EBC Football 2023

Struthersfan said:
Might not be a bad idea after all. I too don't believe it always has to be a package deal.
Salem has a lot of past rivalries with several NE8/(7) schools. I think it'd be a great pickup for our conference. Salem does support all of their athletic teams and has superb facilities to boot. If and when we can ditch Lakeview :p from the conference, I could see WB easily being the replacement. And WB also has decent facilities and tremendous community support.

If it's all just hearsay, then perhaps Beaver Local will take Jefferson's place. They did play four football games this year against the NE8. (Lost 'em all)

I personally hope Salem throws their hat in the ring. They would be a perfect addition. I would dread either Y'town school entering. Their fan support is virtually nonexistent. They bring nothing to the table. Nothing. :stirthepot:
I guess we'll see.
Click to expand...

It wouldn’t 100% shock me if it happened, I’m sure having to schedule so many non conference things for a 6 team league that seems to have zero desire to expand is a pain, also the current Superintendent is a Salem guy who played and coached in the MVC/MAC days… remember the reason Salem left to begin with besides the AAC being stupid was the Super then was an old NBC guy from Canton South.

However the timing to make a move is unfortunately just awful. Salem sports are in a rare period where a lot of sports that are usually decent or good are in down periods. Football has been reliably good for a decade and we know how that went. Baseball has been a bright spot. The girls decades-old powerhouses in basketball and volleyball currently are in a down cycle though, and the NE8 is a step up in competition (meaning it’s solid throughout whereas EBC is currently more top heavy). I have no doubt Salem at their usual levels could hang at least, but right now would be some serious growing pains.

Like I said, the grounds I heard it from are admittedly flimsy, which is why I put it out here to see if it has any legs to it.

I’d avoid Beaver like the plague, them and East Liverpool just can’t quit the OVAC/Buckeye 8. Every time they try north they leave 3 years later and go back where they were.
 
Last edited:
Struthersfan said:
Might not be a bad idea after all. I too don't believe it always has to be a package deal.
Salem has a lot of past rivalries with several NE8/(7) schools. I think it'd be a great pickup for our conference. Salem does support all of their athletic teams and has superb facilities to boot. If and when we can ditch Lakeview :p from the conference, I could see WB easily being the replacement. And WB also has decent facilities and tremendous community support.

If it's all just hearsay, then perhaps Beaver Local will take Jefferson's place. They did play four football games this year against the NE8. (Lost 'em all)

I personally hope Salem throws their hat in the ring. They would be a perfect addition. I would dread either Y'town school entering. Their fan support is virtually nonexistent. They bring nothing to the table. Nothing. :stirthepot:
I guess we'll see.
Click to expand...
I don't think WB has much desire to leave the EBC. Alliance, Marlington, Salem and Minerva are all bordering school districts to WB and Carrollton is not that far and most sports are pretty competitive. varsity football is not the only sport and the ADs have to consider everything, including middle school sports . However, if Minerva and/or Carrollton decided leave like South did then the league would likely fold and they could join the NE8.
 
xXxEBCFanaticxXx said:
One of my favorite topics is to talk about how to better the Minerva program and I believe there is a few options. I’m not saying either of them are the correct way but to me it makes sense.


every year we hear the “Minerva is rebuilding and have talent at the lower levels” and still get the same result on a Friday Night.

1) Stop hiring people that are former players or have ties to Minerva. If Speakman is done, higher someone from the outside. I personally feel the small town of Minerva only love their own people. But the former players who become coaches want to run the program like they did in their day. Calling the old plays, doing the old drills. Unfortunately the game has changed. What worked in the 80s,90s, early 2000s may not fully work in todays game. So go find a coordinator out side of Minerva let him build his staff the way he wants to, and let him go to work. There are a lot of young coordinators in stark that would love to be a head coach. But if this happens yet him run it the way he wants. And fully support him!!

2) quit hiring the same coaches over and over and over again. Idk how many times I got to see for example of Wilson on the sideline from head coach to offensive coordinator to offensive coordinator to linemen coach. Same guy different roles. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

3) Talk to Sebring. Go to 8 man football. Carry 16 players on a team or 20. Make 2 8 man football teams if you need to. Rebuild that way. Get wins, build a system. And then come back slowly to 11 man football.

