2017 Playoffs Nelsonville-York 28 Coal Grove 7

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NELSONVILLE YORK BUCKEYES ON WINNING THE REGIONAL TITLE. AND MUCH LUCK MOVING FORWARD.

AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THE COAL GROVE HORNETS FOR A GREAT YEAR OF FOOTBALL, AND ALSO FOR REACHING THE REGIONAL TITLE GAME WITH A 1ST YEAR HEAD COACH. YOU REPRESENTED THE OVC VERY WELL.

[dragonalum]

Congrats, Buckeyes!
Great season, Grovers!

[Orange and Brown]

Ny will be ok..
What peaks my interest is if cg
Can cover all Ny weapons.

They'll cover alright. If you think ff had a good defense wait till Friday . Nelsonville hasn't seen anything till this week when it comes to defense. They have speed , depth, and size. It'll be like nothing else . If you pair the only team to beat the hornets this year in Portsmouth west in a game tomorrow it would be a totally different outcome. This team is the real deal .

Had to chuckle just a little about this post.

[OSU22]

Cannot wait to see our hornets win the regional championship Friday nite and advance to the state semi finals.been a long time since we have made it that far but with the caliber of athletes coal Grove has getting to the state championship game should be a cake walk

Hmmmm

[TRENCHFOOT]

I attended this one last night. Congrats to NY. Looking awfully smooth and organized, and fast and wiry. Good looking bunch firing on all cylinders/together.

[OSU22]

Honestly it was the final 30 seconds of the 1st half that turned this game. 4th and 20 at the York 30 or so with 40 seconds to go then a drop pass that would've gave them a 1st and goal. Instead the dropped pass gave York the ball back who pushed the issue and got some luck, as the ball bounced off the Coal Grove defender and right into the WRs hands who took it the rest of the way for a 50 yard TD or so with 4.8 seconds to go till half. Putting York up 21-7 at half and getting the ball to start the second half. So you had a possible 14 point swing the final 40 seconds of the half. Congrats to Coal Grove on an excellent season and congrats to York on moving on, going to be facing a different animal though in Kirtland. REPRESENT.

At least they get to play an animal this week. The Grove scored once on a big play other than that, well they need to learn to play pass coverage. WING T = youth football. And really a two point stance?? Those days of the 70's football is long gone. Oh and lets point out a turning point your coach going for it on 4th down in Buckeye territory how did that work out???

WHAT in the world are you talking about??? I wasn't there as a fan of either team but as someone wanting to see a good game as I figured it would be closer and more interesting than Burg and Johnnies. I gave a response to someone saying the turning point in the game and what I saw was the real turning point, you responded with something that makes ZERO sense in what I or the other person was saying as the turning point. You talked about playing pass coverage, youth football, 70s. Only thing you were correct on was coach from coal grove going for it on 4th down at his own 35, now I hope if you watched the game you realized only reason they didn't get it was lineman was slow to pull and the RB ran into him and he went down, the play was open NY didn't stop it. With that said I disagreed with him going for it, 1st drive I think it was they got stuffed on a 3rd and less than 1, ended up using a QB sneak for half yard on 4th, another drive on 3rd and 2-3 were stuffed for no gain, then you got to that drive at that point I wouldn't have had the confidence on picking up that 4th and 2 especially from my own 35. First game I got to see either of these teams play this year and thought it was a very hard fought game from start to finish Coal Grove even after getting down didn't give an inch and kept fighting till the end as evident by the effort given at the goal line on the NY final TD and causing the turnover with 3 min. to go.

Now after doing some research looking at the Kirtland score, the Cleveland paper stated they play the region 22 winner Liberty-Benton. Which puts NY playing Marion Local, who hasn't given up a point in the playoffs so far. So you went from Kirtland who's made state semifinals 6 of last 7 years to taking on a MONSTER in Marion Local who has won 9 state championship games and play some of the best defense in the state. I root for all SEO teams when they make the playoffs and I truly hope NY represents the area well and takes on Marion Local, if that's who they've got, just let it all hang out and let the chips fall where they may.

