Division I regional track finals
Fenwick graduation 2012
Ponitz graduation 2012
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Saturday, August 7, 2010
Football preview: Eaton
This is another in a series of capsules previewing area high school football for the 2010 season:
EATON (Division III, Region 12)
League: SWBL Southwestern
Coach: Ron Neanen (23rd season)
2009 Record: 5-1, 8-3
Key returners:
Ben Duffie, jr., DL
Joseph Hightower, sr., WR
A.J. Jackson, sr., OL/DL
Deven Moses, sr., LB
Cody Shafer, sr., OL/DL
Deon Smith, sr., DL
Dustin Underwood, sr., OL
Zac Wilson, sr., WR/DB
T.J. Woods, sr., WR
Kyle Yoder, sr., LB
Extra points:
Southwestern Division champs lost much from last year’s team that also reached the playoffs before falling to Wyoming 34-32 in the first round. Gone are a 2,000-yard rusher, a 1,000-yard passer and an offensive linemen recruited by Cincinnati. But the Eagles are ready to fly again. Eight starters return on defense, which should give a young offense with four returning starters time to gel.
“I think everybody likes to have a good solid defense, so defense is a good place to start. Defense can keep you in the game and let your offense kind of grow up in games,” Neanen said.
Junior Cole French takes over at quarterback. The 6-foot-4, 200 pounder has looked good in prepping for his role.
“He’s a good athlete. He’s a good basketball player, good football player. He sees the field very well, makes good decisions. We think he can be a good one,” Neanen said.
French has something to work with, too. The Eagles’ spread offense returns skill at receiver and the offensive line is also a strength. Most notably are Duffy and Woods, both who are getting some attention from colleges.
Eaton is the popular choice, along with Valley View, to contend for the division title again. Neanen thinks that can happen, too, as long as his Eagles come together. They better. Teams always want to take down that league champion.
“We’re always after the league champions so I’m sure other schools feel that way about us,” Neanen said. “It’s still early for us. I think physically that could be true. I think we have a lot to work on mentally as far as developing a team attitude, a team toughness and a team cohesion. We don’t have that yet. That’s what was kind of special about last year’s team. We played as a team and no one got jealous who got the credit. For us to compete at the top of our league we have to develop that mental part. … I think the seniors have a hunger to get there. It’s just a different team every year. We don’t dwell on the past or talk much about what happened last year. Everything is focused on this year. You would like to think confidence has a carryover. I don’t know how much.”
Sixty-four players are currently out, about average for Eaton, but depth is a concern. Many coming back were second- or third-teamers on the depth chart. The graduation of some key players also sapped the Eagles’ speed.
“I think overall we’re probably about as fast as last year, but depth wise we’re not as fast when we get past that first team. One of our keys is we’re going to have to stay very, very healthy and some of our sophomores and juniors in back-up situations really have to grow and play their roles well,” Neanen said.
EATON
Fri., Aug 27 at Talawanda
Fri., Sept. 3 at St. Henry
Fri., Sept. 10 Greenon
Fri., Sept. 17 Brookville
Fri., Sept. 24 at Oakwood
Fri., Oct. 1 at Monroe
Fri., Oct. 8 Bellbrook
Fri., Oct. 15 Franklin
Fri., Oct. 22 at Valley View
Fri., Oct. 29 Preble Shawnee
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TweetFootball preview: Ponitz Tech
This is another in a series of capsules previewing area high school football for the 2010 season:
PONITZ TECH (D-VI, Region 24)
League: Dayton City League
Coach: John Wortham (2nd year)
2009 record: 0-4, 1-9
Key returners:
Bryant Ballard, sr., WR/DB
Nick Houston, jr., WR/DB
Craig Wallace, sr., QB/DB
Extra points:
The Golden Panthers won a single game during their inaugural season - a 34-20 defeat of Troy Christian in Week 9 - but there were other positives for the first-year school.
The Week 2 game against Jefferson, for instance, created instant buzz when the teams combined for 1,041 yards of offense in the 52-47 Jefferson victory. In that game, then-junior quarterback Wallace completed 14-of-26 passes for 243 yards and three touchdowns.
