(1-7) Gallia Academy @ (7-1) Zanesville

[loganlocos]

Jottings -

I'd say you'll have room in the pressbox.

We weren't even crowded for the playoff game with Louisville and there were a decent amount of media there.

ZanesVegas hides up top so you don't have to worry about him getting in the way ;)

Since the renovation Sulsberger is a very nice facility. When the visitors stands are replaced (maybe that's done?) and parking is added it will be top notch.

[Paladin]

This game will be no match. ZHS wins it easy. I don't think Zville makes the playoffs but this game is not in doubt.

[Ptown Playmaker]

Rooting for Gallia to win from Ptown.

[E_Waugh]

Zanesville wins this one....

Zanesville 42
Gallia Academy 21

[Zanes-Vegas]

e_waugh -- Only one team has scored more than 13 against us all year -- Logan. The 13 by Licking Valley is the only other time we've given up double-digits, and those came after we gave up a couple fumbles deep in our own territory. Newark's 6 came against our JV defense on fourth-down of a goal-line stand. Chillicothe's 7 was a field goal and two safeties on bad punt-team snaps near our goal line. St. Charles' lone TD came on a busted assignment. Oddly -- other than Logan -- Beaver Local has the only sustained drive against our defense all year. Now, I'm not saying you're way off on Gallia's 21 points this week -- it's just that the trend doesn't seem to indicate it. I do, however, expect the "other" Blue Devils to bring their A game.

gahs4ever -- I'd heard you'd had some health troubles, but I'm glad you're working hard to overcome them. Maybe I can hook up with you on one of my trips down to Marshall. Sorry to hear you won't be able to make it up to see our refurbished stadium, but maybe someday you'll have the opportunity. We're proud of what we've done here, and we're still not yet finished. Which brings me to ....

Locos -- The visitors bleachers were put on hold until next year. We want to install seating for about 3,200 -- and our cashflow at the moment doesn't quite allow it. We also believe the District will be able to kick in some funds for that part of the project (everything else has been done through private funding). That should be the last major portion of the entire project, though we do plan to add permanent restrooms, etc., on that side and also plan to renovate the press box. Which now takes me to ....

Jottings -- You can reach the ZHS athletic department directly at 740-588-4203. That will take you directly to Connie Strickler, our department secretary, who runs the dang place anyway. Locos is right -- there should be plenty of room -- but I know Scott appreciates folks calling ahead even if it's only to give him a relative number of people who need space. Press-boxers are fed, too -- usually BW3 wings before the game and sandwiches, etc., at the half. If radio folks are coming, too, they might want to phone ahead -- what used to be the "visitors radio" spot is now our video room, though there still should be plenty of room in the common area on the first level. Have a good trip up!

[jottings]

Zanesville’s season record

Friday’s non-league game with Zanesville will be the second and final in history. The Z-Devils blanked GAHS 12-0 in a league battle in the mud on Memorial Field in 2008.

Here is Zanesville’s 2009 season record:

Zanesville 51 Newark 6
Zanesville 29 Licking Valley 13
Zanesville 28 Wheeling Park 0
Zanesville 14 Chillicothe 7
Zanesville 49 Beaver Lisbon 7
Zanesville 0 Logan 26
Zanesville 15 Columbus St. Charles 7
Zanesville 55 Marietta 0
Zanesville ? Gallipolis ?
Totals 241 66
Won 7, Lost 1

[jottings]

Thanks Connie for the press box reservation. Sounds like it will be a great place to be Friday, especially if the weather is bad.

Gallipolis usually has three radio broadcasters from 99.5, The Big Country, Pt. Pleasant, W. Va., and three TV people for replays on Saturday and Tuesday from the Pomeroy TV station. plus myself for stats. Don't know is the local paper will send anybody this year.

[Zanes-Vegas]

I don't think WHIZ is doing this game for TV, but they will (AM side) for radio. They have their own booth.

And yes, if the weather is bad, it's a nice place to be. I've been known to heckle my wife via text during the game, though there have been times where she's sneaked up there to sit with me!

See you Friday. No mud this year, except maybe getting to and from the Stadium (construction of our new high school is on-going)!

[trojanofthepast]

I hope the kids from Gallia can pull the upset they deserve it. This Gallia team plays hard every week and they have some athletes. If they continue to play with heart and the desire to win the W's will start to come. Finish strong this year and it will help you build for next season. GOOD LUCK BLUE DEVILS.

[GAHS7462]

I saw my last GAHS Blue Devil football game last friday. My work schledule has changed this week and I have to work fridays for the next 6months. So it will be hard to make any long trips(even for basketball).. BUT!!!!I will be listening to the game on the radio.
So Good luck Big Blue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[GAHS7462]

The Blue Devil team of the Gallipolis variety is a hard team to handicap, if you dont mind that term.

To misquote Forrest Gump's mom, "they are like a box of chocolates; you dont know what you are going to get." The first four games we had fumbled 16 times and lost every single one of them. Hard to overcome when you dont score a lot of points yourself We literally gave the Athens, Hillsboro, and Jackson games away due in large part to turnovers.

Then when we started to get a handle (again pun intended) on that aspect, our special teams cost us a couple of games. Three returns for TDs in the Portsmouth game, and then last Friday just when we started to move the ball and put it in the end zone, Hartley had an 85 yd return. This year we have learned the hard way that it takes all three areas executing (offense/defense/special teams) for us to win.

We have cut down on penalties drastically as the improvement continues week to week, and our scoring has picked up the last four games (16, 21, 27, 14).