Actually if you really watched it, the gaurd wasn't slow, the center got blown back into the guard which then was blown back into the running back, linebacker blitzed and time it perfect to cause the mayhem.

[NYBuckeye96]

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/h ... 993c8.html

Nelsonville-York beats Coal Grove in region final

By RICK ELMORE


JACKSON, Ohio - Coal Grove's high school football season came to an end Friday with a 28-7 loss to the Nelsonville-York at Jackson High School's Alumni Stadium in the Ohio Division VI, Region 23 finals.


The Ohio Valley Conference champion Hornets finished the season 11-2 under first-year head coach Evan Ferguson.


Nelsonville-York (13-0) returns to the state semifinals for the first time since 1982. Nelsonville-York was sparked by quarterback Garrett Maiden, who passed and ran for first downs that allowed the Buckeyes to control the clock.


The No. 1-seeded Buckeyes took the lead on a 22-yard pass from Maiden to Keegan Wilburn in the first quarter.


Coal Grove found success on offense through the ground game, with Kyle Sites scoring on a 67-yard run with 1:41 left in the first quarter to tie the game 7-7.


Nelsonville-York scored on a rushing touchdown by Maiden with 4:33 to go in the second quarter to regain the lead, then added another touchdown with just under 5 seconds remaining in the first half when Shakin Williams caught a Maiden pass that was deflected by multiple Hornets defenders and raced to the end zone with a 54-yard score.


The Buckeyes finished the scoring on a 2-yard run by Maiden to cap a 15-play drive that took nearly 8 minutes off the clock in the third quarter.


No. 3 seed Coal Grove hurt itself with two lost fumbles, an interception and a key turnover on downs deep in Buckeyes territory in the first half.


Nelsonville-York will play either powerhouse Marion Local, which defeated another traditional power Coldwater 33-0 at Sydney High School on Friday, or Kirtland, a 17-7 winner over Rootstown. The winner of next Friday's 7:30 p.m. contest advances to the state championship game on Dec. 2.


Marion Local (13-0) has won 25 consecutive games and has not been scored upon in the 2017 postseason, blanking Fort Recovery 27-0, Spencerville 35-0 and Coldwater 33-0.


Marion Local and Coldwater (9-4) are in the same conference and never had played one another in the postseason until Friday. Combined, the Flyers and Cavaliers have won 141 playoff games and 15 state championships.


Kirtland (13-0) defeated Liberty 40-13 and Mogadore 34-28 earlier in the playoffs.






COAL GROVE 7 0 0 0 - 7


NELSONVILLE-YORK 7 14 7 0 - 28


NY - Keegan Wilburn 22 pass from Maiden (Maiden kick)


CG - Sites 67 run (Holmes kick)


NY - Maiden 30 run (Maiden kick)


NY - Williams 54 pass from Maiden (Maiden kick)


NY - Maiden 2 run (Maiden kick)

[NYBuckeye96]

http://www.athensmessenger.com/sports/l ... 948e7.html

Final Four!

By Kevin Wiseman Messenger sports editor
Nov 18, 2017


JACKSON — Nelsonville-York sophomore Keegan Wilburn held the regional championship trophy high above his head, asking for anyone around to capture the moment with a picture.


Wilburn and the Buckeyes have already made plenty of school history during this 2017 season, and it only got better on Friday night.


Nelsonville-York used big play after big play to defeat Coal Grove Dawson-Bryant, 28-7, in a Division VI, Region 23 final played at Jackson High School’s Alumni Stadium.


The Buckeyes are now 13-0 overall, and are going to the Final Four of Division VI. It’s the program’s third regional championship, but first in 35 years.


