Someone HAS to win...Chillicothe at Portsmouth

[buckcraze]

I understand the move the program had to make. It is a shame, but, I have noticed each week more and more walking wounded standing on the sideline, and fewer and fewer kids dressed and ready to play. That being said, people on Chilly's schedule had better watch out. Even playing all of these young guys, if Chilly cut it's turnovers in half in previous games, the CAVS are 2-2 at worst, and may be 3-1. If this team keeps the ball, it will make plays and the defense can stay off the field more. This group of young, growing, and maturing men can still win several football games and if they get rolling, get some confidence, and figure out how to win, they WILL make noise the rest of this year, and Katy-bar-the-door for the next several years to come. I will take my CAVS in this one 27-13. Keep working boys!! Remember right now you are still undefeated in the SEOAL. LET'S GO CAVS!! LET'S GO CAVS!!! LET'S GO CAVS!!!! :aaaaa8 :aaaaa8

[Go Bucks]

:122246 From the Chillicothe Gazette
CHILLICOTHE -- The Chillicothe Cavaliers entered this football season knowing they would have to rely on plenty of younger players on the varsity roster.

That need, coupled with injuries that have resulted in more junior varsity players than expected being needed to play minutes at the varsity level, has resulted in the cancellation of the remainder of the junior varsity schedule this year.

"The games will be canceled due to the current high number of injuries, a small number of junior players and the need to play an unexpected number of sophomores at the varsity level," said athletic director Garin Veris in a statement released this morning. "We feel it is in the best interest for the safety of our student-athletes to cancel the remaining junior varsity games."

Veris said it's very uncommon for so many sophomores to have to play significant minutes at the varsity level and that the current number of healthy players who play the demanding offensive and defensive line positions is becoming very low.

The move does not affect the freshman football squad, and since the freshmen on the junior varsity will be able to play in freshmen games, additional games at that level are being pursued.

The Athletic Director, Garin Veris is a former Cavalier and a former NFL player with the Patriots. I know Mr. Varis and his mom and dad from 15 years back when I use to have a heating & cooling company in Chillicothe. Great people! His mom could make one mean sweet-potato pie!

Anyway, Chillicothe has the right ingredients for success. I watched them scrimmage Wheelersburg and Burg beat them 3-0. They have a quick physical nose-gaurd and a young quarterback who has a strong arm and some wheels too!

Now... before I go any further! I am not a Trojan fan at all! Absolutely, can't stand Portsmouth! Nothing against any kids! Clifford's an idiot! Why he is even coaching anywhere is beyond me! He may be a good person and all but, what I've seen for the last decade or so; the man thinks he is a coaching god! And, believe me he is not! And, the people around him think the same as well; they just are afraid to voice it. Watch! Before the seasons over he will blame anything and everything for the reasons of having a bad season. But, not himself!

This will be a close game! Maybe, one of the better games to watch! Chillicothe 21 Portsmouth 13. Cliffords playcalling loses this one again. And, he doesn't take the time in practice to develop a place kicker. Hence, the missed extra-point!

Tell it like it is!!!!!

VERY WELL SAID... THANK YOU!!!!! 2nd to last paragraph explains it ALL!!

[buckcraze]

Yeah, about the Coach Clifford thing, I have lived north for almost two decades now but still follow my CAVS and some of the comings and goings in SE OH. What I do not understand is why the P-town administration, fans, and families accept the Trojans to be inconsistent at best, but consistent at under achieving when they are surrounded by programs that are good year in and year out, PWest, Wheelersburg, Ironton, and teams on the schedule at that. Excellence is demanded from those programs when the talent is plentiful and when it is weaker. Heck I saw the Chilly-Wheelersburg scrimmage and thought, 'this is a weaker Pirates team than they have had in recent years', they are young, and inexpereienced, but they are sitting at 3-1. My understanding was that this P-town team was going to be loaded with a mix of experience and extremely talented young players, but 0-4. It just seems to me that P-town would want a coach that does the things the Ironton, Wheelersburg, PWest, and other coaches in the area do with the programs that surround the greater P-town area. The quality coaches running these programs seem to stay at or above .500 even when the talent is slim, and they win and win big when the talent is stronger. This what coach Hinton is building in Chilly, and given a few years I believe he will achieve this status. Coach Clifford has been there a long time and has been unable to produce these kinds of results. That is just my opinion, I do not have a dog in this fight, just my opinion.

