Random Thoughts: playoffs, Shelby, more

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

This week’s installment of Random Thoughts centers around opening round playoff results, a long day/night, a crazy stat, a steak that ended, a bitter pill and best wishes.

Opening round

The opening round of the playoffs was a tough one for the Green Meadows Conference. The four playoff qualifiers – Antwerp, Ayersville, Paulding and Tinora went 0-4.

The Northwest Conference went 3-3 in the opening round, with Crestview, Bluffton and Columbus Grove winning, while Allen East, Leipsic, and Spencerville all lost.

The Western Buckeye League went 5-2, with Van Wert, Celina, Defiance, St. Marys Memorial and Wapakoneta winning. Bath and Elida lost their games.

The Midwest Athletic Conference went 7-1, with Parkway losing and Coldwater, Anna, Versailles, Marion Local, Minster New Bremen and St. Henry all winning.

Wild

One of the more wild opening round games took place in Region 14, where West Holmes outscored Bryan 70-50. Losing the game aside, it was a long day/night for the Golden Bears.

According to head coach Grant Redhead, the team left Bryan at 12:30 p.m. Friday and ate at a rest area before being delayed by a train. The Golden Bears arrived at the stadium at 5:30, five hours after they left. West Holmes had 18 penalties in the game and both teams threw the ball so it was a long game. Redhead said it only took about 40 minutes to get showered and leave. The buses departed Millersburg at 10:30 p.m. and arrived back at Bryan High School at 2:10 a.m. on Saturday.

Oof.

Shelby

Van Wert’s next playoff opponent, Shelby, averaged 504 yards of total offense per game during the regular season. The Whippets also have two 1,000 yard rushers.

Check Wednesday’s Sports page for a full game preview.

Streak over

It had to happen sometime and it did back in Week No. 9.

Cincinnati Wyoming’s state record 75-game regular season winning streak came to an end with a 21-3 loss to Indian Hill. Again, the streak involved only regular season games but it was still an impressive run. The Cowboys hadn’t lost a regular season game since the 2015 season.

The longest active streak now belongs to Marion Local, 43 straight games, including playoffs. The Flyers also own the current longest active regular season streak, 38 games, along with Hamilton Badin.

Delphos St. John’s continues to hold the OHSAA all-time record for longest winning streak, including regular season and playoff games, 57, from 1996-2000.

Tough to swallow

If you’re a Cleveland Browns fan like me, Sunday’s outcome was a bitter pill to swallow.

Instead of running the football on third and three with roughly two minutes left, Kevin Stefanski called for a pass with a backup quarterback and the results were predictable. It was intercepted and the Seahawks were able to drive downfield and score the winning touchdown.

Even if the Browns ran and didn’t pick up the first down, they could have punted and flipped the field. You can’t blame quarterback PJ Walker. He shouldn’t have been put in that situation.

Yes, there were other factors in the loss, such as getting down 14-0. Still, the play call wasn’t a shining moment for Stefanski.

Best wishes

Good luck to all cross country runners from Van Wert and Lincolnview at this Saturday’s OHSAA Cross Country State Championships.

They’ll be running in the Divisions II and III finals at Fortress Obetz.

Good luck as well to the Crestview volleyball team. The Lady Knights will face Mohawk in the regional semifinals at Elida Thursday night.

As always, if you have thoughts or comments on any of the above subjects, feel free to email me at sports@thevwindependent.com.