WCALfootballfan;1269665 wrote:I was at Smithville’s week 1 game. I didn’t see the infamous blazing speed. I also didn’t see those “football bodies” that Pride speaks so highly of. We’ll leave that for some other time.

In all fairness, you weren't going to see any speed displayed until you're running away from someone. Before you do that, you have to get past them. Difficult to do when the defense plays like Loudonville's did.

I don't know if they're that fast or not. Just saying that that game never really let any runners out of the gate.

855pride;1269632 wrote:in regards to waynedale being more athletic, who would you say the athletes are for the bears. bates being a all ohioan in 3 sports, shane and poorman bein on the podium at state track last year along with buss, kurtz and sophomore andy blough, the smithies have blazing speed and thats something no one can argue.

I will conceded that Bates is a heck of an athlete and of everyone involved in this game... Probably takes the cake, but I'll take the State Wrestling Runner up Stanley over the two tracksters. (Sorry... Gotta be way more athletic to be a runner up in wrestling than running on a track.) He might not be as fast as those two but Speed doesn't equal athlete. He was also a solid baseball player before concentrating on FB/WR only. I think he would give Bates a run for his money.

Jared Orr is a very capable ATHLETE. If he is still playing on the line this week then it will clearly look like he isn't but trust me... the kid works harder than any other kid. Has speed. Has agility. Has strength (for his size... not enough to be successful on the o line) Has the biggest gas tank I've ever seen on a kid. I feel he would be in the conversation as a top ATHLETE between these two teams.

I've already stated that the Antjuan kid is about as as fast bates. Bates is the better athlete at this stage though. Antjuan's potential is way higher than bates but he isn't there yet. He is young. His name hasn't been thrown around as much as others. Trust me. The kid is oozing athletic ability. People will know him by years end and if he dedicates himself.... WATCH OUT!

Keeping with the young guys... I'll take Reid Stanley over any of the soph's Smithville has. Just wait... That kid has the potential to be one of the best the area has ever seen in wrestling and from the bit I've seen him play... If used properly... football as well. He has tremendous work ethic and I expect to see him grow tremendously in the next couple years. He will be a very good athlete.

Wren Weaver is also a fine athlete. I'd put him into the same category as the others you have listed. Kid can move. Fairly sharp all the way around. I'd imagine that he would be highly competitive with the bottom three kids you mentioned.

Strasbaugh is a very well rounded athlete as well. He's in the upper tier of those listed.

Those are the names I can think of off the top of my head. I'm sure I'm leaving out a few guys. I haven't had the ability to follow the football team as much as I'd like to. Just a few games and past history.


I'll leave you with this thought... Football isn't about athletes. Athletes are just that... athletes. They can do a lot of things, but that doens't mean they are football players. It takes more than one great athlete (bates) to win a football game. There is much more that goes into a win besides talent and ability. Those other reasons are why Smithville should win this game. They have more FOOTBALL PLAYERS. I think they are a better team at this point. It is those other things like game plan, execution, unity, and a desire to correct mistakes that has cost the bears this year. Smithville is ahead in those areas.... o... and where it really counts in high school football.... THE O/D LINES. Waynedale lacks those areas and without those.... You've got a lot of trouble doing things.

O-Trap;1269679 wrote:In all fairness, you weren't going to see any speed displayed until you're running away from someone. Before you do that, you have to get past them. Difficult to do when the defense plays like Loudonville's did.

I don't know if they're that fast or not. Just saying that that game never really let any runners out of the gate.

Seen them play "normal" teams... I saw a couple quick kids, but have not seen any kids speed who has made me go... AWWWW! Bates is quick though. There was a receiver who was quick too... just not AWWWW speed that pride talks of.

Just went and re-checked the record books, counted them by year, it took awhile but daily record was correct 28 wins for Waynedale 27 wins Smithville and 1 tie. Already edited my original post.

The only blinding speed I remember at Smithville was Aaron Long and that was 04.

Kendle the year before, was a wing back

oldsmithie;1269807 wrote:The only blinding speed I remember at Smithville was Aaron Long and that was 04.

Agree...

elitesmithie05;1269857 wrote:Kendle the year before, was a wing back

Aaron Long had him beat but he was darn fast too

elitesmithie05;1269857 wrote:Kendle the year before, was a wing back

That guy was ridiculously fast. He was an underclassman when I played (as was Long) and didn't know the playbook or have the size, so he didn't see the field, but even then, he was the fastest guy on the team.

