Friday night thoughts will be published sometime Sunday complete with my thought's on Ringgold's solid win over Franklin Regional, a weekend filled with blowouts and other tidbits.
Meanwhile, feel free to share your thoughts here. I'll check back to publish them.
14 comments:
I make no secret about the fact that I dislike Chartiers Houston, Bentworth, and Fort Cherry. That said, my hats off to Fort Cherry last night. Fort Cherry, by far, was the best team we have played up until this point. #34 Correy Garry had as good a game on both sides of the ball as anyone I have seen against Clairton in the last two years. Also, Tanner Garry showed a lot of heart coming back into the game after he got crushed by a Clairton defender on a block on the Fort Cherry side of the field. After the game, all of the coaches shook hands with one another and the Fort Cherry coaches made a point to go up to some of Clairton's stars and congratulate them on a good game and wished them luck and applauded them. Very Classy, tough, hard fought game for the Fort Cherry Rangers. I commend your sportsmanship and your game plan. Ill be honest, I dont know how you guys lost to Brentwood...you guys are much better than them...you should be able to beat Chartiers Houston.
The officials in last nights game were BY FAR the WORST officials I have seen this year. They marked the ball for play, allowed Tanner Garry to go to the sideline, talk to the coach for 15 seconds, and then once Tanner started back out to the field they then started the play clock...every single offensive possession for Fort Cherry. Desimon Green was held and/or tackled on just about every other play coming off of the defensive end position and not one holding call. Fort Cherry picked off a pitch on a two point conversion attempt and it was returned 98 yards for a score. The officials never blew the whistle, ran down field with the ball carrier, and signaled TD when he crossed the goal line. There is one problem with that, you cant return a two point conversion attempt in high school and it appeared none of the officials on the field knew that. In fact, the PA announcer had to say/explain the rule regarding 2 point conversions and it was then and only then that they officials signaled that the attempt was no good. In the 4th quarter with 4 minutes left and a running clock, Correy Garry was down on the field with either an injury or an equipment problem and the officials let the clock run down to 1:23 before they stopped it...terrible officiating...just down right terrible.
Congrats to Ringgold. Ill tell you what, AAA is looking like anyones ball game. You have any of the teams from the Parkway Conference, TJ, Belle Vernon, Ringgold...I dont know that there is a clear cut favorite in AAA to even make it to Heinz let alone win the title...I think its up for grabs.
Once again...good job Fort Cherry. Good game...
It was especially nice that FC gave Clairton a semi-tough time (at least in some parts of the game) especially after that bad blood between the two teams recently. Clairton Alum- what was your impression of the tall #27 WR from FC? I think he caught the first TD for FC and it's his first year out for football as a senior.
I'd like to see FC win a couple games in the playoffs after so many years of fizzling out in the first game to to a team theyre clearly better than.
Clairton Alum I hated Clairton too but for me thats in the past. The Bears played great football last night and were nothing but class from the coaching staff to the players to the field staff. Congrats to you guys and good luck the rest of the season.
#27 was Bellhy...for this being his first year out I think he played a great game. They threw to him and #4 babirad a lot. Babirad caught a few balls as well. Ill tell you what, they tried going deep to Bellhy and Babirad quite a few times last night and just missed on 2 or 3 deep passes. Clairton has a pretty solid secondary with Page and Coles who have a lot of quickness...but the Fort Cherry recievers ran some very good routes. I also thought that #34 Garry coming out of the backfield and catching some passes was effective as well. Garry had a heck of a game from the linebacker position also. Clairton has a pretty good O line and he got in there and blew up a couple of plays...he had a great game. Id really like to see you guys advance and make a run in the playoffs.
