Western Buckeye League 2021

doubtme said:
I feel like he also rode a talent wave at Bryan and then left... If I remember right
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Cooper had him set up pretty good at Bryan when he left for Wauseon. When Kline got the job at Defiance it was down to him and Cooper. Because Kline was already a teacher and on staff at Defiance, he got the job. Wonder how different the program would be now if Cooper had gotten the job back then.
 
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doubtme said:
I feel like he also rode a talent wave at Bryan and then left... If I remember right
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Cooper built the program, went to Wauseon, Kline came in. Took the program to new heights, then suddenly in April or May one year leaves to "spend more time with his kids." Shows up randomly on the Defiance staff (to be fair, his kids were already enrolled at Defiance and he taught here while coaching in Bryan).

It was the worst kept secret possible at that point that Buti was retiring and Kline was the guy.

But it is pretty telling that his last 2 teams at Bryan had gone 12-1 with a thrilling regional final loss to Kenton, then 6-4 just out of the playoffs, and then the first year under Redhead they were 0-10. I get late coaching change, lots of turmoil, bad season, but 0-10? Definitely sounds like the talent dried up, he bolted, and a great AD and greater coach just made an uncharacteristic mistake naming his replacement.
 
The more Defiance competes with young guys in key spots, the more I get cautiously excited about the future. Right now they're closer to 5th in the league than 10th, just can't quite get over the hump against the middle tier.

I fear the defense takes a big step back next year with the best 3-4 playmaker all being seniors. But I'm hopeful that the offense getting some footing with a freshman QB and freshman and sophomore RBs is a good sign.

For now, just proud of these kids for not folding after week 3 after 2 blowouts. They're just not on the level of Shawnee, Elida, or Bath...but they're close. If they can win next week and continue to grow next year, who knows. Long way off league title contention, but already this year they're a couple of plays or a couple of bounces from 5-5.
 
Week 7 Final Scores
Ottawa-Glandorf 42, Celina 0
St Marys Memorial 48, Kenton 7
Bath 17, Defiance 13
Van Wert 49, Shawnee 14
Wapakoneta 30, Elida 13

Standings
1. Van Wert -- 6-1 (5-1)
1. Wapak -- 5-2 (5-1)
3. Bath -- 5-2 (4-2)
3. St Marys -- 5-2 (4-2)
3. O-G -- 4-3 (4-2)
6. Elida -- 4-3 (3-3)
6. Shawnee -- 4-3 (3-3)
8. Defiance -- 2-5 (1-5)
8. Celina -- 1-6 (1-5)
10. Kenton -- 0-7 (0-6)

Week 8 Games
Wapak (5-2) @ Bath (5-2)
Elida (4-3) @ St Marys (5-2)
Shawnee (4-3) @ O-G (4-3)
Kenton (0-7) @ Van Wert (6-1)
Defiance (2-5) @ Celina (1-6)
 
dhsdog06 said:
The more Defiance competes with young guys in key spots, the more I get cautiously excited about the future. Right now they're closer to 5th in the league than 10th, just can't quite get over the hump against the middle tier.

I fear the defense takes a big step back next year with the best 3-4 playmaker all being seniors. But I'm hopeful that the offense getting some footing with a freshman QB and freshman and sophomore RBs is a good sign.

For now, just proud of these kids for not folding after week 3 after 2 blowouts. They're just not on the level of Shawnee, Elida, or Bath...but they're close. If they can win next week and continue to grow next year, who knows. Long way off league title contention, but already this year they're a couple of plays or a couple of bounces from 5-5.
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Agree.. They do have some underclassman in key spots, but the majority of their team on the field is seniors. With only 5 juniors on the roster and not many more sophomores next year could be real rough. Both lines will have to be replaced, as well as the defensive backfield. Look for a lot of sophomores to play next year.
 
St. Marys scored on their first six drives last night against Kenton and had it going early on.

michaelhirn.com

Roughriders roll to third straight win

KENTON – In the words of the late rapper DMX the St. Marys Roughriders stopped, dropped, and opened up shop from the opening play of Friday night’s Western Buckeye League contest at Ken…
michaelhirn.com michaelhirn.com
 
Seems like since Kenton's beatdown at Bellevue, it hasn't recovered.

