SEOAL 09-10 Scores and Standings

[3morethan2]

basketball is getting closer with week 5 already here.....who are the early favorites to win this year

[trojandave]

I think that the SEOAL will be the most balanced it has been since the expansion 4 years ago.......with that said, I am pegging Chillicothe and Logan to battle for the top spot........the Cavaliers will be led by Malik London, Michael Turner, and Jalen Ragland, while the Chieftains have Patrick Angle, Mason Mays, Jordan Rutter, and Keith Deitz back.

The Jackson Ironmen could surprise because they have 4 starters back, including Morgan Dobbins, while Warren has a number of kids back as well, including junior Grant Venham.......both teams will win their share of games in the league.

Ironton lost 4 starters, but have Tim Kochendorfer, Malcolm Morton, Tommy Waginger, and JP Taylor back, so they should be respectable once again. Gallia Academy should be improved with the return of a couple of starters and the promotion of one of the SEOAL's best JV squads last year..........Marietta lost quite a bit, but I think Zack Arnold returns as one of the better post players in the league. MHS will be competitive again.

As for my Portsmouth Trojans, a new coach and quite a few new faces will make up the varsity roster. From what I saw this summer at the Athens/OU shootout, I liked what I saw.........and this is after losing 4 of the 5 starters who played in the sectional vs. North Adams. Not making any predictions for PHS........but I can say with confidence that Portsmouth will have a different look and attitude under Coach Eugene Collins......

For the Trojans to get any credibility in the league they have to post wins.......a 3-10 record from last year's trip through the SEOAL didn't raise any eyebrows........

The SEOAL champion may have as many as 4 league losses, and with the Day of Champions gone (thank goodness), the double round robin will be difficult for any team to negotiate through it without some bumps in the road.

[trojandave]

Logangrad: Thanks for the correction.

[On the sidelines]

Go Ironmen !!! I would love to see these kids have a winning season. They definitley deserve it.

[Portsmouth98]

I'd like to see Portsmouth be at least .500 in the league. They proved last year that competing in the seoal is good preparation for the d3 tourney.

[Crazy Legs]

I agree it will be well balanced then in the past. Watch out for Jackson and Ironton I think will sneak up on a few people this winter.

Logan
Chilly
Jackson/Ironton
Gallia
Portsmouth
Warren

[hardrock21]

You predict Warren to finish last in the SEOAL? Noreply has them at 2nd in the entire area let alone the SEOAL..lol.

[gymrat]

1. Chilli
2. Marietta
3. Warren
4. Logan
5. Ironton

Chilli has to be the favorite but definately is not a given. Any of the top 5 are capable IMO. Chilli at 1. 2-5 are VERY close IMO. Ironton could be 2 and Marietta could be 5 for example. Logan is talented but I need to see them do something before I'll pick them. Same with Marietta. Warren and Ironton may be less talented but have been there as programs and have been more successful lately.

6. Portsmouth
7. Jackson
8. Gallia

Portsmouth could be able to sneak into the top 5 and Jackson should be improved this year but I don't see a bunch more wins in the league.

The statement about this being the most balanced the league has been since the additions is 100 percent correct.

[noreply66]

You predict Warren to finish last in the SEOAL? Noreply has them at 2nd in the entire area let alone the SEOAL..lol.

I don't remember saying that????
but I could have

[gymrat]

1. Chilli
2. Marietta
3. Warren
4. Logan
5. Ironton

Chilli has to be the favorite but definately is not a given. Any of the top 5 are capable IMO. Chilli at 1. 2-5 are VERY close IMO. Ironton could be 2 and Marietta could be 5 for example. Logan is talented but I need to see them do something before I'll pick them. Same with Marietta. Warren and Ironton may be less talented but have been there as programs and have been more successful lately.

6. Portsmouth
7. Jackson
8. Gallia

Portsmouth could be able to sneak into the top 5 and Jackson should be improved this year but I don't see a bunch more wins in the league.

The statement about this being the most balanced the league has been since the additions is 100 percent correct.

Hmm.. I had to read this a few times to try and make sense of it. So based on your "prediction", Logan has more talent than say a Warren or an Ironton, but because you havent seen them do anything, youre picking them 5th because youre basing this on what the other teams did in the past?? Based on that, hypothetically, lets say Warren has to start 4 sophomores with no varsity experience, but Logan has 4 returning All League players who are Seniors, you think that they would be ranked ahead of Logan because last year Warren went 17-3 but even though they have no returning players with any experience, they should be ranked ahead of Logannwho has a better nucleus of players back, just becuase they havent performed in your eyes in the past?? Your prediciton makes no sense. I award you no points, and , may god have mercy on your soul.

