Random Thoughts: hoops and football

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

This week’s Random Thoughts center around the start of the high school basketball season, the 1,000 point club, along with high school and college football.

Season starts with a bang

What a way to begin the 2018-2019 boys’ high school basketball season.

Lincolnview rallied for an incredible 58-57 win over Van Wert on Saturday, while Crestview posted a 45 point win at Miller City.

Van Wert will have to find a way to regroup against a 2-0 Parkway team that features six lettermen. After playing at Van Wert on Friday, the Panthers will take on Crestview on Saturday.

The Lancers will play at 2-0 USV on Friday and will host 0-2 Continental on Saturday.

The 1,000 point club has a new member

Congratulations to Crestview’s Javin Etzler for surpassing the 1,000 point mark during Saturday’s season opening win.

The senior, who recently signed with Miami (OH), joined the club in the first quarter, and went on to finish with 18 points.

1,000 career points is quite an accomplishment, especially just one game into a senior season.

Ottawa-Glandorf

This is an amazing statistic: Ottawa-Glandorf is 26-1 in the school’s last 27 Western Buckeye League boys’ basketball games. The last WBL loss was on January 22, 2016, to Defiance.

What a run by the Titans.

Massillon Washington and McComb

These two school remain in search of their first on the field state football championships.

Massillon ran into the machine known as Akron Hoban and was down 34-7 and eventually fell short, 42-28 in the Division II title game. The Tigers are now 0-4 in title games.

McComb won the Division VII title with just 18 players on the roster, which is very impressive.

Kirtland

As it turns out, there is one school that can match up with a MAC school in the championship game. Kirtland is 2-1 against Marion Local in state championship games, after the Hornets defeated the Flyers 16-7 in the Division VI title game on Friday.

As I noted yesterday, it’s the first time since 2009 that a MAC school hasn’t won a state football championship.

Trends in college football

This first happened three years ago, but we’re seeing more NFL bound football players opt not to play in a bowl game in order to avoid injury.

I understand the reasoning, but I don’t like it. These players are part of a team and it seems selfish for them to not to finish the season.

Dwayne Haskins, who could be bound for the NFL after the Rose Bowl has stated he’s playing in the January 1 game, but defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones isn’t sure if he’s playing.

Again, I get it – millions of dollars are at stake, but it feels like it’s guys walking out on their team. Maybe I’m just too old fashioned.

Another trend I personally don’t care for is quarterbacks transferring as soon as they find out they’re not starting. While I’m not an Alabama fan, props to quarterback Jalen Hurts, who stayed at the school after losing the starting job.

The Heisman Trophy

Dwayne Haskins is one of three finalists for the Heisman Trophy, along with Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray and Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

If the voters are going strictly by the numbers, Haskins is the clear winner, but I doubt he’ll actually get it.

The Heisman Trophy isn’t what it used to be and the selection process is flawed anyway, and has been for decades. It’s supposed to go to the best college football player, but it almost always goes to a quarterback or running back, regardless if they’re the best or not.

Expand the college football playoff

If you’re a fan of college football, I’d like to know if you think it should be expanded to six or eight teams or kept at four teams and your reasoning for either one.

Fans have strong feelings on the subject as do I, but I enjoy hearing arguments for both sides.

Feel free to email me about it at sports@thevwindependent.com.