NEW FEDERAL HOCKING FOOTBALL COACH HOPES TO STRENGTHEN PROGRAM DURABILITY

For many teams, week six of the 2019 high school football season was just another Friday night under the lights.

But for the Federal Hocking Lancers, it would be their last.

The team had struggled to field a full roster for years, but that night marked a low point for the Lancers. A string of injuries reduced their lineup to so few players that they would have to forfeit the rest of that season’s games.

“I felt like it wasn’t fair to anybody — the coaches, the staff, the people that are our supporters, just everybody,” Federal Hocking rising senior Chase Hogsett said.

CRUMBLING TRACK AT ALEXANDER PUTS ATHLETES, ENTIRE PROGRAM AT RISK

Fourteen years after its construction, the running track at Alexander High School is still occupied by student athletes. But the coat of black rubber is showing its age; in fact, it has been for years.

Athletes and parents spoke out at Wednesday’s school board meeting.  They say it’s time for an upgrade.

“Our track is undeniably unsafe for athletes to properly practice on, causing athletes to not be at their full potential when it comes to the day of the meet,” said Brianna Wallace, an Alexander graduate.

Breaks and cracks plague the entire Alexander track. During the season, standing water, mud and even ice make their homes in holes along the runway. So what are students doing to train?

NEW LEXINGTON FOOTBALL PROVIDES SMALL TEAMS WITH MORE EXPERIENCE

High school football is at the heart of fall in Southeast Ohio.

But the smaller schools in our region have a hard time competing with larger teams. There just aren’t enough players on the roster to challenge varsity lineups in practice.

That was the case for the New Lexington Panthers.

“We’ve got a roster of about 43, so our [starters] are going against freshmen and sophomores,” head coach Kevin Board said.

This year, Board wanted to change that. Nearly a dozen schools are traveling to Perry County this month for the New Lexington seven-on-seven summer league.

GAME OF THE WEEK — IRONTON @ WHEELERSBURG

Each week in Season 23, our exec staff designated one matchup as “Game of the Week” based on community impact, playoff/conference implications, or other compelling storylines. Not only did these games receive additional coverage on social media, but the Game of the Week was the last and longest segment on each episode.

That’s because every Friday, we’d gather footage of the fans, teams, or families involved in the Game of the Week storyline. The result was a NAT/SOT package that aired right before each GOTW segment, setting the stage for what made that match — and southeast Ohio football as a whole — so special.

This was the first such package, and served as a model for the rest of the video producers for the remainder of the season.

STUDENT SECTION SHOWDOWN — MEET THE FINALISTS

The Gridiron Glory “Student Section Showdown” was a 2021 social media campaign involving a fan-voted, 64-team tournament bracket. We selected schools from every corner of southeast Ohio, and stacked them against a gauntlet of rivals in search of the very best student section.

On the final Friday night of the campaign, we were set to crown the winning team — and by that point, the tournament was the talk of each student section. We sent staff to each game to interact with fans from each finalist, and I produced this video to promote the announcement on that night’s episode of Gridiron Glory.

The video was posted to social media immediately after the conclusion of each game — and aired again during the show. We saw our vote count double in those final four hours; as though nearly every fan in the stadium cast their votes. The final round ultimately received 5,830 votes and over 63,000 impressions.

Week 8 Playoff Scenarios: How every Gridiron Glory team can reach the postseason

OCTOBER 5, 2022

Only three weeks remain in the 2022 regular season — which means each team has three more opportunities to take the field, add to the win column, and secure enough playoff points for a berth in the postseason.

For the second year in a row, 16 teams will qualify for each of the OHSAA’s 28 regional tournaments, for a total of 448 playoff teams statewide. Teams who finish in the top 8 of their region will play at home in the first round, and teams who finish in the top 4 will receive first and second-round home games. Matchups are played at neutral sites beginning with the regional semifinals in Week 13.

Across the nine football conferences covered by Gridiron Glory, approximately 90 teams are still in the running for a Week 11 matchup. These are the scenarios in which each team, sorted by conference, can earn a spot in the 2022 playoffs.

A special thanks to Drew Pasteur for all projections and playoff probabilities, and to Joe Eitel for tracking the unofficial current seeding of each team.