I believe he also currently holds the record for the longest run in Smithville history. I believe it was 98 yards on a Wingback 0-Trap.

As someone who watched and played with both, I'd say Kendle was faster, but obviously not by much. And Long was a stronger runner.

Kevin Beichler was pretty fast too...

OQB;1269958 wrote:Kevin Beichler was pretty fast too...

Oh, true. That kid was hilarious, too.

His older brother wasn't as fast, but MAN could that kid jump and catch.

O-Trap;1269963 wrote:Oh, true. That kid was hilarious, too.

His older brother wasn't as fast, but MAN could that kid jump and catch.

He didn't have to be fast.....when you have the backfield/Line the Smithies had he was all alone in the secondary and made plays.

Hillsdale
Northwestern
Norwayne
Smithville
Lexington
Ashland
Triway
West Holmes
CVCA
Coldwater

JMar and 1-Beast, I would really enjoy meeting you guys, along with any huddlers who will be at the Smithville-Waynedale game tomorrow.

The athlete and speed talk is really interesting. To me guys like Drew Brenner and Dylan Kauffman were great ATHLETES. Sawyer Polen, Jenna Pew, Josh Besancon. People like that. Not just great in 1 sports and good in another, maybe average in a 3rd, but a high-level performer in multiple sports. To me that term is thrown around far too often. There are great football players, great basketball players, great runners. That doesn't make you a great athlete. I for one think Stanley is definitely a standout athlete, it is very impressive to be that high up on the podium in wrestling, as a JR none the less. Very impressive, but not surprised. He has his head on straight and works hard, so things are bound to go right for him. Obviously he is a good football player. I don't think people really realize how hard it is to be good at 2 sports, let alone all-state at multiple sports. It's definitely extremely hard to do it at one, let alone 2 or 3. Alex was all-state in 3 sports a JR. No other male athlete in Smithville history ever did that, let alone as a JR. It is one thing for Antwan to have the potential, it is another thing to reach it. You are talking about barring health, 12 varsity letters, 4-6 league championships, school records, a high probability of a couple all-state seasons in football, 1000+ points and a couple all-state seasons in basketball, and 4+ all-ohio performances in a third sport (track). It takes a lot of things to go right to reach that status. Hopefully it happens for the young man and he does have a great career. I'll say though, the only underclassmen around Wayne County who I see with that kind of potential is Cam Daugherty at Wooster. Tolan Shane and Tyler Buss are great athletes too. Buss is one of the best players in the area on the baseball diamond. Tolan who has all-state speed as well and is a 2-time all ohioan in track has had a good season so far for the Smithies on the gridiron and will contribute in hoops also.

As far as the speed talk. Kris Kendle was a WCAL MVP in Track and was a serious speedster, as was Kevin Beichler who has the Smithville school record in the 100 meter dash. Aaron Long ran for a ton of yards and I believe was on some school record relay teams, along with guys like Kendle and Andrew Saris. He definitely wasn't as fast as Beichler and KK though. I know as underclassmen Bates/Shane/Poorman ran times that broke school records that those guys set. I also know that in individul events like that 200 and 400, those 3 ran faster times than the afformentioned names and have a great chance to break more school records this year. That can't be argued. If that is not a measurement of speed, I am not sure what is. Whether you think they possess "blazing" speed or not is another topic.

Also, just saying this as someone who reads and doesn't post often (regardless of what Bloody Toothbrush says), if you dont come with facts and knowledgable information to defend your stance, like RedRider1, PitMan, 1Beast, JMar, 1486, 855pride, bobcat14 and posters like that, you really don't contribute much to actual sports talk that happens on this thread. Albeit rarely

I also think that everyone saying Smithville doesn't belong with Hillsdale/Northwestern/Norwayne is a little premature. Hopefully my thoughts can be proven true the next 2 weeks.

Would the WCAL ever consider adding Orrville and Triway to their league?? I for one hate the OCC and all the grype seems to be mileage between schools. Seems like the easy fix is to get in a league right in your backyard...thoughts?

I would love to see a true Wayne county league: I would add West Holmes to the league as well.

