Wellston drops Jackson starting in 2020

[Raider6309]

The only ones arguing over this game is Athens and wellston fans. Most Jackson fans are also glad it's over . Wellston vs Oak hill is the Jackson county game that makes the most sense. Adding Athens would really help Jackson or Athens in playoff points . Most year they win 6-7-8 games. Logan is coming back on the schedule in 2019.
Plus Burg and Chilli are good games. Those 4 games to go along with the FAC is a schedule that is respectable .

I know. Both coaches need to hug it out. Both are in weak conferences so always a big points game

[Poo Bear]

Have a great day raider.

[Raider6309]

Have a great day raider.

Make it happen. I can’t stand starting off with Warren

[bc181700]

I don't have FB, but heard this game was being dropped and knew I could find some "commentary" on SEOPs... boy was I right!

I don't know what "arrogant" Jackson posters you all are referencing, but I must've missed all of those comments.

All I can say is that I hate to see any local game/rivalry dwindle away. I understand it, but hate it.

Unequivocally, my greatest memories in high school sports come from these local rivalry games. As a player, I do not recall one instance where I questioned the size of the school I was playing against, it was strictly me playing against the guy across from me (and I just looked up our league school enrollments when I played, 4 league schools were significantly larger, 2 were smaller). In local games, I knew the player across from me 99% of the time. To this day, we have a circle of friends that all played at Wellston/Jackson/Oak Hill/VC and we talk sports almost every time we are together. If I got beat in football, I likely won in basketball, or baseball, or beer pong... something.

I fully understand the decision, but I hate it for the players' sake.

[Wellston Ironman]

I don't have FB, but heard this game was being dropped and knew I could find some "commentary" on SEOPs... boy was I right!

I don't know what "arrogant" Jackson posters you all are referencing, but I must've missed all of those comments.

All I can say is that I hate to see any local game/rivalry dwindle away. I understand it, but hate it.

Unequivocally, my greatest memories in high school sports come from these local rivalry games. As a player, I do not recall one instance where I questioned the size of the school I was playing against, it was strictly me playing against the guy across from me (and I just looked up our league school enrollments when I played, 4 league schools were significantly larger, 2 were smaller). In local games, I knew the player across from me 99% of the time. To this day, we have a circle of friends that all played at Wellston/Jackson/Oak Hill/VC and we talk sports almost every time we are together. If I got beat in football, I likely won in basketball, or baseball, or beer pong... something.

I fully understand the decision, but I hate it for the players' sake.

It's not that we are arrogant....we are just better than you.

[X8XOHIOLEGENDX7X]

Gotta say im kinda glad this is ending. I have seen the effect that 0-1 gives them every year

[Ironman92]

Gotta say im kinda glad this is ending. I have seen the effect that 0-1 gives them every year

The last 4 years Wellston is a combined 8-0 in the following 2 weeks and only 2 of those wins were less than 3 TD and all 8 by at least 12 points. They’ve truly dominated the next two weeks after their Jackson loss each of the past 4 seasons.

The average score of those 8 games that followed the Jackson losses.... Wellston 38 Opponent 13

[X8XOHIOLEGENDX7X]

Gotta say im kinda glad this is ending. I have seen the effect that 0-1 gives them every year

The last 4 years Wellston is a combined 8-0 in the following 2 weeks and only 2 of those wins were less than 3 TD and all 8 by at least 12 points. They’ve truly dominated the next two weeks after their Jackson loss each of the past 4 seasons.

The average score of those 8 games that followed the Jackson losses.... Wellston 38 Opponent 13

This is true i however cannot speak for last 4 years little older then that lol

[Keyser_sozeThrice]

I heard the Wellston girls basketball coach say somthing about a deal being struck between the 2 schools?

[Proud_Pirate63]

What was the deal?

[NYBuckeye96]

https://www.athensmessenger.com/sports/ ... 662ff.html

End Game

By Paul Boggs For The Messenger
Mar 30, 2018



All things, whether good or bad, must come to an end.


And, truth be told in this case, money couldn’t pay for this rivalry to continue.


After years of speculation and even discussion, one of the longest-running — yet quite lopsided — high school sports rivalries in all of Ohio is ending.


That’s because, following week one of the 2019 season, Jackson and Wellston will no longer be playing each other in varsity football.


The latest, and final, four-year contract between the two programs expires after that — and there are no plans presently to renew the series once it concludes.


This season’s meeting will be the 105th in the long-running rivalry, as Jackson owns a lopsided 72-26-6 advantage in the all-time series, including winning 26 of the past 27 meetings.


Wellston’s win in 2010 snapped its infamous 19-game losing streak against the Ironmen, of which the program is traditionally two divisions larger than the Golden Rockets.



According to Wellston City Schools Superintendent Karen Boch, that is one of the reasons why Wellston reached out to Jackson to stop the series — which has long been played as the season opener, but also was the regular-season finale for some time including on Thanksgiving Day.


While Wellston High School Athletic Director Jeff Hendershott has long spoken publicly in support of the game, Boch said it was a consensus decision.