4) find coaches that can teach football. Don’t hire because they was good athletes from minerva. Find some guys that can simplify, teach and coach the positions. Sometimes it’s not about the X’s and O’s. Sometimes it’s about the Jimmy and Joes.

Minerva has a nice weight room. It might not be the biggest but it can get the job done. Nice locker room facility. And a nice little stadium. A lot can be done there.

When the 0-10 streak started I remember hearing “ there’s no talent” but sometimes it’s not the kids it’s the coaches. Sometimes coaches go in with a mind set if we are running these plays and try to make the players fit those roles instead of knowing your strengths and making plays towards that.

got to find someone who is actually going to put in the time to take over the youth, middle school and high school so that all coaches and players are kinda on the same system and build from there. Need a coach who can actually take over the youth to the way he wants to be and put in the work instead of just showing up here and there.

I know a few coordinators who would be a great head coach and would take the team this year and have 3-4 wins.
Click to expand...
All valid points- they hired Hundley before Speakman and was supposedly an outsider, I came to find out that he was an old college roommate to a couple of the decision makers. He was a disaster IMO.

I agree 100% about the coaching staff. I heard at the game last Friday that 1 varsity coach's only coaching experience is youth basketball and has is not a teacher so has no experience, but he was a good player back in the day and had sons coming up soon. Another coach came back- has a son on the freshmen team. I think the issue is nobody wants to coach there so they are stuck with whoever we can get. We had a chance to make a good hire in 2019. We actually had a decent junior class and could had won more games, but we blew it. He has talent and ran a 1970s offense and regularly got outcoached. Could have had Carrollton's coach and picked wrong.
The rumor is Speakman is on his way out, I hope he stays another year or 2 at least because his 1st 2 years were the least talented teams that I have ever seen, expect for maybe the year before he came.
I just don't think we will get any good candidates because the program is in such a sorry state. I know we have talent coming but I and not sure that will translate to wins at the varsity level,
 
Salem would leave any league as long as they’re allowed to get their annual west branch game, which is very easy to do, but I’m not sure how long Salem is gonna want that game with how the teams are trending
 
Good luck to the 3 teams in the playoffs this week. I was in a Louisville thread reading about their 2024 schedule, sure would be nice if WB added them to the schedule.
 
NBC 1988 said:
Good luck to the 3 teams in the playoffs this week. I was in a Louisville thread reading about their 2024 schedule, sure would be nice if WB added them to the schedule.
Click to expand...
The early years of the WB/ Louisville rivalry are some of my best memories ever. However after that (1995 and on) WB uncharacteristically flinched a number of times against some weaker Lep teams along with some thumpings by some superior Lep squads turned this rivalry into a dominance by Louisville.Nobody will ever convince me WB wasn’t better than Louisville in ‘95, ‘96 , ‘00 and probably’01 . They were arguably the best team in the state in
Division III in 1998 and barely got past a mediocre Louisville team. They were five touchdowns better than the Leps that year. They coached scared against Louisville and it was very disappointing. I do wish they would have played the last few years though I don’t think WB would have flinched. 😁
 
Last edited:
A better day for all said:
Here are the all-time historical records, according to fourseasonsfootball.com, for EBC members heading into this weekend's Week 7 games:

All-time historical wins
1. Alliance, which began playing football in 1902: (573 wins, 525 losses & 43 ties (there were many ties back then, for a .521 winning percentage).
2. Salem, which began playing football in 1901 (551 wins, 573 losses and 43 ties for a .491 winning percentage)
3. Minerva, which began playing football in 1909 (488 wins, 449 losses and 33 ties for a .520 winning percentage)
4. West Branch, which began playing football in 1960 (399 wins, 253 losses and six ties for a .611 winning percentage)
5. Carrollton, which began playing football in 1908 (379 wins, 482 losses and 33 ties for a .442 winning percentage)
6. Marlington, which began playing football in 1958 (256 wins, 395 losses and nine ties for a .395 winning percentage)

