Week 5 Ironton @ Gallipolis

[Westfan]

Starting to sound like Ironton is in a pickle after going independent. Most schools have league play weeks 6 through 10. Ironton went independent because of travel expenses, but they may have to go farther away to get games this way. Their home gates will be hurt big time by the distance of travel. It will probably save them money in other sports.

Ironton may have alot more success getting games in Ky as a loss has very little impact on the postseason. In Ohio with the Harbin Points system, teams are leary of scheduling a game that your gonna loose most of the time and get beat up. Just the way it is.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

geesh, can we talk about the ball game already folks, anybody has the blue devil roster.

[superblue]

"You might want to look at our schedule before you make such a comment. Licking Heights & Wellston could have easily been losses this year and 2 years ago we were 2-8 with no sure wins. Fairland may not be the strongest team in the area but hardly a sure win for GAHS. Now the I-town situation.. The last 31 times we have played, 27 losses & 4 wins… Most years the game is not competitive & the last 3 years we have scored a game high of 7 points. Why would any team want a game like this? If we were actually scared of I-town we would have dropped them 4 years ago or sooner. I am not convinced about the huge gate we will loose. From what I have witnessed GAHS brings more fans to I-town than they bring to us… Just check out the stands this week and form you own opinion."

That was my original post.... Never said a thing about GAHS being on the same level as I-town.... Some posters imply that we are afraid to play I-town.... That's far from the truth... And lets not forget the last time I-town played for a state title, GAHS many wins that year was the only reason you qualified at the #8 spot in the play-offs!!!! GAHS dropping I-town will hurt I-town more than us....IMO...... There are good points on both sides of this issue... Fact is that someone from GAHS decided it was time to break tradition and not renew our contract with I-town... Many GAHS fans applaud this decision & some do not.... And Blue/Grey, where do you come up with all those idiotic statements??? Sorry Tiger Bait, Can't help you with the roster.... That's more in Jottings area..

[camnott]

geesh, can we talk about the ball game already folks, anybody has the blue devil roster.

Hey tiger bait , we'll be down week 6 any suggestions on wings and a cold one?

[superblue]

Oh yea, the game.... Both teams come in at 3-1... GAHS showed improvements on the offensive side of the ball last week and need to mix up the play calling. The defense has been solid so far but this will be our biggest test to date. I-town needs to hold on to the ball and establish their ground game. Defensively they gave up a few points to Ashland but this may be misleading because of all the TO's... Ironton really needs to get on track because their next 2 games could make or break their play-off chances.... Could be a mud bowl this friday, lots of rain forecast.. Not sure who would benefit on a sloppy field????

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

geesh, can we talk about the ball game already folks, anybody has the blue devil roster.

Hey tiger bait , we'll be down week 6 any suggestions on wings and a cold one?

-we have a bduds here in ironton. on the beginning of route 93. we also have an amazing rest. called melini's. better yet i'll message you my number.

[GAHS83]

YTB, you can find the GA roster in the preview thread that Jottings posted earlier in the season. You might have to search for it, but it is there.

I don't quite know what to think about the game. I've only lived down here a couple of years, so I'm not as intimately familiar with the history as many people. I think that GAHS should be very comparable from an athletic standpoint. However, I thought that last year as well and it turned out ugly. Ironton just plays with an intensity and precision that most teams in this area can't match. The problem is that GA only faces that kind of opponent once or twice a year and for the other 7 or 8 weeks, our "regular" effort is enough to win. On almost any given year playing Ironton, it comes down to whether or not the Blue Devils can find that extra level of intesity needed to compete against an opponent that plays that way every week. Honestly, many/most of our kids don't comprehend the amount of effort that it takes to play at that level every week. They think they're already giving their maximum when there are levels of effort they don't even understand exist.

Last year, we had a few kids that competed well, but as a team, we just didn't and we lost badly. Most years, it seems as if this is the case. However, once in awhile you'll have a team that can match the intensity level and it turns out to be a great game. Can we be that kind of team? Can we find levels of intensity and effort that we didn't know existed before? If so, we can win. If not, we won't. Unfortunately, we're not going to know that until the game starts Friday. If I were the Gallipolis coaching staff, I would be preaching about matching the intensity of the Tigers all week.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

YTB, you can find the GA roster in the preview thread that Jottings posted earlier in the season. You might have to search for it, but it is there.

I don't quite know what to think about the game. I've only lived down here a couple of years, so I'm not as intimately familiar with the history as many people. I think that GAHS should be very comparable from an athletic standpoint. However, I thought that last year as well and it turned out ugly. Ironton just plays with an intensity and precision that most teams in this area can't match. The problem is that GA only faces that kind of opponent once or twice a year and for the other 7 or 8 weeks, our "regular" effort is enough to win. On almost any given year playing Ironton, it comes down to whether or not the Blue Devils can find that extra level of intesity needed to compete against an opponent that plays that way every week. Honestly, many/most of our kids don't comprehend the amount of effort that it takes to play at that level every week. They think they're already giving their maximum when there are levels of effort they don't even understand exist.

