St. Xavier vs. Lakota West (Week 1)

 
I think West has a tremendous advantage playing this game in week 1. With X having a new QB, and the studs in the secondary for West, it's going to be very hard for the Bombers to establish a running game. They will be daring a learning QB to throw the ball and will key on the run.

I think West wins this one going away in the second half, but part 2 will be a different ballgame (if it happens).
 
X was definitely more prepared on Week One last year...no reason to think this year will be different. Pains me to say I think Ecks wins by 7 or so.
 
OnTheLine85 said:
I think West has a tremendous advantage playing this game in week 1. With X having a new QB, and the studs in the secondary for West, it's going to be very hard for the Bombers to establish a running game. They will be daring a learning QB to throw the ball and will key on the run.

I think West wins this one going away in the second half, but part 2 will be a different ballgame (if it happens).
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Cannot agree more. X has only a handful of returning starters, and this is a huge challenge out of the gate. We saw last year in the playoffs how LW can make a very good offense one dimensional. It will take a huge defensive effort from X, which they're capable of, and some breaks on offense. The X offensive line that's projected is very big, averaging 6'3, 280, and they will have to more than hold their own against what's sure to be a stacked front.

West by 10-14, or X by 3. I'm still not sold on the West offense against decent defenses.
 
NFL86 said:
I think Moeller will have something to say about the number 1 seed in region 4.
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Agreed. They got much better as the year progressed in 21, and should run the table in the GCL. West gets it if they beat X, because no one in the always overrated GMC will beat them
 
bomberinmonroe said:
Agreed. They got much better as the year progressed in 21, and should run the table in the GCL. West gets it if they beat X, because no one in the always overrated GMC will beat them
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According to Massillon Washington, Moeller is in the GMC.
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bomberinmonroe said:
Cannot agree more. X has only a handful of returning starters, and this is a huge challenge out of the gate. We saw last year in the playoffs how LW can make a very good offense one dimensional. It will take a huge defensive effort from X, which they're capable of, and some breaks on offense. The X offensive line that's projected is very big, averaging 6'3, 280, and they will have to more than hold their own against what's sure to be a stacked front.

West by 10-14, or X by 3. I'm still not sold on the West offense against decent defenses.
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I agree with about everything you have said. One thing I will point out is West’s offense is not as bad as people make it.

Top 3 defenses in the GMC (West #1): 294.6 Yards Per Game
Top 2 defenses in the GCL: 238.3 Yards Per Game
X in 2 games: 197.5 yards per game. That X defense was stout 199 yards per game and 5 points per game allowed last season. Game 1 and playoffs against a defense that good is better than they get credit for. Offenses always struggle week 1 especially against good teams and playoffs are the playoffs.
Moe in playoffs: 320 Yards that game, the two dropped touchdown passes bring the total over 400 yards.

These numbers aren’t anything to write home about and I agree they aren’t the best offense but they aren’t as miserable as people make them out to be.
 
fish82 said:
Isn't the Herbstreit kid on the roster at QB? Is he in the running at all?
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The general consensus seems to be it's between him and O'Malley. O'Malley got a lot of mop up time PT towards the end of last year, and was the JV starter, so he probably has the inside track, but Specht has indicated it's up for grabs. Tomorrow's scrimmage at Centerville will probably give a better idea.

Specht also said he thinks they're going to get back more to the power run game that he favors. Makes sense with less experienced receivers and QB with a bulky line. I don't know of many of us have a great idea of what to expect from X this year, other than teams who play them early in the season are probably going to have an advantage over playing them later.
 
The Bombers open the season at Firebird Stadium this Friday at 7pm.
LW ended the Bombers season with a 3rd round 12-2 victory at Princeton HS. X finished 10-3
Lakota West finished 11-2 losing to Moeller 21-17 the following Friday in the regional final.

X is 4-1 all time vs Lakota West
2006 X won 44-3 1st Round at Ballaban Field
2018 X won 34-0 Week 1 at Paul Brown Stadium
2020 X won 10-7 4th Round at Firebird Stadium
2021 X won 31-14 Week 1 at Ballaban Field
2021 X lost 12-2 3rd Round at Princeton HS

The 2 coaches (Specht and Bolden) have squared off 23 times since 2007 and Specht holds a 12-11 advantage.
20 times when Bolden was at Colerain and 3 times while at LW

The visiting Bombers are underdogs as preseason Ohio D1 polls have Lakota West in the top 5 and StX anywhere between 8 and 12.
 