Looking around the Class A playoffs, Ill tell you I dont see a lot of "bad" teams making the playoffs this year. Western Beaver might be the 4 seed out of the Big 7 and they gave Rochester all they could handle and beat Sto Rox. Unfortunately, if things work out a certain way, Fort Cherry might be a 4 seed coming out of the Black Hills. Right there are two solid teams. Add in North Catholic who is 6-2 (the probable 4 from the East) and a scrappy Carmichaels team (because Frazier isnt beating Monessen) and its going to be a solid playoff field. Obviously everyone is chasing Clairton and Rochester...but a word of warning to both Clairton and Rochester...dont sleep on any of those eastern conference teams. Clairton slept on Springdale in 2007 and were beaten by the Dynamos in the semi finals. I got a strange feeling it could happen again. Things have been going on too predictably in Class A up until this point...I keep waiting for the curve ball. I saw Rochesters Jason Adamson's interview on FSN I believe. He is worried about and focused on beating Clairton. Well...the only time they will see Clairton is at Heinz. Jason, if you keep looking ahead you may never get there. One of those other teams COULD pick them off...its not impossible.
I tell ya what. Its great to see mutual respect between both programs after this game. Forget the scoreboard for one minute though, because this game felt more competitive than a 42-7 game. FC moved the ball very well at times in the first half and forced Clairton to earn every single point we got. FC is the best team Clairton faced all season. You guys have the bulk of your team returning for next season, hopefully this is a confidence builder for the Rangers from here on out. Respect to Coach Garry for his comments in the Daily News as well.
I really dont think anyone listens to me or thinks i'm sane for that matter, but, wash high is finally doing what i've been saying all along. the play calling has gotten much better over the last 2 games. i know weve played weaker opposistion, but they are spreading the ball around. ethan gordon caught everything including a pass from brower that was ruled out of the endzone(bad call). jordon thomas is doing what he always could do if given the chance. mckenzie is hitting the hole hard and running away from people and jaylin kelley is becoming a great runner. screens worked,end around pass worked. bosnic is finally realizing what kind of team he has. He is utilizing all the talent he has.I dont want to hear its the same offense they ran all season because its not. next year they need to work on how to tackle. i told you williams from steele valley was best in conference. now i think there is an argument for player of the year.
Zach Challingsworth, awwwww yeahhhhhh.
Also, Aubrey Huff looks like C-M star PA announcer Jim Reynolds.
Mike, Nice to meet you yesterday. I had to meet the man behind the blog.
After reading this blog this year, I have never seen Clairton play before. This blog has made me dislike them, All the talk about a team that has sent how many player to Division 1? The people who post about them act like they have 25 players who play in the NFL right now. They do however pound very bad single A squads who should have consolidated into each other 20 years ago.
If I knew you were covering the game, I would have looked you up as well....Maybe next time...
Onto the game, I will eat crow and gladly do it....I didnt think the Rams could continue with big plays against better competition but I was wrong..Congrats on 8-0 and the conf title..
Congrats to Ringgold! I too, thought they would surely lose to Franklin Regional. I would like to see Washington and Trinity get solid wins next week.
its nice to hear talk of good sportsmanship from clairton and ft.cherry, good luck to both teams in the playoffs and mike i love your blog.
also i hate to disagree with a fellow prexie but i think the competition has something to do with their success in the last few games.
i think as you do that the skill player are being used better but its the line that has done better against weaker opponents that has made the different.
against better teams the weakness of their line showed.
and yes their tackling is atrocious and that is fron fundamentals in ntheir midget nad jr. high programs.
better days ahead next year i hope
As far as Wash High with the tackling. Tackling is taught early on, you just have to go out and execute. I watched youth and high school go over tackling drills but its up to the individual to make plays. also its scheming. for instance if the coach wants the lineman to slant and the backers to fire gaps and the lineman doesnt slant, it puts everyone on the defense in vulnerability. everyone must do their assignment or everyone looks bad period. They have good individual talent but have not put it all together. You cant judge them now because the competition has been weak the past two games but the the offense has tried better ways to get their skill people involved. Your point about the line is correct. I believe wh has some of the best backs in the conference but it all starts up front at every level. No off/def line will be painful every night.
i agree it all starts on the line. thats usually the difference. i would bet wash high could give you 5 backs who could have 1000 yrds on various other teams, but it is what it is and you have to adjust to it. i think they will do better next year. they do have lots of young kids and next year they will have no excuse. good luck to all the teams in the playoffs. to claiton "good luck in the state championship"
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