2015 SOC 2 - Predictions, discussion, thoughts?

[Westfan]

Wheelersburg still has to be the favorite until someone beats them. They will be good again. How good probably depends on the offensive line.

Valley returns the most but I'm not buying best team in school history and stuff I've read on here. They have some excellent players, but the Keller/Yates and Dunn/Arnett teams were quite a bit better imo. Still close to those teams is really good.

I look for Waverly to be better. They were much more physical last year. Gave West fits.

Minford. Like last year I'm not buying it. I think they're being built up too much because they were young last year and they are moving down from D4. When I watched them last year I remember one outstanding athlete outside of Cain Madden and that was the quarterback who graduated.

Like last year still don't know about West. We will be very physical and well coached. See how it comes together.

[lineman7]

Thats an interesting comment about Valley... I do see where you are coming from the Yates/Keller team and Dunn/Arnett teams were special for Valley, but what I believe that people are talking about is this years Valley team has the potential to be a combination of those teams... Yates/Keller teams were below average on defense but explosive on offense while the Dunn/Arnett teams were average on offense but great on defense. What Valley showed late last year is like combining the two teams together... The offense was explosive in both passing and running and the defense was great as well (the defense might be the best coaching job I have seen at the high school level from week 1 where they gave up 40 to Portsmouth to week 14 where the defense played amazing against Kirtland). I agree Valley is thin in the skill position areas (the lines have A LOT of depth), but if they stay healthy I think you might see something like a combination of the previous Valley teams

[Westfan]

Thats an interesting comment about Valley... I do see where you are coming from the Yates/Keller team and Dunn/Arnett teams were special for Valley, but what I believe that people are talking about is this years Valley team has the potential to be a combination of those teams... Yates/Keller teams were below average on defense but explosive on offense while the Dunn/Arnett teams were average on offense but great on defense. What Valley showed late last year is like combining the two teams together... The offense was explosive in both passing and running and the defense was great as well (the defense might be the best coaching job I have seen at the high school level from week 1 where they gave up 40 to Portsmouth to week 14 where the defense played amazing against Kirtland). I agree Valley is thin in the skill position areas (the lines have A LOT of depth), but if they stay healthy I think you might see something like a combination of the previous Valley teams

Maybe. They were just juniors. Now you get to see what they do as seniors and what legacy they leave.

Those other teams were physically dominate. I just didn't see that last year. Yes they advanced further in the playoffs, but that had alot to do with playing in a watered-down D6. As a comparison Wheelersburg may have won D6 last year. I know Valley is D6 but they play against D5 teams in the regular season and that is what they have to be compared to. And the difference from D5 to D6 is substantial.

[4thgoal]

How many linemen return for wheelersburg this year? They had good skill players but the line was the difference.

The line will be based around the 3 seniors - Sam Hall (6-3, 280), Brady Newsome (6-1, 320) and Colin Ahad (6-2, 260).

[wobycat]

Valley can't compare Portsmouth to kirtland. Valley can line up against a kirtland, ironton etc and fair well this year. They are strong and physical but against a spread offense they will struggle. They don't seem to have the lateral quickness as those teams mentioned in the past. Valley always does well in post season. If they get there, they will do well again but this is an SOC conversation, and they don't match up well with burg and west seems to well against them.

[Westfan]

I expected Kirtland to be much better than they were. They were a good team, but several local teams could've played right with them.

[Crab's Brother]

Crabtree is a terrific coach. His winning % speaks for itself. Having said that, I can't see valley overcoming a 26 point difference from last year that fields the same team minus their outside threat. Burg will just fill in with what was lost. Minford is the X factor this year. I still have burg winning with west at home.

2010

Wheelersburg 42
Valley 20


2011

Valley 39
Wheelersburg 27

34 point difference there when Valley brought back their entire team so it can be done.

There is a ton of football to be played and I like the Indians chances. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I am just glad that we are talking SOC football again.

[doubleplay643]

Last year I predicted a 3-way tie with Burg-Valley-West all knocking one or the other off.

Since that didn't happen, will double down and predict it again...

[Jason Vorhees]

The gold ball goes through Valley. It's theirs to win or lose.
1-Valley
2-Burg
3/4 Minford/West
5 Waverly
I firmly believe 1-4 could go anyway. It's going to be an extremely competitive SOC2 football conference this year.

[SPAMONY]

The gold ball goes through Valley. It's theirs to win or lose.
1-Valley
2-Burg
3/4 Minford/West
5 Waverly
I firmly believe 1-4 could go anyway. It's going to be an extremely competitive SOC2 football conference this year.

