OVC Non-Conference Scheduling....

[OVCfan]

I was looking over the OVC teams' Non-Conference schedules and I have to say I was impressed. How the schools perform against those schedules is something we'll have to wait and see, but they are definitely going out to play some of the best. Below is my attempt at ranking them (Most to Least Difficult):

1. South Point: Portsmouth, @Wheelersburg, @West, Point Pleasant, @Valley

2. Rock Hill: @Zane Trace, @Valley, @Oak Hill, West, Wheelersburg

3. Chesapeake: Oak Hill, Wayne, @Symmes Valley, @Valley, @West

4. Coal Grove: Meigs, @ Paint Valley, Valley, Minford, @Greenup County

5. Fairland: @West, Meigs, Tolsia, @Sheldon Clark, Trimble

6. River Valley: Minford, Oak Hill, @Meigs, Eastern, Waterford

[Westfan]

Looks like suicide

[sider]

Looks like suicide

I agree, I don't see West, Burg, Minford (maybe Coal Grove thats always a tough game) losing to an Ovc school and Valley only losing to Coal Grove....
My predictions on the non-conf records:
South Point: 1-4
Rock Hill: 0-5
Chesapeake: 1-4
Coal Grove: 4-1
Fairland: 1-4
River Valley: 2-3

[Bleeding Red]

OVC will be running into a bees nest in the non conf scheduling.

It will be interesting to see their records vs SOC teams when the smoke clears, but it will show how big the gap has grown between the 2 conferences.

[earp]

This is good in my eyes,It is going to do nothing but make the conference better!

[Bleeding Red]

With what Coal Grove is bringing back this year, they will be very tough. I see them running through the OVC with little problems this year. They will be a great opponent for Minford and Valley both.

[falconater]

and you have to admire South Point's scheduling.

[fuzzhead]

It's not that the schedules are tough. . . what it boils down to is the fact that the OVC is weak, weak, weak. Earp is right - it's high time the OVC schools quit settling for less and started trying to play like the D4 and D5 teams that they are. Names like Wheelersburg and Portsmouth West shouldn't scare OVC teams - they're the same size and they're from the same area. Coal Grove has a sizable lead in their series' against West and Valley, they've got a winning record against Waverly, and traditionally they've been neck and neck with the burg and CG/Minford is always one of the better games of the year.
I know people probably get tired of hearing me say this, but it's high time the OVC flushed the inferiority complex they have and started thinking outside Lawrence County. South Point is on the right track, but they're taking themselves out of playoff contention before the half-way mark - they're playing a suicidal schedule most years. CG's scheduling the past few years has been near-perfect; they've played quality opponents, yet they've had the ability to beat everyone they've played. All they have to do is learn to win the big games (Meigs, Minford, Paint Valley, etc) and the program will start to be among the better ones in the area in D5 once again. They just need that breakout season. Hopefully, this is the one. . .

[sider]

It's not that the schedules are tough. . . what it boils down to is the fact that the OVC is weak, weak, weak. Earp is right - it's high time the OVC schools quit settling for less and started trying to play like the D4 and D5 teams that they are. Names like Wheelersburg and Portsmouth West shouldn't scare OVC teams - they're the same size and they're from the same area. Coal Grove has a sizable lead in their series' against West and Valley, they've got a winning record against Waverly, and traditionally they've been neck and neck with the burg and CG/Minford is always one of the better games of the year.
I know people probably get tired of hearing me say this, but it's high time the OVC flushed the inferiority complex they have and started thinking outside Lawrence County. South Point is on the right track, but they're taking themselves out of playoff contention before the half-way mark - they're playing a suicidal schedule most years. CG's scheduling the past few years has been near-perfect; they've played quality opponents, yet they've had the ability to beat everyone they've played. All they have to do is learn to win the big games (Meigs, Minford, Paint Valley, etc) and the program will start to be among the better ones in the area in D5 once again. They just need that breakout season. Hopefully, this is the one. . .

I agree with you 100%...Coal Grove used to be a contender to make a deep run in the playoffs every year, Fairland was consistently good throughout the 80's and 90's, Chesapeake was one of the better teams in the area every year in the 90's and early 00's...but the wheels slowly fell off, Lucas left Coal Grove, Chesapeakes talent slowly declined, as did fairland...a tough schedule will be good for the Ovc...also would you happen to have the record for the all-time series of Coal Grove vs. West? I can't recall them playing in my lifetime

[earp]

I know West has played Coal Grove,I am thinking around 1998 maybe???Have to ask Fuzz about that one!

[sider]

I know West has played Coal Grove,I am thinking around 1998 maybe???Have to ask Fuzz about that one!

Your right, I believe they had a series in the 90's now that I remember, but in all fairness West did turn out very many good teams in the 90's (6-4 in 91 and 94 were the best records)

[Championship]

my question would be why does west play 4 games vs the ovc? does that not hurt their playoff points?

[Bleeding Red]

my question would be why does west play 4 games vs the ovc? does that not hurt their playoff points?

Just depends on what their opponent's records are at the end of the year, if they do in fact go 4-0 vs the OVC

[fuzzhead]

I agree with you 100%...Coal Grove used to be a contender to make a deep run in the playoffs every year, Fairland was consistently good throughout the 80's and 90's, Chesapeake was one of the better teams in the area every year in the 90's and early 00's...but the wheels slowly fell off, Lucas left Coal Grove, Chesapeakes talent slowly declined, as did fairland...a tough schedule will be good for the Ovc...also would you happen to have the record for the all-time series of Coal Grove vs. West? I can't recall them playing in my lifetime

All-time record: Coal Grove leads the series, 11-5-1 (.688).

1951: West 55, Coal Grove 6

1952: West 7, Coal Grove 0

1955: Coal Grove 25, West 20

1956: Coal Grove 7, West 0

1957: Coal Grove 18, West 13

1958: Coal Grove 14, West 0

1959: Coal Grove 8, West 6

1963: Coal Grove 34, West 0

1973: Coal Grove 30, West 14

1974: West 27, Coal Grove 8

1975: Coal Grove 0, West 0

1976: West 43, Coal Grove 0

1977: West 27, Coal Grove 8

1978: Coal Grove 47, West 22

1979: Coal Grove 22, West 6

1980: Coal Grove 27, West 14

1997: Coal Grove 26, West 21
__________________________
Coal Grove: 280 pts (16.5 ppg), West: 275 pts (16.2 ppg)

Some very tight ball games. . . CG has just come out on top 2/3 of the time.

[fuzzhead]

my question would be why does west play 4 games vs the ovc? does that not hurt their playoff points?

Sure as heck didn't hurt their playoff points last year! They finished with the #1 spot in region 19 and the OVC was the weakest I can ever remember it being. . . and that OVC slate included 0-10 Rock Hill, 4-6 Chesapeake, 4-5 Fairland, and a South Point team that lost to 1-9 Portsmouth by two scores. . .
It just depends on (a) How good West is this year - whether they can beat the likes of Minford, Burg, Valley, etc - and (b) How good region 15 is this year.
I'll tell you this much though, I'd rather start out 5-0 0r 4-1 against those awful teams than I would start out 1-4 or 0-5 like some OVC teams this coming year very well could! Fairland, South Point, Rock Hill are all D4. . . they're all fair game.