^ Appreciate it. Like I've said a few times, I'm from a small school, so when I moved to Columbus and had a friend who coached at a MOCAL school, I got invested more than just about any one I would imagine. I'll get to that post #43 after the season I think. I probably hijacked the MSL thread enough for one week!
Mid-State League 2020-2021
- Thread starter bballfan48
- Start date
The Dock
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Feel free to speak your mind, when and how you please. Would be nice if these threads can be consistently active to the extent they were on the Huddle.
The Dock
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Best big's I remember over the years;
BU: Jordan Mosack ('13-'15??); ??? reluctant to Martin here, because they didn't really use him as a big.
FCA: Nick Spurgus ('13-'14), K.J. DeWese ('13-'15??), Andrew Gerken ('14-'16?); Brad Anderson was a big body they had lately that was decent down-low, but I wouldn't really put him in the category as a big.
FC: Bailey Francis ('17-'19). I don't have Vogel or Burke (both 6'5) listed because, while great players, their fortes were more mid-range and perimeter shooting.
GCC: Howard ('13-'14), Noah Tomlinson ('16-'19 -- think I have the years and name right). For some reason I feel like I'm missing a player, too. Seems weird I don't whoever else complimented the splendid Bailey/Baker teams. The Holbrook kid (think that's his name) they had lately I felt could have been good down low.
MP: would have been before the '13-'14 season
Rosecrans: see above.
Harvest Prep: Elijah "Big Easy" Glenn ('17-19.) You guys know who I'm talking about. That kid was awesome to watch. Oh, and even though this was way before the current Cardinal, I'll say it anyways: B.J. Mullens.
The Dock
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Congrats to Coach McKnight and his Berne Union Rockets for pulling off, perhaps, the most impressive win in the storied BU-FC rivalry. Down 26-4 after the first quarter, the Rockets surged back on a 42-9 run through the second and third periods en route to a 58-49 win on Route 37.
It's an uncomfortable loss. But, I know our kids have the sensibility to build from it and move on.
It's an uncomfortable loss. But, I know our kids have the sensibility to build from it and move on.
bballfan48
Active member
I saw that last night and thought it was a typo. What was the turning point for BU? Did Fisher not have the legs?
What Fisher has between Bronder and Burke is hard to beat. It all comes down to what they can get out of their other starting three and first two off the bench. Brown’s system doesn’t require an established 3rd or 4th scoring threat although it would be nice. Shaw and Smith are the only ones on this team with previous varsity experience, and they were rotational guys.
Fisher hadn’t played a game for three whole weeks. Before the layoff they looked like they could finish 2nd. Last night they came out strong. BU whittling a 22 point margin down to 4 over eight minutes was a product of the Rockets playing inspired, hot basketball and FC getting extremely sloppy. Game is on Innerphase Video’s YouTube.
It’s the best rivalry in the MSL for a reason.To Dock’s point, you’d rather take a gut punch in the midway point of the season than in the tournament.
Fisher hadn’t played a game for three whole weeks. Before the layoff they looked like they could finish 2nd. Last night they came out strong. BU whittling a 22 point margin down to 4 over eight minutes was a product of the Rockets playing inspired, hot basketball and FC getting extremely sloppy. Game is on Innerphase Video’s YouTube.
It’s the best rivalry in the MSL for a reason.To Dock’s point, you’d rather take a gut punch in the midway point of the season than in the tournament.
The Dock
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Right. Watching the game on Boxcast, it was a little frustrating to see them collapse. But texting one of the BU coaches after the game, it changed my thinking. Lots of praise they had for FC's kids and the staff for a classic game.
The rivalry is the rivalry -- it has its intensity (what's understood doesn't need to be explained) , but it also commands a tremendous amount of respect between the two schools.
This season I haven't been able to watch as many FC or Cardinal games for the obvious reason of limitations. I knew this team was probably going to have its hot nights and cold nights. It's still a pleasure to watch our boys play as well as they have this year. Coach Brown has done a tremendous job from day 1 with the program, and I'll be sure to continue treasuring the experience of watching our teams play. I do think this is a team that could be a darkhorse for district if they can get back in sync and play hot.