Last year, we had a few kids that competed well, but as a team, we just didn't and we lost badly. Most years, it seems as if this is the case. However, once in awhile you'll have a team that can match the intensity level and it turns out to be a great game. Can we be that kind of team? Can we find levels of intensity and effort that we didn't know existed before? If so, we can win. If not, we won't. Unfortunately, we're not going to know that until the game starts Friday. If I were the Gallipolis coaching staff, I would be preaching about matching the intensity of the Tigers all week.

-----------it sounds as if you have a great handle and perspective on things. hopefully it will be a great game. and this is no knock on any program, only a praise for ironton's. they try to schedule powerhouses every week. irregardless of what nonsense someone may post about that. everybody has the fighting tigers circled on their schedule, i don't care how you are ranked, or what division. they wanna beat us. pick up any program at a state game, look at any material about playoffs, ironton will be in there nearly every year since bob lutz took over. so we are the centerpiece, of the ring usually when somebody does beat us. it's the fan's that act up. not the organization, or the players.and i'm ashamed to say i have been one of them in the past when my boys played, but thats not me , or who i am.

[philthyphil]

Oh yea, the game.... Both teams come in at 3-1... GAHS showed improvements on the offensive side of the ball last week and need to mix up the play calling. The defense has been solid so far but this will be our biggest test to date. I-town needs to hold on to the ball and establish their ground game. Defensively they gave up a few points to Ashland but this may be misleading because of all the TO's... Ironton really needs to get on track because their next 2 games could make or break their play-off chances.... Could be a mud bowl this friday, lots of rain forecast.. Not sure who would benefit on a sloppy field????

Does this mean the game is at the old place? I was told the new stadium was finished.

[superblue]

Oh yea, the game.... Both teams come in at 3-1... GAHS showed improvements on the offensive side of the ball last week and need to mix up the play calling. The defense has been solid so far but this will be our biggest test to date. I-town needs to hold on to the ball and establish their ground game. Defensively they gave up a few points to Ashland but this may be misleading because of all the TO's... Ironton really needs to get on track because their next 2 games could make or break their play-off chances.... Could be a mud bowl this friday, lots of rain forecast.. Not sure who would benefit on a sloppy field????

Does this mean the game is at the old place? I was told the new stadium was finished.

Who told you that????....LOL..... Have not even started building the new stadium.... Game at Memorial Field, as always.......

[philthyphil]

Oh yea, the game.... Both teams come in at 3-1... GAHS showed improvements on the offensive side of the ball last week and need to mix up the play calling. The defense has been solid so far but this will be our biggest test to date. I-town needs to hold on to the ball and establish their ground game. Defensively they gave up a few points to Ashland but this may be misleading because of all the TO's... Ironton really needs to get on track because their next 2 games could make or break their play-off chances.... Could be a mud bowl this friday, lots of rain forecast.. Not sure who would benefit on a sloppy field????

Does this mean the game is at the old place? I was told the new stadium was finished.

Who told you that????....LOL..... Have not even started building the new stadium.... Game at Memorial Field, as always.......

A friend of mine who obviously doesn't know his head from a hole in the ground.

[Blue_Steel]

as far as schedules go, I hate to burst anyone's bubble on here BUT, Ironton does NOT, I repeat NOT play powerhouses each week. Their best chance at playoffs each year is to schedule teams they can beat and that win games. that doesn't mean the other team is a power house. it just means they win vs other competitors at their level in their area.

Now that being said for all of the posters think Gallia is scared, what the heck are you thinking. Ironton ran from the league, not us. We kept them on the schedule but for the same reasons I stated above why? If we have only won 4 out of last 31 attempts, how is that REALLY helping the Blue Devil program? by probability based on history it gives us only 9 games to win a year while every other d3 school gets 10 chances to win. that's not scared that's factual as listed by many of the posters. That's also not saying that we can't win. history just says its not probable.

Now to get to the state playoffs, you can talk all you want about tough teams, better teams etc. But the schools that make the playoffs year after year use the system. you have to beat teams that's #1, but that doesn't help you if they can't beat anyone else. So as Ironton has been able to do, you want to cherry pick so to say teams that win but yet are still beatable, especially if you are a strong team year after year.

I am not saying that play D5 and 6 schools are the answer but those will get you in playoffs faster if they finish 8-2 that losing to any team no matter how good or big they are. thus 4 times over last 31 years we received points from Ironton. 27 of those years every other d3 school gained or had a chance to gain on us in playoff spot. you can't win State if you don't make playoffs. Bottom line.

no one is scared, Ironton left the league, and they are just cherry picking from our league. It's a smart play by them in the points race.

