Division V rankings and early speculation

[XandO72]

Road to Canton: 2019 OHSAA football preseason rankings | cleveland.com
https://expo.cleveland.com/sports/g66l- ... kings.html

2019 Ohio high school football preseason rankings.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Ironton comes in ranked #5 in all of div 5 in Ohio. The
Wheelersburg program comes in at #10.

It appears, at least on paper, that 2019 may very well be a year of equity to some degree. Whilst Wheelersburg has enjoyed the regular bounty of depth and talent over the last few seasons, it is ALSO apparent that the notion that Irontons program has at the very least, closed the gap, and at best, surpassed Wheelersburg all together, is perhaps more substantive than merely water cooler hyperbole. As with many programs that are similar in size and demographic, the success meter truly posesses the tendency for ebbs and flows which favor one program or another in any given season.

Taking these things into consideration as well as also evaluating the changes that have occured, it is a far cry from far fetched to assert that the beast of southern ohio prep football is back to stake their claim.

Burg fans SHOULD BE concerned.

[XandO72]

Additionally noteable:

This season both teams will come in at around the vicinity of a 70 man roster.

This season Ironton boasts the more experienced roster.

This season Ironton boasts the more nationally recognized elite individual talent.

3 metrics

Depth
Experience
Talent

Ironton is favored on paper on at least two of the three metrics and draw about even on another.

Things change quickly.

[Raider6309]

Ironton lost 3 straight games to end the season. Burg got to state again

[XandO72]

Ironton lost 3 straight games to end the season. Burg got to state again

Past meet present. Hence: "things change quickly."

#PitandPendulum

[Omega]

Ironton, even in their lean years after Lutz, has always had the raw talent to compete with anybody in SE Ohio. It just took a head coach like Pendleton to re-energize and develop the Tiger talent. As for Wheelersburg, under Coach Woodward, they reload instead of rebuild, so shed no tears for the Pirates who could potentially lose (gasp) three games due to an upgraded non conference schedule. The bottom line is that when Ironton and The Burg are competitive, it elevates the brand of high school football in our part of the state.

[XandO72]

Ironton, even in their lean years after Lutz, has always had the raw talent to compete with anybody in SE Ohio. It just took a head coach like Pendleton to re-energize and develop the Tiger talent. As for Wheelersburg, under Coach Woodward, they reload instead of rebuild, so shed no tears for the Pirates who could potentially lose (gasp) three games due to an upgraded non conference schedule. The bottom line is that when Ironton and The Burg are competitive, it elevates the brand of high school football in our part of the state.

Agreed, and ironically my early predictor has Burg doing exactly that = 3 losses. ( Ironton, Hartley, Ashland)

All subject to change of course per info disclosed in the coming weeks.

[greygoose]

Ironton lost 3 straight games to end the season. Burg got to state again

Yeah and both teams ended their season losing to the Johnnies, 1 played a close game and 1 literally got ran out of the stadium. Good thing it's 2019 season and quite frankly preseason rankings don't mean anything, simply something for people to talk about. Wins and computer points is what matters, that's what gets you into week 11 and work towards every teams end goal of a state title.

[XandO72]

Ironton lost 3 straight games to end the season. Burg got to state again

Yeah and both teams ended their season losing to the Johnnies, 1 played a close game and 1 literally got ran out of the stadium. Good thing it's 2019 season and quite frankly preseason rankings don't mean anything, simply something for people to talk about. Wins and computer points is what matters, that's what gets you into week 11 and work towards every teams end goal of a state title.

Everything or anything means as much as it does in whatever applicable context it presently resides. That goes for polls or rankings or predictions etc. What any or a combination of many variables mean as far as what the future holds for any of these programs is a guess.

However, what is not a guess is this.

This season upcoming...

Ironton and Wheelersburg have comparable numbers and depth and Ironton has greater experience and more elite individual talent on their roster. Arguably, this is a bit of a shift from the last few years. I think it is practical to imply that when variables change there is also potential for outcome to adjust per those changes.

[fbnut]

Ironton lost 3 straight games to end the season. Burg got to state again

Yeah and both teams ended their season losing to the Johnnies, 1 played a close game and 1 literally got ran out of the stadium. Good thing it's 2019 season and quite frankly preseason rankings don't mean anything, simply something for people to talk about. Wins and computer points is what matters, that's what gets you into week 11 and work towards every teams end goal of a state title.

Everything or anything means as much as it does in whatever applicable context it presently resides. That goes for polls or rankings or predictions etc. What any or a combination of many variables mean as far as what the future holds for any of these programs is a guess.