Big school division:
Wooster Division II
West Holmes Division III
Orrville Division IV
Triway Division IV
Chippewa Division IV
Norwayne Division IV


Small school division:
Dalton Division VI
Smithville Division V
Hillsdale Division V
Waynedale Division V
Rittman Division IV
Northwestern Division IV

OQB;1270046 wrote:I woul love to see a true Wayne county league: big school division and small school division

Lets just be honest with ourselves...it is the right fit. The WCAL has 3 schools in our region as is Triway. Then next year I believe we fall to D5 with the restructuring of divisions and that will put us in the same company with other WCAL schools.

Let us in.............please...........pretty please!

The thing that will never happen is Wooster joining.....they want in a league with Div. 1-3 schools. I agree with you though our enrollment has been on a steady decrease and it is a matter of time when we move to division 5.

Here are our numbers of players playing at each level:

80 boys playing in the peewee league
30 boys playing in 7th grade
17 boys playing in 8th grade
18 boys playing for freshman
38 JV/Varsity players

OQB;1270046 wrote:I would love to see a true Wayne county league: I would add West Holmes to the league as well.

Big school division:
Wooster Division II
West Holmes Division III
Orrville Division IV
Triway Division IV
Chippewa Division IV
Norwayne Division IV


Small school division:
Dalton Division VI
Smithville Division V
Hillsdale Division V
Waynedale Division V
Rittman Division IV
Northwestern Division IV

I agree I would love to see the other Wayne county schools in the evaluation too. I would like to see a Wooster showdown with triway and Wooster

Can you imagine the increased ticket sales(gates) for everyone involved? Plus lowered travel time and distance. With this economy it makes too much sense.

Would LOVE to see Orrville in the WCAL. It just makes sense anymore, given the sizes of the schools and the location. Plus, the rivalries that could easily form would make for some great football.

Also we would be able to settle a lot of arguments on the field...no more talking about it and saying well the 02 smithies would've beat the 02 riders etc....we would actually get to see those big matchups on a regular basis.

The Artist Formerly Known As Mr. Russell;1270015 wrote:JMar and 1-Beast, I would really enjoy meeting you guys, along with any huddlers who will be at the Smithville-Waynedale game tomorrow.

I won't be in attendance. Sorry. I've got prior commitments.

I will go by what the Smithville faithful say for speed. I've seen both Kris and Aaron in person. Thought Aaron was faster. I did see him as an underclassmen as well. Either way.... Both could run. I have never seen them run without pads. (Bates included) It's always been in pads. Is Bates fast... Ya. Won't deny that. I just don't see the wow factor in pads. I hate to use this but I know what the Minnich kid from Crestview ran and saw him run away from and pull away from any smithville player in their scrimmage last year. It was no competition. Sure its a football game and what not and I know position matters and all that... but I also know that kid was a runner up in the 100, and 5th in the 200 in the same division as Smithville. I also believe their 4x100 was a top 10 team with him as the anchor. That kid was FAST in pads and without. What did those boys finish in those events if they did run those events?

Is that how his name is spelled? (Antwan?) I swore it was a "goofy" way like I was spelling it.... ANYWAY...

Agree. He is a frosh and has a lot of time to prove himself. Clearly I'm going by the eye test and not the stat test. He is a very solid receiver and if he gets in the open... look out. He will go. He will do some record type things if they can use him and get him his touches. I've been told the kid is a crazy basketball player. Haven't seen him play. This is just word of mouth. I've seen him practice at track... not that it is saying anything but he is untouchable at practice. Was told by his coach that at the track meets... he would coast his events and win. The only knock on him is he hasn't figured out the whole practice/work hard in the off season thing. He is young and it is to be expected but he's never had to do that because he has been the best at what he does. Hopefully he learns it because he is surrounded by a school that embraces the hard work and is in a talented class of athletes. If he figures it out... Endless possibilities.

Not to be a jerk... but you can't count championships... He contributed but with the exception of track... to many other parts to truly add that to the conversation. Heck... Brenden Stanley has won multiple individual and team titles in wrestling... none in football I believe. Not necessarily his fault... ya know? I know Bates is the key contributor in all his

OQB;1270168 wrote:Also we would be able to settle a lot of arguments on the field...no more talking about it and saying well the 02 smithies would've beat the 02 riders etc....we would actually get to see those big matchups on a regular basis.

OQB You took the words out of mouth. It would be really cool