Division III is probably a lot like youth football.  In a 12 team division, there are probably only 3 good teams.  Those 3 teams wni every game they play 40-0, unless they play one of the other good teams.  When the crappy teams play each other, you end up with a score along the lines of 9-6.

artie_fufkin wrote:

forsberg_us wrote:

Division III is probably a lot like youth football.  In a 12 team division, there are probably only 3 good teams.  Those 3 teams wni every game they play 40-0, unless they play one of the other good teams.  When the crappy teams play each other, you end up with a score along the lines of 9-6.

I interpret this as you were involved in another beatdown this weekend. As were we.
Any chance we can get your team and my team together and we can stage the youth version of the Rams/Patriots Super Bowl? We'll promise to not film your walk-through.

We won this weekend, but it our most competitive game.  Final score was 16-6.  Those were the first points our defense gave up this season, and it was on a completely fluke play.  The running back tried to go around the left end and was stopped by the left end and left defensive tackle.  For whatever reason, the referee doesn't blow the whistle even though the RB's forward progress has clearly stopped.  Not having heard the whistle, about 5 of our defenders pile on top of the RB causing the ball to come loose.  The ball takes one bounce and lands in the hands of the other team's QB who is now headed around the corner which is completely empty since all 7 kids on that side of the field are in on the tackle.  The QB out-runs the 4 kids coming from the other side of the field and scores.

At the time, the score was 8-6 and we were headed to halftime, with us kicking off to start the 3rd quarter.  But credit our offensive coordinator.  We got the ball with about 30 seconds left in the half.  On the first play we went with a 47 reverse and our best running back gained about 25 yards to the other team's 35.  After a time out, he called 47 reverse, option pass.  The entire defense went after the kid with the ball, and our tight end leaked out behind the entire defense.  Perfect pass, nice catch and 35 yards later it was 16-6 with 7 seconds left on the clock. 

If I'm being honest, I'm not sure we're nearly as good as our 3-0 record.  We don't have one kid with breakaway speed.  We tend to score most of our points by moving the chains and sustaining drives.  We also haven't played a team with really good speed, although the team we played this weekend had a couple of kids who ran the ball pretty well.  The first 2 teams we played we just flat out bad teams.

We'll find out who we are the next couple of weeks.  We play one of the better teams this Thursday (a make up of an earlier rain-out).  On Sunday we play the worst team in the league.  Then we finish we two competetive teams.  The good news is there's virtually no way we're any worse than 4-1 after 5 games, but the bad news is we could end up 4-3.

I actually used the Rams/Patriots analogy to describe the game this Thursday, with us as the Patriots.  The other team is a lot faster than us and the only chance we have to win is to hit them over and over again, hopefully force a couple of turnovers and keep their defense on the field.  I'm not optimistic, but you never know.

"On the first play we went with a 47 reverse ...  After a time out, he called 47 reverse, option pass."

I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing that I completely understand what those two plays are and can envision them.
Like your team, we're virtually bereft of speed. We have two fast kids, one of whom is our best running back and the other who weighs about 80 pounds (with equipment) that we use occasionally at 4 back, but we can't give him the ball because we're afraid he's going to get killed. But he's a good kid who always gives a full effort and has a great attitude, and we've wanted to reward that.
Yesterday, we're comfortably ahead in the fourth quarter, so we send in this kid and call a 49 sweep from the other team's 40-yard line. He darts around the end and is all alone by the time he gets to the 20. I mean there's no one within five yards of him. He's gone. He gets to about the 10, and suddenly his left shoe comes flying off his foot and helicopters into the end zone. The next time the kid's left foot hits the turf, he slips and does a face plant, about three yards short of the goal line. You've never seen four coaches doing their best to comfort a disappointed athlete while at the same time trying not to burst out laughing.
I'm the coach who's been designated to write up our games for the local paper. Our O.C. comes over after the drive and whispers to me "You going to put in your article that (the kid)'s shoe scored a touchdown?"

"one of the coaches approached me and told me how they had gone back and watched film of the previous game (they actually videotaped the game)"

On the subject of people who ought to be shot into the sun ...
(I think that's one of my new favorite expressions. I'm going to shamelessly swipe it, TK.)

I know the feeling. I grew up near a private school that routinely turns out the best basketball team in the state and occasionally one of the best teams in the country. But man, if my parents had been able to send me there, I'd be so much better off.

I bet those high school recruiting battles get nasty. I don't know if you keep up with the St. Louis prep scene, but there's a kid from Wellston named Ben McLemore who is going to Oak Hill Academy this year since the state shut Wellston down. I can only imagine what the top prep schools were offering him.

He's going to KU so I'm going to hate him in a year, but having been through Wellston a couple times, it's hard to begrudge him for going the route that will give him the best chance at a pro career.

tkihshbt wrote:

I know the feeling. I grew up near a private school that routinely turns out the best basketball team in the state and occasionally one of the best teams in the country. But man, if my parents had been able to send me there, I'd be so much better off.

I bet those high school recruiting battles get nasty. I don't know if you keep up with the St. Louis prep scene, but there's a kid from Wellston named Ben McLemore who is going to Oak Hill Academy this year since the state shut Wellston down. I can only imagine what the top prep schools were offering him.

He's going to KU so I'm going to hate him in a year, but having been through Wellston a couple times, it's hard to begrudge him for going the route that will give him the best chance at a pro career.

I don't think Vashon is a private school?  (happy)

I'm familiar with McLemore, mostly because he isn't going to Mizzou. I grew up in University City and was a cop there for 7 years. I'm all too familiar with Wellston, having patrolled an area that bordered it for 3 of the 7 years. No doubt you can't blame the kid for wanting out.