Western Buckeye League 2021

ShoelessJoe said:
In the Defiance / LC Scrimmage no one scored while I was there. LC threw a lot of interceptions. They dropped one pass in end zone. Defiance did absolutely nothing offensively. Their line play on both sides of ball was very bad. Until Defiance can get some players with some skill and sports IQ it doesn't matter who coaches. I will have to say they seemed more disciplined than the last few years with very few penalties and turnovers.
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You must have left right before they went down and distance driving the field. Liberty drove them ball 70 yards and scored but needed two good 3rd down pass conversions to keep the drive alive. Defiance got stuffed after only a handful of plays and then LC got a first down or two before breaking a 60 yard touchdown run. I believe Defiance got stuffed again before the refs called a lightning delay and that was it.
 
Defiance looked better in their scrimmage against McComb last night. Not sure how good McComb will be this year, they were not very good last year. The defense is ok, but the offense needs to be sharp in the next week is practices to beat Napoleon.
 
I saw a write up that Defiance trailed early 14-0 to McComb in their scrimmage, but battled back to tie it. Sounds like defense made key plays, but defense wasn't exactly their problem last year. And here's a video recap of the Bath-LCC scrimmage. The recap shows each team scoring once, not sure of details beyond that. The other scrimmage last night was supposed to be Shawnee-DSJ.

And todays are:
Celina vs. Coldwater
Elida vs. Carey
Kenton vs. Benjamin Logan
O-G vs. St Henry
Van Wert vs. Crestview
 
If someone could post a summary following the Wapak v Minster scrimmage, I would greatly appreciate it. I’m not able to make it but I’m very excited for this Wapak team and the game against ML next week.
 
Van Wert 41 Crestview 7. Here's a pretty detailed article describing the action. Cougars sounded sharp.

Perhaps more surprising with scrimmages, Benjamin Logan beat Kenton 14-6. The game was called at 9:08 4Q due to weather. All I saw was the score and no other details, but only 6 points for the Wildcats is certainly not a good sign.

Anyone hear anything about Shawnee-DSJ, Elida-Carey, or OG-St Henry?
 
I saw some of the OG St. H. scrimage on NFHS yesterday. OG drove their first possession for a score and then held St. H.
QB for OG has some good running ability and a strong arm.
The rest of the scrimmage looked pretty even.
 
Week 1 is upon us. This is the wildcard week for WBL as their lone out of conference game. Usually it matters a lot for computer points/playoffs, although it'll matter a bit less this season. I'd say the league is probably going to go 5-5 at best, maybe 4-6 overall for week 1. Some tough match-ups. I think a good amount of the losses may be blowouts (Bath, Celina, Kenton, Shawnee), but the games that are most intriguing to me are the Auglaize County teams - St Marys @ London and Wapak vs. ML are the tougher ones to predict IMO.

Week 1
Bath vs. Bowling Green
Celina @ Versailles
Defiance vs. Napoleon
Elida vs. Spencerville
Kenton @ Coldwater
Ottawa-Glandorf @ Eastwood
Shawnee vs. Lima Central Catholic
St Marys Memorial @ London
Van Wert @ Bryan
Wapak vs. Marion Local
 
Bath-BG won't be a blowout. BG lost almost everything from last year, including the coach. Consensus from the NLL folks is they very well may end up last over there, even with how bad Maumee and Southview have been.

I'm not saying Bath wins, but I'd be absolutely shocked if it wasn't close.
 
I'm really excited about the Wapak vs. Marion Local game. I'll take a stab at Week 1 predictions:

Week 1
Bath vs. Bowling Green
Celina @ Versailles
Defiance vs. Napoleon
Elida vs. Spencerville
Kenton @ Coldwater
Ottawa-Glandorf @ Eastwood
Shawnee vs. Lima Central Catholic
St Marys Memorial @ London
Van Wert @ Bryan
Wapak vs. Marion Local
 
So I know all the WBL schools have online ticketing this year.


Can any VW fans tell me what Bryan is doing? Thinking about going up Friday and catching the game, but I don't want to get there and not be able to get a ticket.
 
dhsdog06 said:
So I know all the WBL schools have online ticketing this year.


Can any VW fans tell me what Bryan is doing? Thinking about going up Friday and catching the game, but I don't want to get there and not be able to get a ticket.
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Yes, walk up. Tickets are available at the gate.
 
I feel like the Lima Hometown Stations football previews came out later than normal this year, but they are linked below (except for Elida and Defiance; they haven't yet posted one for either of those Bulldogs).

