Western Buckeye League 2023

H

HighSchoolFB45

Well-known member
Let’s get a new thread started for this upcoming season, and keep it focused on the upcoming season. Wapak and Van Wert seem to be the two best until proven otherwise. I’ve heard Defiance is bringing back a lot and could compete for a title? What do you guys think and what are your predictions?
 
 
VW Senior class is going to hard to replace. The good news is that cupboard is far being bare. We get back a running back, athletic receivers and some the line. The good news while a lot of guys may not have started they saw signifianct playing time either do to blow outs or just more games and practices. My guess next year is another duel threat qb, who is extremely athletic and has lots of speed. Think: Colin Smith or Nate Place like speed. He can throw the ball, but definitely at this point not on the level of Treece or Pratt. Good news is that next years Freshman and Sophmore classes are gifted and have depth. It looks like next year a freshman could be your next Treece or Pratt with great speed, arm and smart. Kids have bought into the system at VW. Nate Phillips is an example of a kid who in the past my not have played, but came out his senior year and had a great year.

I expect the usual crowd at the top of Wapak and St. Marys. Defiance could make some noise if they can win a big game and knock off one the big dogs.
 
If Defiance can fix their biggest issue (finishing off drives in the red zone), they're going to be in the thick of it. I'm not sure they're ready to win it, but I could see them in the top 3 for sure. Of their 5 losses, 4 were very winnable games if they just score points in the red zone. Even the 36-0 VW game was a lot closer than the score looked. Again, 4 drives stalled in the red zone. Finish those 4 out, that's a 1 possession game. QB is back. RB is back. At least one WR is back. Last year could be chalked up to youth, but there's no excuse this year.

If they can't, they're right around 5-5, 6-4 again. But if they do, they're young enough and talented enough to beat the big boys each of the next 2 seasons.

What does Celina return? Were they a 1 hit wonder or could they sustain another year?

Going just off gut feeling and the little I know about most of the teams, I'll go

1 Wapak
2 Van Wert
3 Defiance
4 St. Mary's
5 O-G
6 Celina
7 Elida
8 Kenton
9 Shawnee
10 Bath


I just can't see O-G being down long, but 5-7 could probably be interchanged. This list is fluid though, as I learn more about the 4-10 teams. As of now, I'd say I'm pretty locked in on the top 3.
 
dhsdog06 said:
If Defiance can fix their biggest issue (finishing off drives in the red zone), they're going to be in the thick of it. I'm not sure they're ready to win it, but I could see them in the top 3 for sure. Of their 5 losses, 4 were very winnable games if they just score points in the red zone. Even the 36-0 VW game was a lot closer than the score looked. Again, 4 drives stalled in the red zone. Finish those 4 out, that's a 1 possession game. QB is back. RB is back. At least one WR is back. Last year could be chalked up to youth, but there's no excuse this year.

If they can't, they're right around 5-5, 6-4 again. But if they do, they're young enough and talented enough to beat the big boys each of the next 2 seasons.

What does Celina return? Were they a 1 hit wonder or could they sustain another year?

Going just off gut feeling and the little I know about most of the teams, I'll go

1 Wapak
2 Van Wert
3 Defiance
4 St. Mary's
5 O-G
6 Celina
7 Elida
8 Kenton
9 Shawnee
10 Bath


I just can't see O-G being down long, but 5-7 could probably be interchanged. This list is fluid though, as I learn more about the 4-10 teams. As of now, I'd say I'm pretty locked in on the top 3.
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Defiance QB is a pretty good passer. He needs to be more of a running threat in order to make plays that result in TD's in the red zone. Defiance will only be as good as their replacements for the graduating lineman on both sides of ball.
 
1. Wapak
2. Van Wert
3. St Marys
4. Defiance
5. Ottawa-Glandorf
6. Elida
7. Celina
8. Shawnee
9. Kenton
10. Bath

I don't know what each team is losing/gaining for 2023, but that's just a quick thought on what standings will be. Wapak winning the league with their freshman QB makes it seem likely that they are the favorite to repeat. I think VW and SM will remain in the top 3 with them, although not sure which order for that #2 and #3 spot. Defiance has some high expectations, hard to believe a program like O-G stays on the bottom for long, and Elida seemed solid aside from injuries last year. The 7-10 schools I have less hope for, but they could certainly surprise me.
 
Wapak defense will be very good next year even with the losses to graduation hope Brown can step back in and help on the Dline a lot of talent back and if Knous knee doesn't need a brace and Moyer adds some muscle we keep rolling
 
Any word on the Bath Head coaching search? Seems that job has been open for a while and no recent news indicating a coach is in place or that a deal is close.
 
Hopefully Kenton starts looking for a new football coach. Got some decent talent coming up. Don’t needed it wasted with the current coaching staff.
 
