The 2021 StX Football Schedule: Weakest in 30 years

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Week 3 Opponent Results

Lakota West (2-1) beat Oak Hills 43-17; next 9/10 Princeton
Colerain (1-2) beat Mason 21-16; next 9/10 Sycamore
Powell Olentangy Liberty (1-2) lost to StX 49-0; next 9/10 Olentangy Berlin
Mishawaka Penn (0-3) lost to Cathedral 37-0; next 9/10 StX
Moeller (3-0) beat East Central 39-22; next 9/10 at Ironton
Elder (2-1) beat Beacon Hill 47-0; next 9/11 St. Edward
Louisville Trinity (0-2) lost to St. Rita 27-12; next 9/10 LaSalle
LaSalle (2-1) lost to IMG 58-7 LOL; next 9/10 at Trinity
St. Ignatius (1-2) beat Mt. St Joe’s 20-6; next 9/10 at Euclid
Eagles Landing (0-2) Rabun County cancelled; next 9/10 at Crisp County

Current Record of Bomber Opponents: 12-16
Projected Final Record of Bomber Opponents: 48-51
 
 
Could this be the weakest schedule since the 1980s when the Bombers were playing more GMC teams?

Or do we have to go back to the late 1960’s when the GCL was an 8 team league and X was playing Purcell, Roger Bacon, Newport Catholic and McNicholas?

As a spoiled Bomber brat I am use to the murderer’s row schedules we have enjoyed every year for the past 25 years that has resulted in national recognition, multiple state championships and record setting Harbin totals.

The Crosstown Showdown and Herbstreit Classic are gone taking away what were always 2 marquee matchups.

Two of the best out of state teams (Cathedral and LSX) are no longer on the schedule

Colerain without Bolden is like Lewis without Dean and Lakota West with a Bolden under center is inept.

Chico continues to hang on up north, the D2 Vouchers downward spiral continues, the Evil Empire will never be rid of the Fuzzy curse and Purple Nation refuses to play defense.

This week vs Penn, like weeks 2 and 3, expect to catch a glimpse of the Bomber starting units in the first half with a running clock and backups in the second half.

This narrative will likely repeat itself all the way to the state semi-finals and finals.
 
On paper it looked like a good schedule but some of the teams are down this year. I think Liberty made the playoffs last year but they experienced heavy graduation losses and I think Trinity lost a lot of talent from last year. Colerain has fallen off with the departure of Bolden and we don't know much about the GA team. I agree that the game against Mishawaka should be over at the half.

The GCL South opponents and Ignatius should be good challenges though. I will agree that this is probably the easiest schedule that St. X has faced in a while. St. X used to play really good out of state opponents in the past but Trinity is down this year. The Colerain games are not the same with Bolden no longer being there. Lakota West is a good team though, so at least St.X has faced one good team so far.
 
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I would say that Moeller's schedule has been fairly easy so far with Lakota East, East Central, CJ, and Ironton. I think CJ and Ironton are very good small school programs but they just don't have the size of depth of GCL South schools. Elder has played a tougher schedule than St. X and Moeller so far as they have already played CovCath, Pickerington Central, and have St. Edward this week. They had a cupcake game against home schoolers last week but other than that their schedule has been solid.
 
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You will not get a lot of help from us in Week 9 lol. We are looking at 5-5, 6-4 if we are lucky, 4-6, 3-7 if we are unlucky.
 
wildcatway said:
You will not get a lot of help from us in Week 9 lol. We are looking at 5-5, 6-4 if we are lucky, 4-6, 3-7 if we are unlucky.
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I've got St. Ignatius at 5-5 with future wins vs Euclid, River Rouge and Moeller and losses to Hoban, Ed's and X

Projected After Week 10
Lakota West 8-2 (Princeton)
Colerain 5-5 (Lakota West, Princeton, Lakota East)
Powell Olentangy 4-6 (Liberty Berlin, Upper Arlington, Hilliard Bradley, Hilliard Davidson)
Mishawaka Penn 2-8 (Elkhart, Marian, South Bend St. Joseph, New Prairie, South Bend Adams)
Moeller 6-4 (St. Ignatius, StX, St. Edward, King) 1 D-5 win (Ironton)
Elder 6-4 (St Ed, St X, Moeller) 3 D-2 wins, 1 D-3 win, 1 no value win
Trinity 5-5 (StX, LSX, St. Mary’s) 1 D-2 win, 1 D-5 win
LaSalle 4-6 (Trinity, Moeller, Cathedral, StX, Elder) 2 D-2 wins, 1 D-3 win
St. Ignatius 5-5 (Hoban, St. Ed, StX) 1 D-2 win, 1 D-3 win
Eagles Landing 3-6 (Trinity Christian, St. Anne Pacelli, StX, Whitefield Academy)
 