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The Dock
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GCC (94) got ranked 13th, which probably would have been an OK ranking but they got seeded behind #9 TOL (194), #10 Shekinah (151), #11 Delaware Christian (112) and #12 GCA (101) which doesn’t sit well with me. In parentheses is the vote sum, which is even more perplexing when you look at the range.
Wish the votes were public. I have a feeling this was yet another year of “MOCAL Block Party” voting. LOL
The Dock
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AND the brackets are live...
www.270hoops.com
FC jumps on NC. Oh, man!
I'm also a little surprised to see GCC take Millersport, instead of a play-in game against Delaware Christian or Granville Christian.
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www.270hoops.com
FC jumps on NC. Oh, man!
I'm also a little surprised to see GCC take Millersport, instead of a play-in game against Delaware Christian or Granville Christian.
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I mean, maybe? Have you seen past year votes? I’d think every conference would maybe give the benefit of the doubt to their conference mates in a tie, but I’m sure most would go by best judgement. It’s not like MOCAL teams got above any of the better Cardinal teams.
Its really tough to compare some scores, whether it be the higher or lower tiers, especially in this covid environment. But what do coaches have to go off? They can’t go out and scout this year so it’s tough to see other teams and get a feel with the eye test. FCA lost to Granville Christian at home by double digits. FCA split with GCC. Granville lost to Shekinah, Delaware, and Tree. So in that aspect it does at least make a little sense.
GCC is also super young and I don’t know if they have any quality wins. They are ranked higher than the teams they beat and haven’t really been competitive in other games. A lot of that has to do with their awful luck with quarantines, although I don’t think a single school this year has escaped unscathed.
Not saying I disagree Dock, just trying to provide a counter point to maybe what coaches were looking at!
And yeah! Fisher choosing a tough first round road game instead of hosting is the surprise of the draw! FC seems like the type of team that wants a long tournament run though, not necessarily facing an unpleasant matchup in the second round.
Lots of conference matchups overall! I guess teams don’t want to face the unfamiliar.
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Newark Catholic is not the same team they were early in the year. They were 6-1 when they lost their best player after the Cardington game. They just came out of Covid last week and were blown out of all three games they played this week. Saturday Johnstown beat them 55-35, Heath beat them 63-31, and Monday Zanesville beat them 46-21. I understand that they play a bunch of larger schools. I really think Fisher can beat them. The Doc and I had a conversation about them earlier in the week.
The Dock
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The more I thought about it, the match-up makes sense. Don't have a team that would probably beat Patriot or Grandview, so take the other bracket. Don't have a team full of scoring threats or tremendous depth, but you do have a team that plays your system and -- when on their 'A' game -- can cause problems for opponents.
I imagine he would take a game that he knows his team has a good chance of winning. Good testament to your trust in the players to take on an underdog game, too.
Fair! There has been years in the past where I think Tree of Life swells up a little higher in seedings than they maybe belonged? But that admittedly is talking about an inconsistent pattern over 10 years.
Yeah. I see what you're saying. That's also fair.
I suppose where I'm coming from is if you have a thick pack of four MOCAL teams, or more simply a cluster of three non-TOL MOCAL teams, bunched up on another and ahead of GCC with no real impressive out-of-conference wins... then it's just voting based on familiarity and not taking into consideration that GCC may be more battle-tested? But then again I can't find the votes right now, so who knows if it's just common MOCAL voting or if it was a general trend across the district???
It does mildly frustrate me for our league compatriots that are seeded down towards the bottom, generally on a yearly basis, because other coaches don't consider that 4 losses come by teams that would win the district if they played (BR, HP) and other losses come by pretty good teams.
I do not like to blame the refs, however the guys officiating this game were the worst I have ever seen. Just awful.
GCC could have pulled off the upset.
