The WCAL 2017

• Oldest Rider2

  oldsmithie;1879415 wrote:Well the season is over for most of the league! Congrats to Dalton, Norwayne and Hillsdale! all made the playoffs! I expect to see the Bulldogs and Bobcats win big as I know the schools they are playing, don't know much about the Hillsdale opponent.

  I think Dalton makes it to the final 4. Not sure they go any further though. Norwayne will win a game. Hillsdale could easily pull off the "upset" in their game. Seneca East isn't as good as their record indicates come playoff time most years.
  
  Just some personal observations and questions:
  
  When will Norwayne's run come to an end? They just churn out tough team after tough team since the Multarich days.
  
  Will Dial stay at Dalton?
  
  I really thought Devault would be done after the way the season was playing out. The very large win over Triway made the bitter taste of the year easier to handle. They will be tough the next couple years.
  
  Triway is in trouble. They had high hopes and came extremely short and lose a lot of players. I've heard many unhappy Titans the last few weeks. I was also told by a Triway faithful that there has been some issues with the new coach. Could he be 1 and done?
  
  Smithville had a great group, but depth and experience could be the death blow. It was unfortunately. Hope they recover. I think they shouldn't worry too much about that coach. He's been solid when the talent was there.
  
  Waynedale. Ouch. The coach should have spent more time studying football and hiring proper coaches. In all reality, this isn't nearly as big of a deal if he hadn't been going around telling everyone how much better previous teams should have been with different coaching. Telling a specific journalist that he could do better with the same kids was a major mistake as well. Wrestling season couldn't come soon enough. Good luck to the wrestling program. I hope my Red Riders give you a run for your money again this year.
• oldsmithie

  A Big Congrats to the WCAL!!!! all three playoff teams won! Its on to the second round for Dalton, Norwayne and Hillsdale!!! Norwayne seems to have the biggest challenge as they take on Rootstown (the number one seed in the region).
• oldsmithie

  I watched the Dalton game last week and so this week I am headed just up the road (for me) to Green and watch Norwayne and Rootstown square off! Should be a great game!!
• oldsmithie

  And then there were two!! Dalton and Hillsdale still playing!! both going for Regional titles. I went to the Norwayne game last friday, it was cold and a very small turnout of the Bobcat faithful!! Rootstown dominated the entire game!!
• O-Trap

  

  Whoa. Didn't realize two teams in Region 25 made the playoffs with a .500 or worse record. It feels like it's been a minute since I'd seen that.
• Wcal observer

  OMG! What was Dial thinking??? Take a knee and it's ball game! No need to even risk a turnover! One of the biggest gifts I ever seen.
• Wcal observer

  green machine;1878732 wrote:There has been a lot of talk that Coach B will be resigning at the end of the year. Not sure how true it is but you never know. If he does it will sure give us a lot to talk about in the off season.

  Start talking, Coach Bescanson has resigned
• oldsmithie

  The Dalton game was exciting to watch but bad decisions at the end! Smithville will now start the process of looking for a head coach!!! Hope they go outside the area!
• Oldest Rider2

  Wcal observer;1882161 wrote:Start talking, Coach Bescanson has resigned

  Didn't resign. Asked to resign. Big difference.
• oldsmithie

  Well then oldest rider, you must have inside info! Paper said nothing about being asked to resign. I do know from talking to some parents at the games this year that, there was a growing group of people that wanted him out. Besancon is a decent man and a decent coach, but he could not get the program to where it needed to be.
• Wcal observer

  Don't really care either way, just stating that's he's out. However, regardless if he did it on his own or was asked; did he not still resign?
• Wcal observer

  Serious question. I agree he was not a great coach, but not a bad one either. He won games he shouldn't have, and lost ones he should have won. My question is what does Smithville really think they are going to get that is so much better? I could see if they were a doormat, but they have been competitive, and advanced In the playoffs. This isn't a shot at Smithville, I'm just stating that Chuck Kyle isn't leaving Ignatius for Smithville. I'm honestly not trying to be a smart a**, I just think D5, D6, and D7 schools sometimes become delusional in terms of what coach they can get and retain. These schools tend to be stepping stones for good coaches. Chippewacoach surprised most by staying, and I'm sure the opportunity will present itself at Dalton. It's really a crap shoot at lower level divisons you either get a retread, or young unproven coach.
• oldcat

  maybe maltrich will come back to the WCAL? Zuercher? Or Bill Dennis?​
• oldsmithie

  WCAL observer, could not disagree with you more! Why should Smithville settle for being mediocre? Lets bring in some fresh ideas and leadership. I hope that BOE is smart enough to hire from outside the area and not just move some assistant coach up. As for quality coaches at small schools, just take a look at the MAC and CVC (two small school leagues that are State powers.) , those coaches have stayed put and not gone on to bigger schools.
• O-Trap

  

  oldcat;1882785 wrote:maybe maltrich will come back to the WCAL? Zuercher? Or Bill Dennis?​

  I'd be interested in seeing Maltrich. Maaaaybe Zuercher.
  
  But Bill Dennis?
  
  
  

  oldsmithie;1883003 wrote:WCAL observer, could not disagree with you more! Why should Smithville settle for being mediocre? Lets bring in some fresh ideas and leadership. I hope that BOE is smart enough to hire from outside the area and not just move some assistant coach up. As for quality coaches at small schools, just take a look at the MAC and CVC (two small school leagues that are State powers.) , those coaches have stayed put and not gone on to bigger schools.

  It's worth noting that those schools have ongoing traditions that have been largely perpetuated BY those coaches. In effect, it's still not necessarily realistic for the school to expect that kind of longevity. Instead, it is only realistic for the coach to bring that kind of longevity. Basically, it's an exception to the rule that is more in spite of the school size and because of the coach. We've seen it in the WCAL, but it's hardly the norm.
  
  I'm also curious what Smithville expects to get. Make no mistake, Besancon is no Schrock, either in coaching style or caliber. But he was shaped in no small part by Schrock, so there are elements of Schrock's style that he can still bring.
  
  It's easy to forget the speed bumps after someone leaves a good legacy, but despite Schrock's well-deserved legacy (I would personally argue that he's the best small-school area head coach in my lifetime, Jim France included), he did coach teams that lost games they should have won. Waynedale in '98? Chippewa in '99? Northwestern in '01? Monroe-Central in '01? Pleasant in '02 (I hate to cast aspersions on a State Title game, but they WERE winning into the third quarter, I believe)? Hillsdale in '05? Northwestern in '06?
  
  But he did a ton to get his teams UP for games too, rising to meet teams that were superior in talent, size and speed. Dalton, Amanda-Clearcreek, and Shenandoah in '01. Dalton, Bedford St. Peter Chanel, and Delphos St. Johns in '02. Waynedale in '03. Dalton in '04. Dalton and Norwayne in '05. Norwayne in '11.
  
  My point is, while I don't think Besancon is as good as Schrock, I'm not sure Smithville will find a candidate who is, and I think Besancon was definitely good. At least worth being treated as the bird in the hand, and with time, I could have seen him becoming a great coach.
  
  After all again, he played under and coached under the Godfather himself. He knew what a successful program looked like from the inside, both as a player and as a coach.