D4 Regional Semi-Final: Valley vs Western

[Ed Ott]

Western has lost to one team by more than 5 points since day 1 of the season.

Fox Chapel out of Pittsburgh beat them by around 12-15 this summer. They have around 1400 students.

Fox Chapel just won the WPIAL (Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League) in Pennsylvania going 24-1 on the year with a legit D1 guard.

Summer doesn't matter though right even though beating McClain/Leesburg etc. proved Western could play. Neither does the 25 previous games winning by 21ppg although losing the 4th quarter plus/minus on the season.

This game will come down to who can take care of the basketball and handle the pressure of the moment.

Whose pressure will cause the other team to panic? That's who will win this one.

Good luck to the Indians.

Western beat Fairfield in a scrimmage or what? I didn’t think they played in season? If Western handled Fairfield the easy math says Western shouldn’t have much trouble with Valley.

Can Western win the regional finals? Not sure who they’d play?

Western played Leesburg 3 times. Twice in the summer and they played a foundation game. Western winning solidly in all 3 matchups. Western was up by around 20 before subbing in the foundation game. However, I don't think Valley played their best at all against Leesburg in the district final, so I don't think that would be a valid way to compare them. Valley handled Leesburg easily at the beginning of the year as well in a regular season game.

Both Valley and Western can beat Newark Catholic/Berlin Hiland in my opinion.

In the state semi finals they would likely meet Richmond Heights who recently beat D1 powerhouse Lakewood St. Edwards who just won the distict as well. Good luck to either team if they advance to Dayton.

A few thoughts, Fairfield could’ve improved. They wiped out Symmes Valley and then did everything but beat Valley. I kept checking that game thread and several posters were impressed with Fairfield and said so. Summer is a mess from my experiences. Foundation game better than scrimmage but games in season coaches are scouting and game planning more intensely. So did Paint Valley, Symmes Valley and Valley all just play bad against Fairfield? Sounds to me like they improved alot.

[DJT47]

Give me the Indians by 3 in this one

I see what you did there

[smurray]

Give me the Indians by 3 in this one

I see what you did there

Tigers in D2, Pirates in D3, Indians in D4.

[VetteMan]

Give me the Indians by 3 in this one

I see what you did there

Tigers in D2, Pirates in D3, Indians in D4.

Try as hard as you want, it's not easy to get ahead of smurray. Lol

[The Ghost of Swanker]

It would be wild if all three SOC2 schools can punch a ticket to Dayton

[NellyWooden]

DEFENSE when's ball games in every sport! Don't count Valley's rookie coach out of this game. Grit and sand win's these ballgames. I home everyone get's my point. TEAM

[a_c_m]

It would be wild if all three SOC2 schools can punch a ticket to Dayton

It would be nice to have Western represent the SOC1. At this point we need to support all of the teams in the Regionals.

[Ironman92]

Has Western ever made it to the regional finals other than when Phil Howard was coach and they were a rimmed out 3 from OT I think…..then he wasn’t allowed to coach the next year because he was the principal?

[AnkleBraces]

Has Western ever made it to the regional finals other than when Phil Howard was coach and they were a rimmed out 3 from OT I think…..then he wasn’t allowed to coach the next year because he was the principal?

1942 state semi
1968 state final. Coached by Heckie Thompson. Current Coach Doug Williams grandfather
2007 as you mentioned lost to Harvest Prep at The Barn

[AnkleBraces]

Western beat Fairfield in a scrimmage or what? I didn’t think they played in season? If Western handled Fairfield the easy math says Western shouldn’t have much trouble with Valley.

Can Western win the regional finals? Not sure who they’d play?

Western played Leesburg 3 times. Twice in the summer and they played a foundation game. Western winning solidly in all 3 matchups. Western was up by around 20 before subbing in the foundation game. However, I don't think Valley played their best at all against Leesburg in the district final, so I don't think that would be a valid way to compare them. Valley handled Leesburg easily at the beginning of the year as well in a regular season game.

Both Valley and Western can beat Newark Catholic/Berlin Hiland in my opinion.

In the state semi finals they would likely meet Richmond Heights who recently beat D1 powerhouse Lakewood St. Edwards who just won the distict as well. Good luck to either team if they advance to Dayton.

A few thoughts, Fairfield could’ve improved. They wiped out Symmes Valley and then did everything but beat Valley. I kept checking that game thread and several posters were impressed with Fairfield and said so. Summer is a mess from my experiences. Foundation game better than scrimmage but games in season coaches are scouting and game planning more intensely. So did Paint Valley, Symmes Valley and Valley all just play bad against Fairfield? Sounds to me like they improved alot.

Fairfield definitely improved and were always a solid squad.

Covid actually lead to some much better summer basketball. The normal 10 days of instruction weren’t in effect. Therefore, teams especially without football were able to put in a lot of work. Obviously not the same, but much different than the normal summer stuff especially for a “basketball school”.

[Ironman92]

Has Western ever made it to the regional finals other than when Phil Howard was coach and they were a rimmed out 3 from OT I think…..then he wasn’t allowed to coach the next year because he was the principal?

1942 state semi
1968 state final. Coached by Heckie Thompson. Current Coach Doug Williams grandfather
2007 as you mentioned lost to Harvest Prep at The Barn

Thanks

[Fan of the youth]

Fairfield really improved their losses were mainly in the early season. Valley played poor on several fronts, but Fairfield had a hand in that for sure. Valley dug deep and found a way to win and good teams do that. I won't straddle the fence I will take the SOC II VALLEY Indians. Healthy game to all!

[Harambe]

Valley is going to run Western out of Athens! Their runs will be to much to over come!

[The Ghost of Swanker]

It would be wild if all three SOC2 schools can punch a ticket to Dayton

It would be nice to have Western represent the SOC1. At this point we need to support all of the teams in the Regionals.

Still pulling for the purple team. Conference loyalty

[Jason Vorhees]

Has Western ever made it to the regional finals other than when Phil Howard was coach and they were a rimmed out 3 from OT I think…..then he wasn’t allowed to coach the next year because he was the principal?

1942 state semi
1968 state final. Coached by Heckie Thompson. Current Coach Doug Williams grandfather
2007 as you mentioned lost to Harvest Prep at The Barn

That 1968 Team lost in the State Semifinals. However, Henderson “Heckie” Thompson was one of the best coaches in the SE District History.

[coop]

I’m starting to sense Harambe is here using reverse psychology lol

[The Ghost of Swanker]

I’m starting to sense Harambe is here using reverse psychology lol

He’s not even the real Harambe anyway.

[Harambe]

I’m starting to sense Harambe is here using reverse psychology lol

Not even close. I was saying the same stuff in the trimble thread and I was wrong. Western is a solid team. But much like Trimble not much competition during the season is going to hurt them here. Western was beat by like 45 last year to this same team - 1 player I think. In all honesty I really like this Valley team and was hoping they would get Trimble in this game. So now I am doubling down. But long live Harambe!

[transplant]

We’ll take the support. Game day! Let’s go valley. Play your game, take care of the ball, play solid defense, and have fun.

[oldschoolqb13]

This is one I’ve been waiting for! I normally go with conference loyalty, but after the utter lack of class the Valley Indian fans showed in Waverly last time, there’s no way I can be on that train. I hope the Western Indians beat the brakes off of you!!