[handwash77]

I went to portsmouth and love phs football, over the last few years i almost cant digest watching them, we show no signs of a new offense or a coaching change, the end of games this year our kids have quit, we have talent and hope for a win, in the army we had a phrase (you are a direct reflection of your leadership). trojans will be ready to play try hard and dont turn it over!

[Ptown Playmaker]

First of all, let me start by saying go Trojans.....hope we can get the win Friday night.........but, UNTIL everyone that keeps griping & ranting about the status of the football team, get off their butts and question "accountability" to the board & district administration, NOTHING and I repeat NOTHING will change.....I too, am frustrated, but will not give up on the kids......I will continue to be there rooting every game.

[NY BUCKS]

Trojans..Big if they hang on to the ball...42-6

[Archie]

First of all, let me start by saying go Trojans.....hope we can get the win Friday night.........but, UNTIL everyone that keeps griping & ranting about the status of the football team, get off their butts and question "accountability" to the board & district administration, NOTHING and I repeat NOTHING will change.....I too, am frustrated, but will not give up on the kids......I will continue to be there rooting every game.

I've been told by MANY people in the community that they have expressed their frustrations to the "right people" but it has fallen on deaf ears. This board and administration can't be blind

[wipala]

Well, first off GO TROJANS, BEAT THE CAVS!!!!!! PHS and Chilli has been a great
rivarly over the years,,I can remember way back into the 50's, we had some problems
in the 60's and revived..I think all of you know my stance on coach..having said all of it
coach has to circle the wagons and get over the hump..yes I know he is not the one playing, but he sets the tone,,He has been a guard for the program for a long time but things do change..i.e. big 12, sec and pac 12. I truly hope he finds a way to turn it around and the Chilli game would be great place to start..The sad part of the PHS-CHS game is that outside of those two schools, who really cares that much? To use Ohio State for an example,not a good one I know,,but they lose one game and they are ready to lynch the coach..tell me again how many turnovers and missed extra points we have again...

[Go Bucks]

First of all, let me start by saying go Trojans.....hope we can get the win Friday night.........but, UNTIL everyone that keeps griping & ranting about the status of the football team, get off their butts and question "accountability" to the board & district administration, NOTHING and I repeat NOTHING will change.....I too, am frustrated, but will not give up on the kids......I will continue to be there rooting every game.

The blame sits on the administration's shoulders. The "Buddy" system has been in place for way to long. You repeat that NOTHING will change. This is the PROBLEM!!!!!! Something has to give because the opinions of the COMMUNITY, PARENTS, and PLAYERS will not CHANGE!!!!! Some people who are tired of mediocracy are tired of sitting around while NOTHING is done! WAKE UP....tick tick tick tick. GO Trojans

[tomcat]

I hope the kids down there dont read this trash, for crying out loud if you dont like it go do something, posting on a site like this will not get anything done.


a show of hands, how many of you are from Portsmouth ,and even care?

[Go Bucks]

I am. The kids are the ones who are unhappy I'm sure. They just can't get anything done with the situation. And you see, this is doing something, look over the past few forums of Portsmouth, many more community members are starting to stand up and voice there opinion.

[camnott]

Portsmouth has a proud and storied tradition and Chillicothe has one of the best coaches in high school football. I think that both will work this bump in the road out. Good luck to both teams (except for weeks 6 and 9) I mean really I am an Ironmen fan but wish all SEOAL programs success.

[buckcraze]

I hope the kids down there dont read this trash, for crying out loud if you dont like it go do something, posting on a site like this will not get anything done.


a show of hands, how many of you are from Portsmouth ,and even care?

Tom, I stated in one of my posts that I am not from P-town and did not have a dog in the fight. I was just curious why the administration, fans, and families allow their program to be less than that of the ones that immediately suround the Trojan area. There are coaches in the Trojan front yard, not just backyard, that are doing it differently,obviously, and it is obvious that their way works, and Coach Clifford's does not. Chilly had felt that way for a while and made a change, as some believe for the better. Chilly has done this with no Ironton, Wheelersburg, PWest, in Chilly's back yard or front yard. Just asking why this type of change is not happening in P-town. I do not know Coach Clifford, I do know he has recently suffered a personal tradegy and I offer my sincere condolences to him and his family, but that does change the disapopintment I read from a lot of P-town fans, yet nothing is done.

As far as the game goes, whoever gets out early, holds on to the ball the most, wins this one, I know P-town is talented but I cannot give up on my Cavalier bretheren

Chilly 34
P-town 14

Good Luck to both teams, and may both come out without any injuries.