Federal Hocking cancels 2022 football season over roster concernS

AUGUST 9, 2022

STEWART, Ohio — For years, Federal Hocking high school has struggled to field a full roster of players. Many kids were playing nearly every snap on both offense and defense. As a result, since 2015, the former TVC-Hocking competitors have a combined record of 3-55.

By 2019, things had become troubling for players and fans alike. After six games, the roster had suffered so many injuries that the team was forced to forfeit the remainder of the season.

Then, in 2020, the team left the Tri-Valley Conference in favor of matchups with smaller schools. Despite picking up two wins, the team once again had to cancel at least one game due to injuries.

The 2021 season brought new hope for Fed Hock faithful. New head coach Brad Woodson was committed to building a more positive locker room culture. He established a collaboration with the middle school team to ensure a more seamless transition into the high school schemes. Although the Lancers finished the season winless, the team’s roster was large enough to complete their entire schedule — which was Woodson’s foremost goal for the year.

But now, things have taken a turn for the worse.

Just two weeks before kickoff, the Federal Hocking Lancers have forfeited their entire schedule.

“We did not have enough players for a team for middle school or high school football this year,” athletic director Stephanie Evans said.

The decision comes a couple of weeks after the latest Federal Hocking school board meeting, during which the board announced the resignation of Woodson.

Former Belpre coach Lance Binegar was hired to fill the position. But now, the future of the entire Federal Hocking football program is in question.

“We plan to start working now to rebuild and increase numbers with the hopes of fielding a team next year,” Evans said.

Eagles Come Out of Reedsville With Slim Win Over Miller

January 29, 2020

REEDSVILLE, Ohio – Eastern enthusiasts filled their home gymnasium to watch the ardent Eagles, who sought a second consecutive win to follow their three-loss week. Though the visiting Miller Falcons posed a fair challenge, the Eagles stuck to their aggressive, bread-and-butter offense – going on to defeat the Falcons 50-46.

From the tipoff to the final buzzer, the momentum shifted in all directions. During just the first half, both teams went on scoring runs of more than ten uninterrupted points. Offensively, Eastern was propelled by senior Garret Barringer, who scored eight and assisted twice through the half. However, defensive credit is owed to Ryan Dill, responsible for three steals in those opening sixteen minutes.

The Eagles held a slim lead after halftime, and as play resumed, the game’s outcome would remain unclear due to recurring lead changes. The third quarter exhibited the emergence of another offensive trailblazer – Eastern senior Derrick Metheney – who sunk four consecutive baskets and tacked on two assists. Nonetheless, by the quarter’s end, the scoreboard read 33-33 with neither ball club holding onto the momentum.

In the final quarter, the Eagles pulled away early with twelve additional unanswered points. However, down but not out, the Falcons rallied to make it a four-point game. And after an and-one layup, the Eagles looked to be in hot water. Despite the pressure, the Falcons suffered one last turnover in the final seconds, and the game was sealed in Eastern’s favor.

“We had to grind it out; some things didn’t go our way, we had to keep our heads about us. But we always talk about grinding for 32 minutes and that [game] typifies what we preach to our kids every day in practice,” Eastern Eagles Head Coach David Kight said. “Miller is well coached, they’re going to play hard, they’re going to make shots […] I thought we responded well throughout the game when they made their runs at us.”

Barringer led the Eagles in scoring with 18 points, followed by Metheney with nine. Now 7-9, they’ll play again at home this Friday as the Wahama White Falcons travel into Reedsville. Meanwhile, the Miller Falcons will travel to Glouster and take on the Trimble Tomcats, who currently lead the TVC-Hocking.

Buckeyes Spoil Homecoming, Ravage Struggling Marauders

October 5, 2019

POMEROY, Ohio – Following three consecutive home wins, the Nelsonville-York Buckeyes marched into Meigs with an unmistakable appetite. While the Marauders hoped to stand their ground on Homecoming night, the Buckeye’s steady offense held a firm control of the narrative.

Meigs’ offense stepped out onto the field with the wrong foot forward. What appeared to be a breakaway play for running back Abe Lundy was soon brought back when officials marked him down just a few yards ahead of the line of scrimmage. Fans certainly made their frustrations heard; however, the Marauders were never quite able to get back on top.