Which means the Wildcat victory will be worth 31 second level Harbin points (3 x 6.5) + (1 x 6.0) + (1 x 5.5)
 
To demonstrate how weak this schedule is from a Harbin standpoint my end of the regular season projection above results in a Harbin score of 35.38. Compare that to the top 10 StX Harbin scores and they are still more than 2 full points from the 10th spot

StX Team Rank by Harbin Total (1972-present)

1. 45.44 St. Xavier 2007: 15-0 Beat Mentor in state final 27-0

2. 41.32 St. Xavier 2005: 15-0 Beat Massillon Washington in state final 24-17

3. 40.10 St. Xavier 2006: 10-2 Lost to Colerain in regional final 24-7

4. 39.18 St. Xavier 2004: 11-1 Lost to Moeller in 2nd round 10-7

5. 39.07 St. Xavier 2017: 11-2 Lost to Colerain in Region 4 final 21-14

6. 38.69 St. Xavier 2009: 9-3 Lost to Elder in 2nd round 17-14

7. 37.64 St. Xavier 1998: 11-2 Lost to Canton Mckinley in state final 33-10

8. 37.63 St. Xavier 2014: 10-3 Lost to Moeller in 3rd round 21-0

9. 37.51 St. Xavier 1999: 10-1 Lost to Dayton Wayne in regional final 37-14

10. 37.48 St. Xavier 2001: 13-1 Lost to St. Ignatius in state final 37-6

35.38 2021 projection: 15-0 Beat Region 1's best with a 2nd half running clock
 
BDBW said:
Harbin would say otherwise per your analysis!
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Harbins measure wins and strength of schedule.
The analysis shows this team, although undefeated, played an incredibly weak schedule
Is it possible this team could finish 10-0 and yet it's Harbin total be so low that it doesn't get the 1 seed in Region 4???
Would say an undefeated Princeton finish higher? or is the GMC even weaker than X's 2021 opponents?
 
Moeller is currently #1 getting more points by beating CJ by 14 than X got for beating Colerain by 35...
 
Just checked Princeton's non league schedule......Anderson (2-1), Loveland (0-3) and Dublin Coffman (0-3).
Hamilton cancelled on them which hurt, and they don't play Lakota East which is one of the better GMC teams so that hurts.
What really hurts is they do play Oak Hills and Middletown which will have 1 win between them (when they play each other 10/15)
So even if they go undefeated their Harbin will be @31-32 after week 10
 
BDBW said:
Moeller is currently #1 getting more points by beating CJ by 14 than X got for beating Colerain by 35...
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Margin of victory is not calculated by Harbins.
X got 6.5 first level points by beating D1 Colerain and Moeller only got 5.5 first level points for beating D3 C-J
How many second level points they get from those teams depends on how many wins they get and what division those teams were against.
 
ReLoad said:
I've got St. Ignatius at 5-5 with future wins vs Euclid, River Rouge and Moeller and losses to Hoban, Ed's and X

Projected After Week 10
Lakota West 8-2 (Princeton)
Colerain 5-5 (Lakota West, Princeton, Lakota East)
Powell Olentangy 4-6 (Liberty Berlin, Upper Arlington, Hilliard Bradley, Hilliard Davidson)
Mishawaka Penn 2-8 (Elkhart, Marian, South Bend St. Joseph, New Prairie, South Bend Adams)
Moeller 6-4 (St. Ignatius, StX, St. Edward, King) 1 D-5 win (Ironton)
Elder 6-4 (St Ed, St X, Moeller) 3 D-2 wins, 1 D-3 win, 1 no value win
Trinity 5-5 (StX, LSX, St. Mary’s) 1 D-2 win, 1 D-5 win
LaSalle 4-6 (Trinity, Moeller, Cathedral, StX, Elder) 2 D-2 wins, 1 D-3 win
St. Ignatius 5-5 (Hoban, St. Ed, StX) 1 D-2 win, 1 D-3 win
Eagles Landing 3-6 (Trinity Christian, St. Anne Pacelli, StX, Whitefield Academy)
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I'll take Ig to stand on its hind legs, and beat Hoban-- people continue to underestimate that Ig team, at their peril-- I believe Ig and Elder might be the only games remaining on the schedule that do NOT see a running clock at some point.

I also think you may have the wrong data on Eagle's Landing, GA-- I have them at 2-1 (with a 35-7 loss though). Are you sure you have the correct data there? (My info came from the MaxPreps website-- they have EL with a 33-21 victory last week, but a 35-7 loss two weeks ago.)
 