“You know, at the beginning of the season, we weren’t supposed to be the best team in the TVC,” Wilburn said. “Making it this far is really all the extra work that we put in January, February, March, you name every month of the year, that’s coach (Rusty) Richards working his butt off to make us a better football team.”


The Buckeyes proved to be the best football team in Region 23, comfortably beating a Hornets (9-4) squad that entered on a nine-game winning streak.


“Just unreal right now,” N-Y head coach Rusty Richards said. “These kids came out and played their game. We had some mistakes that we had to overcome, couple fumbles, interception, but they kept plugging along.”


The passing combination of quarterback Garrett Maiden and Wilburn were unstoppable on Friday. Maiden completed 14 of 21 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns. He rushed for 74 more yards. Wilburn was his top target, catching nine passes for 131 yards and a score.


The two foiled the Hornets’ defense all night.


“Boy, did Garrett Maiden and Keegan Wilburn step up for us. Just carried us and put us on our back,” Richards said.


The Buckeyes are a veteran squad with 16 seniors leading the way, but it was Wilburn who ran around Coal Grove (11-2) defenders all night. He added a team-high 81 yards rushing and two more scores, alternating carries between tailback and playing quarterback in a ‘wildcat’ package.


“Honestly, practice this week, I probably touched the ball three times,” Wilburn said. “I wasn’t expecting this many carries, and it all goes back to coach Richards, he sees things that are obviously open and they work.”


Wilburn opened the scoring with a 22-yard touchdown reception on a fade to the end zone.


When the Hornets tied the game on Kyle Sites’ 67-yard touchdown run, it was Wilburn who broke the deadlock.


Lined up at quarterback, Wilburn burst through the line of scrimmage, juked a defender in the open field and raced for a 30-yard touchdown run.


With 4:33 left in the first half, the Buckeyes had a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.


“The touchdown run Keegan had was fantastic,” Richards said. “We call it 28-stretch. I think he went through the five-hole and then he was back across the field.”


For all of Wilburn’s exploits, he didn’t even own the most breathtaking play of the night. That belonged to senior Shakim Williams.


The Buckeyes’ defense got a stop — thanks in part to a couple dropped passes by Coal Grove receivers — and took over as their own 29-yard line with just 27.0 seconds left in the first half.


Maiden hit Wilburn for passes of 12 and 6 yards, settling up one final heave.


Maiden dropped back to pass and lofted a deep ball toward Williams. The ball was going to sail too far, and a couple Hornet defenders appeared ready for a possible interception.


Williams turned into a defender and deflected the ball to keep Coal Grove from gaining possession.


The ball somehow ricocheted back toward Williams, who snagged it out of the air and raced 53 yards for the score. N-Y led 21-7 and only 4.8 seconds showed on the clock.


“I see Garrett throw it and two guys covering me, I think it’s an interception,” Williams said. “I’m about to start jogging off, but I see it’s in my vicinity. I go up to try to tip it and I just catch it somehow.


“Yeah, it surprised me. I didn’t know it was going to come to me right like that.”


A week ago, N-Y lost a 20-point second-half lead before ultimately outlasting Fort Frye in overtime.


No such drama was needed on Friday, and a 15-play third-quarter drive assured it.


N-Y’s 15-play drive covered 88 yards and ate 7 minutes and 43 seconds off the clock. They led 28-7 after Wilburn’s 1-yard touchdown run.


“That’s not really our style, 15 plays,” Richards said. “Usually it’s two or three, but hey we buckled down and did what we had to do. I think that just took all the wind out of their sails.”


Nelsonville-York converted all five of its third downs on the drive. Maiden found Wilburn for a 48-yard reception on a third-and-13 from the Bucks’ 38.


“That drive was a nail in the coffin,” Coal Grove coach Evan Ferguson said. “They had three over 10-yard third-down conversions. They took almost eight minutes off the clock. At that point, we saw the wind get sucked out of our kids.”


The Buckeyes’ defense was up to the task as well, as Tyler Speelman and Donovan McCollister applied constant pressure to quarterback Nate Harmon.


