State Champs Wheelersburg 21- Eastwood 14

[lrschli]

Glad to know that Irschli. That's funny right there. The only thing I take serious is payday and dinner time. This going to be one great ball game.

Payday + dinnertime, sounds like something I would say. LOL!

[lrschli]

What was Eastwood best victory of the Season?

Gotta be the come from behind against Genoa. I don't think they had to do that against anyone else.

[The Nature Boy]

Burg was in control until week 12 and had 3 tough games in a row. I would say the regular season was Jackson. They held tough for a while until Burg wore them out the second half.

[The Nature Boy]

Weeks 12 13 and 14 have been tough but Burg has gotten better each week. I think that is what you want this time of year. Peak at the right time. You have almost played an NFL season. No bye weeks either.

[scott1297]

On Drew Pastuers website he has Eastwood ranked #1 now and Burg #2 and Eastwood is picked to win by 2 54% chance so I am guessing that he thinks that South Range was better than Madison and I totally disagree I think Madison would beat South range pretty easily but thats just my opinion. This is the first time all season that he has had Burg as underdogs well gonna prove him wrong thats for sure GO BURG!

[callie15]

If any Burg fan has a way to record the final this weekend on cd or vhs I would be glad to purchase one from you.

[lrschli]

Curious to see how that kid bounces back after 40 carries

FYI,
A little history on Eastwood football. Genoa + Eastwood have been trading league championships as long as I cam remember. First in the SLL + now in the NBC. I am a 1973 Genoa grad, so believe it or not, gotta root for Eastwood this once to bring a state championship to the NBC. Team speed is a given with Eastwood football, the track team has won 17 straight league titles. Years ago they ran the run + shoot but switched to the Wing-T after Genoa dominated the league with it during the Mike Vicars tenure (during a 7 yr. period Genoa had the best record in OH.)

If Burg has an early lead, don't get excited. Eastwood scores late TDs regularly, particularly this season. Genoa had the lead 31-20 late in the gm. but lost a fumble at the Eastwood 30. Keep in mind Genoa had 3 starters out with injurys including the QB.

You guys are way up north and I’ll be honest I don’t know anything history wise about Eastwood or the teams on their schedule. What kind of playoff history and successs has Eastwood and the teams in their league had over the years?
Thanks in advance

I think this is the 12th time they have made the playoffs, but I don't think they have ever made it to the regionals. Don't quote me though.
The only team to win the NBC or SLL championship other than Genoa or Eastwood over probably the last 15yrs. or so was Lake in 2015. That was the 1st yr. for their coach + he won coach of the yr. for either the district or region. Prior to that he was an assistant at...Eastwood! This is Rutherford"s 1st yr. as head coach for Eastwood taking his father's place after he retired. Jerry (the dad ) was head coach 30 yrs.+
That Lake team was loaded that yr. They run a spread offense + 2015 they started with 3 or 4 consecutive shutouts. But got beat in the 1st play-off gm. by Creston-Norwayne by 7 or 10.
My Genoa Comets went to the st. semis in 2008 but lost to Kettering Alder on a late TD run. In 2013 (or 14) lost to Bryan on the last drive of that playoff gm. after demolishing everyone in the reg. season, including Eastwood 42-7. Mike Dieter was on that team, he's a Wisconsin Badger.
Bryan then got beat by Kenton the next gm. Their QB was exceptional + I think he went to Missouri.
More later!

[yabbadabbadoo]

On Drew Pastuers website he has Eastwood ranked #1 now and Burg #2 and Eastwood is picked to win by 2 54% chance so I am guessing that he thinks that South Range was better than Madison and I totally disagree I think Madison would beat South range pretty easily but thats just my opinion. This is the first time all season that he has had Burg as underdogs well gonna prove him wrong thats for sure GO BURG!

Once again, he is guy that sits at a computer crunching numbers. He more than likely has seen very few highlights on either team.

If Burg can slow down there running game (which they have done all year, even in the playoffs) Burg can win this game. Cut out the turnovers and the penalties and take care of business

[wobycat]

Before anyone comes on after this comment, I want to ensure you this is my opinion and not a consensus burg fan comment, but I believe if burg plays a clean game, no turnovers, a lot of penalties, etc, that they will win comfortably. No running clock but by a couple of scores and not really feel threatened. I think Madison is better than Eastwood. This is by what I saw with Eastwood vs south range. I thought neither of those teams could beat burg or Madison. Again just one man’s opinion.

