2022 VASJ Vikings Football: Official Thread

C'Town216

C'Town216

Well-known member
It’s March and football season again, will be here before we know it come August. A lot of uncertainties exist within the program. How will the team rebound from the early exit thanks to Glenville (who also ironically knocked out the basketball team in the playoffs as well), where will Vikings play their home games at? And will VASJ remain independent after being bounced from the Crown Conference after just a season? A lot remains but one certainty we do have is that there will be Viking football this fall. I’m curious to see how the roster will pan out as we all know what Rotsky can pull and after the controversy from last season, will it resurface? Maybe. Do I hope it doesn’t happen again? Absolutely. Either way, here are the results from last season curtesy of

Week 1 vs CVCA W 44-12
Week 2 @ Holy Name W 34-16
Week 3 @ Lakeside W 49-26
Week 6 @ Walsh Jesuit L 20-50
Week 7 vs Lake Catholic W 49-20
Week 8 @ Ursuline W 46-28
Week 9 @ NDCL W 56-35
Week 11 * vs Hawken W 44-21
Week 12 * vs Glenville L 13-34

After the disappointing loss to Glenville, it was clear the Vikings were outsized, outpaced, and had no match against the Tarblooders. If they want to beat teams with similar skills to Glenville or Glenville itself (pending how the CB numbers go), hitting the weight room is a must! QB play can’t be one dimensional and will need to be able to throw the ball of the run game is not there. We will see if improvements were made from last season.

Below is the schedule as of 3/5/22 via arbiter and is yet to be completed. FYI, VASJ is playing an independent as they have been ousted from the Crown Conference. Notable games for the Vikings are against Holy Name, Wheeling Park (WV)(Did not play last year due to Covid), Bishop Hartley (first meeting since 2011), and Wooster:

Week 1 vs Badin 8/19
Week 2 @ Cleveland JFK 8/26 4:30pm
Week 3 @ Youngstown East 9/2
Week 4 vs Wheeling Park (WV) 9/9
Week 5 vs Cleveland Central Catholic 9/16 Week 6 @ Collinwood 9/23
Week 7 vs Bishop Hartley 9/30
Week 8 vs Ursuline 10/7 or 10/8
Week 9 @ Lake Catholic 10/15 @ Mentor HS
Week 10 @ Wooster 10/21

Please be advised, please keep discussion at least civil and on topic. We do not need to have this thread shutdown due to constant banter.
 
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Thank you for posting this. I am out of state and was unaware of getting kicked out of the Crown Conference - what was the reason?
 
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mcgarry72 said:
Thank you for posting this. I am out of state and was unaware of getting kicked out of the Crown Conference - what was the reason?
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To be honest, I’m not too sure why. I checked the Crown Conferences website and there is no mention of VASJ competing in the league this past season and basketball.
 
The Crown Conference doesn’t look like a very welcoming place. Told Hoban, CCC, and Benny to not apply then boot VASJ out after a year.
 
Auggie said:
The Crown Conference doesn’t look like a very welcoming place. Told Hoban, CCC, and Benny to not apply then boot VASJ out after a year.
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I'm assuming this just happened because I cannot locate any news reports? Is there a known reason?
 
BlackandGold said:
For "football reasons" are you referring to this?

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But then they ask Massillon to apply
serious cat GIF
The lurkers gonna lurk.
 
Even though the area isn't the best, I'm surprised that VASJ hasn't tried to play at the Collinwood Athletic Complex. (It's all of ten minutes away, if that), and they've practiced there in the past, and it does look like a pretty solid field.

There are quite a few fields closer to VASJ than Wickliffe tbh. Euclid comes to mind, and is a better looking field than even Collinwood.

This would be out there, but if they bring in stands, MAYBE Richmond Heights?
 
Mr. Red Raider said:
Even though the area isn't the best, I'm surprised that VASJ hasn't tried to play at the Collinwood Athletic Complex. (It's all of ten minutes away, if that), and they've practiced there in the past, and it does look like a pretty solid field.

There are quite a few fields closer to VASJ than Wickliffe tbh. Euclid comes to mind, and is a better looking field than even Collinwood.

This would be out there, but if they bring in stands, MAYBE Richmond Heights?
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I stopped reading when you said Euclid comes to mind. That shipped sailed when Jeff Rotsky went from Euclid to VASJ.
 
