Week 9: Wheelersburg (6-2) SOC (3-0) @ Valley (8-0) SOC (3-0

[Seops Guest]

Special teams is the key this Friday. If that holds true, I pick Burg in one heck of a game.

[1994Piratefan]

This is tough, if the Burg team that showed up at the Minford game shows up to this game, Valley is in BIG trouble and you can't forget Graph too, he is what gives Shanky the big edge because he is able to be a big threat as well and makes it really hard for the defense to just focus on one running back.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

i like valley in this one at home. tigers fans mostly will be rooting for the burg because of points , but thats really not an issue for the tigers at this point. have some dear friends from both communities here. but i think valley wins out, and goes undefeated.

[BurgGrad6]

wow this game is going to be awsome!!!! i picked valley to beat west last week and they did just that!! now they face the pirates... All i can say is good luck to both teams!! If i had to make a prediction id go with burg pulling out the win late in the 4th....

[blue53]

I'll be cheering on my Indians. Would love to see another great game like last week with West.
WITHOUT THE INJURIES.

[Bucknut27]

Burg has the best back in the league but I have to go with Valley.

Shank is good but the best back in the SOC this year is W. Hale and its not even close.

[Bucknut27]

This best back stuff is a farce..Any coach worth a hoot would tailor their offense to help elevate the play of their best player/players and/or athletes. To say one is better than the other makes great chat room conversation but that's about it...How would W.Hale do playing West/Burg schedule? WHO THE HE11 KNOWS, IS THE ANSWER! HOW WOULD SHANK/PENDELTON DO ON OAK HILL'S TEAM SCHEDULE? WHO THE HE!! KNOWS, IS THE ANSWER! HOW WOULD HOLCOMB/YATES DO ON ANY OTHER SCHEDULE, WHO THE HE!! KNOWS, IS THE ANSWER!! They are all good HIGH SCHOOL athletes and will probably/maybe make good DII or DIII players.

Very true but it is something thats discussed. Thats why they have player of the year awards. Allot of great backs in the SOC. This year W. Hale has turned it up a notch for his team and I imagine will be player of the year.

[seasick80]

does hale run punt and kickoff returns? I doubt he has the cutting ability and acceleration Shank has. And probably not the speed. Has Hale come back from a major injury? They play within their style and get what they get, but to say "by far" is crazy. Can Hale play QB?

[Bucknut27]

He does return kicks and has some punts. He holds for Extra points and plays LB on defense. He also played 3 quarters friday night with a dislocated thumb and ended up w 350 yds rushing and 5 TD's. No he's not as fast as Shank but his cutting ability is just as good and he runs with power. I dont know the statistics of these backs but I imagine they would support my argument for Hale as player of the year. Dont get me wrong here Shank is a tremendous back also.

[seasick80]

I agree Hale is the likely POY, just by far isnt exactly true imo. Strength of sked has alot to do with it also. Its all relative, but thanks for the info about Hale. He is the only back i havent seen yet and maybe I am too ignorant about his abilities. i know what he did to Burg but at that time the Burg D was still in disarray. Again, thanks for the info.

[QB4]

I look for Wheelersburg to show everyone in the area how you slow down the spread offense.
I can't believe I'm gonna be rooting for Burg :122249 ....no really it will be a good game with Burg coming out with the "W"

[Mad-Dogg]

Cal Preps:

Valley 30
Wheelersburg 28

This will be a great game between two good teams. I just hope this is a injury free game. I'm takin burg by 14

[coop]

Another week and it's another argument about 2 running backs.....Last time I checked Hale was SOC1 and Shank was SOC2, safe to say they can BOTH win back of the year.

Mad Dogg;

If you're giving up 14, im in as well....

[Bo_Diaz]

I've seen both teams and Valley is the better team, but that hasn't always mattered in this game... I think Yates can control the game and lead Valley to enough scores for the Indians to win a huge game for the Valley program. Also there a ton of great backs in both divisions of the SOC, but Alex Holcomb is the best dual threat back I've seen. Hale runs it well, Schank is an amazing athlete, and Pendleton was an absolute bull of a back but the plays Holcomb has made in the passing game is what sets him apart IMO. Should be an amazing game Friday night, and just like last Friday I wouldn't be surprise if this one wasn't settled until the 4th quarter!

[blue53]

Are you off Friday, blue?

yes, I'm off Friday. I believe I'm putting in for a vacation day on the following Friday also.

[wobycat]

It appears to me that Shears and Shank are equal to Yates and Holcomb. Both combo's are dangerous. So this will come down to line play and turnovers.