The Bombers moved up 5 spots to #18 in MaxPreps Super 25 where they will finish top 5 if this list has any legitimacy
The only team currently in the top 25 within a 5 hour bus ride of Cincinnati is Center Grove in Indiana.
The current 25 team breakdown by state is 5 teams from both Texas and California, 3 teams from Florida, 2 from Georgia and 10 states with 1.
StX and Center Grove MUST play this season.
We, the fans, must demand it and make it happen!!
It's the only way we get to see the Bombers tested.
I have my eye on Friday October 1st.
The Bombers are scheduled to play the winless Trinity Shamrocks while Center Grove is to play winless Indianapolis Pike.
It's a no brainer...have Trinity play Pike and X and CG square off.
A chance to win a game should be more appealing than getting curb stomped by X and CG.
 
4GX said:
I also think you may have the wrong data on Eagle's Landing, GA-- I have them at 2-1 (with a 35-7 loss though). Are you sure you have the correct data there? (My info came from the MaxPreps website-- they have EL with a 33-21 victory last week, but a 35-7 loss two weeks ago.)
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I think your looking at Eagles Landing Eagles
X is playing Eagles Landing Christian Academy (ELCA) Chargers
 
I'm ok with Center Grove being ranked ahead of X
Look at their starters :oops:

Offense
#2 QB Tayven Jackson (6’4” 190lb) Tennessee commit
#8 RB Dan Weems (5’11” 205lb) offers from Indiana St, EKU, Butler and Dayton
#5 RB Drew Wheat (5’9” 165lb)
#16 RB/WR Earl Ridlen (5’9” 150lb) track star
#47 DE/TE Shane Bennett (6’3” 205lb) Indiana State commit
#10 WR Harrison Stomps (6’4” 205lb) offer from Wheaton
#1 CB/WR Kalen Carroll (6’1” 175lb) Cincinnati commit
#58 OL Jordan Cox (6’0” 285lb) Wabash offer
#68 OL Jake Newlin (6’3” 280lb) Valpo offer
#79 OL Sam Buras (6’7” 315lb) Ball State commit
#77 OL Austin Wiese (6’3” 285lb)
Defense
#91 DE Caden Curry (6’5” 250lb) final 5: Ohio State, Alabama, Clemson, Oregon and Indiana
#32 DE James Schott (6’4” 220lb) Miami (OH) commit
#99 DT Carl Biddings (6’2” 285lb) Louisville offer
#76 NG Tommy Claiborne (6’5” 275lb) MAC offers
#97 DL Owen Green (6’2” 270lb) offer from Butler
#93 DT Isaac Chandler (6’1” 245) Heidelberg
#33 LB Elijah Matheson (5’11” 195lb)
#37 LB Trei Specker (6’4” 215lb)
#3 S Jackson Griffin (5’11” 180lb) Butler commit
#20 S Mitch Evans (6’0” 190lb) never leaves the field RB, S and kick returner; Indiana commit (baseball)
#30 DB/WR Jalen Thomeson (5’10” 175lb) transfer from Mt Vernon
#21 CB Gavin Oakes (5’10” 160lb)
#24 CB Ethan Watt (5’11’ 180lb)

Nearly a dozen D1 players.
The trenches are huge and talented.
Heck in their defensive line rotation they have 6 future college players
Bring em on!
 
4GX said:
I'll take Ig to stand on its hind legs, and beat Hoban-- people continue to underestimate that Ig team, at their peril-- I believe Ig and Elder might be the only games remaining on the schedule that do NOT see a running clock at some point.
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Both Ignatius and Hoban are down this year so that is probably a coin toss.

Elder has to come to Ballaban week 6 and they don't have the OLine to keep the Bomber front 6 from shutting down the Elder offense.
Their defense is porous as usual and the Panthers will be 2-4 when they face Moeller in week 7.

The St. Ignatius game is in week 9 so that may give Chico and the boys time to get it together.
The 4 hour morning bus ride to Strongsville (Pat Catan Stadium) usually has a negative effect on the team.
So if any game on this disappointing schedule could challenge X it would be this one.

Side note: I don't think the Bombers have ever played in Strongsville High School's stadium
Usually play St. Ignatius at Byers Field in Parma, Lakewood Stadium or John Carroll stadium
 
ReLoad said:
Both Ignatius and Hoban are down this year so that is probably a coin toss.

Elder has to come to Ballaban week 6 and they don't have the OLine to keep the Bomber front 6 from shutting down the Elder offense.
Their defense is porous as usual and the Panthers will be 2-4 when they face Moeller in week 7.

The St. Ignatius game is in week 9 so that may give Chico and the boys time to get it together.
The 4 hour morning bus ride to Strongsville (Pat Catan Stadium) usually has a negative effect on the team.
So if any game on this disappointing schedule could challenge X it would be this one.