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Offensively Lakota West is led by 3 year varsity starter #7 senior QB Mitch Bolden (6’1” 195lb)
His stats from 2 games vs X last season is underwhelming: 81 rushes for 162 yards; 12 for 33 for 126 yards 2 TDs and 2 INTs

This year’s running back is #26 junior Jiovionni Wilson 5’9” 150lb

Last year’s leading receiver returns: 3 year varsity starter and Army recruit #4 Trent Lloyd (51 catches for 612 yards and 8 TDs)

The OLine is led by senior center #75 Alex Key (6’3” 270lb) and senior left tackle #72 Tony Curtis (6’1” 250lb)
 
The strength of this Firebird team is it’s defense led by 3 D1 commits.
Look for Hartford and Ben Minich to play receivers on offense on passing downs.

LW Defense
LE #90 Elijah Davis Jr. 6’2” 265lb
NG #95 Jonas Griffith Jr. 6’0” 250lb
RE #97 Gabe Flores Jr. 6’2” 230lb
LB #44 Micah Markley So. 6’1” 205lb
MLB #5 Michael Brankamp Sr. 6’1” 210lb
LB #11 Jacob Asbeck Jr. 6’1” 185lb
FS #1 Malik Hartford Sr. 6’2” 175lb Ohio State commit
SS #13 Ben Minich Sr. 6’1” 180lb Notre Dame commit
S #10 Drew Minich Jr. 6’2” 175lb
CB #12 Bukari Miles Jr. 6’1” 180lb
CB #2 Josh Fussell Sr. 6’0” 180lb Northwestern commit
 
Bomber Offense
QB #10 Jack O’Malley Jr. 6'1" 190lb / #7 Chase Herbstreit So. 6'1" 180lb
RB #4 Steve Napier Jr. 5’10” 197lb / #21 Gage Patrick Jr. 5’9” 185lb / #29 Tyler Rivers Sr. 5’8” 150lb
HB #3 Pete Rose III Sr 6’0” 200lb / #52 Ty Stegbauer Jr.
WR #9 Kyle Fitzgerald Sr. 6’3” 190lb / #20 Drew Weber Jr. 5’10” 180lb / #13 Eli Griesser Sr. 6'1" 190lb
WR #82 Jamal Sharp Sr. 5’9” 160lb / #5 Tyler Nicholson Sr. 5’9” 170lb / #80 Jack McClatchey Jr. 6’1” 175lb
TE #88 Joey Wassler Sr. 6’5” 225lb (multiple D1 offers)
TE #87 Luke Klare Jr. 6'5" 200lb
LT #79 Tucker Kattus So. 6’5” 260lb offers from Kentucky and Miami OH
LG #54 J.J. Dollenmeyer Sr. 6’3” 269lb
C #66 Evan Fleetwood Sr. 6’3” 270lb offers from University Tennessee Martin, Walsh University, Valparaiso
RG #72 Braylon Adams Sr. 6’0” 268lb
RT #77 Rob Fogler Sr. 6’7” 308lb (multiple D1 offers)
 
Bomber Defense
RE #90 Nate Brice Jr. 6'2" 210lb / #44 Dijon Harris Sr. 6'1" 230lb
NG #98 Antony Morris Sr. 6'2" 273lb offers from Morehead St, Valparaiso, Hanover, Walsh University
LE #97 Ted Hammond Jr. 6'5” 260lb offers from Vanderbilt, Temple, UMass, UConn and Miami (OH)
OLB (Jet) #37 Justin Kattus Jr. 6’1” 220lb / #8 Alex Devine Sr. 5'11" 190lb
MLB (Sam) #3 Pete Rose III Sr 6’0” 200lb
OLB (Will) #38 Noah Beck Jr. 6’2” 230lb
Adj #7 Max Bonner Jr. 6’1” 205lb commitment to Michigan for LAX
SS #6 Robert Houston Sr. 5'10" 165lb offers from Centre College, Wilmington
FS #2 Nolan Myers Sr. 6'2" 167lb / #5 Lucas Bishop So. 5'10" 175lb
CB #17 Macen Hall Jr. 5'11" 170lb
CB #14 Cole Harris Jr. 5'10" 165lb

Bomber Kicking Game
P #96 Mathias Clark Sr. 6’3” 180lb
PK #6 Liam Miller Sr. 5’11” 164lb
 
X vs Colerain was a staple for years. Anyone know why they no longer play? Those were HUGE games in the past.
 
