D III R12 Qtrs: #7 Jackson (10-0) at #2 Athens (10-0)

[IronmenTradition]

Start your own thread if you want to talk about these past games. I am tired of reading about 1990,2000's... none of that matters, none of us care about your glory days, let's talk about this game and these 2 teams that are playing friday. Both of these teams would beat the 1990 team by at least 21 points anyways. No one cares about it.

This is definitely the match up all of us were wanting. Local game between two teams with amazing talent. It's pretty neat that two or Gridiron Glory POY candidates are playing each other in the playoffs. I was at the scrimmage this summer and things did get heated up between the two teams. They were obviously the best teams there and it got very competitive which is a good thing. I think this is going to be an Austin Osborne and Sharp show. Both teams are going to have trouble handling that speed. If one of them breaks away, they are the only ones that can catch each other probably lol

One thing that makes me a little nervous is Athens passing seems very good. I trust our defense though, but they have to find a way to keep the big play to a minimum. Jackson needs to eat the clock, keep Sharp off of the field and play the same way they have been all season. Athens also has a very solid defense, one of the best if not the best Jackson has seen all year. One thing to Jackson's advantage, Athens has not played a team with nearly the caliber of defense that Jackson has. People like to talk about there offensive weapons but are forgetting how ferocious this defense really is. I look for them to physically beat Athens offense down over the course of the game, especially if Sharp isn't 100%. They will have to play there best offensive game of the year to score more than 21 in this game.

[bdubya]

Start your own thread if you want to talk about these past games. I am tired of reading about 1990,2000's... none of that matters, none of us care about your glory days, let's talk about this game and these 2 teams that are playing friday.

TRADITION comes from history.

It may not matter Friday night, but this game means so much more to a lot of people because of things like 1990 and the 2000s.

[Keyser_sozeThrice]

Excellent point bdubya!

BTW, I got your voicemail last night, and we're all good on this end.

[TRENCHFOOT]

GO BIG DOGS!!! COME UNLEASHED BITEN FAST AND HARD!!! GO GET-UM-DOGS!!!

[Ironman92]

Oh I know bdubya ... After the 1990 gig - Jackson was, lets say a little ticked off at us, and really brought the hammer down with a 50-12 thumping in 1991 ... lol ... Fullback Kevin Whetstone did most of the damage with 164 yards and 6 TD's ... I think I still have a knott on my head from trying to tackle that guy.

In 1992, another fullback LARRY RAFFERTY did the same thing to us.

His son may be the varsity QB next year.

Jackson definitely had the bruisers during the Blackstone years.

[rut151]

Great matchup. Hate that I can't see this one too. Go get um Bulldogs.

Athens wins this one in a close one!

[camnott]

Good to see the respect from the fans on this thread that both teams earned this year. Watched the game film from this friday and it's a wander more Ironmen didn't get hurt. Alot of late hits and hits in the back.
I think this game will be intense but not cheap and that it will be the toughest game each team has played all year.
I wander if Athens could bus people in from a remote parking area like Eaton did for the playoffs last year? Hope so.
Win , lose, or draw it has been an exciting year that will go down in Ironmen and I'm sure Bulldog history.
Here's to an injury free game!
Go Ironmen!!!

[moonshine]

Early week perdiction:

Jackson 35
Athens 21

[rut151]

Take it to um Bulldogs!

[nybucksgrad06]

Good Luck Bulldogs from this buckeye fan!!!!

GOOO TVC!!!!

[1987chieftains]

JACKSON

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

good luck to coach andy and the jackson ironmen seoal champions and undefeated.

[buckfan84]

Dang, 5 pages already. Looks like this thread will fill up soon.

Good Luck BULLDOGS!!!

[camnott]

Tiger Bait thanks and good luck to your Tigers as well!

[WitnessProtection]

Jackson's opponents in 2011 had a combined record of 37-63.
Athens' opponents in 2011 had a combined record of 52-48.
QUESTION: WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN????????
ANSWER: NOTHING.
That's why they play the games!!!
Hopefully, this will be a great football game. It'd be a shame to have this one end in a blowout either way.
Great showcase for SEO football!
Good luck to both sides!

[93Bulldog]

Start your own thread if you want to talk about these past games. I am tired of reading about 1990,2000's... none of that matters, none of us care about your glory days, let's talk about this game and these 2 teams that are playing friday. Both of these teams would beat the 1990 team by at least 21 points anyways. No one cares about it.

Relax there chief ... Its early in the week - this game will get broke down in every-way-shape-or-form as it gets closer to Friday. Its been awhile since Athens & Jackson have played a meaningful game - and when you throw in our rivalry days from jjhuddle (posters) - we just need to get some 'meaningless' jawing out of the way before the game gets concentrated on.

With that being said - it definitly concerns me that Devon Sharp's touches are slowly disinegrating throughout the second half of the season ... I'm doing the final TVC-Ohio leaderboard and Dustin Young of Nelsonville-York carried the ball 108 times over the last 5 games ... Sharp only recieved 77 carries? As opposed to leaning on your workhorse down the stretch - we seem to be abandon our run-game for some odd reason. Maybe there is a reason that I am not aware of. But seeing Young pound away at us Friday and watching NY almost come back to beat us because of it - made me think - why are we not trying to do the same with a 21-point lead and a talented tail-back in Sharp?

[WitnessProtection]

93 is referencing the 1990 game that ESPN (Scholastic Sports America) came to for a story on Athens QB Bubba Lichtenberg. Jackson got hosed to make for a good story, although it was awesome watching John Lehew chase after the officials following the game. Athens ended up going to the playoffs that season, while Jackson just missed out.

In covering Gallipolis this season, I have seen both teams beat the Blue Devils. Sorry 93, but Jackson (my alma mater) is getting ready to bully the Bulldogs.

And if karma is what you say it is, then you should be very careful. SG-Wahama Wk 8 thread if you have any questions.

[WitnessProtection]

2003 was pure luck! We should have never tried to throw the ball 4 straight times inside the Jackson 10-yard line ... We had a great tail-back and did't even go to him.

Ah! Luck raises its ugly head again! You're not from Trimble, are you?

[stoleit_2711]

After seeing Athens play last week, I definitely have to go with Jackson in this game.

[IronmenTradition]

I know this. I'm just saying let's not get too off track here and talk about these past games. The last time Jackson played Athens the Ironmen won 69-14 two years straight, but that has nothing to do with how this game will be played. Athens has turned there program around and I am glad they have. People from the SEOAL like to talk trash and complain, but look what it has done for the Athens program? Obviously it was a good decision. The SEOAL wasn't exactly a power house league this year. Jackson is pretty much the only good team in the SEOAL this year other than Gallia Academy. Warren was decent too. The only difference is that the bad teams in the SEOAL are better than some of the average teams in the TVC, for example I think Logan was down this year, but could still hang with Alexander. That being said I believe Athens and Nelsonville would have been in the top 3 with Jackson.