State Semi Finals: Wheelersburg 15 Middletown Madison 10

[bleed_blue]

Those teams were extremely talented teams and in my opinion that 2000 team shoulda walked away with a state title but unfortunately the way society as a whole is success will forever be based on results and right now Wheelersburg has made it as far as that 2000 team and everyone forgets about those that come up short. Just as I’m sure if Wheelersburg gets beat they too will fade into oblivion just as many others have.

Bottom line is the division difference division 3 compared to wheersburg being in a smaller division. We are talking about best team not how far the teams went. The 2000 team fell short, but that doesn't take away how good the team was. I have seen over and over again in the state tournament not always does the best team win.

What year did burg almost upset the Trojans in early 2000’s? Burg was a .500 team and almost pulled off a huge upset.

2001 Portsmouth beat Wheelersburg 21-19

[victor creed]

I Agree the 2001 Portsmouth team was a great team, IMO. The 2nd best that Portsmouth ever had. With only the 2000 team being better. The 2nd round game against ironton was what a lot of people refer to as the coin toss game. Rather than both teams travel to a "neutral" site that would be father away probably for both teams at that time. The state allowed a coin flip with the winner playing a 2nd round home game ironton won the coin flip and lost the game. At ironton. Then Portsmouth got upset by licking valley. The next round. I remember that ironton team very well. They were undefeated and had beaten Portsmouth earlier in the season. But. Jo Jo Parker played one of the greatest games. Of his career that night and ironton could not stop him. I have always felt like if ironton had won that game they would have played in another state championship

[yabbadabbadoo]

Bottom line is the division difference division 3 compared to wheersburg being in a smaller division. We are talking about best team not how far the teams went. The 2000 team fell short, but that doesn't take away how good the team was. I have seen over and over again in the state tournament not always does the best team win.

What year did burg almost upset the Trojans in early 2000’s? Burg was a .500 team and almost pulled off a huge upset.

2001 Portsmouth beat Wheelersburg 21-19

Burg actually tied that 2001 game with Ptown but got screwed on the 2 point conversion try. The ball was over the goal line and they didn't get the call. Didn't guarantee they would win in OT but they did hang with them so no way is that Ptown team the 2nd best team from around here. Burg struggled all year but still went 5-5 and made the playoffs. Andrew Burleson was the QB that year.

The best team around here still has to be the 89 Burg team that went undefeated and won the state. Until some other team betters that they are tops. This years Burg team can eclipse that. They can go 15-0 and win state.


Ptown lost the state title in 2000 because they ran into a team that could slow down the run game. Didn't Ptown have the ball 1st and goal from the 9 yard line in the last minute of the game and they threw 4 straight passes and they had only attempted one pass during the playoffs up until that time? I watched all of the games up until the state semi-final game and they pretty much dominated up until then. I think the one pass they had tried actually was off of a fake punt by the 2nd string QB.

[Westfan]

The quality of football is not what it was in the 90's and early 2000's. D5 has been watered down with the absence of the private schools and the MAC due to competitive balance.

Wheelersburg has a very good team, but some of the teams mentioned here would beat them. They didn't win the State because it was much harder. Some of the first round games they had were better competiton than anyone Wheelersburg has played all season. Draw means alot. One D5/D6 school can beat Coldwater consistently and that's Marion Local. Coldwater gets bumped down for Competitive balance and they can't win their Region. Stay in D5 and they play for the title.

2000 through 2002 Portsmouth
2002 Portsmouth West
1990 through 1993 & 1999 through 2001 Ironton

Actually the team Wheelersburg had two years ago is just as good as this one. They just ran into Coldwater.

[fbnut]

The quality of football is not what it was in the 90's and early 2000's. D5 has been watered down with the absence of the private schools and the MAC due to competitive balance.

Wheelersburg has a very good team, but some of the teams mentioned here would beat them. They didn't win the State because it was much harder. Some of the first round games they had were better competiton than anyone Wheelersburg has played all season. Draw means alot. One D5/D6 school can beat Coldwater consistently and that's Marion Local. Coldwater gets bumped down for Competitive balance and they can't win their Region. Stay in D5 and they play for the title.