O-G & Van Wert Hometown Stations Preview
St Marys & Celina Hometown Stations Preview
Wapak & Kenton Hometown Stations Preview
Bath Hometown Stations Preview
Shawnee Hometown Stations Preview

Here's a quick summary or what I gathered:

OG - graduated 11 seniors (mostly starters), but have 20 seniors on this year’s team. Lose 4-year starter at QB, but have a solid o-line. Sounds like a very physical, strong team whose biggest challenge might just be inexperience.

VW - only graduated 8 seniors and return 8 starters on each side of the ball, but QB Owen Treece and WR Drew Johnson are the big holes to fill. Coach talked about needing leaders to step up and see how strong their fight is this year.

SM - 17 seniors graduated, but biggest change is Coach Doug Frye retiring. SM now led by Coach Bo Frye looks to be more of the same “muscle car offense” as they described it. Sounds like more of the same from the Roughriders based on this preview.

Celina - lost 15 seniors. Have a new QB and RB and youth at both o-line and d-line. Focus this year is on being a TEAM as that has lacked in previous years. Doesn’t sound like a very optimistic outlook based on this preview. Rough season ahead for the Bulldogs.

Wapak - lose 11 seniors, return 8 starters. They feel like they have talent at QB and RB and hoping to rebound after an injury/COVID plagued season. The upside of last years tough season, a lot of players got playing time. Sounds like they have high expectations for this season.

Kenton - lose 11 seniors, only 3 starters return. They have 5 seniors total, youth at a lot of their positions including starting a freshman QB. The Coach Turner era may start off a little rough. The team sounds like they’re feeling the “underdog” role.

Bath - 8 returning offensive starters, 7 returning on defense. Team feels like they have a lot of experience and players talked about getting a taste of the playoffs (for the first time since 2003) and wanting more of that. They have a new starting QB, senior Ian Armentrout, who moved to the QB position this year. Coach looks for pass D to be a big strength. Seems like Bath could have a solid season, based on this preview, but you know somehow they always find a way to underperform.

Shawnee - High expectations in Coach Cooper’s 4th year. Only lost 2 starters on defense, they think that’s their top strength after being #2 in total defense last year and #1 scoring defense (in WBL). Offense returns several offensive starters too. Seems to me like if Shawnee doesn’t finish .500 or better it’ll be a disappointment. Might look for Shawnee to finish right outside the big 4 in the WBL this year.
 
Huge night for the league. Can't be prouder of the Dogs, it wasn't pretty and honestly they got outplayed. But they made the plays when they needed to and got a win they never would have in the past.

Shawnee over LCC is a surprise too. Glad to take 2 Ls in the prediction contest tonight.
 
Likewise, consider me surprised. I didn't realize Shawnee would be as good as they maybe are until I saw their Hometown Stations preview (which just came out). I also don't pay attention to the NLL at all, apparently. From all the off season realignment conversations about Napoleon always competing with larger schools (and having success) combined with me seeing everyone in the NLL picking them to finish 3rd in the league...... no disrespect to Defiance but the NLL's not at all a good football league. :ROFLMAO:
 
tucson said:
Likewise, consider me surprised. I didn't realize Shawnee would be as good as they maybe are until I saw their Hometown Stations preview (which just came out). I also don't pay attention to the NLL at all, apparently. From all the off season realignment conversations about Napoleon always competing with larger schools (and having success) combined with me seeing everyone in the NLL picking them to finish 3rd in the league...... no disrespect to Defiance but the NLL's not at all a good football league. :ROFLMAO:
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It's really not. Defiance at 1-9 last year would have handled Maumee and Southview easily and probably would have competed with Springfield and Northview.
 
tucson said:
Likewise, consider me surprised. I didn't realize Shawnee would be as good as they maybe are until I saw their Hometown Stations preview (which just came out). I also don't pay attention to the NLL at all, apparently. From all the off season realignment conversations about Napoleon always competing with larger schools (and having success) combined with me seeing everyone in the NLL picking them to finish 3rd in the league...... no disrespect to Defiance but the NLL's not at all a good football league. :ROFLMAO:
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Historically, the NLL has been a terrible football league. Southview was the only program that carried any weight for a while, but Perrysburg and Anthony Wayne have upped their game a bit in recent years as Southview has now gotten worse than Defiance, maybe. Rossford was always two divisions smaller than the other NLL teams, made several playoff appearances in the 80s and 90s and went winless against schools its own size. As for Crapoleon, it's following the same formula it did back in the GLL/GBC when it beat D-I programs having down times. 12 playoff appearances and only one of those with multiple playoff wins in the same playoff appearance. Not to sound cocky about one week 1 win, but that's the way it is.
 