However, what is not a guess is this.

This season upcoming...

Ironton and Wheelersburg have comparable numbers and depth and Ironton has greater experience and more elite individual talent on their roster. Arguably, this is a bit of a shift from the last few years. I think it is practical to imply that when variables change there is also potential for outcome to adjust per those changes.

So if ironton has more experience and more elite individual talent and don’t forget games at ironton what are tiger fans saying on here at 11pm after the game if burg wins?

[Bobbbbbb]

Yeah and both teams ended their season losing to the Johnnies, 1 played a close game and 1 literally got ran out of the stadium. Good thing it's 2019 season and quite frankly preseason rankings don't mean anything, simply something for people to talk about. Wins and computer points is what matters, that's what gets you into week 11 and work towards every teams end goal of a state title.

Everything or anything means as much as it does in whatever applicable context it presently resides. That goes for polls or rankings or predictions etc. What any or a combination of many variables mean as far as what the future holds for any of these programs is a guess.

However, what is not a guess is this.

This season upcoming...

Ironton and Wheelersburg have comparable numbers and depth and Ironton has greater experience and more elite individual talent on their roster. Arguably, this is a bit of a shift from the last few years. I think it is practical to imply that when variables change there is also potential for outcome to adjust per those changes.

So if ironton has more experience and more elite individual talent and don’t forget games at ironton what are tiger fans saying on here at 11pm after the game if burg wins?

[Bobbbbbb]

I'll take a stab at it fbnut..."we got cheated!"

[XandO72]

Everything or anything means as much as it does in whatever applicable context it presently resides. That goes for polls or rankings or predictions etc. What any or a combination of many variables mean as far as what the future holds for any of these programs is a guess.

However, what is not a guess is this.

This season upcoming...

Ironton and Wheelersburg have comparable numbers and depth and Ironton has greater experience and more elite individual talent on their roster. Arguably, this is a bit of a shift from the last few years. I think it is practical to imply that when variables change there is also potential for outcome to adjust per those changes.

So if ironton has more experience and more elite individual talent and don’t forget games at ironton what are tiger fans saying on here at 11pm after the game if burg wins?

See op in this thread. Eg: "on paper."

[Jolly P(irate)]

I'll take a stab at it fbnut..."we got cheated!"

No. They'll be taking shots at Pendleton and how he's a failure. That's what they always do. Last year they didn't expect to win and were, for the first time, taking positives from the game. Now, in the second year, that will all change back to the bashing of the HC.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

Road to Canton: 2019 OHSAA football preseason rankings | cleveland.com
https://expo.cleveland.com/sports/g66l- ... kings.html

2019 Ohio high school football preseason rankings.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Ironton comes in ranked #5 in all of div 5 in Ohio. The
Wheelersburg program comes in at #10.

It appears, at least on paper, that 2019 may very well be a year of equity to some degree. Whilst Wheelersburg has enjoyed the regular bounty of depth and talent over the last few seasons, it is ALSO apparent that the notion that Irontons program has at the very least, closed the gap, and at best, surpassed Wheelersburg all together, is perhaps more substantive than merely water cooler hyperbole. As with many programs that are similar in size and demographic, the success meter truly posesses the tendency for ebbs and flows which favor one program or another in any given season.

Taking these things into consideration as well as also evaluating the changes that have occured, it is a far cry from far fetched to assert that the beast of southern ohio prep football is back to stake their claim.

Burg fans SHOULD BE concerned.

see that's my worstest nightmare. when a burg fan goes to talkin lawyer type stuff, and I see where I'm lackin in proper ettycut. and proper English skills. I don't know whether we is getting complimented or put down. and it downright concerns me. ------------------------------------------------------- frankly I don't know what the writers are basing that on after a 6-5 campaign. we have a young man getting attention from all over the country. and a qb who is heading to Youngstown state. and a 2nd year coach. so I don't know if this is all based on hype or what. but I like it. it is good to see fighting tiger football thought of highly again. but it still has to be proved on the field to mean anything. it doesn't matter where ironton or burg sits. but it clearly has burg fans looking and wondering why. that's kinda funny. but everybody is 0-0 now. I'm very stoked about this off season. I'm very excited about our staff n kids. and I hear the off season has been full of work and tiger pride. I am looking for big things from coach Pendleton and his staff and this years version of the fighting tigers. but it means nothing about polls at this point. ------------ but the fact you are ranked high in preseason is you just keep winning and hopefully climbing. but it will start skaking out for every team week 11. but you gotta win week 1 1st.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

I'll take a stab at it fbnut..."we got cheated!"