Our kids and coaches continue to work hard in this transition year and there isnt an ounce of quit in any of them. This is a different team than the one Zanesville played at our place in week 9 last year and it is because our kids have bought into what the coaches are preaching and they just love playing football. I hope our student section can make the trip because we have received compliments about them from most of the schools we have played this year about their spirit, noise, and passion.

It would have to be considered an upset for GAHS to win (head speaking rather than the heart), but then nothing these kids do surprises me. Luck happens when hard work meets opportunity,and these kids are workers. It is just a matter of time before that hard work is rewarded. It would be nice if it happened this Friday night.

Can I get an amen, Z-V?

I'll give you a big AMEN brother

[Zanes-Vegas]

Heard dat!

If your coaching staff has been able to build on that despite the disparity in the record, then they're doing a great job and should be on track. Again, the take up here is that your 1-7 is much more deceptive than, say, Marietta's. Whole different deal. Should be a slam-banger on Friday.

[zbd]

I hope the kids from Gallia can pull the upset they deserve it. This Gallia team plays hard every week and they have some athletes. If they continue to play with heart and the desire to win the W's will start to come. Finish strong this year and it will help you build for next season. GOOD LUCK BLUE DEVILS.

What makes Gallia BD more deserving of a win then Zville BD? Zville coaches and players work hard too instead of being 1-7 they are 7-1 does that make them less deserving please explain that comment!!!!! Maybe it is that Portsmouth people dont like Zville because your great team of 2 years ago came to Zville and got SMOKED!!!!

[trojanofthepast]

I hope the kids from Gallia can pull the upset they deserve it. This Gallia team plays hard every week and they have some athletes. If they continue to play with heart and the desire to win the W's will start to come. Finish strong this year and it will help you build for next season. GOOD LUCK BLUE DEVILS.

What makes Gallia BD more deserving of a win then Zville BD? Zville coaches and players work hard too instead of being 1-7 they are 7-1 does that make them less deserving please explain that comment!!!!! Maybe it is that Portsmouth people dont like Zville because your great team of 2 years ago came to Zville and got SMOKED!!!!

My point is that many team that are 1-7 have usually thrown in the towel on winning (exp. Chilly). And what I've seen from this Gallia team that's not the case. These kids come out and play hard every week despite their record. That is a testament to the Coaches and Players of Gallia Academy. And I would like to see them pull the upset for their efforts. As for Portsmouth getting beat 2 yrs ago, you are right your team was better than our. I don't have a problem when we get beat by a team that is flat out better than we are. And that year your team was flat out better than ours was.

[zbd]

I hope the kids from Gallia can pull the upset they deserve it. This Gallia team plays hard every week and they have some athletes. If they continue to play with heart and the desire to win the W's will start to come. Finish strong this year and it will help you build for next season. GOOD LUCK BLUE DEVILS.

What makes Gallia BD more deserving of a win then Zville BD? Zville coaches and players work hard too instead of being 1-7 they are 7-1 does that make them less deserving please explain that comment!!!!! Maybe it is that Portsmouth people dont like Zville because your great team of 2 years ago came to Zville and got SMOKED!!!!

My point is that many team that are 1-7 have usually thrown in the towel on winning (exp. Chilly). And what I've seen from this Gallia team that's not the case. These kids come out and play hard every week despite their record. That is a testament to the Coaches and Players of Gallia Academy. And I would like to see them pull the upset for their efforts. As for Portsmouth getting beat 2 yrs ago, you are right your team was better than our. I don't have a problem when we get beat by a team that is flat out better than we are. And that year your team was flat out better than ours was.

Thank you for explaining I will agree it is good to see those kids have not given up. I will say if I come across harsh I am sorry it just seems on this site and others that Portsmouth fans do not like Zville. Good luck to both teams but feel Zville Blue Devils will come out on top.

[Zanes-Vegas]

Looks like zbd had a little too much coffee this morning. Or not enough.

I think the score that speaks of that is GAHS beating Chilliothe 27-10. It wasn't a squeaker. It was a solid win by a team that is still playing hard despite its record over a team that apparently gave up on its season several weeks ago. "On paper" (or even in mud ), that matchup should be more competitive than that, IMO. So whatever Coach Eddy and his staff are doing down there to keep their players focused seems to be working well and should pay huge dividends in the short-term future. Some of us just want to make sure the short term doesn't include Friday.

[Zanes-Vegas]

Your equipment guy will appreciate the "clean" uniforms after Friday's game.

Chad mentioned during today's QB Club luncheon about how Gallia Academy's much more impressive on film than they are by merely looking at the standings. He clearly sees that GAHS plays hard and plays physical, and credits the coaches down there for keeping their kids focused on PLAYING THE GAME despite what the scoreboard says.

Honestly, it's difficult to make any kind of valid assumptions here. We only have two common opponents -- Logan and Chillicothe -- and I don't know if either is truly a good barometer based on when in the season they were played by each of us.

Let's just tee it up and see what happens!

[noreply66]

When Gallipolis played Logan their QB didn't play plus a few other top players and against Chillicothe it was Gallia all the way.

[chieftainpride06]

I would love to see gallia win this game. but in reality i dont see gallia winning this game. I hate to say that but i think if z-ville loses this week its because they beat themselves which is very possible keep pressure on there qb and he seems to crumble like a cookie at least that what i witnessed the only time ive ever seen him play but then again they were playing THE LOGAN CHIEFTAINS lol so maybe he wasnt that bad........ mu hahahaha

[Trojan Explosion]

zanesville 27-26