Put me in loving Wapaks Stadium. Went there for Norwalk's Final Four against Alter, 3 years ago
 
tucson said:
Week 8 Games
Wapak (5-2) @ Bath (5-2)
Elida (4-3) @ St Marys (5-2)
Shawnee (4-3) @ O-G (4-3)
Kenton (0-7) @ Van Wert (6-1)
Defiance (2-5) @ Celina (1-6)
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Next week's games see some quality match-ups. Both Bath and Wapak at 5-2 is interesting, especially since Wapak seems a much more battle tested 5-2 than Bath. Shawnee and O-G both at 4-3 will shake out the middle of the league standings. Kenton is doomed for another blowout. Van Wert is going to do to Kenton what Kenton used to do to everyone and that'll be a treat. Meanwhile, Defiance-Celina will determine who the second worst team in the league is this year.
 
dhsdog06 said:
Cooper built the program, went to Wauseon, Kline came in. Took the program to new heights, then suddenly in April or May one year leaves to "spend more time with his kids." Shows up randomly on the Defiance staff (to be fair, his kids were already enrolled at Defiance and he taught here while coaching in Bryan).

It was the worst kept secret possible at that point that Buti was retiring and Kline was the guy.

But it is pretty telling that his last 2 teams at Bryan had gone 12-1 with a thrilling regional final loss to Kenton, then 6-4 just out of the playoffs, and then the first year under Redhead they were 0-10. I get late coaching change, lots of turmoil, bad season, but 0-10? Definitely sounds like the talent dried up, he bolted, and a great AD and greater coach just made an uncharacteristic mistake naming his replacement.
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At Bryan, Cooper was able to change the culture of a soft town. Kline kept it going with some great classes. IMO Kline's last year in Bryan was a success. The team replaced 4 all staters and 4/5 lineman. They were very close to going 8-2 that year.
Redhead is a joke and Bryan will not be successful while he is there. I just hope he doesn't set the program back to the pre Cooper days.
 
Been following the WBL this season and found it to be very interesting. So I’m going to give it a try this week. Wapak over Bath. SM over Elida. OG at home over Shawnee. VW big over Kenton’s young team. Celina over Defiance in a squeaker.
 
We still have 3 regular season games left, but here's where each WBL team is currently at in their region:

Rank - Team - Record --- Remaining Games

D3 R10
19. Defiance (2-5) --- (Celina, O-G, Wapak)

D3 R12
6. St Marys Memorial (5-2) --- (Elida, Bath, Celina)
7. Wapakoneta (5-2) --- (Bath, Celina, Defiance)
9. Shawnee (4-3) --- (O-G, Kenton, Elida)
14. Elida (4-3) --- (St Marys, Van Wert, Shawnee)
26. Celina (1-6) --- (Defiance, Wapak, St Marys)

D4 R14
2. Van Wert (6-1) --- (Kenton, Elida, Bath)
24. Kenton (0-7) --- (Van Wert, Shawnee, O-G)

D5 R18
4. Ottawa-Glandorf (4-3) --- (Shawnee, Defiance, Kenton)
9. Bath (5-2) --- (Wapak, St Marys, Van Wert)


Based on remaining games, Van Wert, Wapak, and St Marys will probably only strengthen their rank. All 3 should have a first round home game (top 8 seed) and then Wapak and SM with a strong finish may be able to jump into top 4 for a second round home game as well.

I'd expect Bath and Elida to tumble out of the top 16. At best, Elida finishes 5-5. 5-5 may be good enough to get into D3R12, but if so Elida won't be that 5-5 team. All of the Bulldogs wins are against teams with losing records. Bath has the better shot, but way tougher road. If Bath could pull off an upset, they'd absolutely be in at 6-4. At 5-5 they'll probably be on the cusp and I'll say on the outside looking in. D518 isn't all the deep, so there's always a chance I guess. Elsewhere, Shawnee looks like a lock for a top 16 rank and to be on the road round 1. A loss to Elida in Week 10 could be a deathblow, although Shawnee is the top D3R12 team with 3 losses at the moment.