Nelsonville-York was quick to respond with a 55-yard touchdown from crucial playmaker Keegan Wilburn. With just thirty seconds of offense, the Buckeyes had sent a silencing message to the Meigs side of the stadium.

The Buckeyes’ early momentum is owed to the success of checkdowns in the passing game of quarterback Mikey Seel, who finished the night with 204 yards and a 60% completion rate. In the first half, Seel generated nine pass plays over two scoring possessions for 121 yards. His accuracy was highlighted by a 45-yard pass that thread the needle to receiver Ethan Gail, who snagged a touchdown on that same drive.

Though down 21-0, the Marauders found some light in the persistence of their ground game. Lundy’s devotion to playing through the whistle allowed Meigs to chip away at the Buckeye’s defense in the second quarter. Combined with persistent penalties for Nelsonville-York, Lundy was able to drive the Marauders into the endzone.

As the half drew to a close, Wilburn once again weaved through the Meigs defense for an electric 70-yard touchdown. The Marauders woefully made their way to the locker room, heads hanging low. Wilburn finished the night with only four carries but 134 yards.

Seel and the Buckeyes continued to utilize all of their weapons throughout the second half. Wideout Brandon Phillips picked up 100 yards, while Gail and Wilburn combined for 102 receiving yards.

Nelsonville-York manufactured a steady stream of offensive action in the air, capped by a breakout running game. Compounded with the Buckeyes’ restraint of the Marauders attack, the Buckeyes finished with an assertive 42-6 victory.

Next week, Nelsonville-York looks to stay hot at home against the Wellston Golden Rockets, who have been steamrolling their competition. Meanwhile, the Marauders hope to find their rhythm when they travel to Athens and face the Bulldogs.

Generals Stampede Tornadoes Despite First Quarter Deficit

September 28, 2019

The struggling West Muskingum Tornadoes blew away expectations in the first quarter with an impressive performance, as they stormed into Sheridan on Homecoming night. However, the Generals were able to charge ahead and claim a brutal victory, 56-18.

Various miscues defined each team’s opening drives, starting from play one with an interception from Tornado quarterback Harley Hopkins. However, a wave of penalties stopped the Generals from gaining any momentum – including an offensive pass interference, and a block in the back that nullified a 75-yard punt return from senior Alec Ogle. Each team drew four penalties in the first quarter alone.

Things heated up halfway through the opening quarter when Sheridan took the ball 70 yards over seven plays, putting the Generals on the board. On the following possession, a Tornado fumble was returned by linebacker Jared Elson, and in just minutes, Sheridan had secured a 14-0 lead.

West Muskingum may have been down, but they certainly were not out. The Tornadoes struck back with a screen to tight end Landon Murrey that went for 79 yards and six points. Moreover, West Muskingum pulled off a stunning onside kick to secure excellent field position. As the first quarter neared its conclusion, roars echoed from the visiting bleachers, a storm brewing for the Tornadoes.

However, West Muskingum had reached their peak. With the ball in Sheridan’s red zone, the Tornadoes failed to produce with a three-yard loss and three incompletions – resulting in a turnover on downs, and ultimately, the beginning of the Generals’ reign.

Of the following five possessions, Sheridan found the end zone on the first play four times. West Muskingum was unable to retaliate with only 78 yards of offense, two punts, and an interception in the second quarter. At the half, Sheridan had a commanding 42-6 lead.

Coming out of the locker room, the Generals’ maintained their momentum and scored twice more in the third quarter. Quarterback Nathan Johnson was first-in-command tonight, throwing six completions for 178 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Generals to victory.

Sheridan saw contributions from a variety of players in both the rushing and receiving games. The team found 349 yards on the ground, 86 of which belonging to sophomore Jason Munyan. In the air, junior Shay Taylor contributed a team-leading 98 yards and two touchdowns.

On the contrary, while West Muskingum ran more than twice as many plays, the Tornadoes accumulated only 32 rushing yards and 307 passing yards. The Tornadoes’ receiving unit was highlighted by Murrey, a reliable set of hands that picked up 119 yards and a touchdown.

Next week, the Generals travel to Philo in hopes of maintaining their four-game winning streak. As for the Tornadoes, they will try to regain their groove as they welcome John Glenn into West Muskingum.