All-time historical winning percentages
1. West Branch (.611)
2. Alliance (.521)
3. Minerva (.520)
4. Salem (.491)
5. Carrollton (.442)
6. Marlington (.395)
Click to expand...
Alliance football teams played Massillon and Canton McKinley before 1910. In six games the Aviators only recorded a 10-6 win over Massillon in 1907. Alliance High School had many "ups and downs" in its football history which dates back to 1896. In recent years, the "Aviators" have not been "flying too high" as the team has gone seven years in succession without a winning season. However, winning is a habit in Alliance, where more well-known individual performers have continued and established their identities in collegiate and professional levels than the average high school may expect. Although the "Carnation City ---------------------------- 5 The Stark County Story, “The McKinley Era", Edward T. Heald, Stark County Historical Society, Vol. II, Canton, Ohio, 1950, p. 397
 
BillyTheKidder said:
The early years of the WB/ Louisville rivalry are some of my best memories ever. However after that (1995 and on) WB uncharacteristically flinched a number of times against some weaker Lep teams along with some thumpings by some superior Lep squads turned this rivalry into a dominance by Louisville.Nobody will ever convince me WB wasn’t better than Louisville in ‘95, ‘96 , ‘00 and probably’01 . They were arguably the best team in the state in
Division III in 1998 and barely got past a mediocre Louisville team. They were five touchdowns better than the Leps that year. They coached scared against Louisville and it was very disappointing. I do wish they would have played the last few years though I don’t think WB would have flinched. 😁
Click to expand...
I also recall Minerva having a couple teams in the late 90s capable of winning a state title. The ‘97 team was 10-0 and beaten by an eventual state runner-up in the first round. The ‘98 team fumbled the game away against WB and missed the playoffs with a 9-1 record. That year Minerva played Louisville the week after the Leps played WB and it was a blowout. Minerva was the best team in the league in both ‘97 and ‘98.

On another note, it seems like Minerva has been trying to find a coach since Molen retired in ‘99 but those late 90s Minerva teams were very strong. Sadly the past is all Minerva fans can hang onto right now.
 
Levi Madison was an absolute stud. 98 Minerva was phenomenal. However the passing attack WB had that year was better. The Warriors beat some incredible teams that year and had an undefeated Walsh team on the ropes to the last minute. The WB passing attack was the difference, you weren’t going to manhandle a bunch of D1 players at that point .Not to stir the pot even further, but I would’ve loved to have seen Ben swallow quarterback in 1997. He was better than Eberling . Anyway, Minerva will find its way back eventually.
 
Last edited:
BillyTheKidder said:
Levi Madison was an absolute stud. 98 Minerva was phenomenal. However the passing attack WB had that year was better. The Warriors beat some incredible teams that year and had an undefeated Walsh team on the ropes to the last minute. The WB passing attack was the difference, you weren’t going to manhandle a bunch of D1 players at that point .Not to stir the pot even further, but I would’ve loved to have seen Ben swallow quarterback in 1997. He was better than Eberling . Anyway, Minerva will find its way back eventually.
Click to expand...
Minerva and West Branch had some very good games back then. Molen was an incredible coach for us but the WB offense Laut created was way ahead of everyone else. I really believe the WB was not always most talented team in the conference but they were always in the hunt.
 
Last edited:
Maverick0425 said:
I also recall Minerva having a couple teams in the late 90s capable of winning a state title. The ‘97 team was 10-0 and beaten by an eventual state runner-up in the first round. The ‘98 team fumbled the game away against WB and missed the playoffs with a 9-1 record. That year Minerva played Louisville the week after the Leps played WB and it was a blowout. Minerva was the best team in the league in both ‘97 and ‘98.

On another note, it seems like Minerva has been trying to find a coach since Molen retired in ‘99 but those late 90s Minerva teams were very strong. Sadly the past is all Minerva fans can hang onto right now.
Click to expand...


It’s unreal to think back on those Minerva teams and how good they were and to see what has become of that program. Who would have thought in 2023 the Lions and Leopards would combine for a 1-19 record.
 