So, the WBL playoff teams at this point look like: Van Wert, St Marys, Wapak, O-G, Shawnee
 
Defiance needs to pull an upset or get literally EVERYTHING to go their way elsewhere.

Rogers beating Scott and Sandusky beating Norwalk were killers. But, if we had pulled out either Shawnee or Bath, we'd likely be in in a weak region.

Bath and Elida will be on the bubble, but Elida is in the wrong D3 region (they'd EASILY make it in R10) and Bath will be close. I think they could sneak in, Bowling Green has a couple of winnable games and Elida beating Shawnee would help. But none of that is a given, and the only help they'll get elsewhere is the Defiance/Celina winner.


With rain in the forecast this week, maybe an upset happens somewhere?
 
tucson said:
I'd expect Bath and Elida to tumble out of the top 16. At best, Elida finishes 5-5. 5-5 may be good enough to get into D3R12, but if so Elida won't be that 5-5 team. All of the Bulldogs wins are against teams with losing records. Bath has the better shot, but way tougher road. If Bath could pull off an upset, they'd absolutely be in at 6-4. At 5-5 they'll probably be on the cusp and I'll say on the outside looking in. D518 isn't all the deep, so there's always a chance I guess. Elsewhere, Shawnee looks like a lock for a top 16 rank and to be on the road round 1. A loss to Elida in Week 10 could be a deathblow, although Shawnee is the top D3R12 team with 3 losses at the moment.
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I would bet that Bath makes it in at 5-5, there's just no one that can knock them out. They may drop to a 14-16 spot if they lose their next 3 games, but #17 in the region right now is 2-5 and looks like they will finish 4-6 in a best case scenario for them. Beyond that, Marion Pleasant at #18 will be lucky to get another win this year, and Lake at 19 is only winning 1 more game this season, and it's in the same region against 0-6 Fostoria
 
Bath will be in even if they end up at 5-5. If Elida can win one of their next 3, I think 5-5 likely gets them in also. There is very little chance any of the teams behind them will get to 5-5 and a win over either St Marys or Shawnee (VW is unlikely) would gain them enough points that it looks like they are in. Playing a 3 win D7 team in the opening week sure didn't help their playoff odds.
 
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I think Shawnee would be good at 5-5 also with the LCC win and Bath at 5 wins.

That leaves Elida. Would 5-5 Shawnee and a potentially 5-5 Spencerville be enough to push then in? I'd say they HAVE to beat Shawnee and even then it's close.

I see a possibility for 7 playoff teams here. Getting Defiance in would take Collinwood and Rogers both losing a bunch, BG beating Southview (and both losing to Napoleon), and Sandusky winning no more games. And of course, Defiance beating Celina. And even with all that, it's a long shot. Probably need some unexpected results in the Cleveland area.

Region 10 is proof that 12 teams should have been given a real run. Cause the fact that Collinwood and Rogers look solid and the likes of Defiance, Ashland, Sandusky, Southview, and potentially even Bowling Green aren't totally out of it is just....woof.
 
Neversaynever said:
At Bryan, Cooper was able to change the culture of a soft town. Kline kept it going with some great classes. IMO Kline's last year in Bryan was a success. The team replaced 4 all staters and 4/5 lineman. They were very close to going 8-2 that year.
Redhead is a joke and Bryan will not be successful while he is there. I just hope he doesn't set the program back to the pre Cooper days.
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Kline's last year at Bryan they were 6-3, almost mathematically eliminated from the playoffs and went to face a 2-7 Liberty Center team and got beat. The football team walked off the field on the east end to head to the locker room/bus and I watched Kline walk off the west end and go home with his family. I assumed he knew he was done after that game.
 
Rolly67 said:
Kline's last year at Bryan they were 6-3, almost mathematically eliminated from the playoffs and went to face a 2-7 Liberty Center team and got beat. The football team walked off the field on the east end to head to the locker room/bus and I watched Kline walk off the west end and go home with his family. I assumed he knew he was done after that game.
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Wow!
 