The Hornets did rush for 257 yards — 182 coming on 21 carries by Sites — but completed only 2 of 15 passes for 19 yards.


“Defense played exceptionally well,” Richards said. “Minus the one big play, we played pretty well defensively.”


By the time Speelman had consecutive sacks to short circuit a fourth-quarter Coal Grove drive, the Buckeyes were well on their way to a regional championship.


Nelsonville-York will face Kirtland on Friday in a state semifinal, at New Philadelphia High School.


The Buckeyes received their regional championship trophy after the game, the players and coaches reveling in the glory of the school’s first Final Four appearance in any sport since 1982.


“We’re a full team,” Maiden said. “We got every aspect. That’s why we’re here today.”


The Buckeyes have exceeded expectations all season long, and now they see their season extend into week 14.


“It just shows you that hard work pays off,” Richards said. “These kids believe from the get-go. Even our scrimmages, it was a little shaky, a couple of them. It wasn’t pretty. But they just kept battling and it just goes to show you that hard work can pay off.”


Paul Boggs of the Jackson-County Times Journal and Jason Arkley of The Athens Messenger contributed to this report.


Nelsonville-York 28, Coal Grove 7


Coal Grove 7 0 0 0 — 7


Nelsonville-York 7 14 7 0 — 28


NY — Keegan Wilburn, 22-yard pass from Garrett Maiden (Garrett Maiden kick), 1:48, 1st



CG — Kyle Sites, 67-yard run (Evan Holmes kick), 1:29, 1st


NY — Keegan Wilburn, 30-yard run (Garrett Maiden kick), 4:33, 2nd


NY — Shakim Williams, 53-yard pass from Garrett Maiden (Garrett Maiden kick), 4.8, 2nd


NY — Keegan Wilburn, 1-yard run (Garrett Maiden kick), 46.4, 3rd


TEAM STATISTICS


CG NY


First downs 12 18


Plays from scrimmage 58 59


Rushing (plays-yds) 43-257 38-152


Passing yards 19 224


Total net yards 276 376


Passes (cmp-att-int) 2-15-1 14-21-1


Fumbles (no-lost) 3-2 2-2


Penalties (no-yds) 4-35 5-44


Punts (no-avg) 3-37.3 3-36


INDIVIDUAL LEADERS


RUSHING


Coal Grove — Kyle Sites 21-182 TD, Nate Harmon 13-29, Joey Workman 4-25; Kimo Baldwin 4-15, Aaron Music 1-6; Nelsonville-York — Keegan Wilburn 13-81 2 TDs, Garrett Maiden 15-74, Colt Yinger 8-0, Team 2-(-3)


PASSING


Coal Grove — Nate Harmon 2-14-1-19, Jordan Case 0-1-0-0; Nelsonville-York — Garrett Maiden 14-21-1-224 2 TDs


RECEIVING


Coal Grove — Sam Angelo 1-14, Jeb Jones 1-5; Nelsonville-York — Keegan Wilburn 9-131 TD, Shakim Williams 1-53 TD, Chris Cook 1-20, Colt Yinger 1-10, Jonathan Richards 1-7, Levi Wickmann 1-3

[NYBuckeye96]

http://www.athensmessenger.com/sports/l ... 0e6d5.html

Buckeyes return to familiar territory with a new blue print

By Jason Arkley Messenger Staff Journalist
Nov 18, 2017


JACKSON — Like many football coaches, Rusty Richards is well armed with a plethora of one-liners.


One favorite Richards used on Friday night is one you’ve probably heard before.


“I’d rather be lucky than good when it comes to winning football games,” Richards quipped, after the Buckeyes beat Coal Grove, 28-7, to win the Division VI, Region 23 football championship at Jackson’s Alumni Stadium.


The saying may be true. But Richards and the Buckeyes also believe whole heartedly in another axiom: Speed kills.