REALLY LOL ...... come on all 43 combinations of you CRAB guys..... get control of MR. Vorhees!

[Badboy]

The gold ball goes through Valley. It's theirs to win or lose.
1-Valley
2-Burg
3/4 Minford/West
5 Waverly
I firmly believe 1-4 could go anyway. It's going to be an extremely competitive SOC2 football conference this year.

REALLY LOL ...... come on all 43 combinations of you CRAB guys..... get control of MR. Vorhees!

Havent seen you on here in ages and you are just popping up in all kinds of unusual places today

[Crab's Brother]

The gold ball goes through Valley. It's theirs to win or lose.
1-Valley
2-Burg
3/4 Minford/West
5 Waverly
I firmly believe 1-4 could go anyway. It's going to be an extremely competitive SOC2 football conference this year.

REALLY LOL ...... come on all 43 combinations of you CRAB guys..... get control of MR. Vorhees!

Pretty sure he is from Oak Hill, so not exactly my job to "Get control" of him.

[SPAMONY]

The gold ball goes through Valley. It's theirs to win or lose.
1-Valley
2-Burg
3/4 Minford/West
5 Waverly
I firmly believe 1-4 could go anyway. It's going to be an extremely competitive SOC2 football conference this year.

REALLY LOL ...... come on all 43 combinations of you CRAB guys..... get control of MR. Vorhees!

Pretty sure he is from Oak Hill, so not exactly my job to "Get control" of him.

that explains it lol!!! my bad to all the CRABS!!

[Seops123]

Mr. Vorhees is from Oak Hill? I wonder what he thinks about getting them Oaks to jump to the SOC 2?

[Jason Vorhees]

Bad idea, for the time being. We're talking about a school who is finally starting to put together successful seasons. Four out of the last six years they have made the playoffs. If this trend continues, then within the next five years they should get the nod. Oak Hill is finally getting the numbers out (60 last year if I remember correctly) to produce a winner, year in and year out. Before Valley joined the SOC2, they dominated the league, with the exception of Symmes Valley in 2002 (Symmes 15-14) 2003 (Symmes 14-7) and 2004 (Symmes 7-6). Outside of that, Valley, between 2001 and 2005 was 22-0 against all other league opponents. Oak Hill, since 2009 has been 22-3 in league play (including Northwest this previous season) since then. Ironically, two out of three Oak Hill's losses were to Symmes Valley, just like the three straight against Lucasville Valley. There is similarities in how they have performed. However, if you look at the ppg and pa, Valley during that stretch averaged 34.24 ppg while just having 5.4 pa. Oak Hill on the other hand averaged 34.32 ppg while having 13.08 pa. So, the disparity lies within the defense and being able to sustain stability. That's why I say give it within the next five years. If this trend continues for Oak Hill, I see no reason why they shouldn't be in the SOC2. More stability brings more kids; more kids brings more fans. Winning cures a lot. This trend has to continue. Otherwise, the SOC2 may end up with a Northwest situation on their hands, which nobody in the SOC2 wants. They want to put their staple on being the best football conference in this part of the state. I claim that they already are. Oak Hill will be a good fit in the near future.

[black76]

Valley is the gold football winner this year.

[pmow3]

Should be a really good year in the SOC 2... I am really curious what Waverly will bring to the table this year. They came close to beating Coal Grove last year. They steadily have had more talent the last few years and the 9th grade and 10th grade kids were pretty decent in Jr. High. Not saying they will compete this year with the other 4. But they are making strides.

[wobycat]

Crabtree is a terrific coach. His winning % speaks for itself. Having said that, I can't see valley overcoming a 26 point difference from last year that fields the same team minus their outside threat. Burg will just fill in with what was lost. Minford is the X factor this year. I still have burg winning with west at home.

2010

Wheelersburg 42
Valley 20


2011

Valley 39
Wheelersburg 27

34 point difference there when Valley brought back their entire team so it can be done.

There is a ton of football to be played and I like the Indians chances. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I am just glad that we are talking SOC football again.

Very true but that was the year burg returned a small group of seniors. I think 6 and only 5 played significantly. That won't be the case this year. It can be done but I don't see it.

[courier]

All non-league games/matchups should be decent this weekend. I'm hoping to see the SOC II run the table though. Good luck to all and come away healthy!

[nutronron2012]

All non-league games/matchups should be decent this weekend. I'm hoping to see the SOC II run the table though. Good luck to all and come away healthy!

Yeah. I see the SOC II going 5-0 this weekend. Should be a great season for the conference.