NBC 1988 said:
Minerva and West Branch had some very good games back then. Molen was an incredible coach for us but the WB offense Laut created was way ahead of everyone else. I really believe the WB was not always most talented team in the conference but they were always in the hunt.
Click to expand...
The sad part is how many great NBC teams got left out of the playoffs back then with less divisions and only 4 participants. Springfield and WB in ‘93. Louisville in ‘94 and the ‘98 Minerva team to mention a few. Along with some great Dover teams , the NBC really started out strong.
 
fb2222 said:
It’s unreal to think back on those Minerva teams and how good they were and to see what has become of that program. Who would have thought in 2023 the Lions and Leopards would combine for a 1-19 record.
Click to expand...
Being an old dinosaur myself, I remember Minerva teams of the early 70's. Talk about a powerhouse. They were blowing teams out by scores of 60-70 to nothing.
Saw them a couple times at Baird Mitchell Field in Poland on Saturday afternoons at 2.
Good times back then.
 
330Football said:
Salem would leave any league as long as they’re allowed to get their annual west branch game, which is very easy to do, but I’m not sure how long Salem is gonna want that game with how the teams are trending
Click to expand...
It’s easy enough to do. It was week 1 in the 90’s, week 3 in the early 2000’s, which isn’t as cool as week 10 for a rivalry but it worked.
 
BillyTheKidder said:
Levi Madison was an absolute stud. 98 Minerva was phenomenal. However the passing attack WB had that year was better. The Warriors beat some incredible teams that year and had an undefeated Walsh team on the ropes to the last minute. The WB passing attack was the difference, you weren’t going to manhandle a bunch of D1 players at that point .Not to stir the pot even further, but I would’ve loved to have seen Ben swallow quarterback in 1997. He was better than Eberling . Anyway, Minerva will find its way back eventually.
Click to expand...
I recall that WB - Minerva game and had a nephew on the team those two years. You could argue WB was better than Minerva in ‘97 when Minerva got them at home and won a close game. In ‘98 Minerva had the better team. In that game Minerva drove the ball up and down the field but fumbled the ball 4 times. Lost by a score but Minerva played its worst game of the year at WB. Lions were also coming off a big home win against Akron Springfield and I think they underestimated WB a little. Swallow and Eberling were both excellent QBs and those WB and Minerva games were great games! Madison was an absolute freak at RB but that Minerva team was loaded.

Minerva also blew out a very good Copley team in ‘98. Copley made the playoffs in another region and also played the same Walsh team losing by a field goal. I think Walsh was state runner up that year. Make no mistake though that that Minerva team would have done some damage in the playoffs. And had they met WB again in the playoffs they would have likely won that game. Instead Minerva sat at home and watched WB run to the state semis.
 
Last edited:
Struthersfan said:
Being an old dinosaur myself, I remember Minerva teams of the early 70's. Talk about a powerhouse. They were blowing teams out by scores of 60-70 to nothing.
Saw them a couple times at Baird Mitchell Field in Poland on Saturday afternoons at 2.
Good times back then.
Click to expand...
The ‘71 Minerva team still holds the Stark Co scoring record and was led by Michigan QB recruit Roger Bettis. I recall Minerva traveling to Louisville on a frigid Fri with a superior team and being out coached by Louisville’s staff. Minerva had never punted that season and Louisville attacked Minerva’s punt team blocking several and eventually winning. That was one weakness of Walters, unlike Molen he couldn’t beat Louisville and it likely kept Minerva from winning a state title. But we also have to acknowledge that Louisville was a Federal League team with a much higher enrollment at that time. Yet the Lions and Leopards still played week 10 despite being in different leagues. Minerva has always been a smaller school than Louisville but when enrollments have been closer, as when Louisville’s dropped and joined the NBC, the series was pretty even. I know Minerva’s teams under Molen won more than they lost against the Leopards.

Boy if the playoff format existed like it did today. Back then only 4 teams per division made it and there were only 3 divisions. It wasn’t watered down like it is now. No doubt Minerva would have some more hardware in that trophy case with some of its excellent teams under Tom Walters from the mid 60s to mid 70s.

