Random Thoughts: scenarios and more

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

The latest installment of Random Thoughts centers around football conference championship scenarios, fun facts about two area football powers, 2,100 yards plus, a fast season, deficiencies, and winter sports.

Scenarios

Here are the realistic/most likely possibilities for football conference championship races.

WBL – this one is pretty simple. Wapakoneta (9-0, 8-0 WBL) plays at Bath on Friday (8-1, 7-1 WBL). If Wapak wins, the Redskins are outright WBL champions. If Bath wins, the two teams will be league co-champions.

NWC – all eyes will be focused on Bluffton (8-1, 5-1 NWC) at Columbus Grove (6-3, 6-0 NWC) this Friday night. If Columbus Grove wins, the Bulldogs will be outright NWC champions. If Bluffton wins, the Pirates and Bulldogs will share the title, perhaps with one more team. If Lima Central Catholic (8-1, 5-1 NWC) defeats Crestview, the Thunderbirds will also claim a share of the conference title, but only if Bluffton defeats the Bulldogs.

GMC – if Paulding defeats Antwerp on Friday, the Panthers will be outight GMC football champions. If Antwerp pulls a big upset, Paulding would share the title with Fairview, if the Apaches defeat Hicksville.

MAC – If Marion Local beats Coldwater Friday night, the Flyers are outright champions again. If Coldwater wins and St. Henry defeats Versailles, the Redskins and Flyers would share the title. If Marion Local and St. Henry both lose, the Flyers would be outright MAC champions.

Wapak II

Entering Friday’s game, Wapakoneta is 42-2 in WBL games since 2021. Win or lose Friday night, the Redskins will have won the league outright or shared the crown for five straight years. If you take out the 2020 COVID-19 season, that number stretches to seven consecutive league titles. Remember, no league champion was crowned during that shortened season. I feel kind of funny about that, especially since Van Wert and Ottawa-Glandorf each finished 5-1 and tied for first, but its in the books as no league champion that year.

Columbus Grove II

This is very impressive as well. Counting this season, Columbus Grove has won or shared the last three NWC (shared only comes into play if the Bulldogs lose Friday night). In addition, not counting the COVID-19 season, the Bulldogs have won or shared five of the last six conference titles. Allen East won it outright in 2022. Columbus Grove’s NWC record going back to the 2018 season is 45-3. But wait – you have to count the COVID-19 season. Remember – the NWC held a conference championship game during that abbreviated season and Columbus Grove won it. Obviously, the road to the NWC goes through Putnam County.

Over 2,100 yards

Crestview running back Braxton Leeth has topped 2,100 yards rushing and still has a game to go. I have to believe no one in Van Wert County has topped that magical mark before. If it’s happened, please let me know.

Fast

Is it just me, or has this entire fall sports season gone by in the blink of an eye? To me, it literally feels like it started two weeks ago.

OSU

It’s been the season fans expected, perhaps more. Ohio State is ranked as the top college football team in the country and is rolling along. There’s no question the defense is elite.

Some people may not want to hear this, but Ohio State has a couple of deficiencies. I wouldn’t call the punting game a weakness but it’s nothing special. However, it’s tough to attract the top punters because let’s face it – a team like Ohio State isn’t going to punt a lot. The kicking game is the same, fairly average.

What scares me most is the running game. Bo Jackson has shown some nice flashes, CJ Donaldson seems to be playing better and Isaiah West may be working his way into the rotation, but to this point the running game has been very pedestrian and honestly, that may be too generous. Currently, OSU is averaging about 152 yards rushing per game. The best game was 274 yards, but that was against Grambling St. Do you realize the Buckeyes have four games with 74 yards or less rushing this season? I still cringe when OSU can’t convert third and one or two against lesser teams.

I get it – the passing game is the strength but at some point, the run game is going to have to better balance things. 

Ready or not

Ready or not, girls basketball practice officially begins this Friday, along with swimming practice. Boys basketball practice starts October 31 and wrestling practice will begin November 14. The winter sports season isn’t too far away.

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