Boch responded to an e-mail request by The Jackson County Times-Journal late last week for comment.


“Let me say that this decision has been contemplated for several years and therefore has not been taken lightly. This decision was not made solely by the board, but made after receiving input from coaches, students and administrators,” she wrote. “The decision was based on what’s best for our students, staff and community. We are extremely proud of our student-athletes and are choosing not to put them in a challenging situation that is difficult to be successful through no fault of their own. We are outranked not only by division, but by size and numbers. We risk suffering season-ending injuries in the first game and the season is opened with a loss, which is supported by the series record.”


And, in most instances, the scores have been lopsided.



In the past 13 meetings, of Wellston’s losses, the closest the Golden Rockets got was a 21-7 decision in 2009 and a 14-0 shutout in 2005.


Before that, from 2000 thru 2003, the Ironmen captured close contests of 28-20, 44-33, 28-26 and finally 27-21.


The two teams did not play in 1991, when Wellston was on a pay-to-participate season following the failure of an operating levy.


The six ties were 11-11 in 1908, 6-6 in 1926, 8-8 in 1973, and scoreless draws in 1938, 1944 and 1950.


With the institution of overtime, those six ties should stand forever for the final series tally.


The Golden Rockets, under head coach Bill Fyffe in the late 1980s, won three of four meetings against Jackson — including Wellston’s last win AT Jackson in 1989.


Rumors had swirled in the 2015 offseason that the series — which is easily arguably the single-largest one-day moneymaking event in Jackson County — would cease.


However, the superintendents of both districts — Boch and Jackson’s Phil Howard— reached out to re-up on the game.


For both schools, and as Hendershott has said publicly, neither could afford to give the game up.


When played at Wellston every other season, the Golden Rockets’ gate receipts easily exceed $15,000.


The gate from the Ironmen matchup generally generates more revenue than the other four home bouts combined.


The same applies when played at Jackson —and before the formation of the Frontier Athletic Conference — the Ironmen needed the game while they searched for a new athletic league and to keep contests on their schedule.


Jackson High School Athletic Director Pat Stevens met with local media members on Monday — and offered his take on the matter.


“My biggest fear is that the game may never come back. Once you go away from something, it’s just easier to stay away. I understand wanting to take a break for a little bit, but when we play for over 100 years and all of the sudden it’s gone…we have so many people in this community and so many people in the Wellston community that grew up in this rivalry. It’s unfortunate that some kids aren’t going to get to experience that,” said Stevens. “I know it’s tough to be on that end of it (series record), but there are other factors that go into it. We would still love to continue the series if they were to have a change of heart. We didn’t want this game to go away in way, shape or form. But we have to be ready to move on.”


Stevens said “it’s going to be a huge loss for us financially” — as it also will with Wellston.


“I can find a week-one game. I’m confident of that. But can I find a week-one game that even comes close to what Wellston was doing for us financially? I doubt it,” he said. “If you take into account everything, it’s almost $20,000.”


Stevens said Hendershott e-mailed him and wanted to meet in person about the series conclusion, as that meeting indeed took place.


“I have a ton of respect for Jeff Hendershott. He does a great job at what he does and is one of the really nice guys that is easy to work with in this business,” said Stevens. “We met, and Jeff informed me that they (Wellston) were not going to continue with the series. I kinda knew what was coming when he told me he wanted to meet with me face-to-face. But I respect the fact that Jeff wanted to tell me face-to-face instead of sending an e-mail or a text message or even make a phone call.”


Boch wrote that “other factors considered include the tension it creates between the two communities. Furthermore, this decision has no impact on Jackson’s state rankings.”


“We would like to continue to play Jackson in other sports if at all possible and we hope they continue to be successful in football. Ending a longtime tradition is difficult, but it’s time. The bottom line is that our students matter and we need to provide them with every opportunity to be the best they can be and provide them with opportunities that allow them to grow in all aspects,” she said.


As for seeing 2020 and beyond, Oak Hill has long been the Rockets’ target for a week-one matchup — given both the geography and same Division V size.


A week-one with the Oaks, and being played on either Friday or Saturday night opposite Jackson, is Wellston’s best course of action as far as replacing the lost revenue from the Jackson game.


The first two meetings towards that goal are already set, with Wellston and Oak Hill renewing their “Civil War” for week four of 2021 and 2022.


Barring any conference realignment with the Tri-Valley Conference (Wellston) and/or Southern Ohio Conference (Oak Hill) in the future, the Golden Rockets and Oaks have agreed in principle to renew their varsity series.


Wellston will host Oak Hill in 2021, followed by Oak Hill hosting Wellston the next year.


Currently, the two squads meet in the Ohio High School Athletic Association Jamboree preseason game.


Prior to previous SOC realignment, the two clubs faced off in week four from 2010 thru 2014 — with Oak Hill winning four of five.


They had also met in mid-September until after the 2006 campaign.


When asked about possible replacements for Wellston, Stevens said he has sent “feelers” for preferably two-year contracts — and ideally which are either Athens or Gallia Academy.