[Blue_Steel]

a perfect example of this is in the computer polls this week. Athens who has beaten the 3-1 devils and the 3-1 warriors are ranked 3rd and Jackson who has pummeled the teams they have played( but those teams arent winning many games) are sitting 8th. Now Athens is a pretty good team and i think will probably go 10-0. however head to head Jackson is a much better team. however come playoff time, if Jackson doesnt get in becuase of their competition.... you have to beat teams that beat other teams, botom line. Athens has double the 2nd tier points.

[GAHS7462]

I thought this was a forum about the game. Sure doesn't read like that.

[osu 77]

Guess what the record of the next 4 teams Ironton plays?

Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

[voodoochild]

Lol why is it so hard to understand that leaving the seoal had nothing to do with football? Btw most teams don't cherry pick teams that are state title contenders or those primed for big playoff runs for easy wins( Hartley, alder, Jackson, Ashland). And where exactly do you draw the line between teams that are " real" powerhouses that year and ones with good records that are just "point cows"? What teams are we not handpicking out of the seoal to not play this year? If anything I would have handpicked Logan out of there the past couple years and picked up a W and some big points. Just not sure which teams Mr steel would like ironton to schedule so that they're not outsmarting the system per se.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

as far as schedules go, I hate to burst anyone's bubble on here BUT, Ironton does NOT, I repeat NOT play powerhouses each week. Their best chance at playoffs each year is to schedule teams they can beat and that win games. that doesn't mean the other team is a power house. it just means they win vs other competitors at their level in their area.

Now that being said for all of the posters think Gallia is scared, what the heck are you thinking. Ironton ran from the league, not us. We kept them on the schedule but for the same reasons I stated above why? If we have only won 4 out of last 31 attempts, how is that REALLY helping the Blue Devil program? by probability based on history it gives us only 9 games to win a year while every other d3 school gets 10 chances to win. that's not scared that's factual as listed by many of the posters. That's also not saying that we can't win. history just says its not probable.

Now to get to the state playoffs, you can talk all you want about tough teams, better teams etc. But the schools that make the playoffs year after year use the system. you have to beat teams that's #1, but that doesn't help you if they can't beat anyone else. So as Ironton has been able to do, you want to cherry pick so to say teams that win but yet are still beatable, especially if you are a strong team year after year.

I am not saying that play D5 and 6 schools are the answer but those will get you in playoffs faster if they finish 8-2 that losing to any team no matter how good or big they are. thus 4 times over last 31 years we received points from Ironton. 27 of those years every other d3 school gained or had a chance to gain on us in playoff spot. you can't win State if you don't make playoffs. Bottom line.

no one is scared, Ironton left the league, and they are just cherry picking from our league. It's a smart play by them in the points race.

-------------WHO PEED IN YOUR CHEERIOS , BLUE.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

Lol why is it so hard to understand that leaving the seoal had nothing to do with football? Btw most teams don't cherry pick teams that are state title contenders or those primed for big playoff runs for easy wins( Hartley, alder, Jackson, Ashland). And where exactly do you draw the line between teams that are " real" powerhouses that year and ones with good records that are just "point cows"? What teams are we not handpicking out of the seoal to not play this year? If anything I would have handpicked Logan out of there the past couple years and picked up a W and some big points. Just not sure which teams Mr steel would like ironton to schedule so that they're not outsmarting the system per se.

-----------I'M THINKIN HE NEEDS HIS DIAPER CHANGED.

[superblue]

Lol why is it so hard to understand that leaving the seoal had nothing to do with football? Btw most teams don't cherry pick teams that are state title contenders or those primed for big playoff runs for easy wins( Hartley, alder, Jackson, Ashland). And where exactly do you draw the line between teams that are " real" powerhouses that year and ones with good records that are just "point cows"? What teams are we not handpicking out of the seoal to not play this year? If anything I would have handpicked Logan out of there the past couple years and picked up a W and some big points. Just not sure which teams Mr steel would like ironton to schedule so that they're not outsmarting the system per se.

-----------I'M THINKIN HE NEEDS HIS DIAPER CHANGED.

No it doesn't..... I think Blue is on to something..... I-town joined the SEOAL thinking they would dominate the league in football.... 3 years in the league and ZERO titles, so what would the Mighty Tigers do?? They tucked there tail behind them and ran,left the league and used the phony excuse of to much travel.....LOL..... It's funny they choose to keep most of the schools on the schedule but decided to drop the only school they could not beat... If you would like someone to replace us in football give Steubenville a call, they are always looking for instate opponents.....

[WitnessProtection]

Biggest test of the season for the GAHS defense. I've seen some posts that say Ifonton's offensive line is not playing that well. If that's the case, perhaps the GAHS defense can take advantage of that to slow down the Tiger O just a bit.
That said, GAHS offense will need to pick up the pace. I hope the 31 points against Marietta was a preview of good things to come for the offense. However, that was Marietta, a team that's not setting the world on fire on either side of the ball.
Pulling for the Blue and White, but see Ironton winning this week, 21-12 (4 Taylor FGs).