No. They'll be taking shots at Pendleton and how he's a failure. That's what they always do. Last year they didn't expect to win and were, for the first time, taking positives from the game. Now, in the second year, that will all change back to the bashing of the HC.

I hope not jolly. I think we have a keeper. tiger fans have been around long enough not to put much stock in preseason polls. we feel coach Pendleton is the real deal. and now he is our ad. so somebody is seeing big things from him. it's exciting to be excited.

[spider2Ybanana]

Ironton lost 3 straight games to end the season. Burg got to state again

Past meet present. Hence: "things change quickly."

#PitandPendulum

You're right, things do change quickly. Just like you will go from the loudest (and newest ) Tiger fan, to the quietest, if Burg pulls out the win. Time will tell.

[The Regulator]

I made the trip down to watch Burg & Coal Grove last night. It's obvious Burg still hasn't zeroed in on a QB yet and appears they will have to rely on the run game this year but it is hard to tell anything from a 7 on 7. I was surprised by the lack of size of Burg's middle defense. For the most part there LB's looked more like safety's than LB's. If I am a heavy run offense I am licking my chops by what I saw last night. If Ironton pounds the middle I see them winning by 2 scores. The bright spot I did see for Burg last night was the Matthews kid. His closing rate on the ball is something you see on Saturday afternoons not Friday nights. Coal Grove had some impressive looking lineman I noticed when I watched them and seemed to be very strong. Good luck to both programs this year and let's hope they all stay healthy.

[Bleeding Red]

I'll take a stab at it fbnut..."we got cheated!"

No. They'll be taking shots at Pendleton and how he's a failure. That's what they always do. Last year they didn't expect to win and were, for the first time, taking positives from the game. Now, in the second year, that will all change back to the bashing of the HC.

Very doubtful. From what I gather from most Ironton fans that I know (which is many) they saw a tremendous turn around in the team effort last year and respected that. Last season gave them a reason to be hopeful again and they know it is a work in progress. Even with the losses and games that were probably closer than should have been, their faithful fans were elated in the improvement from 2017.

Of course there are fake fans from every fan base that will get on here and stir the pot. Those people are the made up and short lived double accounts but its sure to happen.

Take the first 6 or 7 minutes out of that Ironton vs Burg game last year and it might have ended differently. I think Ironton will be an animal this year but I also expect Burg to do what they always do and be a handful.

This week 1 matchup will certainly be a dandy.

[spider2Ybanana]

I made the trip down to watch Burg & Coal Grove last night. It's obvious Burg still hasn't zeroed in on a QB yet and appears they will have to rely on the run game this year but it is hard to tell anything from a 7 on 7. I was surprised by the lack of size of Burg's middle defense. For the most part there LB's looked more like safety's than LB's. If I am a heavy run offense I am licking my chops by what I saw last night. If Ironton pounds the middle I see them winning by 2 scores. The bright spot I did see for Burg last night was the Matthews kid. His closing rate on the ball is something you see on Saturday afternoons not Friday nights. Coal Grove had some impressive looking lineman I noticed when I watched them and seemed to be very strong. Good luck to both programs this year and let's hope they all stay healthy.

I can see how the linebackers may be a bit smaller than years before but the bottom line is, run defense is not solely predicated on having big line backers. The defensive line is where run defense starts and they do not have a small Dline by any means. Their job is to keep guards and tackles from getting to the second level of the defense and letting the LB's run free. If they are able to do this, they will be fine.

[Bleeding Red]

Ironton lost 3 straight games to end the season. Burg got to state again

Yeah and both teams ended their season losing to the Johnnies, 1 played a close game and 1 literally got ran out of the stadium. Good thing it's 2019 season and quite frankly preseason rankings don't mean anything, simply something for people to talk about. Wins and computer points is what matters, that's what gets you into week 11 and work towards every teams end goal of a state title.

Very true. I attended the Burg game vs the Johnnies. I was amazed at how much smaller they were compared to Burg but they were just quicker, meaner and wanted it more. Which was also a total surprise. It goes to show the improvement that Ironton made in just one season under Pendleton and how much effort those kids are giving to the program with him at the helm.

I still believe that whoever wins this huge matchup week 1 will be in the driver's seat the rest of the season in Region 19 because both of them are going to win a lot of games and give the winner a crazy amount of points throughout the year.