The Decider in Dola
It’s the biggest football game in the area this weekend.
We’re talking Hardin Northern and Liberty-Benton here. It’s the battle for all of the goodies in the Blanchard Valley Conference’s trick or treat bag.
It’s gonna be a slobber-knocker. In ESPN-style, I’m billing the game as “The Decider in Dola.”
Because Dave Hanneman is on vacation this week, I has the misfortune of having to do pinch hit for him in the Courier Pigskin Picks this week. It was the only game my good buddy Mark Heiman and I disagreed on this week. Both of us made guesses, we have no clue who’s going to win Friday night and we’ve discussed every possible angle to the game all week.
You have Hardin Northern and their offensive machine. Bame, Bolen and Brunow and the boys up front opening the holes for them. Sure Ada passed all over the field against them in Week 1, but Zac Dysert may be the best Division VI quarterback in Ohio this season.
Then you have Liberty-Benton, with Aaron Craft at the helm. He’s a freshman quarterback that doesn’t play like a freshman and he’s one that could be as good as Dysert when all is said and done. Plus you have an array of outstanding athletes like Michael Busch and Wyatt Elbin at their disposal.
Then you have the coaches. A couple of old school guys in HN’s Pete Brunow and L-B’s Scott Garlock. How can you possibly not respect these guys for all they’ve accomplished.
Brunow has taken a sad program and turned it into one of the top small-school programs in the state every single year. I remember back before Pete got there, the Bears were one of the doormats of the BVC for awhile. Now his program is one of the most respected in all of Ohio and they do it with like 59 boys in the top three grades…AMAZING.
Then there’s Garlock. He takes over at Liberty-Benton and turns around their football fortunes overnight. L-B was a basketball school, where football was an afterthought. Before he got there the goal of the program was to win some games, now if they don’t make the playoffs and win the BVC fans, players and coaches won’t be satisfied. They are striving for bigger and better things.
This is what high school sports is all about.
I picked the Eagles. Why? Because someone is going to win. Heiman took the Polar Bears, he flipped a coin 9 times and HN was declared the winner.
No matter who wins the game, all the kids that walk off the field at HN Friday night will be winners in my book.
Now you tell me…Who is going to win and why?
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We’re talking Hardin Northern and Liberty-Benton here. It’s the battle for all of the goodies in the Blanchard Valley Conference’s trick or treat bag.
It’s gonna be a slobber-knocker. In ESPN-style, I’m billing the game as “The Decider in Dola.”
Because Dave Hanneman is on vacation this week, I has the misfortune of having to do pinch hit for him in the Courier Pigskin Picks this week. It was the only game my good buddy Mark Heiman and I disagreed on this week. Both of us made guesses, we have no clue who’s going to win Friday night and we’ve discussed every possible angle to the game all week.
You have Hardin Northern and their offensive machine. Bame, Bolen and Brunow and the boys up front opening the holes for them. Sure Ada passed all over the field against them in Week 1, but Zac Dysert may be the best Division VI quarterback in Ohio this season.
Then you have Liberty-Benton, with Aaron Craft at the helm. He’s a freshman quarterback that doesn’t play like a freshman and he’s one that could be as good as Dysert when all is said and done. Plus you have an array of outstanding athletes like Michael Busch and Wyatt Elbin at their disposal.
Then you have the coaches. A couple of old school guys in HN’s Pete Brunow and L-B’s Scott Garlock. How can you possibly not respect these guys for all they’ve accomplished.
Brunow has taken a sad program and turned it into one of the top small-school programs in the state every single year. I remember back before Pete got there, the Bears were one of the doormats of the BVC for awhile. Now his program is one of the most respected in all of Ohio and they do it with like 59 boys in the top three grades…AMAZING.
Then there’s Garlock. He takes over at Liberty-Benton and turns around their football fortunes overnight. L-B was a basketball school, where football was an afterthought. Before he got there the goal of the program was to win some games, now if they don’t make the playoffs and win the BVC fans, players and coaches won’t be satisfied. They are striving for bigger and better things.
This is what high school sports is all about.
I picked the Eagles. Why? Because someone is going to win. Heiman took the Polar Bears, he flipped a coin 9 times and HN was declared the winner.
No matter who wins the game, all the kids that walk off the field at HN Friday night will be winners in my book.
Now you tell me…Who is going to win and why?
NEWSWORTHY:
School outlaws tag, touch football at recess
NFL: Tackling by hair is legal
Continental eliminates Ottoville in girls soccer
Findlay Courier Local Sports
Fostoria Review Times local sports
Unbeaten Ross hosts Harding
Presidents face crucial game in Fremont
Ada, Dysert posting amazing numbers
Allen East group asks school to add soccer
Lucas coaches enter not guilty pleas to DUIs
Mansfield area prep sports roundup
Harding success starts with film study
posted by --J-- @ 12:41 PM
4 Comments:
At 3:01 PM,
Anonymous said…
LB, if and only if LB doesn't start the penalty train.
LB offensively is better then last year. Defensively faster then last year. LB has more skilled players back from last years match-up as well.
HN is a perimeter playing team which feeds right into LB’s defensive strength. HN will need the surprise pass and quick hits up the gut in order to take on LBs D.
Remember HN’s perimeter speed last year was shut down by basically the same personal on this LB team. The middle of the line was last year and still is LB’s weak point on D, which must get exposed by HN. Unfortunately that is not HN’s strength on O this year.
Coach Bruno will need to come up with the big trick plays again to inspire the troops. If that happens this will be a great game to the end.
Hope this isn’t another LB blowout like 2 years ago when LB had a passing attack.
At 8:24 PM,
Anonymous said…
I'll take the Polar Bears, and I don't think it will be that close. One word, SPEED. Saw each play once, was not impressed with LB. You know Pete B. is going to have a few tricks up his sleeve with those speedsters.
At 12:05 PM,
Darklawdog said…
I have seen both teams play.
HN put a spanking on McComb and LB dominated Corey Rawson.
In my opinion, the two teams are evenly matched. Both teams are very athletic and know how to win. LB is in a must win to make the playoffs. This may give them an extra edge, but HN has dominated this series other than 2 years ago.
In the end, it will come down to the more disciplined team. I won't predict a winner, but will go out on a limb and predict a close game.
At 4:51 PM,
Anonymous said…
Hardin Northern will win. They are faster, tougher in the mental game and much better coached. I don't even think this will be a close one. LB fans will be back in their houses before the game is over. I'll bet the Caddy's start rollin out of the bean fields by halftime.
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