Nelsonville-York (13-0) has tied the program for wins in a season. The regional title was the team’s first since 1982. The Buckeyes are in the final four for the first time in a couple generations.


But these aren’t your father’s — or your grandfather’s — Buckeyes. And not in a literal sense. The current crop of N-Y players are soaking up every minute of putting their stamp on the most historic program in Athens County.


Nelsonville-York always embodied toughness. The Buckeyes will hit you on defense, pound you with smash-mouth football on offense, and then spend four quarters of grinding an opponents soul into the turf three yards, or one sack, at a time.


Well, that was the way it used to be. Now, the Buckeyes will blanket the secondary with a fleet of cheetahs, crash the line of scrimmage with a wave of rocketing linebackers, and break a foe’s spirit with dazzling cuts, long throws and uninterrupted express-speed runs to the end zone.


Unlike other years or decades, the Buckeyes won’t intimidate anyone walking off the bus. But opposing defenses get all the fear they need watching the game film. One mistake — a busted coverage, a wrong alignment, a missed tackle — and N-Y will make you pay.


It was no different on Friday night. Coal Grove was bigger, and vastly more so, in a few spots. And then the game started, and the Buckeyes’ flock of quick-footed weapons imposed their will in a different way on the pristine artificial surface.


“We go out to the coin toss today, and those guys are twice our size. These huge biceps and everything,” N-Y quarterback Garrett Maiden said. “I get scared sometimes, but I know that speed kills.


“Everyone says that here in Nelsonville, especially this year.”


The Hornets are probably saying the same thing now. Coal Grove effectively bottled up the line, from tackle to tackle. But the Buckeyes owned all the real estate on the outside and down the field.


Maiden, slippery and faster than he looks, threw for 224 yards and two touchdowns, and added 74 yards rushing. The Buckeyes’ bevy of potential game-breakers also included speedy seniors Chris Cook and Shakim Williams.


Williams effectively sealed the regional title game with a tipped-pass, 53-yard touchdown with just 4.8 seconds left in the first half to give Nelsonville-York a 21-7 lead. The Buckeyes got the ball with 27 seconds left, and needed three plays and 22 seconds to turn the game on its head.


“I think it’s been a lot of fun. We have a lot more people to get the ball to, who can do different things. We have so much talent on our team,” Williams said.


That pass play involved some luck. Williams went from pass target, to pass defender, in the span of a couple heart beats. After the deflection, the ball thudded into his chest and he instantly became a receiver again and raced untouched to the end zone.


“I go up to try to tip it and I just catch it somehow,” Williams explained with a shrug.


Speed can kill, even on accident, it appears.



The Buckeyes’ most dangerous speed merchant this season has been transformative sophomore talent Keegan Wilburn. He tortured Coal Grove through out, and finished with 131 receiving yards, 81 yards rushing and three total touchdowns. His wildcat touchdown run in the second quarter was a breath-taking example of start-and-stop acceleration.


Sure, Wilburn hit the turf hard when the Hornets were able to get their hands on him. But Coal Grove had a devil of time getting that to happen.


For decades, Nelsonville-York has taken pride in the fact that on most nights it will own the line of scrimmage. The Buckeyes, in this dream of a season, are taking pride now in being the ones to own the outside lanes.


“We just try to take advantage of what we have, and right now we have a ton of speed. We’re not the biggest, we have two 180-pound guards,” Richards said. “But our linemen just have to try to get in somebody’s way. We tell our kids to keep blocking to the whistle because these guys are going to find lanes.”


Most of the Buckeye players can tell you all about the program’s history. Maiden, for instance, can recite how N-Y’s last regional final game against Coal Grove played out — and that was more than 30 years ago.


They know the program’s stories and tradition. And they know the current team is going about things in a way that is alien to that history.


“It’s different,” Maiden said. “We’ve always been a hard-nosed team, going back to Coach Boston. It’s not the wrong way to play, and this isn’t the wrong way to play either.