Whoa. Wasn't trying to insult or degrade Logan at all. I was just stating that it is hard to pick a team that hasn't "Been there". For instance, if Logan were playing a slightly more talented team in football but it was this team's first year with a lot of real talent. I would probably pick Logan because of the experience factor. I don't see a large difference in skill between any of the 2-5 teams, so I will go with the programs that have the experience, proven system, coaching experience, etc. untill proven wrong, which is inevitable at some point. Ironton has been to a final four recently and has a coach and a program that "Expect to win". Warren hasn't been in any final fours but is a highly respected program around SEO. That's all I was tryin to say. Out of that group, Logan is probably the most talented, but the least experienced as a program and as players when it comes to turning talent into victories. Logan and Portsmouth were both very talented last year and weren't anything special. Logan has POTENTIAL to challenge for the league, but I have trouble picking them untill I see talent translate to wins. It reminds me of Chillicothe P.K.(pre-kellough) a little.

Besides, they are just my opinions and predictions, without having seen any teams as they will look this season. I guarantee I will be wrong in my prediction about AT LEAST 1 team. I though Marietta and Chilli would be respectable in football this year for instance.

[3morethan2]

i agree with you gymrat last year logan had the talent and potential to win the league but couldnt turn it into wins and ended up finishing 5th or 6th in the league...now i think this year will be the most balanced since its changed to round robin but it just depends on how the games are there is gonna be no gimmes tthis year

[gymrat]

I wasn't aware of any tranfers. What is his name and what school did he play for last year?

[3morethan2]

the transfer's name is tj congrove and logan grad is right he is a good point guard and I think he went to columbus east but im not 100% sure but i played basketball with him almost every day during the summer and he will be a valuable asset to the team this year and it will take alot of pressure off of angle with him not having to have the ball in his hands all the time....he moved down here during the summer also thats why some people havent heard of him

[gymrat]

If he went to East then I've seen him play before. I saw them last year and while their record wasn't great, they had some pretty decent players. I can't think of any of the names, so I can't think of which one he is but I've at least seen him.

[pfloyd]

... gymrat - I agree with your breakdown of the SEOAL for the upcoming campaign ... Chillicothe has been to the show, played in the one and done games, has a coach in Coach Kellough who knows how important the defensive end of the floor is to getting a "W" - the BIG man in the middle for the Cavs Malik London, Michael Turner, Jalen Ragland and a couple of Beverly's to choose from as well ... my concern for the Cavs is outside scoring, London CAN get it done around the rim but I didn't see a floor game that makes him a control the game at both ends kind of player ... CHS will need to show me an outside threat to go with London down low ... Warren? my money is on the Warriors of Coach Maddox to be at the top of the heap when the dust settles after round robin play this season ... as Gymrat pointed out Coach Maddox has built a "program" that reloads from year to year ... Brandon Fivecoait, Grant Venham, Austin Cunningham, Clay Ellenwood, Justin Heverding, Andrew Lang, Seth Harris will head the list of returnees ... the rep that all Maddox squads bring to the table is team strength - I don't see that changing this season - physical defensively, physical on the boards both offensively and defensively ... with the troops that Coach Maddox returns the Warriors will again live up to their MO of pressure D that scores in spurts off the Defense ... we will watch closely to see IF the Blue and White can overcome the "offensive" dry spells that have plagued them the last couple of years in the big games ... Ironton? the Tigers could be the BIG surprise team in the SEOAL this season ... Coach LaFon has hung his hat on defense, team speed over the years ... another proven coach with a solid track record ... outside scoring will not be an issue for the Orange and Black this season led by Tommy Waginger ... returning from last season we will see Tim Kochendoerfer, Malcolm Morton, Erin Edens, Robbie Webb, Travis Elliott et. al. - Tigers will again come at opponents in "waves" - defense, speed/quicks, balanced scoring from the D and the outside threat of Waginger ... we won't count the Tigers out ... Logan ? the question mark is appropriate for the Purple which puts me in the Gymrat corner with the Chiefs ... LHS once again will bring as good of all around talent as any team in the league BUT question marks remain ... will the nucleus of Angle, Rutter, Mays, Dietz be intact for the season ... don't have a clue who lg's "McDaniel" is (Zach McDaniel? he doesn't play bb) ... the jv's from last season will add some much needed inside strength - Derek Montgomery/Jared Rutter along with outside shooting with Clinton Schrader ... lots of "tweener sized " perimeter people in Jordan Jurgensmier, Kenneth Buckler, Ryan Cassady, Trent McCort ... maybe the biggest question marks will come from the coaching side with the addition of ex-headcoaches from Athens and Trimble (McNeal/Koons) to the staff ... What do these coaches bring to the mix? havoc ball defense ? ... would be nice to see the Purple live up to the talent potential but as gymrat has pointed out the proof will be in what happens on the court ... so far "potential" hasn't put up "Ws" ... the Purple will have to play the "show me the money" game ... past performance brings too many questions to put them at the top of the picks list ... the best of the rest I look for Jackson, Gallia Academy will be improved while Portsmouth and Marietta will need to make a believer out of me ...