CBC 2021. (Central Buckeye Conference)

If Bellefontaine manages to go 10-0 this year (as young as they are), book them for a State Championship by 2023. Crazy how young they are and how well they are playing. Brown is doing a nice job with all of that talent.

My unsolicited predictions for this week:

Bellefontaine over Indian Lake 34-21 (side note, I love what Rapp is doing. IL is better than I thought they'd be and the modernized offense is nice).
North Union over Jonathan Alder 35-28
London over Graham 35-21
Shawnee over Northwestern 42-14
Ben Logan over Tecumseh 42-34
Kenton Ridge over Urbana 28-13
 
FB1999 - The league championship will be decided on the field but based on the short history of JA & London in the CBC I stand by my comment that it will go thru Madison County this season.

JA (began CBC play in 2017) 35-12, 74.47% overall, 25-3, 89.29% CBC conference play
2021 1-3, 1-0
2020 8-1, 6-0
2019 12-1, 7-0
2018 6-4, 5-2 Losses to Bellefontaine 13-22 & Shawnee 14-17
2017 8-3, 6-1 Loss to Bellefontaine 6-19

London (began CBC play in 2019) 16-7, 69.57% overall, 11-3, 78.57% CBC conference play
2021 2-2, 1-0
2020 6-2, 5-1 Loss to JA 13-30 in conference play and again in the playoffs 0-14
2019 8-3, 5-2 Losses to JA 23-24 & Shawnee 22-30
 
FB1999 - The league championship will be decided on the field but based on the short history of JA & London in the CBC I stand by my comment that it will go thru Madison County this season.

JA (began CBC play in 2017) 35-12, 74.47% overall, 25-3, 89.29% CBC conference play
2021 1-3, 1-0
2020 8-1, 6-0
2019 12-1, 7-0
2018 6-4, 5-2 Losses to Bellefontaine 13-22 & Shawnee 14-17
2017 8-3, 6-1 Loss to Bellefontaine 6-19

London (began CBC play in 2019) 16-7, 69.57% overall, 11-3, 78.57% CBC conference play
2021 2-2, 1-0
2020 6-2, 5-1 Loss to JA 13-30 in conference play and again in the playoffs 0-14
2019 8-3, 5-2 Losses to JA 23-24 & Shawnee 22-30

Not arguing that possibility whatsoever for this year in terms of the favorite - in my opinion the CBC KT division as a whole will be much stronger over the next couple years though and I think maybe much more balanced across the board in quality of teams versus the last 2 years. It won't be a given that league champion or favorite is based out of Madison County each year.
 
This is the 2nd or 3rd straight year where London's had a very good senior class that plowed everyone in the MSL by 50+ points per game in junior high. Last year was the year I thought they could make some major noise in the postseason, but that got flushed down the toilet with them moving up from D4 to D3 a few years ago. In R16 I think they would have been a legit contender last year.

The last couple years the lack of a passing game (or rather the lack of investment in one by the coach) has been their downfall against Alder and in the postseason in D3. I don't think this is going to bite them in the rear end this year with Alder being down and with London having more mature/experienced talent than Bellefontaine.
 
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Didn’t London lose their starting qb to injury the last two seasons? London’s senior class was dominant in jr high, I believe they beat a 6-0 West Jeff team like a drum (40 something to 0). I don’t think moving up hurt them as much: DIII you have to go thru Hartley, DIV you have to get theu Kettering Alter & Clinton Massie - all are extremely tough. I think injury cost London but you are correct - their passing game could have been better.

Bellefontaine has a very good sophomore class and I like they have upgraded their non conference schedule with Watterson this year & Coldwater the next two. There is no guarantee of a state title - injuries, a bad call or turnover at the wrong time, running into a Youngstown Mooney/Urusling, Hartley, Steubenville, etc.
 
Didn’t London lose their starting qb to injury the last two seasons? London’s senior class was dominant in jr high, I believe they beat a 6-0 West Jeff team like a drum (40 something to 0). I don’t think moving up hurt them as much: DIII you have to go thru Hartley, DIV you have to get theu Kettering Alter & Clinton Massie - all are extremely tough. I think injury cost London but you are correct - their passing game could have been better.

Bellefontaine has a very good sophomore class and I like they have upgraded their non conference schedule with Watterson this year & Coldwater the next two. There is no guarantee of a state title - injuries, a bad call or turnover at the wrong time, running into a Youngstown Mooney/Urusling, Hartley, Steubenville, etc.
At least one of those years..maybe it was both. I think there is a big difference in the quality of the field between R11 and R16; in 2018 London got to the regional finals with next to no passing game before losing by 28 to Wyoming, who went on to win by 3-4 TDs in both the state semis and state finals. I believe that year London beat Clinton Massie by 3-4 TDs in the regional semis. R16 usually seems to have 2-3 really good teams while R11 usually seems to have legit depth throughout the (formerly 8 team) playoff field, even if Hartley is usually the top dog. The road in D3 seems to be a lot tougher and it's harder to get much mileage out of being one dimensional IMO.

