Norwalk St. Paul def. Grove City Christian 52-7

• Squirmydog

  Dave33 wrote:

  94hoops wrote:Dave33,
  
  The highest rated team you played prior to the playoffs was Bishop Rosecrans rated #466 and you lost the regualr season matchup to them. We played 4 teams tougher than ZBR and defeated them by a combined score of 155-38. Three of those regular season games were against opponents rated 248, 325, and 274.
  
  I wouldn't use the quality of wins against losing teams as a comparison..

  Granted but we didn't play anyone GOOD basically during the reg season but shady and malv are rated right up with the good teams NSP beat.
  
  Again.. all we are saying is that this will be a CLOSE game.. that's it.. that's all we are saying. We're not boasting of a huge win like everyone else is including the statistical math models folks like calpreps/drew pasteur, etc.. they've blown it 2 weeks in a row.

  AMEN! GCC fans have been saying for all wek that GCC's speed, quickness and conditioning will keep up with NSP. Who will win? Posters will not determine that. But based on watching GCC all year and watching the Wynford game, IMO its going to be a contest. These teams are not playing anyone or anytime except vs each other in week 14........Hold on......Appalachian State is on the phone..........
• Squirmydog

  I put this similar question out to Malvern fans last week. What is NSP going to do that GCC will be incapable of coping with?
• Sonofanump

  Squirmydog wrote:GCC fans have been saying for all wek that GCC's speed, quickness and conditioning will keep up with NSP.

  This is the problem that everyone who has seen St. Paul play can not fathom.
  I am stunned how quick they are at every position, including both sides of the line.
• MessyDinosaur

  I find it hard for anyone D6 team in ohio to be as fast as St.Pauls, but if GCC is indeed faster and in better condition than St.Pauls it should make for a good game!
• Arnold

  Squirmydog wrote: I put this similar question out to Malvern fans last week. What is NSP going to do that GCC will be incapable of coping with?

  If I had to guess it would be stopping the pass and yardage after catch. But SP is good at all phases of the game. Although they are not a typical power running team, they can run up the middle on their terms. To give you an idea of how varied the offense is, Mogadore did a good job of stopping St Paul's inside running game, and you know how that game turned out, 41-0 at half.
  
  St Paul has scored a lot of point on a simple jet sweep. They will probably do it first series. It's a good test of the defense's speed, pursuit, and discipline. Some opponents have taken measures to stop it successfully, like Crestview, but keying on that will leave other things open. If you let #86 or #23 catch the ball in the open field against a defender one on one, that is very exciting to watch. It's a fun team to watch, but when you see SP take the field for warmups you will not be impressed. They have no size, and like the one poster said on the other site, a Wynford fan said SP looked like their JV team.
• Arnold

  And if you can cope with all that, if the QB gets into the secondary or around the edge, he runs a 4.5 40. It's a fun team to watch.
• buckeyedan

  It's always amazing how many kids in Ohio have 4.5 speed on the internet! lol
  
  anyway, FWIW the strength of the GCCS defense is probably their DBs so that should help some...
  
  at this stage of the game I doubt you'd expect any opponent to have a big weakness so teams have always been able to make adjustments or they would have lost before this
  
  MessyDinosaur if GCC were faster and in better condition they win easily! I think their hope is to be close to as fast and in good enough condition... having a number of kids not going 2 ways always helps... to keep up and make a game of it.
• underdog32

  Nice article about Cody Lucas, he sounds like a great kid.
  
  I am glad Thanksgiving is finally over. Now we can focus on the things that really matter, like high school football! I can't wait for this game. People have said all week that St. Paul is the heavy favorite on paper, GCC didn't played anyone during the regular season, and region 23 is weak. We will find out tomorrow night! It is hard for either side to gauge an opponent when they know so little about them and have no common opponents. If GCC can match St. Paul's speed and conditioning, this could be a game. If they cannot, then it will be a long night for them.
• Arnold

  Congrats to the Lucas kid on being a good student and his service to the community. This is what our schools are about. Football, if you can believe it, is secondary.
• xzqq8k

