Battle of the Bulldogs — Athens (2-0) Vs Bloom-Carroll (1-1)

[93Bulldog]

It's a bit early for a week 3 thread; but what the heck ... anytime two Bulldogs square off, its always fun to talk about it.

Bloom-Carroll played a tough Liberty Union team close in week 1, and mauled the Vinton County Vikings in week 2.

Athens has come out of the gate running and is 2-0 for the first time since 2003

The game was a good one last year at Bloom-Carroll, with the (purple/yellow) Bulldogs chalking up the win ... Friday at Rutter Field on the Plains, the (green-and-gold) Bulldogs will look to enact some revenge and will hopefully keep a perfect season in tact.

[mattash]

Hopefully can start of 3-0. When was the last time that happened?

[questionmark]

Mattash- I was a member of the last squad

The 2003 Athens Bulldogs (7-3) started the season (5-0) ...

-Schedule That Year Was-
@ Nelsonville-York (W) (35-6)
vs. Meigs (W) (41-0)
@ Alexander (W)(40-6)
@ Marietta (W)(49-19)
vs. Warren (W)(48-0)
@Jackson (L)(36-39)
@Portsmouth (W)(35-16)
vs. Logan (L)(30-34)
vs. Gallia (L)(14-26)
vs. Point Pleasant (W)(35-20)

Some Key Players on that team were :
Grant Gregory (Indiana, South Florida, Kansas State) *Still Playing at KU currently Back-Up QB (His Final Year)
Chris Hewitt (Ohio University) *Decided to leave OU Football to Coach and Focus on studies.
Pete Kerber (Ohio Dominican) *Decided to leave OD Football to focus on studies.
Ryan Mingus (VMI) *Was on the team for 3 years.

If you not heard about this squad, you should try to find someone with some video of them. Very fun squad to watch, Just Ask 'Ol 93 there.

[93Bulldog]

what are ya tryin to say there questionmark? Just because I posted over 15,000 times on jjhuddle over a two year span - that doesn't mean I know everything and can fill people in on the 2002, 2003 Bulldogs ...

[A-Town Big Dog]

That team was awesome to watch. The Jackson game that year was the best high school football game I've ever seen (even though we lost ), Jared Humpries and Grant Gregory back and forth all night. That being said I'll go with the AHS Bulldogs in a close one. 27-21

[FANOSPORTS]

Bloom-Carroll usually finishes middle of the pack or lower in the MSL Buckeye in football with some tough competition in and out of conference from the central Ohio area. IMO, Athens wins this game 28-14 at home and goes to 3-0.

[4 HORSEMEN]

I called that game on the radio and it was absolutely incredible!!!

The two teams combined for over 1,000 yds total offense in one game and both QBs were incredible. Gregory threw for over 400 yds, and Humphries countered with over 200 yds rushing and 200 yds passing.

Jackson made a great goal line stand late in the game and then a freshman kicker won it with a FG.

It was a ton of fun to watch!!!

[strokn7]

Last year's game was pretty lop-sided until it started raining and Athens big boys started to have some success. I look for this to be a very good one. Whoever wins this will take alot of momentum into week 4 to start league play.

I heard the Athens lines are very big and that they have a fast runningback. Sounds like they are also playing some great D through 2 weeks.

BC will bring a pretty diverse attack with a QB that can sling it decently but can also run (although hasn't used that ability much through 2 weeks). The O and D lines for the Bulldogs are all back and definately better than last year. BC also has a great kicker who put it into the endzone I think everytime last week which is huge in high school football. BC's biggest offensive weapon is a Junior RB that has a great combination of size, speed, and quickness. I look for the Bulldogs to open that offensive playbook much more this week before heading into league play.

Sounds like both programs are heading in the right direction and it should be a good football game! Pretty excited to make the trip to Athens.

[Orange and Brown]

Last year's game was pretty lop-sided until it started raining and Athens big boys started to have some success. I look for this to be a very good one. Whoever wins this will take alot of momentum into week 4 to start league play.

I heard the Athens lines are very big and that they have a fast runningback. Sounds like they are also playing some great D through 2 weeks.

BC will bring a pretty diverse attack with a QB that can sling it decently but can also run (although hasn't used that ability much through 2 weeks). The O and D lines for the Bulldogs are all back and definately better than last year. BC also has a great kicker who put it into the endzone I think everytime last week which is huge in high school football. BC's biggest offensive weapon is a Junior RB that has a great combination of size, speed, and quickness. I look for the Bulldogs to open that offensive playbook much more this week before heading into league play.

Sounds like both programs are heading in the right direction and it should be a good football game! Pretty excited to make the trip to Athens.

You better hope it doesn't rain for this one, because Rutter field is a mess when it rains!!!

[93Bulldog]

RUTTER FIELD .. BAD CONDITIONS ... MESSY ... WHA ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT O & B? THE PLAINS FIELD IS FAR AND AWAY THE NEST IN THE COUNTY ...