Offense - Edge - Even

Defense - Edge - Valley, Burg can sometimes give up big plays

Special Teams - Edge - Burg- Cant kick to shank, and kicker for burg is very good

Coaching - Burg - Burg coaches are very good at gameplanning

Intangibles - Normally I would say Burg beacause Valley has not got the monkey off their back, but I feel these Indians feed off Yates calm presence. So I give edge to Valley being at home, if Valley brings a rocking crowd.

Im pulling for Burg but would not be surprised if Valley takes it.

Go Burg!!!!

[pbuck]

Da Burg

[Is What It IS]

It appears to me that Shears and Shank are equal to Yates and Holcomb. Both combo's are dangerous. So this will come down to line play and turnovers.

Offense - Edge - Even

Defense - Edge - Valley, Burg can sometimes give up big plays

Special Teams - Edge - Burg- Cant kick to shank, and kicker for burg is very good

Coaching - Burg - Burg coaches are very good at gameplanning

Intangibles - Normally I would say Burg beacause Valley has not got the monkey off their back, but I feel these Indians feed off Yates calm presence. So I give edge to Valley being at home, if Valley brings a rocking crowd.

Im pulling for Burg but would not be surprised if Valley takes it.

Go Burg!!!!

You are correct about line play being key, combos I doubt it, Shears is a solid player but not a game changer, Shank is though

OFFENSE - Edge - Valley

DEFENSE - Edge - Even (however the pirates pass coverage suspect)

COACHING - Even - Come out with 2 safeties against Ironton ???, then allow 10 yard cushion covering the slot at Oak Hill (nuf said)

SPECIAL TEAMS - Even (Shank I agree with) both kicking games very solid for both

INTANG. - I agree with that one but I'll call it EVEN

BOTTOM LINE - This game comes down to all the common cliche, Line Play, Penalties, Turnovers, Mistakes and Miscues. who makes them loses, who don't wins, Simple as that.

[Orange_N_Black_Fan]

It appears to me that Shears and Shank are equal to Yates and Holcomb. Both combo's are dangerous. So this will come down to line play and turnovers.

Offense - Edge - Even

Defense - Edge - Valley, Burg can sometimes give up big plays

Special Teams - Edge - Burg- Cant kick to shank, and kicker for burg is very good

Coaching - Burg - Burg coaches are very good at gameplanning

Intangibles - Normally I would say Burg beacause Valley has not got the monkey off their back, but I feel these Indians feed off Yates calm presence. So I give edge to Valley being at home, if Valley brings a rocking crowd.

Im pulling for Burg but would not be surprised if Valley takes it.

Go Burg!!!!

You are correct about line play being key, combos I doubt it, Shears is a solid player but not a game changer, Shank is though

OFFENSE - Edge - Valley

DEFENSE - Edge - Even (however the pirates pass coverage suspect)

COACHING - Even - Come out with 2 safeties against Ironton ???, then allow 10 yard cushion covering the slot at Oak Hill (nuf said)

SPECIAL TEAMS - Even (Shank I agree with) both kicking games very solid for both

INTANG. - I agree with that one but I'll call it EVEN

BOTTOM LINE - This game comes down to all the common cliche, Line Play, Penalties, Turnovers, Mistakes and Miscues. who makes them loses, who don't wins, Simple as that.

I don't agree that burg QB shears is not a game changer, come friday we will see.
This is a kid flying low under the radar, from what I have read he has accounted
for over 1,100 yrds of offense and 14 tds, he has been the difference!
with out him at QB I don't think Burg is 6-2 right now!!
I'm sure other burg fans and fans alike will agree that has seen this young man play.
I say go ahead and key on shank all night, and then you will see the difference the
kid makes GO BURG...........

[Burg_Grad_77]

It appears to me that Shears and Shank are equal to Yates and Holcomb. Both combo's are dangerous. So this will come down to line play and turnovers.

Offense - Edge - Even

Defense - Edge - Valley, Burg can sometimes give up big plays

Special Teams - Edge - Burg- Cant kick to shank, and kicker for burg is very good

Coaching - Burg - Burg coaches are very good at gameplanning

Intangibles - Normally I would say Burg beacause Valley has not got the monkey off their back, but I feel these Indians feed off Yates calm presence. So I give edge to Valley being at home, if Valley brings a rocking crowd.

Im pulling for Burg but would not be surprised if Valley takes it.

Go Burg!!!!

Really??? A defense that held Ironton to 4 first downs and completely shut down Minford. Since moving Schankweiler to LB and making a few other adjustments this defense has played lights out. Burg will have to play a great game to win and I'm sure the boys will be pumped. I really think the Burg wins out and gets a home playoff game.