Western Buckeye League 2022

jonmoxon

jonmoxon

Well-known member
I saw the MAC posted their 2022 thread so I figured it was about that time for the WBL's!

The WBL is coming off one of their more successful seasons in recent memory with 6 teams making the playoffs and 5 of them winning at least one game, and 3 winning two games. Plus OG was a Regional Champion and Van Wert was a Regional Runner-Up.

Should be a good 2022 for the league again as I think many teams look to reload, Wapak/OG loses some of talent but have always found ways to stay in the top part of the WBL. St. Marys should continue their winning ways, and Van Wert loses some talent, but they return 2 All-Ohio players and the best player in the WBL, and probably NW Ohio with Aidan Pratt. It also should be interesting to see how Defiance continues to build, and how Elida, Shawnee, Celina, and Kenton work their way into the top half of the league.

Let's hear your thoughts!
 
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I see Defiance being a year away from being competitive every week in the league. Anything they can accomplish this coming season will go a long way in bringing the program back to the Buti days. If that's even possible. Coach Coop does have these boys buying in, hopefully it translates to the football field.
 
Defiance will be OK in the backfield with 2 sophomores and a junior at QB and RB. But I worry that they're too inexperienced up front and on defense to really be any better next year. The D was the strength last year, but a lot of talent graduates on that side of the ball and that will hurt.

I can see another 3-7 type season, but things should really start looking better in 23.
 
Bath - Loses a very good senior class from an average, but well-coached football team. Heard they had a strong JV team to build off of, but not sure this is even an average team this year. 3-7 is a conservative forecast.

Celina - Has dropped off quite a bit in recent years. Do they even have a dangerous offensive weapon on their team? Too big a school to be this bad, but its going to take some young talent and enthusiasm from the players or the coaching staff to turn it around. Feels like 2-8.

Defiance - Noticeably improved from last year, by better coaching. Can be middle of the road if they can get some of their tough kids in that town out for football. Any of those 1997 state champs kids have sons in HS yet? Prediction: 4-6

Elida - Wide range of possible outcomes for this team. Do have a talented 3 year starter at QB, but can he stay healthy? Good coach going into this 3rd year, let's see what he can do now. 5-5 but could be anywhere from a 3 win up to a 7 win team depending on how things go.

Kenton - Will be better this year, but the Mauk era has receded to a distant memory. Young, promising QB and skill kids, but dedication to the weight room needs to return to this program. 1-9

Memorial - Has been on the upswing, and has a talented, bruising RB back to batter opponents with for this year. Finished the year on a strong run and was the only team to beat VW. 8-2, with an outside chance at 10-0 if they can replace some talented skill kids from last year.

Ottawa-Glandorf - Tough for me to call, lots of question marks at key positions as OG looks to replace a good senior class. They'll find a way to get it done and will be solid, smart and athletic on both sides of the ball. 7-3 is a pretty average year for OG and might be as good a guess as any.

Shawnee - Biggest question mark in the WBL. Usually play very good defense, and need to find some skill players to score some points. They go 5-5 by beating the teams that can't score, and finding a way to win.

Van Wert - Have the best offensive weapon in the WBL returning, but need to replace a great senior class. Things are rolling in VW now, and I think their coaching and their stud QB will carry them to a WBL title once again. 9-1

Wapak - Lost a great QB/RB tandem, but always find a way to reload and come back strong. Great program that finds a way to put out an excellent product year after year. Not sure if they have a rabbit in the hat like they found last year at QB, but their defense is consistently top notch. I think they drop down just a tick this year at 7-3.

Van Wert = 9-1
Memorial = 8-2
OG = 7-3
Wapak = 7-3
Shawnee = 5-5
Elida = 5-5
Defiance = 4-6
Bath = 3-7
Celina = 2-8
Kenton = 1-9
 
Didn't Defiance start seniors on almost all 22 positions this past season? I hope the new coaching staff is doing good things with the younger kids but I won't ever expect more than three wins in a season until it happens.
 
Nash said:
Didn't Defiance start seniors on almost all 22 positions this past season? I hope the new coaching staff is doing good things with the younger kids but I won't ever expect more than three wins in a season until it happens.
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Last half of the season (when things actually looked improved) was a freshman QB and a freshman and sophomores at RB. There was also a constant rotation going on where the seniors still felt like a part of the team, but underclassmen in many spots got the bulk of the playing time, or at least real, meaningful time early in games.

I still see 3 wins or so next year just because of youth, but this staff at least seemed to grasp what building a team actually looks like. We'll see how it goes long term.
 
Nash said:
Didn't Defiance start seniors on almost all 22 positions this past season? I hope the new coaching staff is doing good things with the younger kids but I won't ever expect more than three wins in a season until it happens.
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I remember seeing their entire offensive and defensive line were seniors? Or maybe I am thinking of another team.
 
Nash said:
Didn't Defiance start seniors on almost all 22 positions this past season? I hope the new coaching staff is doing good things with the younger kids but I won't ever expect more than three wins in a season until it happens.
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They did, that's why I said they are a year away IMO. This year's freshmen class is very talented! Not saying they will win State as seniors, well not football at least, but they will be very competitive in the next few years. Coach Cooper will prove with this class whether he is the right man or not.
 