This 'BATTLE OF THE 'DOGS' has me a bit worried .. if Bloom-Carroll has all its linemen back and a fast/talenetd tail-back, this game could go right down to the wire ... Arrghhh ... I was kinda enjoying the three-touchdown leads heading into the final quarters of the first two games ... I am confident that our defense will step up and at least "match" Bloom-Carroll for the most part ... if it comes down to quarterback play, I will be a little bit less nervous. Trey has been super consistent this far and has surpassed my expectations (but in a differnet way) I didn't think he would be this good of a leader and this consistent taking care of the football ... He's 21-for-31 for 251-yards and has thrown four TD's with no interceptions - and that's after playing only 6 quarters of football ... Thats impressive for a junior, not so much the yards, but all the other intangibles are there and hopefully he puts together another good one Friday!

[bman]

Go with Carroll and the MSL.

[pbuck]

Athens will be 3-0 after this one

[Spartan]

The Athens defensive line play has been stellar, but the offensive line is going to have to get better. Our running game has to get better and that starts up front, either that or we are going to have to use the very consistent passing game to set up the run. Good luck Athens.......

[93Bulldog]

Athens: Devon Sharp 7-77 Yrds ... maybe just get this kid the ball more and perhaps the ground game may improve.

Weaver 13-88 Yrds 2 TD ... that's close to 7 yards per carry.

Maybe its because Athens runs such a blanced offense and gives multiple players carries that the run game doesn't appear to be a strong suit ... Believe it or not, the Bulldogs have actually ran the ball 77 times (second most amongst TVC-Ohio teams) ... but their yrds-per-carry doesn't even come close to Nelsonville-York or Alexander ... which could be what Spartan was eluding too.

It will get better, if you want to be a good passing team - your run game will suffer somewhat ... so I guess we'll take the good with the bad ... and thus far its all been pretty good ... DEFENSE, OFFENSE, SPECIAL TEAMS ...

[TroopSports]

This game can be heard on Power 105.5-FM and 970 WATH-AM around southeast Ohio.

Brian Boesch and Mark Hunter will have the radio call, beginning at 7:15.

You can listen online for free by clicking the link below:

mms://132.235.236.177/WXTQ


Thanks!

[mr.dude2010]

both teams are really fairly similar... if athens manages to pull this one out it's a big win, and i think they can. bulldogs (athens) beat the other bulldogs 21-14 in a close one

[ace63]

This might be athens hardest game. Have to bring there A game and no turnovers to win.

[moonshine]

Do not get your hopes up A town, your program was so far down it will take years to recover! Look for a B C win!

[93Bulldog]

I SPOKE WITH A VINITON COUNTY SUPPORTER YESTERDAY AND FROM WHAT I GOT OUT OF THE CONVERSATION IS THAT BLOOM-CARROLL IS A PRETTY DARN GOOD FOOTBALL TEAM ... THEIR TEAM SOUNDS PRETTY SIMILAR TO ATHENS - BUT - THEIR JUNIOR TAILBACK HE SAID IS ABOUT 6'2 220 (BIG BACKS GAVE ATHENS PROBLEMS LAST YEAR; THE PHYSICALITY OF WELLSTON AND ITS BACKS PRETTY MUCH DID THE 'DOGS IN WHEN THEY MET IN 2008.)

BUT THIS TEAM FOR ATHENS SEEMS TO BE A DIFFERENT KIND OF GROUP THAN WHAT PAST BULLDOG TEAMS RESEMBLED ... THEIR ACTUALLY PRETTY PHYSICAL AND HAVE STRENGTH AND SIZE UP FRONT ... MAYBE THEY CAN ACTUALLY STAND TOE-TO-TOE WITH A BIGGER/MORE PHYSICAL TEAM ...

ALSO FOR BLOOM-CARROLL - HE SAID HAS AN INCREDIBLE KICKING GAME - AN ASPECT WAAAAAY OVERLOOKED IN HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL (CAUSE NOBODY HAS ONE USUALLY) BUT I GUESS HE CAN KICKOFF THE BALL AND PUT IT 6-8 YDS DEEP IN THE ENDZONE. THAT'S HUGE BECAUSE IN HIGH SCHOOL THAT IS AN "AUTOMATIC" TOUCHBACK! THAT WILL TAKE THE RETURN ABILITY OF DIXON & SHARP COMPLETELY OUT OF THE GAME. ALSO, HE PUNTED THE BALL ON AVERAGE ABOUT 43 YDS PER PUNT ... THAT CAN KILL A TEAM IF THEY ARE CONSISTENTLY LOSING FIELD POSITION.

BASICALLY ... IF THE PURPLE BULLDOGS CAN HOLD THE ATHENS OFFENSE, THEY CAN USE THEIR BIG BACK AND JUST PLAY THE FIELD POSITION GAME ALL NIGHT LONG ... IM AFRAID IF ATHENS DOESN'T COME READY TO PLAY THEIR BEST FOOTBALL GAME OF THE YEAR - THEY LOSE SOMETHING LIKE 16-7 ... (THAT'S 3 FG'S AND ONE TD FOR BLOOM-CARROLL)

BUT LETS HOPE ATHENS SHOWS UP FIRED UP AND READY TO PLAY A HARD NOSED FOOTBALL GAME!

[boilermaker]

I am betting the Bulldogs win!



Good Luck Athens , Go TVC Ohio