Mr. Red Raider said:
Even though the area isn't the best, I'm surprised that VASJ hasn't tried to play at the Collinwood Athletic Complex. (It's all of ten minutes away, if that), and they've practiced there in the past, and it does look like a pretty solid field.

There are quite a few fields closer to VASJ than Wickliffe tbh. Euclid comes to mind, and is a better looking field than even Collinwood.

This would be out there, but if they bring in stands, MAYBE Richmond Heights?
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Euclid is not possible considering Higley (Euclid’s AD) booted VASJ out for ALL sports from renting their fields because the whole Rotsky situation (leaving baseball, football, and soccer homeless) leaving DiBiasio Stadium for the first time since the 90’s when they played at Mentor’s old field at the middle school before JTO was built. Also same reason behind why you won’t see Euclid and VASJ on the same competitive field/court any time soon either as long as Higley is there. Petty as all get out but it is what it is. Richmond Hts has a grass field (not desirable). They have played at Mayfield before. Collinwood is just not in a safe area to draw spectators, so the school wouldn’t want to miss out on ticket revenue as that would kill attendance due to people not wanting to risk getting car jacked walking to or from the stadium. They were slated to play Padua at Wickliffe last year but the game was cancelled due to Covid.

I wouldn’t be shocked if in the near future, VASJ starts a fundraising campaign to build their own field to host games. Where? No clue. The park next to the school where the Cunningham Sanitarium turned Retreat House once stood? They were successful in the 5.5 million fundraiser to renovate the school bringing it to the 21st century. So will see.
 
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C'Town216 said:
Euclid is not possible considering Higley (Euclid’s AD) booted VASJ out for ALL sports from renting their fields because the whole Rotsky situation (leaving baseball, football, and soccer homeless) leaving DiBiasio Stadium for the first time since the 90’s when they played at Mentor’s old field at the middle school before JTO was built. Also same reason behind why you won’t see Euclid and VASJ on the same competitive field/court any time soon either as long as Higley is there. Petty as all get out but it is what it is. Richmond Hts has a grass field (not desirable). They have played at Mayfield before. Collinwood is just not in a safe area to draw spectators, so the school wouldn’t want to miss out on ticket revenue as that would kill attendance due to people not wanting to risk getting car jacked walking to or from the stadium. They were slated to play Padua at Wickliffe last year but the game was cancelled due to Covid.

I wouldn’t be shocked if in the near future, VASJ starts a fundraising campaign to build their own field to host games. Where? No clue. The park next to the school where the Cunningham Sanitarium turned Retreat House once stood? They were successful in the 5.5 million fundraiser to renovate the school bringing it to the 21st century. So will see.
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That is very petty and sad. But like you said, it is what it is.

I thought Wickliffe was a grass field (at least from what I remember). Did they eventually upgrade to turf? And If so, when?

Can't see them paying out the nose to use Case's field, as nice as it is.
 
Mr. Red Raider said:
That is very petty and sad. But like you said, it is what it is.

I thought Wickliffe was a grass field (at least from what I remember). Did they eventually upgrade to turf? And If so, when?

Can't see them paying out the nose to use Case's field, as nice as it is.
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Yep, Wickliffe just installed turf last summer as part of their campus upgrades as they are also building a new high school. And honestly as nice of a field Case has, it’s not big enough with limited bathrooms and a very small concourse to squeeze through.
 
Looks like some conflicting dates are showing in arbiter. Either way, a huge boost to the SOS as the Vikings host both state title contenders Hartley and Ursuline this season and can possibly face each other in the postseason, Ursuline in the regional rounds and Hartley at states as both will be D-IV. Will be a true test to see where the Vikings compare.
 
C'Town216 said:
Looks like some conflicting dates are showing in arbiter. Either way, a huge boost to the SOS as the Vikings host both state title contenders Hartley and Ursuline this season and can possibly face each other in the postseason, Ursuline in the regional rounds and Hartley at states as both will be D-IV. Will be a true test to see where the Vikings compare.
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Their competitiveness all depends on how big of a shopping spree Rotsky went on this off-season. I have to imagine they don’t have a lot of salary cap room left after last seasons shopping. I’m sure there is some wiggle room as we know VASJ will not depend upon the draft to develop home grown talent.
 
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