Cinciirish said:
X vs Colerain was a staple for years. Anyone know why they no longer play? Those were HUGE games in the past.
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The series was borne out of the respect Bolden and Specht had for each other. That relationship has transferred to LW. I think it was a St. X poster that explained the origin of the series while Bolden was at Colerain. GBM
 
birdog said:
The series was borne out of the respect Bolden and Specht had for each other. That relationship has transferred to LW. I think it was a St. X poster that explained the origin of the series while Bolden was at Colerain. GBM
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I know X-Colerain happened in the Rasso years, too. As early as the mid-80s.
 
Cinciirish said:
I know X-Colerain happened in the Rasso years, too. As early as the mid-80s.
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Yeah, usually game 3 or 4 of the season. The relationship between Bolden and Specht was probably the deciding factor in which GMC team X would play, since that conference has its 9 game schedule now.
 
Cinciirish said:
X vs Colerain was a staple for years. Anyone know why they no longer play? Those were HUGE games in the past.
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What everyone says is true. First, this was an on-and-off regularly scheduled in-season game from well before Specht. However, it became an almost regular occurrence when X and Colerain both emerged as powers in the late 90s, early 2000s. From the early 2000s- early 2010s, still under Coombs, there were multiple times where the game was part of the Crosstown Showdown. There were other times where the teams scheduled home and home games. And, of course, there were many playoff meetings over that time period.

However, I don't believe it was until Bolden became head coach (also about the time the Showdown changed format to the on-campus format and the Herbstreit went away) that they solidified it as a home and home every year. It has continued that way until last year. The departure of Bolden, coinciding with the significant downturn of the once-proud Colerain football program (related to many things including a lack of administrative support/funding), accompanied by the fact that GMC has gone to a nine game schedule, meant that the game was no longer serving Colerain's or X's best interests.

Of course, it makes total sense that Lakota West has stepped in and I think it is a great new game/tradition for both teams.
 
L Hand said:
What everyone says is true. First, this was an on-and-off regularly scheduled in-season game from well before Specht. However, it became an almost regular occurrence when X and Colerain both emerged as powers in the late 90s, early 2000s. From the early 2000s- early 2010s, still under Coombs, there were multiple times where the game was part of the Crosstown Showdown. There were other times where the teams scheduled home and home games. And, of course, there were many playoff meetings over that time period.

However, I don't believe it was until Bolden became head coach (also about the time the Showdown changed format to the on-campus format and the Herbstreit went away) that they solidified it as a home and home every year. It has continued that way until last year. The departure of Bolden, coinciding with the significant downturn of the once-proud Colerain football program (related to many things including a lack of administrative support/funding), accompanied by the fact that GMC has gone to a nine game schedule, meant that the game was no longer serving Colerain's or X's best interests.

Of course, it makes total sense that Lakota West has stepped in and I think it is a great new game/tradition for both teams.
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Mostly spot on. Under Coombs, Colerain only faced St.X once during the regular season. In Herby, they usually were matched up against Elder, since they were the power in R4 before Specht. And then Colerain had their "neighborhood" match-up with LaSalle (before they started recruiting ?).

St. X and Colerain squared off 3 times in the Herby before Specht and Bolden decided to make it a home/home since Herbstriet wanted to expose the best teams to more match-ups. St. X and Colerain had 4 consecutive contracts expiring in 2019. Which is when the contract was then signed with LW, since it was all about Specht and Bolden.

Interesting Facts about the 2 coaches:
Specht started in 04 and Bolden 07. Since then they've played eachother in 14 of Bolden's 15 seasons (only year was Bolden's first at LW). 6 of the last 7 non-covid years, the two coaches have played eachother in the regular season and playoffs.

They have an 11-11 record with Bolden having a 6-5 record in the regular season and Specht having a 6-5 record in the playoffs. Specht won 7 of the first 11 meetings and Bolden has won 7 of the last 11 meetings.

It seems like every time these two make scheme changes, it's always tailored to just beat the other team because they always believe they'll meet in the playoffs.
 
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