2000 through 2002 Portsmouth
2002 Portsmouth West
1990 through 1993 & 1999 through 2001 Ironton

Actually the team Wheelersburg had two years ago is just as good as this one. They just ran into Coldwater.

Didn’t burg beat ironton in 99?

[scott1297]

Isnt this a Burg v/s Madison thread? SMDH?

[scott1297]

The quality of football is not what it was in the 90's and early 2000's. D5 has been watered down with the absence of the private schools and the MAC due to competitive balance.

Wheelersburg has a very good team, but some of the teams mentioned here would beat them. They didn't win the State because it was much harder. Some of the first round games they had were better competiton than anyone Wheelersburg has played all season. Draw means alot. One D5/D6 school can beat Coldwater consistently and that's Marion Local. Coldwater gets bumped down for Competitive balance and they can't win their Region. Stay in D5 and they play for the title.

2000 through 2002 Portsmouth
2002 Portsmouth West
1990 through 1993 & 1999 through 2001 Ironton

Actually the team Wheelersburg had two years ago is just as good as this one. They just ran into Coldwater.

Didn’t burg beat ironton in 99?

IMO Burg would beat Coldwater this year but i do think Coldwater would have won region 20 this year and Burg would have beat them in the semi's but thats my opinion and this Burg team has way more depth than in past years IMO thats the difference of this team and I think Burg wins friday 35 to 14 GO BURG!

[JTEK]

The quality of football is not what it was in the 90's and early 2000's. D5 has been watered down with the absence of the private schools and the MAC due to competitive balance.

Wheelersburg has a very good team, but some of the teams mentioned here would beat them. They didn't win the State because it was much harder. Some of the first round games they had were better competiton than anyone Wheelersburg has played all season. Draw means alot. One D5/D6 school can beat Coldwater consistently and that's Marion Local. Coldwater gets bumped down for Competitive balance and they can't win their Region. Stay in D5 and they play for the title.

2000 through 2002 Portsmouth
2002 Portsmouth West
1990 through 1993 & 1999 through 2001 Ironton

Actually the team Wheelersburg had two years ago is just as good as this one. They just ran into Coldwater.

In my oppinion this years D is better than the 15 team and has way more weapons on offense, not sure I’ve seen a local team with the overall depth and the number of weapons on offense

[Westfan]

Didn’t burg beat ironton in 99?

Not sure. Ironton lost on a missed 4th down. Ironton had the running back that played safety at Michigan state. Ironton under Lutz was known to improve greatly throughout the season.

When football went "spread" dominate and started scoring more points people took it as they are better. But that's necessarily the case. Locally 20 years ago sophomores rarely played and freshmen didn't dress. Now freshmen are playing alot.

[seasick80]

Those teams were extremely talented teams and in my opinion that 2000 team shoulda walked away with a state title but unfortunately the way society as a whole is success will forever be based on results and right now Wheelersburg has made it as far as that 2000 team and everyone forgets about those that come up short. Just as I’m sure if Wheelersburg gets beat they too will fade into oblivion just as many others have.

Bottom line is the division difference division 3 compared to wheersburg being in a smaller division. We are talking about best team not how far the teams went. The 2000 team fell short, but that doesn't take away how good the team was. I have seen over and over again in the state tournament not always does the best team win.

What year did burg almost upset the Trojans in early 2000’s? Burg was a .500 team and almost pulled off a huge upset.

2002, Lewis first yr? Dunham was speedster and was catching bombs thrown by weaver. Burg was 5-5 that yr. when west went to state by beating Ptown at ironton mud bowl

[Wburgfan]

Bottom line is the division difference division 3 compared to wheersburg being in a smaller division. We are talking about best team not how far the teams went. The 2000 team fell short, but that doesn't take away how good the team was. I have seen over and over again in the state tournament not always does the best team win.

What year did burg almost upset the Trojans in early 2000’s? Burg was a .500 team and almost pulled off a huge upset.

2002, Lewis first yr? Dunham was speedster and was catching bombs thrown by weaver. Burg was 5-5 that yr. when west went to state by beating Ptown at ironton mud bowl

It was the 2001 year mentioned above.

