Weekend Wrap: Zanesville May Be Left Out
By JOSH STROPEIn a little more than a month, you will hear people all across the country demand a playoff in college football when the BCS blows up in everyone's face.
It happens every year and it surely will again.
Will there be more than one undefeated team or multiple one-loss teams? Boise State and TCU will likely be on the outside looking in even against a one-loss team.
Let's face it, there isn't going to be a college football playoff anytime soon -university presidents and bowl sponsors won't allow it. But is a playoff really the answer? After all, sometimes who makes the playoffs doesn't even make sense at the high school level. Take Zanesville.
Zanesville is 8-1 with its season finale Friday at home against 7-2 Jackson. The Blue Devils are 18th - yes, 18th - in the Division II, Region 7 standings.
Even if Zanesville wins, it probably won't make the playoffs. The reason? The Blue Devils have played just two teams that have winning records - Logan (9-0) and St. Charles (5-4). The other seven teams are a combined 8-55.
So how rare is it that a team could go 9-1 and not make the playoffs? Not as rare as you might think.
According to Zanesville statistician Devin Schultz, since the OHSAA went to this format in 1999, 20 teams have finished with one loss or no losses and not made the playoffs.
Newcomerstown went 10-0 in 2001 and missed out.
The 2000 season is the only time in the current format that all unbeatens and one-loss teams made it. Every other year, at least one one-loss team has missed. And of those 20, 14 just missed in their region by finishing ninth - including two teams losing out on tiebreakers for eighth place.
The list is:
1999 -Region 14: Columbus Ready, 9th; Region 20: New Albany, 9th
2001 -Region 2: Perrysburg, 9th; Region 15: Newcomerstown (10-0), 12th
2002 - Region 8: Woodward, 9th; Region 12: New Richmond, 9th
2003 -Region 4: Lebanon, 11th;
2004 - Region 4: Northmont, 9th; Region 4: Lakota East, 10th; Region 10: Beechcroft, 9th
2005 - Region 19: Trimble, 9th
2006 -Region 5: West Geauga, 9th
2007 - Region 12: Eastmoor Academy, 9th; Region 14: Bucyrus, 13th; Region 17: Cuyahoga Heights, 9th (lost 3rd level tiebreaker for 8th); Region 23: Waterford, 9th
2008 - Region 10: Urbana, 9th (lost 3rd-level tiebreaker for 8th); Region 13: Girard, 12th; Region 18: Northwood, 9th; Region 24: Grove City Christian (8-1), 12th
Zanesville went 8-1 in 1998 and didn't make the playoffs, but that was when only four teams made the postseason. Plenty must happen this week for the Blue Devils to buck this recent trend and make the postseason after a one-year absence.
Ground Gainers
- Scott Peach, Edison: Wildcats tailback rushed for 117 yards on 23 carries in a loss to Buckeye Local.
- Tavin Stevenson, St. Clairsville: Red Devil ran for 196 yards and a touchdown as St. Clairsville kept its playoff hopes alive with a victory against Steubenville Central.
- Chris Smelley, Bridgeport: Bulldog helped snap a losing skid to Shadyside with 114 yards rushing and two touchdowns.
- Kyle Gladden, Zanesville: Gladden rushed for 150 yards and two scores as Zanesville defeated Gallia Academy.
- Nate Taylor, Tyler Consolidated: Silver Knights back broke the 200-yard barrier again, rushing for 262 yards and three scores in victory against Ritchie County.
- Jim Deter, Lou Comis, Weirton Madonna: No A.J. Klein, no problem. Deter has stepped in and is becoming a threat, going for 205 yards and a touchdown in Weirton Madonna's victory against Toronto. Comis (107 yards) continued to find the end zone, scoring three more times to bring his season total to 13 touchdowns.
- Jarod Mellinger, Beallsville: Blue Devils back rushed for 102 yards and four touchdowns, leading the way in a victory against Paden City.
- Doren Thomas, Indian Creek: Indian Creek was back to its winning ways with a solid effort from Thomas. The senior rushed for 190 yards and two scores against Bellaire.
- Ryan Lazear, Brooke: Bruins tailback rushed for 121 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries as Brooke blanked rival Weir.
- Dwight Macon, Steubenville: Big Red proved they were human after all this week, losing a regular-season game for the first time since 2002. Macon did his best against Inkster, rushing for 147 yards and a touchdown. He also threw for one.
Aerial Attack
- Zak Kinnick, St. Clairsville: Red Devils quarterback bounced back by throwing for 102 yards and a touchdown to Chas Snider in victory vs. Crusaders.
- Dylan Kimble, Shadyside: Tigers quarterback threw for 133 yards in a loss to Bridgeport.
- Cole Hudson, Zanesville: Quarterback passed for 187 yards and a score to pace the Blue Devils.