There are a lot of variables that could play out down the road, but if the Chieftains go 8-2 or better this year and get to a regional quarterfinal (let alone further), they should be extremely competitive the next two years with the experience they'll return and build upon each year.
 
Bellefontaine being a potential state contender in the coming years is exciting. i truly think Bellefontaine vs Coldwater will be a close game. when looking at R11, Bellefontaine seems to be a legitimate threat to win the region. maybe not this year but for sure the next few years.
 
FB1999 - The league championship will be decided on the field but based on the short history of JA & London in the CBC I stand by my comment that it will go thru Madison County this season.

JA (began CBC play in 2017) 35-12, 74.47% overall, 25-3, 89.29% CBC conference play
2021 1-3, 1-0
2020 8-1, 6-0
2019 12-1, 7-0
2018 6-4, 5-2 Losses to Bellefontaine 13-22 & Shawnee 14-17
2017 8-3, 6-1 Loss to Bellefontaine 6-19

London (began CBC play in 2019) 16-7, 69.57% overall, 11-3, 78.57% CBC conference play
2021 2-2, 1-0
2020 6-2, 5-1 Loss to JA 13-30 in conference play and again in the playoffs 0-14
2019 8-3, 5-2 Losses to JA 23-24 & Shawnee 22-30

I don't know a lot about London this year or even JA but when i reviewed the comment of London being the toughest in the CBC this year and a sure thing to win. This is what i see,
Bellefontaine beat Watterson 14-7
Licking Valley beat London 20-14
Watterson beat Licking Valley 27-6

Yes, The Chiefs are very young but don't count them out on a championship this year! They've even surprised me already this year!
 
I don't know a lot about London this year or even JA but when i reviewed the comment of London being the toughest in the CBC this year and a sure thing to win. This is what i see,
Bellefontaine beat Watterson 14-7
Licking Valley beat London 20-14
Watterson beat Licking Valley 27-6

Yes, The Chiefs are very young but don't count them out on a championship this year! They've even surprised me already this year!
That's what I was looking at when I mad my comment about Bell being on the same level as London. Gonna be a great game!
 
Never said London was a “sure thing”, just said they are the team to beat & the road to the league championship this year runs thru Madison county.

Playing the comparative score game you could go with the Urbana comparison:
* Bellefontaine 28 Urbana 0
* London 55 Urbana 20

Just have to worry about the team in front of you this week, everything else will play out over the remaining 5 weeks.
 
Bellefontaine lost to Indian Lake by 16 and beat a terrible Sidney team by only 6 and some of you are talking about them competing for regionals in D3, and state in the next 2 years? They would be lucky to go 6-4 in the MVL this year, and the MVL isn’t great
 
So, pump the brakes on the Chiefs a bit???
No real quality wins to speak of.
Remaining schedule is no cake walk.

Indian Lake looks really good at times, seemed to only stop themselves.
Could be a dangerous team the remainder of the year.
 
Bellefontaine lost to Indian Lake by 16 and beat a terrible Sidney team by only 6 and some of you are talking about them competing for regionals in D3, and state in the next 2 years? They would be lucky to go 6-4 in the MVL this year, and the MVL isn’t great

I, myself, was talking about the future based on their sophomore and freshman classes. A lot of sophomores starting for them. Simply said if they go 10-0, look out in 2 years. Young teams typically don’t start 4-0, and rarely, if ever, go 10-0 - there are a lot of peaks and valleys. So I was forecasting based on the commentary.

Regardless of how they perform this year, the future is bright in Bellefontaine.
 
This young Bellefontaine team learned a valuable lesson this week - you got to be ready to play each week, don’t listen to all of the accolades being thrown your way and take care of the team in front of you. They are young, they will learn.

JA definitely sent a statement - their demise was a premature but London is still the team to beat for the CBC title this year.
 
"League championship still goes thru the two Madison County schools" I don't think I buy this narrative at all. London is certainly a solid team and will have something to say how this shakes out but slow down on the league championship is a given to come out of Madison County every year. Bellefontaine won it 3 straight years from 2016-2018 including 2018 when JA came into the league. London has finished 3rd and 2nd thus far in their 2 years......

On the JA-NU game -- I am going NU by 2+ touchdowns.
Since the 2 Madison County schools joined the CBC, Bellefontaine is 0-4.
In 2019- London 43-3 & JA 31-21
In 2020- London 50-14 & JA 38-3
Bellefontaine's days of ruling the CBC are in the rear view mirror.
 