[PirateBB]

Isnt this a Burg v/s Madison thread? SMDH?

I thought it was too. That's what the title of the thread shows.

Burg hasn't even played this game, and has not even played the state game, and people are already saying they aren't as good a team as "insert team here."

From the beginning of this year every week people here on SEOPS saying Burg can't do this/can't do that. Burg can't beat teams north of 70. Burg can't win the playoff games....Blah, blah, blah

Burg will win this week and next. Then people are going to say, well Coldwater wasn't in the division, all the good teams left...blah, blah, blah

Burg- Take care of business Friday night and then next Friday night. Then you'll be 15-0, State Champions, and people here on SEOPS can say yeah, they were 15-0 and won the State, but Blah, blah, blah

GO BURG!

[BurgGrad6]

Isnt this a Burg v/s Madison thread? SMDH?

I thought it was too. That's what the title of the thread shows.

Burg hasn't even played this game, and has not even played the state game, and people are already saying they aren't as good a team as "insert team here."

From the beginning of this year every week people here on SEOPS saying Burg can't do this/can't do that. Burg can't beat teams north of 70. Burg can't win the playoff games....Blah, blah, blah

Burg will win this week and next. Then people are going to say, well Coldwater wasn't in the division, all the good teams left...blah, blah, blah

Burg- Take care of business Friday night and then next Friday night. Then you'll be 15-0, State Champions, and people here on SEOPS can say yeah, they were 15-0 and won the State, but Blah, blah, blah

GO BURG!

Haha I have said this all year... it doesn’t matter who burg beats, it will never be good enough.. and to the older guys like myself saying that teams they played on were better than this burg team.. y’all are crazy... truth is, is has beens would in reality be 3rd stringers on this burg team! Haha GO BURG take care of business this week!!

[Otto]

Isnt this a Burg v/s Madison thread? SMDH?

I thought it was too. That's what the title of the thread shows.

Burg hasn't even played this game, and has not even played the state game, and people are already saying they aren't as good a team as "insert team here."

From the beginning of this year every week people here on SEOPS saying Burg can't do this/can't do that. Burg can't beat teams north of 70. Burg can't win the playoff games....Blah, blah, blah

Burg will win this week and next. Then people are going to say, well Coldwater wasn't in the division, all the good teams left...blah, blah, blah

Burg- Take care of business Friday night and then next Friday night. Then you'll be 15-0, State Champions, and people here on SEOPS can say yeah, they were 15-0 and won the State, but Blah, blah, blah

GO BURG!

Truth. If Burg does win it all people will definitely say it was because Coldwater wasn't in the division. Even though IMO, Burg would beat Coldwater this year, they are down and probably have their weakest team in the past 10 years.

[BurgGrad6]

Didn’t burg beat ironton in 99?

Not sure. Ironton lost on a missed 4th down. Ironton had the running back that played safety at Michigan state. Ironton under Lutz was known to improve greatly throughout the season.

When football went "spread" dominate and started scoring more points people took it as they are better. But that's necessarily the case. Locally 20 years ago sophomores rarely played and freshmen didn't dress. Now freshmen are playing alot.

the Game has evolved. Teams 20 years ago ran the ball 50 times a game. Teams then wouldn’t know what to do if a team like this years burg team stepped on the field! Haha this burg team would blow the doors off! Athletes have gotten so much more diverse than their daddy’s that played 20 years ago. Haha admit it fellas. You little boy is better than you were.

[Burg4]

Article from Journal-News from the Madison area...

Prep football: Wheelersburg, a trip to Chillicothe up next for Madison

Rick Cassano Staff Writer
11:55 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017 Journal-News Sports

The Division V Final Four almost matches the top of the final Associated Press regular-season football poll.

Almost.

Madison High School is the party crasher as the Mohawks (11-2) were unranked heading into their first playoff competition, but they’ll face third-ranked Wheelersburg (13-0) in a state semifinal at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at Herrnstein Field in Chillicothe.