If OG wins 7 games I will be elated. Titans lose all 5 starting offensive linemen, QB, RB, and probably the best WR in school history. The defense will be good but will have to carry the team early until the offense picks it up. Good thing about the OG team is being d5 4-5 wins should get into the playoffs and looking at the teams OG played the first 2 rounds the past couple of years titans could advance into the 3rd round of the playoffs.
 
As long as Van Wert has Aidan Pratt, they’re a favorite in the WBL, and positioned to make another deep playoff run.
 
Van Wert = 9-1
Memorial = 8-2
OG = 7-3
Wapak = 7-3
Shawnee = 5-5
Elida = 5-5
Defiance = 4-6
Kenton= 3-7
Celina = 2-8
Bath = 2-8

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I would love to see Celina make a big comeback.
I thought Coach Rolfes had them on the upswing until he left them right before the season awhile ago.
 
Kenton can beat CW, Celina, bath, so there's three wins right there.


Word on the street is Celina hired a former Coldwater great as an OC. Maybe that will help the Dawgs.
 
thavoice said:
Kenton can beat CW, Celina, bath, so there's three wins right there.


Word on the street is Celina hired a former Coldwater great as an OC. Maybe that will help the Dawgs.
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Kenton hasn’t beaten Coldwater since 2013, what makes you think they’ll win in 2022?
 
thavoice said:
Kenton can beat CW, Celina, bath, so there's three wins right there.


Word on the street is Celina hired a former Coldwater great as an OC. Maybe that will help the Dawgs.
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I guess the bigger thing here is that Bader is gonna be the head coach at Celina. They gotten worse each year. Unless the Dogs brass views that as an improvement.
 
jonmoxon said:
I guess the bigger thing here is that Bader is gonna be the head coach at Celina. They gotten worse each year. Unless the Dogs brass views that as an improvement.
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Celina doesn't have the Jimmy's or the Joe's right now. It happens. There's a reason they're not very good in every boy's sport right now. It isn't just football.
 
*67 said:
Celina doesn't have the Jimmy's or the Joe's right now. It happens. There's a reason they're not very good in every boy's sport right now. It isn't just football.
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Celina's problem goes farther than coaching - all their sports are down. The town and school lack one very important attribute to be successful: community support (pride).
 
*67 said:
Celina doesn't have the Jimmy's or the Joe's right now. It happens. There's a reason they're not very good in every boy's sport right now. It isn't just football.
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There are enough kids in Celina to field competitive football, basketball and baseball teams. The issue is there are too many kids roaming the halls to say otherwise.

#'s. Pure and simple. Participation at the younger levels is horrible. There needs to be a grassroots action by the HS coaches to boost those numbers in JH.

I know they have midget football and MAC fans will scoff at that, as do I. There are many places that have yute FB and great HS programs, but it is not a prerequisite. With family in Celina, what I have noticed is that their yute FB program is a deterrent and ran by too many Uncel Rico's as coaches. Many kids are not ready for FB at that age, and when they get to 7th grade feel like they are already left behind and dont bother.


Whatever the answer is, there needs to be a systematic change from top to bottom and it starts with getting kids to go out for said sports.
 
This is hardly a Celina only WBL problem. Look at football over the last 15-20 years in the league. Bath has been probably the worst of them all in the 21st century. Celina and Defiance aren't far behind that pack of pitiful. Shawnee has just never really gotten anything going so I don't even consider them a "has been". These places that have struggled for years can't point to one single cause. They are fools if they do. It's always a collection of things but at the top is high levels of community dysfunction combined with poor school administration. No coach can overcome those two deterrents.
 
54cheetah said:
This is hardly a Celina only WBL problem. Look at football over the last 15-20 years in the league. Bath has been probably the worst of them all in the 21st century. Celina and Defiance aren't far behind that pack of pitiful. Shawnee has just never really gotten anything going so I don't even consider them a "has been". These places that have struggled for years can't point to one single cause. They are fools if they do. It's always a collection of things but at the top is high levels of community dysfunction combined with poor school administration. No coach can overcome those two deterrents.
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Celina definitely. Defiance has had good bball and very good baseball. Shawnee no way, Indians have a good bball program and parents definitely care about the school.
 
54cheetah said:
This is hardly a Celina only WBL problem. Look at football over the last 15-20 years in the league. Bath has been probably the worst of them all in the 21st century. Celina and Defiance aren't far behind that pack of pitiful. Shawnee has just never really gotten anything going so I don't even consider them a "has been". These places that have struggled for years can't point to one single cause. They are fools if they do. It's always a collection of things but at the top is high levels of community dysfunction combined with poor school administration. No coach can overcome those two deterrents.
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Defiance is FAR from community dysfunction or poor school administration. In fact, the entire reason the new school, new gym, new baseball fields, turf at the football stadium, etc. happened is because of a community that rallies behind its sports and a strong administration that made sure it not only happened, but was done right. I also argue with the "bad the entire 21st century" part. We were one of the models of consistency in the league through 2008. We had 4 straight 6-4 seasons that were seen as DISAPPOINTMENTS, bookends by a regional final appearance in 2003 and a shared league title in 2008.

Around that time basketball started winning, and the best athletes quit coming out for football. Can't blame it on coaching, at least early, because Jerry Buti was one of the more highly respected coaches in the state. Just for whatever reason, we're a baseball school who can win at football OR basketball. Historically, it's been basketball far more often.

I'd argue we're just not a football school who landed a legendary coach at an opportune time. But to blame the community is just wrong. We care, maybe too much and St the expense of other things sometimes.
 
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