  In regards to 4.5 speed, #8, #44 and #86 were all on the 4 x 100m relay that came in 3rd in state last year with a time of 43.3.
• kathyjane

  good luck to GCC
• buckeyedan

  I'm sure they are fast xzqq8k... but that's really not a good comparison at all as three of those runners would have running starts...
  
  there aren't a lot of HS kids (or ever college kids) out there running 4.5s despite what you hear from fans...
• Arnold

  You're right, there are not many.
• Squirmydog

  One thing I really appreciate about NSP is that their skilled kids are football fast. Straight line speed and 40 times are borderline useless measures. 10yds and shuttles are far more useful. NSP made Wynford look almost silly at times with their quickness. GCC will be a far better match.
• MessyDinosaur

  No they actually run 4.5's Matt Wilde clocked a 4.39 (school record) and his Brother Justin clocked a 4.44 last year. I can see Schweiterman running a 4.5 and Griff running a low 4.6 high 4.5. Anyways that just means they are all faster than me! I think all of the NSP kids have good field speed though.
• 94hoops

  I hope no disrespect is taken but I just feel that NSP is 4 TD's better than GCC. I've drawn that conclusion from watching NSP play most of their games this season and by watching highlights of GCC. I'm that confident of this football team that I think they make statement in this game and win by alot.
  
  If I'm a GCC fan, I'm happy that their fans feel that way because it hasn't hurt us yet to this point.
• Dave33

  The paper in Northern Ohio (The Morning Journal) is running a 2 days series on the game. The GCC feature is today and the NSP will run tomorrow. Good article today.
  
  http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2009/11/27/sports/doc4b0f53f401155746860121.txt
  
  
  Take away section:
  
  Barns has never been more focused. Although it upsets him that his team are usually tabbed “underdogs” — it motivates him.
  
  “It’s all redemption, getting back at everybody else,” said Barns, who has attracted attention from schools such as Ohio University, Mount Union, Ohio Wesleyan, West Liberty, Wilmington and Capital. “We’ve been the underdog and we’re out to prove people wrong.
  
  “This year will always be remembered. In four years, we already made it to the state semifinals and I don’t think too many other teams have done that. It’s a great feeling.”
  
  Coach Lucas couldn’t be more proud of his team, but he also knows there is work to do.
  
  “(St. Paul) is a super-strong team,” coach Lucas said. “They’re a storied program. They have a lot of good team speed. They’re going to come to stop the run, but we feel our passing game could help balance that out a little bit. We have our work cut out.”
• Squirmydog

  No disrespect is taken, but I stridently disagree. We have the advantage of watching an entire unedited SP game. As I watched the game, I was struck with how closely the two offenses mirrored each other in terms of talent. I think you will see this tomorrow how fast of a game is going to be played. The margin of error is going to be small. I hope everyone stops by our tailgate tomorrow for fellowship and food starting at 4:30-5ish at the dentist office on Katherine across the street from the stadium. Bring your appetites plz.
• MessyDinosaur

  Norwalk St.Paul Flyer playoff games courtesy of Spflyerfan:
  - Berlin Center
  - Mogadore
• Dave33

  Finally found the NBC4 video of the feature they did this week on GCC
  
  http://tinyurl.com/gcctv4
• 94hoops

  Squirm,
  
  I was certain that you would disagree but did you have to stridently disagree with me.
• underdog32

  At the 5 minute mark of the Mogadore highlights is one of the sweetest high school football plays I have ever seen.
• Squirmydog

  How about ardently? : )
• booboomonkey

  Squirmydog wrote: How about ardently? : )

  Maybe vehemently?
  
  
  LOL!
• Squirmydog

  booboomonkey wrote:

  Squirmydog wrote: How about ardently? : )

  Maybe vehemently?
  
  
  LOL!

  Vociferously! Here's the deal. I am watching the Catholic schools lay whoopins on people tonight. I think it would very easy to translate those wins into projections for tomorrow. I went to practice tonight. These kids are loose and ready to play with abandon. If there is any pressure, it is on St Paul. GCC has put no pressure on themselves at all. I'm just sayin', this is a trap game. Just be careful my NSP brothers and sisters.