No. 1 Pemberville Eastwood (13-0) and No. 2 Canfield South Range (13-0) will meet in Friday’s other semifinal at Strongsville’s Pat Catan Stadium, with the state championship game set for Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton on Nov. 30 (7:30 p.m.) or Dec. 1 (10 a.m., 3 p.m. or 8 p.m.).

Wheelersburg, located about nine miles east of Portsmouth on the Ohio River, is a perennial state contender that’s 33-27 in 29 trips to the playoffs. Madison is 3-0 in postseason competition over the last three weekends.

The Pirates captured the Division IV state title in 1989, but they are 1-5 in state semifinal games. Those results are as follows:

• 1981 — Division IV, lost to Nelsonville-York 14-0

• 1989 — Division IV, beat Versailles 15-7 (then defeated Warren John F. Kennedy 14-7 for the championship)

• 1991 — Division IV, lost to Springfield Catholic Central 28-13

• 1994 — Division IV, lost to Valley View 24-7

• 1998 — Division V, lost to Versailles 14-7

• 2015 — Division V, lost to Coldwater 36-6

Friday’s game will be Wheelersburg’s third straight contest at Herrnstein Field. The Pirates opened the postseason with a home win over Columbus Ready (34-0), then topped Columbus Academy (35-16) and Johnstown-Monroe (34-7) at Chillicothe.

According to MapQuest, it’s a 56.3-mile trip from Wheelersburg High School to Herrnstein Field. Madison will be traveling 90.5 miles.

Ticket information: Presale tickets will be available in Madison’s fieldhouse community room from 4-7 p.m. on Wednesday and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday.

All presale tickets are $8, and all tickets at the gate will be $10. Local fans are encouraged to buy presale tickets as Madison will receive a portion of that money.

[seasick80]

Didn’t burg beat ironton in 99?

Not sure. Ironton lost on a missed 4th down. Ironton had the running back that played safety at Michigan state. Ironton under Lutz was known to improve greatly throughout the season.

When football went "spread" dominate and started scoring more points people took it as they are better. But that's necessarily the case. Locally 20 years ago sophomores rarely played and freshmen didn't dress. Now freshmen are playing alot.

the Game has evolved. Teams 20 years ago ran the ball 50 times a game. Teams then wouldn’t know what to do if a team like this years burg team stepped on the field! Haha this burg team would blow the doors off! Athletes have gotten so much more diverse than their daddy’s that played 20 years ago. Haha admit it fellas. You little boy is better than you were.

That was the year valley view went thru burg and Ptown and lost to ironton in reg final. And burg beat ironton that yr at ironton.

[Westfan]

the Game has evolved. Teams 20 years ago ran the ball 50 times a game. Teams then wouldn’t know what to do if a team like this years burg team stepped on the field! Haha this burg team would blow the doors off! Athletes have gotten so much more diverse than their daddy’s that played 20 years ago. Haha admit it fellas. You little boy is better than you were.

So why did Wheelersburg change to boring ole power running when Columbus Academy shut down the Spread stuff? Power running works too.

And if you really think that the Jermon Jackson's, JoJo Parker's, etc wouldn't be stars today your nuts.

[LICKING COUNTY FAN]

Have decided to take this one in and I hope to see the Pirates with another big win.

[BurgGrad6]

the Game has evolved. Teams 20 years ago ran the ball 50 times a game. Teams then wouldn’t know what to do if a team like this years burg team stepped on the field! Haha this burg team would blow the doors off! Athletes have gotten so much more diverse than their daddy’s that played 20 years ago. Haha admit it fellas. You little boy is better than you were.

So why did Wheelersburg change to boring ole power running when Columbus Academy shut down the Spread stuff? Power running works too.

And if you really think that the Jermon Jackson's, JoJo Parker's, etc wouldn't be stars today your nuts.

Lol I’m not saying that power running doesn’t work. I’m saying that those teams were one dimensional!! Just like Johnstown this year. Burg has a very good run defense. Power run didn’t work.. that’s the problem those teams 20 years ago ran into...


Of course those guys would be great today!! There is a difference between a d1 caliber athlete and a good high school athlete.... look at Holden! Come on man. As a whole though I think good high school athletes today are better than their daddy’s!