Random Thoughts: mostly HS football

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

The latest installment of random thoughts is focused mainly on high school football, including big numbers on opening night, tough schedules, great games, going for the win, a slim margin, a big upset and Flacco Fever.

Video game numbers

The final, official numbers are in from Friday’s Crestview vs. Parkway game.

As you know, Crestview’s Braxton Leeth finished with 30 carries for 419 yards and seven touchdowns. The 419 yards and seven touchdowns are both school records. However, Parkway’s Luke Booher also set a school record for yards rushing in a single game. He logged 22 carries for an official total of 279 yards rushing and three touchdowns. He also had an 82-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

The Knights won the game 62-41.

Tough schedules

According to the website fantastic50.net, which I highly recommend for any Ohio high school football fan, Van Wert and Crestview have the 10^th toughest schedule in the state in their respective divisions, Division IV and Division VI. That doesn’t surprise me, especially Crestview. I actually thought the Knights might be a bit higher on that list with the likes of Marion Local, Columbus Grove, Bluffton, Lima Central Catholic and Fort Loramie on the schedule.

Great games

Some great games are on tap this week. The list includes Liberty-Benton at Columbus Grove, Pandora-Gilboa at Bluffton and Clinton-Massie at Coldwater. Honorable mention goes to Bath at St. Marys Memorial. The Wildcats were impressive in an opening game win over Indian Lake, while the Roughriders are looking to bounce back after a tough opener.

Going for the win

A couple of games came down to a two-point conversion attempt and in both cases, it didn’t work. That doesn’t mean it was the wrong decision – I agree with the logic of going for the win in both, it just didn’t work out.

Napoleon scored a touchdown to pull to within 20-19 with 50 seconds left in last Thursday’s game against Defiance. The Wildcats went for two but came up short.

Valley View and Coldwater went to overtime Friday night and Valley View scored in the extra session to make it 49-48. The Spartans lined up and went for two and didn’t get it. Was it the right call? Absolutely. Why not try for the win against a powerhouse like that? 

Slim margin

I bring this up because it’s a score you rarely see anymore. It also ties the record for lowest possible margin of victory, simply because there’s no way it could be lower.

In the season opener on Friday, Seneca East (Seneca and Huron counties) defeated Ashland Crestview 2-0. The only score was a safety early in the fourth quarter, hence the 2-0 score. It was truly a slugfest.

Shocker

One of the more shocking upsets in the state on Friday was in Division IV, Region 14. Clear Fork defeated Perkins 17-14. What’s shocking is the fact that just last year, Perkins beat the Colts 55-0 and went to advance all the way to the state championship game. The Pirates did lose some players to graduation but there’s a nice group of returning players as well. I feel bad for Perkins’ next opponent – Toledo Scott.

18-3

Flacco Fever is set to resume in Cleveland.

Much to the delight of many fans, Joe Flacco has been named as the starting quarterback for the Browns. How long he’ll stay in that role is unknown, especially if (when?) they start losing.

Remember when Browns fans despised Flacco? People seem to forget he was 18-3 vs. Cleveland when he was the starter for Baltimore.

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