Since the 2 Madison County schools joined the CBC, Bellefontaine is 0-4.
In 2019- London 43-3 & JA 31-21
In 2020- London 50-14 & JA 38-3
Bellefontaine's days of ruling the CBC are in the rear view mirror.
You do realize that Bellefontaine beat JA the first 2 years that they joined the league.

Also Bellefontaine has never ruled the CBC in football. They have been one of the better teams.But nobody has truly ever ruled the CBC in football. It’s always been up and down and waves of success by numerous teams in the CBC. I’m glad that the 2 Madison county teams have came and had success. It’s setting the benchmark higher to be successful.

As for all the Bellefontaine hype this year they are young and had early success this year and they got punched in the mouth against IL.
Bellefontaine is a good young football team but time will tell on how good. This weeks game coming up will say a lot about Bellefontaine in how they respond. To me this is the make or break week for them. They lose they could go 4-6 they win they could go 7-3 or 8-2. I don’t see them winning out.
 
You do realize that Bellefontaine beat JA the first 2 years that they joined the league.

Also Bellefontaine has never ruled the CBC in football. They have been one of the better teams.But nobody has truly ever ruled the CBC in football. It’s always been up and down and waves of success by numerous teams in the CBC. I’m glad that the 2 Madison county teams have came and had success. It’s setting the benchmark higher to be successful.

As for all the Bellefontaine hype this year they are young and had early success this year and they got punched in the mouth against IL.
Bellefontaine is a good young football team but time will tell on how good. This weeks game coming up will say a lot about Bellefontaine in how they respond. To me this is the make or break week for them. They lose they could go 4-6 they win they could go 7-3 or 8-2. I don’t see them winning out.
For the entire time Tipp was in the CBC it was almost always Shawnee and Tipp with a little bit of Tecumseh sprinkled in. Bellefontaine never beat Tipp while they were in the CBC if I remember correctly.
 
I think the Kenton Trail division has been a little bit more balanced at the top over the years than some people like to remember. 2001-2015 for football saw six different schools win league titles with a few split titles. Tipp had 5, Shawnee 4, Tecumseh 4, Urbana 3 (in six years), Bellefontaine 2, and Kenton Ridge 1. I believe it was in 2007 that Urbana and Indian Lake went to the Mad River with Kenton Ridge going to the Kenton Trail. In the six years Urbana was in the Kenton Trail, they probably had the best and most consistent program losing only 8 league games in those 6 years, with 3 of 8 losses coming in the same season. In the late 2000s/early 2010s they had a few teams that I think would have gotten them at least one more title in this division. In 2004 KR had arguably their best team ever and they would have had a good chance at getting at least a share of the title if they were in the Kenton Trail.


Since Tipp and Stebbins left, Bellefontaine has 3 titles and Alder has a pair. This was and has continued to be pretty cyclical, with it seeming like Bellefontaine will go on a run the next few years. I think London probably gets their first title this year after being a close second the last couple years, and from what I hear it sounds like they are currently reloading with a couple very promising classes at the junior high level and will be back in heavy contention again after this Bellefontaine sophomore class passes through. London is going to consistently be a contender in this division as long as Cutler is there.
 
For the entire time Tipp was in the CBC it was almost always Shawnee and Tipp with a little bit of Tecumseh sprinkled in. Bellefontaine never beat Tipp while they were in the CBC if I remember correctly.

You should change your name to "TippWasGreat(WhenInTheCBC)." Then I could take your critical viewpoints on Bellefontaine football a little more serious.
 
This young Bellefontaine team learned a valuable lesson this week - you got to be ready to play each week, don’t listen to all of the accolades being thrown your way and take care of the team in front of you. They are young, they will learn.

JA definitely sent a statement - their demise was a premature but London is still the team to beat for the CBC title this year.
JA has found something the last 2 weeks offensively. Outside of NW, they have played a fairly challenging schedule to date. I was surprised by the 0-3 start. They could easily be 4-1 if things went there way against Amanda/Sheridan.

London has the look of a very good team. I think most will pick London to win. Alder will have to play lights out to have a chance.
 
TippIsGreat has always been a Bellefontaine hater

KT division is interesting this year
Quite possible that London wins out and everyone else goes 2-2 in the other 4 games.
 
You should change your name to "TippWasGreat(WhenInTheCBC)." Then I could take your critical viewpoints on Bellefontaine football a little more serious.
That’s funny because Tipp was 7-2 last year and is on pace to win at least 7 games again this year and make the playoffs. Yes Tipp had a few down years but they are definitely getting back on track
 
TippIsGreat has always been a Bellefontaine hater

KT division is interesting this year
Quite possible that London wins out and everyone else goes 2-2 in the other 4 games.
Bellefontaine has just not been that good the past 20 years, especially when Tipp was in the CBC, statistically speaking
 
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