i think they are out.

[Curious George]

If Burg loses, they will need some help or else they will be out.

I don't expect Burg to lose. I think Burg will run like crazy and break open a relatively close game late, to win by multiple scores.

Good luck to both teams. BOTH of these teams are VERY TALENTED!!!

[Westfan]

I kinda like this underdog role.

Just 4 weeks ago, Burg was getting ready to play Minford at home and most burg fans weren't giving them a chance. Since then they've played great.

At the same time alot of people were saying West was the best team in southern ohio. Now we've sustained a major injury, a close loss, and few give us a chance.

West will have to play a near perfect game to win. But it's football and you just never know how the ball bounces.

[Blackjack]

The Burg shows their program is one of the best in southern ohio. Burg wins by 3 TD's.

[pbuck]

Burg in a close IMO there on a roll

[WE ARE ND]

This one is all about who wants it more.. gonna be a close one!!!

[pirates09]

I see the BURG winning this one by 3 TD's yea both teams are good but the BURG is on a big roll right now and the 18 seniors are hungry for an outright SOC title... i look for it to be close until half-time and the the BURG coming out after the break and running away with the game...WE ARE THE BURG

Burg---42
West---14

[Bleeding Red]

I would love to see West win this one, as that would open up another slot for Minford in the top 8 in region 19.

But I hate to say that Burg is going to be too tough and will run the ball at will. West will have to put 8-9 in the box and hope to contain Shankweiler and make other players beat them. Maybe force Burg to throw the ball.

But stopping Shankweiler is easier said than done.

[HONESTABE]

burg by 40 west is done

[Burg_Grad_77]

I would love to see West win this one, as that would open up another slot for Minford in the top 8 in region 19.

But I hate to say that Burg is going to be too tough and will run the ball at will. West will have to put 8-9 in the box and hope to contain Shankweiler and make other players beat them. Maybe force Burg to throw the ball.

But stopping Shankweiler is easier said than done.

Valley had that many in the box quite often and you see what he did to them, 335 yards on 32 carries. If you put that many in the box and don't stop him within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage, if he gets past that initial line he is gone to the house. I have watched West twice on TheZone and I don't think they can contain the Burgs rushing attack. West will move the ball through the air and score a couple TD's, but the Burg will keep the rushing attack in check and win this one by at least 14 points.

[Westfan]

West has a good rush defense. It isn't as good without a D1 linebacker, but he didn't do it all by himself. In 9 weeks and 2 scrimmages only 1 player rushed the ball to the point that he hurt us and that was Yates when we lost contain out of the spread look. Most of that was before they made the change of Bricker up to linebacker. He isn't Trevon, but he's a fine athlete with a nose for the ball that will hit you.

A few things that give me hope about this game is West is good against the run and so so against the pass. Pass defense probably won't be an issue since Burg rarely throws the ball and probably doesn't think they need to. We have 2 good corners who love to tackle. That should help contain him on the outside. Both corners are also used to man to man coverage so West can free both safeties to stopping the run without changing what they do. Triplett is a fine defensive coach, especially against run teams. He may not stop them, but he can slow them down, and I'm sure their going to be focused on not letting 1 guy beat them. I wouldn't be surprised if they institute the same strategy that Burg has in the past by spying the best back and hitting him every play whether he is involved in the play or not.

Burg is strong against the run, but can be run on. They are weak against the pass. West will run the ball well. How well is yet to be determined, but no team has stopped them yet. West can throw the ball. This is the best passing team we've had in several years. If we can protect Levi, I think we can do some damage there.

All in all. Wheelersburg is good, very good. West is good, just not as dangerous as we were a couple weeks ago. But they proved against Minford and Valley that they weren't just a 1 man team and will compete.

[West_Sider]

Its my opinion that save Ironton, West will be the best run defense that Wheelersburg has seen all year. West defenders will come out like their hair is on fire from the begining.Thats just a given. But, can they maintain that intensity the entire game (and there have been past Burg games that they could not) that will be key to limiting Shank..
because you cant stop him from getting his yards. Let me give you an example. When I was a senior Wheelersburg was a big favorite in the game. They had excellent players.. Eaton, Pyles, Mac, ect. They should have owned us. We held them to 14 points in the first half. And trust me, when I say held to 14, those boys very good and that was how good they were. We played with so much intensity that by half time we were flat out wore out. I started over 30 games while at West and that was as tired as I ever was at the half, moreso than any game in which I played 4 quarters of football. The second half was a different story. What I learned from that was that you have to play with intensity, but you cant fire all your bullets at one time. There is such a thing as being too fired up, and wasting energy. Too many times I believe this happens to West in the Burg game. You must play with controled rage. If these boys do that, they will be in the game 4 quarters with a chance to win at the end.


West has been good at protecting the ball all year even in a loss to Valley. So protecting the ball and forcing the Burg into some turnovers will also be key for West. And I believe that Ratliff must be allowed to throw the ball about 15 times. He has a fine arm and is accurate along with being poised and setting his feet off playaction. He can be a difference maker in this game and will have to be.

I look forward to seeing a hard hitting, hard fought contest in which the team that commits the least mistakes and executes best is the victor.

[West_Sider]

West has a good rush defense. It isn't as good without a D1 linebacker, but he didn't do it all by himself. In 9 weeks and 2 scrimmages only 1 player rushed the ball to the point that he hurt us and that was Yates when we lost contain out of the spread look. Most of that was before they made the change of Bricker up to linebacker. He isn't Trevon, but he's a fine athlete with a nose for the ball that will hit you.

A few things that give me hope about this game is West is good against the run and so so against the pass. Pass defense probably won't be an issue since Burg rarely throws the ball and probably doesn't think they need to. We have 2 good corners who love to tackle. That should help contain him on the outside. Both corners are also used to man to man coverage so West can free both safeties to stopping the run without changing what they do. Triplett is a fine defensive coach, especially against run teams. He may not stop them, but he can slow them down, and I'm sure their going to be focused on not letting 1 guy beat them. I wouldn't be surprised if they institute the same strategy that Burg has in the past by spying the best back and hitting him every play whether he is involved in the play or not.

Burg is strong against the run, but can be run on. They are weak against the pass. West will run the ball well. How well is yet to be determined, but no team has stopped them yet. West can throw the ball. This is the best passing team we've had in several years. If we can protect Levi, I think we can do some damage there.

All in all. Wheelersburg is good, very good. West is good, just not as dangerous as we were a couple weeks ago. But they proved against Minford and Valley that they weren't just a 1 man team and will compete.

Nice post.. Couldnt have put it better myself.