- Robert Jones, Wheeling Park: Patriots QB threw for 133 yards and a score, but the long season continued for Wheeling Park with a loss to Fairmont Senior.
- Logan Groves, Beallsville: While Mellinger did his damage on the ground, Groves took to the air just five times but still managed to total 125 yards and two scores against the Wildcats.
- Aaron Fonner, John Marshall: Monarchs quarterback threw for 290 yards and four touchdowns Friday at Pony Lewis Field, but John Marshall was defeated by Morgantown.
- Adam Young, Indian Creek: Redskins quarterback etched his name in the Indian Creek record book Saturday. He threw for 148 yards and two scores against the Big Reds, making him the school's leader in passing yards for a season, breaking the record previously held by Robbie Burge in 1996. Young has 1,388 yards on the season.
- Cotey Wallace, Brooke: Bruins signalcaller completed 14 of 20 passes for 193 yards and four scores in dismantling of Red Riders.
- Kyle Copeland, Union Local: The do-it-all quarterback threw for 254 yards and a touchdown in a losing effort as the Jets were beaten by Harrison Central.
- Seth Barnhart, Oak Glen: Golden Bears quarterback was nearly perfect completing 21 of 25 passes for 244 yards and five touchdowns to keep Oak Glen's playoff hopes alive.
- Kyle Pytlak, Linsly: Despite an injury that knocked him out in the third quarter, Cadets quarterback completed six passes for 161 yards and three touchdowns in a victory against East Liverpool.
Good Hands Team
- Griffin Yochum, John Marshall: Monarchs wideout gave the Morgantown secondary all it could handle with seven catches for 166 yards and three touchdowns.
- Joe DiNardo, Brooke: Junior receiver caught five passes for 125 yards and two scores Friday night.
- Darby Waller, Union Local: Jets wideout hauled in 14 passes for 139 yards and a touchdown in loss to Harrison Central.
- Tyler Reed, Oak Glen: Receiver brought down six passes for 121 yards and two scores in victory against defending Class AA champion Grafton.
- Kane Boroski, Linsly: Cadet caught five passes for 161 yards and all three touchdowns in Linsly's victory.
Wrecking Crew
- Traeh Keller, Magnolia: Blue Eagles bruiser recorded 16 tackles, eight solo, and picked up a sack to lead the Magnolia defensive effort against Barnesville.
- Kaleb Kucera, Bobby Richmond, Austin Coffield, Bishop Donahue: Bishops trio was a true wrecking crew Saturday night against Valley. Kucera made 13 tackles, while Richmond and Coffield each had 12. Richmond also added a fumble recovery and a sack.
- Richard Hall, Wheeling Park: Before leaving Friday's game with an apparent concussion, Hall recorded 11 tackles and forced a fumble against the Polar Bears.
- Billy Streets, Valley: Lumberjack made 15 tackles trying to contain the Bishop Donahue offense.
- Tyler Arigoni, Danny Greathouse, Union Local: Arigoni led the Jets defense with 18 tackles, while Greathouse chipped in with 12 tackles, two sacks, and two forced fumbles.
- Matt Robinson, Steubenville Central: Crusader recorded 10 tackles at home vs. the Red Devils.
- Justin Greathouse, Oak Glen: Senior played his last home game with the Oak Glen defense, making nine tackles, two sacks, and a pass break-up.
- Troy Haslam, River: Pilots senior made 10 tackles, six solos, and recorded a sack in leading the defense vs. the Warriors.
- Mark Dodd, Linsly: Sophomore racked up 15 tackles at home vs. the Potters.
Mr. Everything
- Zach Hood, Wheeling Central: Senior quarterback went on the road and led the Maroon Knights to a victory against Martins Ferry with his arms and his legs. Hood rushed for 130 yards and threw for 101 yards. His pass to John Belancic on fourth-and-17 kept the final drive alive as Wheeling Central drove down the field for the game-winning score, a Hood pass to Jordan Sorge.
- Marco Ricchetti, Martins Ferry: Ricchetti threw for 113 yards and a touchdown, while also recording 10 tackles, causing a fumble, and an interception against Wheeling Central.
- Chance Rowland, Oak Glen: Junior tailback churned out 120 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries to lead the Golden Bears past the Bearcats. On defense, Rowland made seven tackles and two interceptions.
- Dylan Potts, River: Pilots quarterback enjoyed another solid week, throwing for 163 yards and a touchdown pass to his brother, Devan. He also rushed for two scores in victory against Buckeye Trail.
(Weekend wrap only includes teams that called or emailed their stats on Sunday).
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nickynoodle
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10-27-09 6:09 AM
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re: river pilots....devan potts is not a brother to dylan potts...they may be distant cousins...but not brothers...
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nickynoodle
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10-27-09 6:08 AM
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re: river pilots....devan potts is not a brother to dylan potts...the may be distant cousins...but not brothers...
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