“It just depends on who your team is. We use that speed.”


Richards may rather be lucky than good, but he’d rather his team be fast than anything else. His players agree. The I-formation roots still pop up time to time for N-Y, but that doesn’t represent the team’s identity. Big plays, passes and undeniable speed are the calling cards for these Buckeyes.


“It’s nice to adapt to the game, but at the same time it’s nice to keep seeing our origins,” Wilburn said, referring to the power looks the Buckeyes still implement from time to time.


“But it’s been a blast. I think it’s a result of having athletes plus a very good support staff.”

[Tank14]

To York fans, who was the better team
Coal grove or fort frye

[OSU22]

Probably equal. Fort was very disciplined but CG was big and strong. I'd give the edge to FF in a 1 on 1

[ArntonFartinTiger]

Went to this here game and i left it early. we was all screamed and yaled at by some stoopid woman from grove for not staying threw the end!! You people from the village needs to keep your womens on a leash!!

[Orange and Brown]

To York fans, who was the better team
Coal grove or fort frye

Fort Frye

[tric118]

Fort Frye no doubt.

[Amarranavajas]

Went to this here game and i left it early. we was all screamed and yaled at by some stoopid woman from grove for not staying threw the end!! You people from the village needs to keep your womens on a leash!!

Yea I saw a few women screaming at people leaving early. Several of them appeared to be about 5'2" tall and at least 250lbs. No need to ask, "wheres' the beef" with those gals around, nor where's the donuts, cake or anything edible cause they ate it.

[Amarranavajas]

Game day is finally here. Lee Corso just put on the Hornet mascot head. Points will be hard to come by in this one. Coal Grove jumps on top and holds on. 21-14

Where's this guy been hiding for the past few days?

[NYBuckeye96]

Between Fort Frye and Coal Grove, I'd give the edge to Fort Frye as well. As mentioned before, Coal Grove is big and strong. That would be the Hornets advantage in the game. But overall, I think the Cadets are a more balanced team and would win in a one-on-one matchup.

Both teams have some outstanding players though, that's for sure!

[Waterboy]

Went to this here game and i left it early. we was all screamed and yaled at by some stoopid woman from grove for not staying threw the end!! You people from the village needs to keep your womens on a leash!!

Well since you're at it , I may have "yelled "at someone but "yaled " really? Get it right if you're going to make fun of someone before you make an ass out of yourself. Nobody asked you Ironton fans to come. We can do it without you , but I understand you wanted to see a football game ,when your team has been sitting at home .
Classic Ironton bigotry right there .

[Orange and Brown]

Went to this here game and i left it early. we was all screamed and yaled at by some stoopid woman from grove for not staying threw the end!! You people from the village needs to keep your womens on a leash!!

Well since you're at it , I may have "yelled "at someone but "yaled " really? Get it right if you're going to make fun of someone before you make an ass out of yourself. Nobody asked you Ironton fans to come. We can do it without you , but I understand you wanted to see a football game ,when your team has been sitting at home .
Classic Ironton bigotry right there .

How's that crow taste?

On a more serious note. You guys should be back in the playoffs next year. Keep up that can support and you guys will have a very consistent program.

[Waterboy]

Went to this here game and i left it early. we was all screamed and yaled at by some stoopid woman from grove for not staying threw the end!! You people from the village needs to keep your womens on a leash!!

Well since you're at it , I may have "yelled "at someone but "yaled " really? Get it right if you're going to make fun of someone before you make an ass out of yourself. Nobody asked you Ironton fans to come. We can do it without you , but I understand you wanted to see a football game ,when your team has been sitting at home .
Classic Ironton bigotry right there .

How's that crow taste?

On a more serious note. You guys should be back in the playoffs next year. Keep up that can support and you guys will have a very consistent program.

You're classy also for a mod!!
Don't worry you'll be on the hardwood next week also . This site is a complete joke