Those Minerva - Poland games were usually good games. May have been ‘72 or ‘73 when Poland came to Minerva and played in front of a standing room only crowd of 5k plus. Poland won a close game over the Lions and secured the Tri County League title.
 
Last edited:
NBC 1988 said:
Minerva and West Branch had some very good games back then. Molen was an incredible coach for us but the WB offense Laut created was way ahead of everyone else. I really believe the WB was not always most talented team in the conference but they were always in the hunt.
Click to expand...
There were many games between Minerva and WB in the 90s where Minerva lost close games despite having more talent. But that ‘91 WB team that Minerva beat at home was better than the Lions. Here’s an interesting fact - in ‘91 Minerva, WB and Louisville shared the NBC title and all three teams made the playoffs. This was back when they only allowed 4 teams per region in the playoffs. In the 2000s Louisville dominated the league but played a handful of great games with Northwest. NW was a doormat in the 90s until Whiting took that program over. BUT the NBC was arguably the best mid-sized school league in Ohio in the 90s. Minerva, WB and Louisville were usually the best teams in the league with Akron Springfield also having some very good teams from mid to late 90s.
 
BillyTheKidder said:
The sad part is how many great NBC teams got left out of the playoffs back then with less divisions and only 4 participants. Springfield and WB in ‘93. Louisville in ‘94 and the ‘98 Minerva team to mention a few. Along with some great Dover teams , the NBC really started out strong.
Click to expand...
Indeed!
 
Maverick0425 said:
I recall that WB - Minerva game and had a nephew on the team those two years. You could argue WB was better than Minerva in ‘97 when Minerva got them at home and won a close game. In ‘98 Minerva had the better team. In that game Minerva drove the ball up and down the field but fumbled the ball 4 times. Lost by a score but Minerva played its worst game of the year at WB. Lions were also coming off a big home win against Akron Springfield and I think they underestimated WB a little. Swallow and Eberling were both excellent QBs and those WB and Minerva games were great games! Madison was an absolute freak at RB but that Minerva team was loaded.

Minerva also blew out a very good Copley team in ‘98. Copley made the playoffs in another region and also played the same Walsh team losing by a field goal. I think Walsh was state runner up that year. Make no mistake though that that Minerva team would have done some damage in the playoffs. And had they met WB again in the playoffs they would have likely won that game. Instead Minerva sat at home and watched WB run to the state semis.
Click to expand...
WB hit their stride in “98 during the playoffs and were almost unbeatable. Outplayed Walsh the entire game other than an unforced fumble at the 2 yard line and a very questionable spot nearing the end of the game that would have kept the ball in the Warriors hands with the lead. . The Warriors handed 3 teams their only loss that year and was a minute and an half away from making it 4 with undefeated Walsh. Ben Swallow ended up D3 player of the year in all Ohio after sitting on the bench in “97.
 
Last edited:
Maverick0425 said:
There were many games between Minerva and WB in the 90s where Minerva lost close games despite having more talent. But that ‘91 WB team that Minerva beat at home was better than the Lions. Here’s an interesting fact - in ‘91 Minerva, WB and Louisville shared the NBC title and all three teams made the playoffs. This was back when they only allowed 4 teams per region in the playoffs. In the 2000s Louisville dominated the league but played a handful of great games with Northwest. NW was a doormat in the 90s until Whiting took that program over. BUT the NBC was arguably the best mid-sized school league in Ohio in the 90s. Minerva, WB and Louisville were usually the best teams in the league with Akron Springfield also having some very good teams from mid to late 90s.
Click to expand...
I remembered when the Lions beat WB in 91! The was a pretty big upset , WB was loaded with talent. I think Minerva lost to Girard in the playoffs and WB won 1 or 2 games and lost a close one to Big Red and really should have beat them. I think Louisville lost to Lake. The league was rugged back then.
 
IMG_0929.jpeg


pretty much sums up our whole
Season. Maybe we will change things next year 🤣
 
The person who should get the job, won’t. This cycle will continue. Maybe next year we will try and use more that the qb to move the ball.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top