A senior now, Wallace in Ponitz’ returning star who is also gaining plenty of recruiting attention, mostly as a defensive back. The 5-foot-9 Wallace finished last season with more than 2,000 yards passing.
“If he was taller, we’d be talking about him like the kid at Wayne (Ohio State recruit Braxton Miller),” Wortham said.
“He picks things up very quickly, he’s a great competitor, and he can make quick adjustments on the fly. He has a great football IQ, so we try not to make his height an issue.”
The Golden Panthers faced some defensive problems last season, giving up at least 50 points seven times, so coaches changed this season to a defense with three down linemen to increase the importance of speed instead of size. One of the leaders is expected to be junior linebacker Jordan Baxter, an example of a Ponitz Tech player who runs well but doesn’t have major size.
The offense will get help from 285-pound offensive tackle Cal Griffith, whom Wortham said is increasing his strength to help protect Wallace.
Overall, Wortham said there were built-in difficulties with being a first-year program, and he hopes to improve in Year 2.
“It depends on how you measure success,” Wortham said. “We wanted to be able to win more, of course, but we were in a couple games late and youth got the better of us. We’re trying to lay a foundation of expectations.”
PONITZ TECH
Fri., Aug. 27 Lockland
Fri., Sept. 3 at Jefferson
Thurs., Sept. 9 Chaminade Julienne
Fri., Sept. 17 at North College Hill
Thurs., Sept. 23 Meadowdale
Fri., Oct. 1 Belmont
Fri., Oct. 8 at Dunbar
Fri., Oct. 15 Jonathan Alder
Fri., Oct. 22 at Troy Christian
Fri., Oct. 29 at Marshall
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TweetFootball preview: Troy
This is another in a series of capsules previewing area high school football for the 2010 season:
TROY (D-I, Region 3)
League: GWOC North
Coach: Steve Nolan (27 years; 31st overall, including 4 years at Conneaut)
2009 record: 2-2, 5-5
Key returners:
Brad Armstrong, sr., QB/DB
Lee Blackford, sr., OL
Marcus Foster, jr., RB
Bryan O’Neil, sr., LB
Kyle Terrando, sr., DB
Extra points:
The dean of GWOC coaches was at a career crossroads last summer.
“I had to make a decision for myself,” reflected Nolan. “I’d spent 35-36 years in education. I had to make a decision to stay or go and develop the next few years and hopefully it’ll pay off.
“I really believe the people thought I’d get out the year before. I had to look at where I was personally. I knew this was coming. Honestly, those kids surprised me.”
The Trojans hadn’t made the playoffs since 2004 and were facing a total makeover with 13 sophomores ticketed to start. Then came defining defeats of Lebanon and Wayne. And had Sidney not stung Troy in the final seconds of the final game, it would have been the Trojans advancing to the postseason in Region 3 instead of Springfield.
The entire offensive line is back and most of the backfield. Defensively, 3 of 4 linebackers return, plus the entire secondary. With all those returnees, Nolan and the Trojans are pumped about their renewed prospects.
“We’ll have basically the whole team intact,” Nolan said. “We’ve got a little different philosophy because of our team speed. With the offensive line back, we think we’re pretty solid.
“We knew things were going to be tough, but last year’s team really surprised me. That’s two real good and strong classes. We’re in a good situation now. We’re hoping to have a couple years here that we can make the playoffs.”
No team will have benefited from the GWOC schedule rotation as much as Troy. Gone are Xenia, Centerville and Wayne, which are replaced by Springboro, Miamisburg and Beavercreek. Troy had played Centerville 13 of the past 15 seasons, none more memorable than the Ryan Brewer/AJ Hawk game in 1998.
TROY
Fri., Aug. 27 Chaminade Julienne
Fri., Sept. 3 at Middletown
Fri., Sept. 10 Fairborn
Fri., Sept. 17 at Springboro
Fri., Sept. 24 Beavercreek
Fri., Oct. 1 at Vandalia Butler
Fri., Oct. 8 at Piqua
Fri., Oct. 15 Trotwood-Madison
Fri., Oct. 22 at Miamisburg
Fri., Oct. 29 Sidney
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