Side note: I don't think the Bombers have ever played in Strongsville High School's stadium
Usually play St. Ignatius at Byers Field in Parma, Lakewood Stadium or John Carroll stadium
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So, will the Bombers be Settlers of Catan this year?
 
ReLoad said:
I think this is one of the best StX teams of all time who are playing one of the weakest schedules of all time.
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It has great potential to be better than last year’s and the 2016 squads. Definitely not better than 2005 and 2007 juggernauts. Those teams were ferocious. The schedule normally would look good on paper but a lot of opponents are down this year- My wildcats being one.
 
ReLoad said:
Purple Nation refuses to play defense.
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Your scouting report is incorrect. The Elder defense has been good this year. You must be going off of reports of scrimmages. Never take scrimmages too seriously, you know better than that. Elder will not match up well with X's big offensive line. X will score points on Elder. It will be up to Elder offense to hopefully match X's offense in 3 weeks. The Elder defense has some good speed on the corners and some tough linebackers getting better every week. We have bigger fish to fry at the moment with St. Ed's visiting Price Hill Saturday.
 
Don't see the need for this conversation generally, much less 3 games into a season, but hey - if it makes you happy - be my guest. As for me, I think I will just enjoy going to the games and celebrating each victory as they come one at a time...
 
wildcatway said:
It has great potential to be better than last year’s and the 2016 squads. Definitely not better than 2005 and 2007 juggernauts. Those teams were ferocious. The schedule normally would look good on paper but a lot of opponents are down this year- My wildcats being one.
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Hard to judge this team against those teams, particularly 3 games into a regular season. Those teams were beasts defensively against the run, great at tackling everywhere, and pretty good in the secondary. Indeed, you would expect them to be, because the bias was to send most of the most talented players to defense. They also generally made up points on other teams in special teams, both in field position and actual points.

Offensively, whether by talent or scheme, those teams were running teams first and foremost as opposed to this team, which clearly passes to set up the run. Certainly believe that you can make a pretty good argument that if this isn't the best offense X has ever had, it may be the most explosive. Regardless, these are arguments you make in December AFTER you are holding the trophy in my opinion...
 
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L Hand said:
Hard to judge this team against those teams, particularly 3 games into a regular season. Those teams were beasts defensively against the run, great at tackling everywhere, and pretty good in the secondary. Indeed, you would expect them to be, because the bias was to send most of the most talented players to defense. They also generally made up points on other teams in special teams, both in field position and actual points.

Offensively, whether by talent or scheme, those teams were running teams first and foremost as opposed to this team, which clearly passes to set up the run. Certainly believe that you can make a pretty good argument that if this isn't the best offense X has ever had, it may be the most explosive. Regardless, these are arguments you make in December AFTER you are holding the trophy in my opinion...
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Agreed, 3 games does not a season make... but if we're comparing defense so far, the first team defense has given up 14 points, and 222 yards through the first 3 games. You could argue they would have given up more if they had to play a second half against Colerain or Liberty, but they had allowed less than 20 yards in both those games at the half. The D doesn't have a Fred Craig, Greg Scruggs, Pat Muldoon or Luke Kuechly on it, but they are awful good, and have been since the playoffs last season.

The offense this year is ahead in regards to talent across the board, and definitely is more explosive. I don't think they run as well as those '05 or '07 teams, but they pass it ten times better, and can run when needed, like against West.
 
bomberinmonroe said:
Agreed, 3 games does not a season make... but if we're comparing defense so far, the first team defense has given up 14 points, and 222 yards through the first 3 games. You could argue they would have given up more if they had to play a second half against Colerain or Liberty, but they had allowed less than 20 yards in both those games at the half. The D doesn't have a Fred Craig, Greg Scruggs, Pat Muldoon or Luke Kuechly on it, but they are awful good, and have been since the playoffs last season.

The offense this year is ahead in regards to talent across the board, and definitely is more explosive. I don't think they run as well as those '05 or '07 teams, but they pass it ten times better, and can run when needed, like against West.
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I am basing my evaluations of this defense (and offense as well) based upon the eye test as much as anything. At the end of the season, some stats may make sense, but even then, given the aforementioned title of this thread (which I do think is probably at least somewhat correct - this is going to end up a pretty weak schedule by St. X standards), I don't think stats will tell the whole story.
 
St.X fan2 said:
On paper it looked like a good schedule but some of the teams are down this year. I think Liberty made the playoffs last year but they experienced heavy graduation losses and I think Trinity lost a lot of talent from last year.
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Trinity won KY Big school 6A championship last year starting all seniors except for 1 junior, the center.
Head Coach Bob Beatty retired after the championship, the team's 15th state titles in his 21 years at the helm.
The new coach, Jay Cobb, not only is following a bit of a legend but the cupboard is completely bare in this, his first year.
Good luck coach Cobb
 
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