[The Nature Boy]

You don't have to defend your opinion to anyone. This site has been great all year. I am glad folks can get together and speak their mind about their team. Burg has as good a chance as Eastwood. I will say again this may be the best game of championship weekend. Line em up and let's go.

[The Nature Boy]

I really thought #mop the shop would stop by and call Burg hot butter soft. That's what they said before the playoffs about Region 19.

[#ReachHigher]

Before anyone comes on after this comment, I want to ensure you this is my opinion and not a consensus burg fan comment, but I believe if burg plays a clean game, no turnovers, a lot of penalties, etc, that they will win comfortably. No running clock but by a couple of scores and not really feel threatened. I think Madison is better than Eastwood. This is by what I saw with Eastwood vs south range. I thought neither of those teams could beat burg or Madison. Again just one man’s opinion.

Agree. I think Madison was WAY underrated in his rankings. They were good enough to knock of powerhouse Anna and CHCA both and we still beat them. I think Burg has an easier time this week than they did last week. Madison front 4 were legit!

[rxburgfan]

I think it will come down to can they play 4 qtrs? So far no team Burg has played can. The ability to perform insecond half has cost each opponent the game. Bring State Championship PTO southern Ohio.

[i83]

Good luck and go burg.

[Burg4]

DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS

After watching Eastwood games on youtube, I feel that Burg can win this game Friday. To be successful, I feel that Burg has to eliminate the turnovers on offense. Eastwood has only given up 21 points in 4 playoff games, with 7 of those coming in the final seconds of a game.

It looks like Eastwood runs the ball about 98% of the time and drags out long sustaining drives which keeps the ball away from the opponent, so I like what our defense has been doing against teams on 1st and 2nd downs.

Burg has the depth so I will not be panicking if we are behind at halftime. 4 quarter a game and our excellent coaches make appropriate adjustments.

I think we will have a special day to remember Friday.

GO BURG!!!

[522Pirate]

From the couple games I watched of Eastwood's on Youtube, they do a fairly good job of rotating #63 and #61 with each playing a series or two of d-line after playing o-line every snap. #28 DE only played defense. In the Otsego game from 10/6 it looked to me if the receivers could've made the catches it would've made a huge difference...they were open or open enough to make the catch just couldn't hold on to it. The back looks good (#26 Rayford), runs hard, and pretty fast but the Barasch kid from Jtown looked faster I thought. I think it's gonna be another great defensive battle but nothing the Pirates haven't seen in the last 3 weeks. Turnovers and penalties will be a killer for either team... in the regional final for Eastwood #21 had a couple bobbled handoffs and lost a fumble on one in the first half.

[BurgGrad6]

I think Eastwood has something Burg hasent faced this year. That’s the speed and elusiveness of their running backs. Slowing them will be the toughest task the pirate defense has had. Offensively for the pirates I think they are going to have to make their running game stand out. Madison basically took burgs ability to run the ball away and it really put a lot of pressure on the passing game.

[yabbadabbadoo]

I think Eastwood has something Burg hasent faced this year. That’s the speed and elusiveness of their running backs. Slowing them will be the toughest task the pirate defense has had. Offensively for the pirates I thinkef nos they are going to have to make their running game stand out. Madison basically took burgs ability to run the ball away and it really put a lot of pressure on the passing game.

I didn’t see that they were faster than Johnstown-Monroe’s backs plus Burg’s defense swarms to the ball carrier. Just ask the RB’s from Ready, Academy, Monroe and Madison, the last two which were as a team averaging around 350 YPG rushing. Burg held them all under 150.

[Neutron Man]

Win or Lose.... Wheelersburg Has Exceeded a lot of expectations, and made it to some.
This would be a Hard one to lose, but NO ONE around here could crap on a State Runner Up!

That being said... Wheelersburg IS going to win this game for Southern Ohio Football!

Wheelersburg 17
Eastwood 7

[LucasDavenport]

Page 15 of 17 from OHSAA notes packet