[maniac66]

Like they say you can't win tomorrow if your not willing to learn today.
Have to start learning in two a days and keep learning through out the year and I am sure the kids want to win and the coaches do to sometimes it does seem like that but I am sure these two programs and many other prefer to lose so maybe what they learn now will help them later in the year and give them knowledge of what it takes for next year to win.
Good luck to both teams and stay healthy.
Chilli 28 Portsmouth 23

[Westfan]

It's easy to blame the coach. But maybe Portsmouth doesn't have as much football talent as everyone says. Maybe they have "athletes" and everyone they've played have more "football" players. Maybe their is alot more to football than how fast you can run. Maybe they care more about basketball at Portsmouth than football and the school's enrollment has dropped enough that it isn't big enough to focus in both.

Anymore, with all the summer ball it's really hard to excell in more than 1 sport. Football requires year round conditioning and weighlifting, especially from your big kids. Baseball has turned into a year-round sport. Basketball is probably the most fundamental sport of them all. Takes year-round play to excell. Look no further than the basketball forum at the number of posts on Portsmouth basketball. Basketball is their sport.

Look at the number of junior and seniors playing football at Wheelersburg. They have excelled at all 3 sports for a long time. But really basketball and baseball have passed football in success at the state level the last few years. Alot of kids play those sports because their easier on the body, they have a big chance at a scholarship, and they play more games.

[Ptown Playmaker]

First of all, let me start by saying go Trojans.....hope we can get the win Friday night.........but, UNTIL everyone that keeps griping & ranting about the status of the football team, get off their butts and question "accountability" to the board & district administration, NOTHING and I repeat NOTHING will change.....I too, am frustrated, but will not give up on the kids......I will continue to be there rooting every game.

The blame sits on the administration's shoulders. The "Buddy" system has been in place for way to long. You repeat that NOTHING will change. This is the PROBLEM!!!!!! Something has to give because the opinions of the COMMUNITY, PARENTS, and PLAYERS will not CHANGE!!!!! Some people who are tired of mediocracy are tired of sitting around while NOTHING is done! WAKE UP....tick tick tick tick. GO Trojans

Agree with you and other comments......my point is........I believe the opinions are stated on here and other forums, BUT NOT directly with the administration & the board.......if this wasn't the case, then community could've made a change in the board/administration to get CHANGE.....just as people does with any elected official in office.

Go Trojans.

[Trojan_FB_Alum]

It's easy to blame the coach. But maybe Portsmouth doesn't have as much football talent as everyone says. Maybe they have "athletes" and everyone they've played have more "football" players. Maybe their is alot more to football than how fast you can run. Maybe they care more about basketball at Portsmouth than football and the school's enrollment has dropped enough that it isn't big enough to focus in both.

Anymore, with all the summer ball it's really hard to excell in more than 1 sport. Football requires year round conditioning and weighlifting, especially from your big kids. Baseball has turned into a year-round sport. Basketball is probably the most fundamental sport of them all. Takes year-round play to excell. Look no further than the basketball forum at the number of posts on Portsmouth basketball. Basketball is their sport.

Look at the number of junior and seniors playing football at Wheelersburg. They have excelled at all 3 sports for a long time. But really basketball and baseball have passed football in success at the state level the last few years. Alot of kids play those sports because their easier on the body, they have a big chance at a scholarship, and they play more games.

Great post. This is incredibly true at PHS, we have good athletes, we have speed but we don't have football players. Bodied builds are even different. Look at some of our guys now and compare them to guys from successful teams and they are just built differently, not saying anything wrong with it just that their builds don't favor football like they do basketball. Our fastest and best athletes are probably Wayne Evans, and Zaide Whitley, both are basketball first guys that we weren't even sure if they were going to play this year.
Then look at our line, we are undersized slower and weaker than most. Sorry guys but it’s just the way it is. Our young linemen need to make a commitment if we want the program to improve. Find a speed program, and get in the weight room. When I was in school the linemen always had linemen conditioning led by the seniors that year all summer long. Does any of this happen anymore?

[handwash77]

If we couldnt win a state title with the team we had in 2000 jo jo era we will never get one with this regime. i only hear the stories of that team ( i missed 1999-2006 due to the army). i heard that team was the best some trojans fans have ever seen.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

wow, i realize these two teams are down, but it has not been that long till both were playing for titles and this was a huge game.

[javagt]

Good luck to both teams... I won't pick a winner. I hope that both teams will see some positives from this game.