Rolly67 said:
Kline's last year at Bryan they were 6-3, almost mathematically eliminated from the playoffs and went to face a 2-7 Liberty Center team and got beat. The football team walked off the field on the east end to head to the locker room/bus and I watched Kline walk off the west end and go home with his family. I assumed he knew he was done after that game.
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And then waited until April/May to announce it?

I honestly have no doubt you're right. But wow.
 
ramdog22 said:
Sounds like last year. He didn't look to get the younger players at key positions more first team action after the BG game. Optics were very telling.
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Compared to Cooper, who at halftime of a game they're not out of makes a QB change to a freshman....and it almost pays off with a W.

I didn't understand at all why there wasn't at least someone else taking snaps at QB the last 3 games last year, but Kline being on the hot seat and looking for a new job makes sense.

I know I was highly critical of the Cooper hire when it happened but 7 weeks in I'm willing to admit I was wrong. He's at least giving them a chance in most games and seems to understand what program building is.
 
It very well may change after playing O-G and Wapak in the final two weeks, but right now (with an opponent that has 3 scoreless games so far this year up next), Defiance has its best defensive points per game since 2009, the year after the last good Defiance team. And 65% of those points came against the top two teams in the league. Unfortunately, the offense has been putrid since the last playoff appearance in 2013.
 
Week 8 Final Scores
St Marys Memorial 42, Elida 7
Van Wert 63, Kenton 20
Ottawa-Glandorf 9, Shawnee 7
Defiance 28, Celina 19
Wapakoneta 28, Bath 21, OT

Standings
1. Van Wert -- 7-1 (6-1)
1. Wapak -- 6-2 (6-1)
3. St Marys -- 6-2 (5-2)
3. O-G -- 5-3 (5-2)
5. Bath -- 5-3 (4-3)
6. Elida -- 4-4 (3-4)
6. Shawnee -- 4-4 (3-4)
8. Defiance -- 3-5 (2-5)
9. Celina -- 1-7 (1-6)
10. Kenton -- 0-8 (0-7)

Week 9 Games
Bath (5-3) @ St Marys (6-2)
Van Wert (7-1) @ Elida (4-4)
Celina (1-7) @ Wapak (6-2)
Defiance (3-5) @ O-G (5-3)
Shawnee (4-4) @ Kenton (0-8)
 
Time to see how much Defiance has improved from week 2 and 3. Clearly they'll finish 3-7, but hopefully they can close out the season with some momentum and no more 56-0 or 55-18 type losses.
 
An eventful evening in WBL country. Some delays, some blowouts, overtime, and maybe some tighter scores than expected. VW and SM with blowout wins. I'm going to assume most of Kenton points came on the VW backups. It is tied for the most points Kenton has scored all season. I'm a bit surprised SM handled Elida as well as they did, nice win Roughriders. SM looks to be doing just fine in what some of us thought may be a transitional year. O-G and Shawnee was a defensive battle. I'm sure it was a hard fought game. Shawnee is one of those teams that's so close, but so far from turning the corner. They have an outstanding defense, but apparently an offense that just lags so far behind. Kind of reminds me of Michigan teams of the 2010's. Shawnee's a tough team, just not getting any help from their offense (Shawnee is averaging under 13 points scored per game). We also saw Defiance best Celina at the bottom of the league standings. We have a clear 8th, 9th, and 10th place team in the league. That's nice I guess considering how crowded the top/middle placements are in the WBL.

Probably the game of the week, Wapak at Bath, turned out to be a dandy. Senior night for the Wildcats and they started off in the lead and didn't let it up until overtime. Wapak had the ball first in OT and got into the endzone after 3 running plays. Bath got the ball next and on their very first play, fumbled the ball, Wapak recovered, and game over. Tough way to lose. I'm still really impressed with Bath's fight in this game and taking Wapak to overtime. This is a much better Bath team than people give them credit for. I hope they sneak into the playoffs. Wapak on the other hand, seems to be underperforming expectations. I'm still puzzled how Wapak scored 45 on Van Wert with a seemingly explosive offense but outside of that game they're barely scoring 30 points in a game. Wapak has a chance to blowout Celina next week and ends with Defi.
 
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