Wapak defense returns #57 rampulla who towards the end of the year was our best lineman #10 Jolly #69 Brown #64 Ware #85 Houser he is bigger than his brothers #45 Truesdale and #5 Metzger with alot of younder kids who got playing time.
 
the_beezer said:
Wapak defense returns #57 rampulla who towards the end of the year was our best lineman #10 Jolly #69 Brown #64 Ware #85 Houser he is bigger than his brothers #45 Truesdale and #5 Metzger with alot of younder kids who got playing time.
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Forgot the Mullen kid he is going to be a heck of a CB/RB when Jace graduates
 
Dirteater said:
Hopefully Kenton starts looking for a new football coach. Got some decent talent coming up. Don’t needed it wasted with the current coaching staff.
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Probably deserves more time to build his program. I would imagine the change from the Mauk era to now would include some bumps, especially considering it's HS sports. Celina was able to turn the corner with a lot of naysayers. Perhaps Kenton and the staff being out together there can do the same. Consistency from Kenton, Bath, and Celina would really be big for the league.
 
54cheetah said:
Probably deserves more time to build his program. I would imagine the change from the Mauk era to now would include some bumps, especially considering it's HS sports. Celina was able to turn the corner with a lot of naysayers. Perhaps Kenton and the staff being out together there can do the same. Consistency from Kenton, Bath, and Celina would really be big for the league.
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Mauk hasn’t been at Kenton since the 2013 season. Fackler took over HC till the end of the 2020 season. 0-10 in 2021. The 2022 season went 1-9 and it was worse than the 2021 season despite the 1 win. The play has gotten worse. I guess they going to ride the sinking ship till it hits bottom, in which IMO it hit the last 3 games. Oh well, someone is snowballed.
 
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Glad Bath found their guy and I do wish them the best of luck. Not sure the years he was at Franklin, but Franklin has had plenty of interaction with St Marys Memorial and a little bit with Wapak in the playoffs.
 
The WBL has crowned their winter sports champions:

Boys Basketball -- Ottawa-Glandorf
Girls Basketball -- Ottawa-Glandorf
Boys Bowling -- St Marys Memorial
Girls Bowling -- St Marys Memorial & Wapakoneta
Boys Swimming -- Wapakoneta
Girls Swimming -- Ottawa-Glandorf
Wrestling -- St Marys Memorial

O-G, SM, and Wapak reign supreme in the winter. As a whole, I got to believe that St Marys is in the lead for the WBL All Sports Trophy. The SM athletic department has had a stellar year and I don't think any of their fall or winter teams have finished below 5th in the standings. SM, O-G, Wapak, and Shawnee are probably near the top of those standings.

Looking ahead to the winter state tournaments, in basketball I think both O-G squads, Defiance, and Bath have a shot to make some noise. St Marys and Wapak will be in the running for another state title for bowling. Looking forward to seeing those teams have successful tourney runs.
 
What are all the WBL Week 1 games next season? Any new matchups? With the expanded playoffs, you are starting to see more matchups against MAC and NWC schools.
 
Kenton @ Coldwater- The Finale
Celina @ Versailles - The finale
New Bremen @ Bath
Napoleon @ Defiance
Toledo Rogers @ Elida
Ottawa-Glandorf @ Eastwood
Lima CC @ Shawnee
St Marys @ St Henry
Van Wert @ Bryan
Marion Local @ Wapak
 
Wow Elida is really scraping the bottom of the barrel there. At least we know there's a D3 win to pass around the league.
 
I’ll be curious to see who Celina and Kenton pickup after this season. Also, St.Marys picking up St.Henry. Back in the early 90’s, that would have been one heck of a matchup.
 
St Marys vs St Henry is a head scratcher for me personally. St Henry is really young and idk if they can compete in the first matchup. The 2nd one maybe
 
Its a end of a era for me and Wapak football for the next few years. My family has had reserved seats for close to 20 years for my beloved Redskins but this year I have to get Roughriders seats. My daughters will be in the Rider marching band this upcoming season and even my love for my Redskins dont match my love for my girls. I will keep buying my reserved seats at Wapak so I dont lose them and when the Riders play at Wapak I can sit in my seats is a plus.
 
StateChampion2012 said:
St Marys vs St Henry is a head scratcher for me personally. St Henry is really young and idk if they can compete in the first matchup. The 2nd one maybe
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Not really? Lot better than driving to Archbold (I know they still are playing Archbold) and esp. lot better than driving to Fort Frye.
 
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StateChampion2012 said:
Kenton @ Coldwater- The Finale
Celina @ Versailles - The finale
New Bremen @ Bath
Napoleon @ Defiance
Toledo Rogers @ Elida
Ottawa-Glandorf @ Eastwood
Lima CC @ Shawnee
St Marys @ St Henry
Van Wert @ Bryan
Marion Local @ Wapak
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I am thinking Coldwater already filled their future Week 1 games, but with the other topic of non-conference rivals, would Coldwater and Celina ever consider playing in Week 1? Could probably get pretty large turnouts for that game.
 
Any idea who might take over at Shawnee? An assistant? They have a nice, new field and a playoff win as recent as two seasons ago but it will take a significant amount of work to get their program competing in the top tier of this league.
 
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