Well the season is over for all Buckeye eight teams, and next year should be a dandy! There should be two new head coaches. One at Buckeye and then one at Bellaire. What does everyone think?

I think it ended up this way this year.
1-Ferry
2-Buckeye
3-Harrison
4-Creek
5-St.C
6-U.L
7-Edison
8-Bellaire

I think that the buckeye 8 was great this year. All the teams from about 6 up on your list can beat all the other teams. Makes it a competitive league with some upsets.

Any idea who might be taking over at Buckeye Local?

There is only 2 good things about the B-8

1. Scheduling
2. Distance factor

Otherwise, it's a trap to create a league of one and done's come post season. Before the B-8, at least area teams were able to make it to the semi-finals and finals. Before the rezoning of regions, Region 15 struggled against other regions.

Let me use this analogy:
If people only read the book "Gone With The Wind", they will think that the "South" was really that way.

I'm not a hater, I love our area football and always wish the best for the valley kids. And I don't have the answers. I just don't think that the B-8 prepares them well for other regions.

What do you think would prepare them for other regions?

No word yet at Buckeye, but I hope they get someone that can carry on what they have done lately.

Skin_Man wrote: What do you think would prepare them for other regions?

Well, like I said, I don't have the answers. But, let me ask you this. How will the B-8 prepare our valley teams for the likes of Mooney? Alter? Coldwater?

Example: Bellaire has had some success against Mooney. Bellaire has beaten them 2 times out of 4. The two times they've beaten them, just take a look at who was on Bellaire's schedule.
It was nothing like a B-8 conference.

Look, all I'm saying is that the strength of schedule plays ALOT into the playoffs, and I don't see the B-8 working towards that.

Any Martins Ferry posters over here, yet? I would like to see some of their fans here, they could add alot of insight and thoughts. They have some good posters!

.......................

What's Creek got going on for next year?

Until someone goes undefeated in the buckeye 8 and loses their opening game then I don't understand. You can't beat a buckeye 8 team that you say isn't very good, but you want to know how to beat mooney!
I think you need to look at talent not schedule.
Just because you play mooney every week does not mean you are getting better.

Skin Man, you're right. You're not understanding what I'm trying to say.
If you don't like the comparison of Mooney, let's try Versailles or Coldwater.
Those are towns/schools very much like ours. They don't have any more kids than we do as far as talent pool goes. They're not big cities.
There are many factors in their success, talent is one of them, but so is scheduling.

I know the B-8 is new and maybe it will have the chance to grow into a stronger league, who knows? I just might change my mind when that happens, but until then, I think it is only good for easier scheduling and shorter travel distance.

Wow! I know MF fans have their own website to go to, but I would have thought that at least some of them would sign in here!

Skinman, just switch the two team at the top and you had it right.

I just got done looking at the Bellaire schedule from 2006. That was the year that Bellaire lost to Mooney in the State Semi 49-7. That schedule had almost every buckeye 8 school on it except Edison. The other four schools were Wheeling Park, John Marshall, Beaver Local and Steubenville Catholic Central. Now I could be wrong but I really don't think this schedule helped them win 3 playoff games, talent did, and that talent was Nate Davis (currently a 49er).

Also the Buckeye 8 schools need to be honest with themselves and look at what kind of years each team has had.

Here is a list of the schools and there best years in the last 10 or 15.

1. Buckeye Local State Runner up (Billy West)
2. Bellaire State runner up twice and state semi-finalist twice (Davis brothers)
3. Martins Ferry state-semi finalist once. (Sorry can't remember any studs)
4. Union Local Regional Semis twice.
5. St. Clairsville Regional Final once.
6. Edison I think they have only made the playoffs once
7. Indian Creek one playoff apperance
8. Harrison Central one playoff apperance (this year)

I think the goal for ever Buckeye 8 school should be making the playoffs, once that happens year in and year out then worry about taking on the world.

Well then, we'll just have to agree to disagree!

That's fine, and I love the cat!!

Haha! Thanks, I thought it was hilarios, too!

BTW, I just want to restate that I'm not downing on any of our local teams.... at all. I guess I just wish that the options for out-of-league-play were better. But, then again, riverside communities don't have much choice.
I don't know.... lol

Wags and I love to go rounds on the B8. lol Sure its nice travel wise and there are a few good teams, but overall I really believe it crowds the schedule. Soon the B8 schedule will be weeks 4-10 which means that 8 teams from this area are going to be looking for opponets weeks 1-3. I agree that the "strength" of the B8 isn't enough to prepare teams to move deep into the play-offs. I think it would be better to schedule the B8 weeks 1-7 instead giving teams a chance to pick some talent up late in the season to prepare for the play-offs. Scheduling a test week one will most likely result in a loss, but if you don't schedule some talent, then what??

IC and Big Red supposedly "mutually" dropped each other as of this year. IC picked up a dismal Weir team in their place. The play-off measuring stick was dropped to make room for a team that if you can't beat, you should quit football all together. Everybody says that if we played weir this year we would have made the play-offs, that is true but we would have had Big Red week 11. To me if you play them early on and learn from it, its would be a nice measuring tool once you reach the play-offs to see how far you have come.

I'm not so upset about Big Red not being on the schedule as i am about scheduling someone that our 7th grade should consistantly beat.

As far as this year's B8 representatives go for the playoffs, I think that HC got a humbling experience in their first ever playoff appearance. If they grow from it they may continue to become a dangerous team year after year. I don't know what happened in Ferry to be honest with you... I was not there nor do I know what happened other than Ferry was up then lost the lead. Buckeye had the worst showing in my opinion. I was at that game and I saw a better Buckeye team lose to their own play calling. It was mind boggling why they didn't continue to run the ball as it worked all night. Everyone this year was a "one and done", but hopefully the teams can bounce back and represent after week 11 next year.

THe schedule being games 4-10 is the best thing the Buckeye 8 has done yet. This is what every league in the state does, and will make it a lot easier to find and schedule teams on a yearly of multi year level.

Hey guys, I saw that Purple Sage has signed up! So, at least some MF fans will be joining into the discussions!

sonofsam wrote: As far as this year's B8 representatives go for the playoffs, I think that HC got a humbling experience in their first ever playoff appearance. If they grow from it they may continue to become a dangerous team year after year. I don't know what happened in Ferry to be honest with you... I was not there nor do I know what happened other than Ferry was up then lost the lead. Buckeye had the worst showing in my opinion. I was at that game and I saw a better Buckeye team lose to their own play calling. It was mind boggling why they didn't continue to run the ball as it worked all night. Everyone this year was a "one and done", but hopefully the teams can bounce back and represent after week 11 next year.

2 big plays killed us..

1.The 1st NW drive where he had all day to throw and chucked a 50yd bomb to a wide open reciever on the sideline

2. NWs last scoring drive on 3rd and about 15 where NW called the same play as the 1st bomb and they had the same exact result, all day to throw and then a wide open guy on the sideline 40yds down the field

You would never be able to find games to play in weeks 7-10 due to everyone else playing in their leagues. Something else that everyone needs to remember, it's not all about Football!!! The league helps all other sports.

wags6817 wrote: You would never be able to find games to play in weeks 7-10 due to everyone else playing in their leagues. Something else that everyone needs to remember, it's not all about Football!!! The league helps all other sports.

Its not all about football Wags? I guess you learn something new every day

If nothing else, the B8 provides rivalry style games. Let's be honest, none of the B8 teams are ready to "take on the world." Although this year was pretty interesting, there are many of the B8 teams who by week 6 or 7 are playing for nothing but pride. At least with a little B8 rivalry and the "title" that comes with topping the B8, there is some extra motivation.