I am with you on this. GCC should not have been seeded 13 with their record and playing Millersport. The play in scenario makes way more sense.
Whoever came up with GCC being 13 has no clue at all about seeding. JMHO
The Dock
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Welcome to thread, Eagle fan! You a former poster on JJHuddle forums, by chance?
Thanks. I don't think so on the JJhuddle.
I found this forum searching for Mid State League 2020 soccer awards. I don't see much news on the MSL in the papers, so I thought I would join.
The Dock
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MSL not having a website, or even social media, is beyond bizarre. Papers won’t have it because there’s pretty much only three sportswriters, at their own publications, that have the schools in their coverage.
I did get to watch GCC’s boys soccer team when they came here in the fall. Got some good players, for sure.
How do you Eagles like the drive to Miller?
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MSL not having a website, or even social media, is beyond bizarre. Papers won’t have it because there’s pretty much only three sportswriters, at their own publications, that have the schools in their coverage.
I did get to watch GCC’s boys soccer team when they came here in the fall. Got some good players, for sure.
How do you Eagles like the drive to Miller?
Miller is an hour and 20 minutes from here. Only had to drive it once last year. Driving it Saturday afternoon and not looking forward to the drive.
GCC soccer should be real good in the next few years. Are you a Fisher fan? Our basketball is full of freshmen and sophomores.
MSL needs to definitely needs to get it together with a web site and be active on it.
The Dock
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Yes on Fisher
I remember GCC having a particularly good soccer team in, I believe, 2015 or 2016. 2015 or 2016 was the first year of boys soccer being a sport sponsored by the Cardinal Division. Edit: 2017 was first year of Cardinal sponsoring boys soccer. And GCC had a pretty good team then, too!
Seeing some familiar last names in GCC hoops box scores. Must have had some older brothers that played for GCC in their first years of MSL play, yeah?
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The Dock
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Grady's free throws crucial in Rosecrans' close road win
Rosecrans never missed a shot in the fourth quarter on Monday night in Lancaster. It was a turn of events that couldn't have been more critical.
www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com
61-60 Rosecrans last night
hard to win when you go 5 for 14 at the stripe
I've seen them once too and they might have a regional run in them like a few years ago. Ransom especially is a stud but they've got the pieces for sure. Someone said they have no juniors who play? Crazy. This may not be the year for them but they will be a force real soon.
The Dock
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Strong agree. Timlin's a great coach.
bballfan48
Active member
Another weird twist in the Cardinal, GCC goes over to the Lake and knocks off Millersport. I tried to watch the game from the live feed but that camera does not help much.
Timlin does not have any Juniors or Seniors. Things are setting up the way they did with the Bailey, Baker years at GCC.
Still a good amount of league games left over the next week for most teams. Millersport still has Berne and Fisher. Rosecrans gets Fairfield twice in the next week. Hopefully the teams that have been off can get into a groove before the tournament.
Timlin does not have any Juniors or Seniors. Things are setting up the way they did with the Bailey, Baker years at GCC.
Still a good amount of league games left over the next week for most teams. Millersport still has Berne and Fisher. Rosecrans gets Fairfield twice in the next week. Hopefully the teams that have been off can get into a groove before the tournament.
The Dock
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I still remember the time, about five years ago, the Lakers (led by the older Purvis brother, Zane) upset GCC when Baker and Bailey were juniors. Fun how it’s come around full-circle!
GCC better than their seed. Change my mind!
He has been very patient with this young team except for last night. He got on them pretty good early in the 1st quarter and the team started to play to their potential. I hope and think the honeymoon is over with these young men.
All freshman and sophomores and it was an exciting win for the Eagles young men. I am very happy for them.
They held off Pervis just enough, that dude is something else. Glad he is a Senior.
The Dock
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Him and his twin brother were electric to watch in biddy league about 8 years ago. Really skilled. Reverse lay-ups, bounce passes in transition, could shoot from beyond the HS 3-pt line. It was like watching talented freshmen among 4th-graders.