Very proud of my Shawnee Indians last night. A great win over a backyard rival we haven't played in football since 1986. Shawnees defense definitely kept them in this game with multiple key stops and helping the offense find its footing late in the 1st half and 2nd. Shawnees defense will keep them in almost every game this year. Hoping their offense grows and they'll surprise people this year.
 
Just saw the stats. Defiance lost about every one by decent margins except turnovers, so I'm still not expecting more than 1 or 2 WBL wins.
 
Nash said:
Historically, the NLL has been a terrible football league. Southview was the only program that carried any weight for a while, but Perrysburg and Anthony Wayne have upped their game a bit in recent years as Southview has now gotten worse than Defiance, maybe. Rossford was always two divisions smaller than the other NLL teams, made several playoff appearances in the 80s and 90s and went winless against schools its own size. As for Crapoleon, it's following the same formula it did back in the GLL/GBC when it beat D-I programs having down times. 12 playoff appearances and only one of those with multiple playoff wins in the same playoff appearance. Not to sound cocky about one week 1 win, but that's the way it is.
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Crapoleon huh? You sound like a real special guy.
 
tucson said:
I also don't pay attention to the NLL at all, apparently. From all the off season realignment conversations about Napoleon always competing with larger schools (and having success) combined with me seeing everyone in the NLL picking them to finish 3rd in the league...... no disrespect to Defiance but the NLL's not at all a good football league.
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Napoleon has gone 37-33 in the NLL, with five 4-3 seasons, and 3 losing seasons (one 0-7) they’ve mostly benefitted from Maumee’s decline since Boles retired and SV’s decline in enrollment/athletes outside of Napoleons 2012 7-0 season. They were picked 3rd because they’re pretty consistent and despite losing a good and big senior class returned almost 60 10-12 and close to 20 seniors. They could easily finish 6th or lower.


Nash said:
Historically, the NLL has been a terrible football league. Southview was the only program that carried any weight for a while, but Perrysburg and Anthony Wayne have upped their game a bit in recent years as Southview has now gotten worse than Defiance, maybe.
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Left out Maumee who was the 2nd best program from ‘01-‘12. Made the playoffs 6 times in D2, 3-6 record.

dhsdog06 said:
Defiance at 1-9 last year would have handled Maumee and Southview easily and probably would have competed with Springfield and Northview.
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Would they have handled Southview before or after losing to BG by 43 and Napoleon by 28? Looking at scores Maumee is the only team Defiance should be confident they could’ve beaten.
 
NLLBEST said:
Napoleon has gone 37-33 in the NLL, with five 4-3 seasons, and 3 losing seasons (one 0-7) they’ve mostly benefitted from Maumee’s decline since Boles retired and SV’s decline in enrollment/athletes outside of Napoleons 2012 7-0 season. They were picked 3rd because they’re pretty consistent and despite losing a good and big senior class returned almost 60 10-12 and close to 20 seniors. They could easily finish 6th or lower.



Left out Maumee who was the 2nd best program from ‘01-‘12. Made the playoffs 6 times in D2, 3-6 record.


Would they have handled Southview before or after losing to BG by 43 and Napoleon by 28? Looking at scores Maumee is the only team Defiance should be confident they could’ve beaten.
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After losing to Shawnee by 7 and seeing Southview lose by 40.
 
Nash said:
Historically, the NLL has been a terrible football league. Southview was the only program that carried any weight for a while, but Perrysburg and Anthony Wayne have upped their game a bit in recent years as Southview has now gotten worse than Defiance, maybe. Rossford was always two divisions smaller than the other NLL teams, made several playoff appearances in the 80s and 90s and went winless against schools its own size. As for Crapoleon, it's following the same formula it did back in the GLL/GBC when it beat D-I programs having down times. 12 playoff appearances and only one of those with multiple playoff wins in the same playoff appearance. Not to sound cocky about one week 1 win, but that's the way it is.
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The WBL had 3 division 3 teams play D7 teams this week. 2 WBL teams won by 7 points each, and 1 traditional WBL powerhouse got beat 31-6. You may want to be very cautious when criticizing other leagues.
 
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