Gallia Academy was the longtime week-10 tilt when Jackson and the Blue Devils were both members of the Southeastern Ohio Athletic League — before the Blue Devils departed for the Ohio Valley Conference.


Gallia Academy is off the week-three slate following this season, as Logan replaces it in that slot.


While interest grows towards those games over the next two seasons, Stevens expects interest “will be high” for the final two meetings between Jackson and Wellston.


And, while some will say it aint so, still others agree it’s time for the rivalry to end.


“These last two games, we need to make it about the kids instead of the adults,” said Stevens. “Let the kids enjoy these last two games and hopefully, we’ll have great sportsmanship and a great following at both games.”

https://www.athensmessenger.com/sports/ ... 042c3.html

Is Logan likely to be opener for Ironmen?

By Paul Boggs For The Messenger
Mar 30, 2018



With this week’s official announcement that the Jackson-Wellston varsity football series is ending after the 2019 meeting, the Jackson program is looking to fill its soon-to-be season-opening vacancy.


And although Athens and Gallia Academy are logical — and logistical — replacements, The Jackson County Times-Journal has learned that Logan, beginning in 2020, needs a week-one game as well.


Logan and Jackson were charter and all-time members of the now defunct Southeastern Ohio Athletic League, and squared off every season except for 2006 and 2007 — and again last year and this upcoming fall.


That’s because SEOAL operations officially ceased last summer — and Jackson joined Chillicothe, Hillsboro, McClain, Miami Trace and Washington Court House to form the Frontier Athletic Conference.


Gallia Academy was the longtime week-10 tilt when Jackson and the Blue Devils were both members of the SEOAL — before the Blue Devils departed for the Ohio Valley Conference.



Gallia Academy is off the week-three slate following this season, as Logan replaces it in that slot.


It has already been decided that Logan and Jackson will keep playing in week three as long as they both want to, but could the Ironmen lock Logan into that opening bout?


Given the all-time series record, which is 46-45-4 in favor of Logan, the matchup would almost always be competitive — and would draw a large crowd to either Jackson’s Alumni Stadium or Logan’s Chieftain Stadium, especially as the opener.


The Ironmen only lost one meeting against the Chiefs from 2010 through 2016, which was the 28-21 2013 epic at Logan.


While Wellston’s administration approached Jackson’s to drop the long-running series, which will conclude after the 106th all-time meeting, the Chiefs — after the 2014 season — dropped their week-one rival Lancaster after 11 years.



The reasons: the same why Wellston decided to end the Jackson series.


After ending the series with Lancaster, Logan opened with Athens for one season — but that was the year after the Bulldogs were the Division III state runners-up.


The Chiefs, the past two years, have been drubbed by Dublin Jerome — and guess what — play defending Division III state runner-up Tri-Valley both this year (2018) and next (2019).


However, the Tri-Valley contract is only a two-year deal, and Jackson High School Athletic Director Pat Stevens said in Monday’s meeting with local media members that he has sent out “feelers” for preferably two-year contracts.


Ideally, those are old SEOAL rivals Athens and Gallia Academy — if Logan were to remain for the third week.


And, while that trio couldn’t completely replace the massive gate receipts — easily in excess of $15,000 which Jackson draws when it hosts Wellston — it would be the best possible gates the Ironmen could have for such a game.


In addition, aside from perhaps Wheelersburg and Ironton, such a game would be hyped up as the “best” in the immediate Southeastern Ohio area in the opening week.


Jackson still has a solid draw in Wheelersburg with week five, despite defeating the Pirates only once since the series resumed in 2012.


One school that does not appear to be in the Ironmen’s mix is Vinton County, which was Jackson’s week-three foe for two decades.


The Ironmen hold a 17-2 advantage over Vinton County, as that series ended following the 2011 season.


Stevens said in the same Monday meeting, when asked about renewing with the Vikings, “I don’t think so at this point.”


“I won’t speak for them (Vinton County), and I know they are working hard to build a quality product up there, but I think that would be a hard sell on our part to try and get them back on the schedule at this point,” said Stevens. “But if they were open to it, that would certainly be something we would be interested in talking about.”


Rather, the Red and White’s interest in a shade of purple could be — or even should be — landing Logan for week one.


And, with seeing 2020 right around the corner, the foresight for that is right now.


Craig Dunn, sports editor of The Logan Daily News, contributed to this report

[ironman02]

Per Jackson Football's Twitter account, Jackson will begin playing Athens in Week 2 during the 2019 season. They will also be playing Logan during Week 3 in 2019, but the Logan game will move to Week 1 in 2020.

[Orange and Brown]

Per Jackson Football's Twitter account, Jackson will begin playing Athens in Week 2 during the 2019 season. They will also be playing Logan during Week 3 in 2019, but the Logan game will move to Week 1 in 2020.

The week 1 battle for the Iron Chief is on!

[koondoger]

Wellston should schedule the Cats. That is if they want an annual visit to the ole wood shed.