MOELLER @ MIDDLETOWN

As I have mentioned, there was not much positive to take away from last week's game against Lakota West. This week, the Crusaders take on an improving Middletown Middies (apologies for the indirect link, was unable to find an official page) squad, which barely lost to a good Hilliard Davidson team 26-35. My assessment of this game is that it will be close. Moeller is down, probably as down as I have seen the program, however they still have much talent. Middletown may be playing above their heads, and have to feel good about a close loss to a solid Columbus team. This, not unlike last week, is a must win game for the Crusaders. Not only that, I feel they have to win by a substantial margin to boost their collective confidence level heading into the truly difficult part of the schedule. This will be the first meeting between these teams since the playoff controversy of I believe 1990 (a very exciting game, that one was), when Middletown beat Moeller in the 1st round, only to have it discovered that an ineligible player had been on the field, forcing forfeits and tainting the Middies for the remainder of their short playoff run (I can't recall if they opted to not continue playing).

In summary, this one will likely be close. Moeller needs to win if they want to maintain any semblance of hope for avoiding a losing season.

GO BIG MOE!

Where do we go from here?

Last Friday's debacle at Yager Stadium was an indicator that there needs to be dramatic change in the Moeller Crusader football program. The play was uninspired, the playcalling was even worse. The defense repeated bent, but only broke twice. Still, it appeared as though they were on the field for most of the day, in particularly adverse conditions heat and humidity wise. The offense... well... more gimmicks from the past 5 or 6 years. This was the biggest disappointment for me. 4 wide almost the entire game (maybe the entire game, missed the first quarter due to ridiculously bad traffic situations). Throw to the sideline, throw to the sideline, run up the middle, run up the middle. The last drive of the game, the offense ran to the side and threw up the middle, resulting in a quick touchdown (and just as quick missed extra point, to lose the game by 1).

I have been a supporter of Bob Crable since he became coach. I have to say, with all due respect to him as a good man and a knowledgeable individual in football, he is not a good high school football head coach. I hope he excels in everything he chooses to do in the future, as he has done in the past, but his time at Moeller may be nearing an end. Most importantly, I hope he proves this post wrong by winning the next 9 games of the season.

MOELLER V LAKOTA WEST

The season opener is right around the corner, and this year it's at Miami University's Yager Stadium. I feel this game will have a lot of bearing on the coming year. West is an up and coming program from a steadily growing district. They have lots of talent to pull from, and this year they're looking better than in recent seasons. The Crusaders are fresh off a scrimmage shellacking at the hands of Colerain, so we'll see if they can regroup and the scrimmage was a fluke. Most people are of the opinion that it will be close. Hopefully, Moe can come back this year and change some minds about exactly where they stand in Ohio high school football.

GO BIG MOE!

Season Preview

Via the Cincinnati Enquirer, 2006 Prep Football Preview.