Plymouth is the only school district in Richland County that has never had a chance to experience the high school football playoffs, but that all could change next month.
Right now, the Big Red (5-1) stands third in division seven, region 23. The top eight schools in each region make the post season. So, right now Plymouth is in good shape, but there are still four games to be played beginning on Friday night when the Big Red plays host to the Norwalk St. Paul Flyers, the co-leader in the Firelands Conference.
Really, the first time a school advances to the regional tournament in basketball is a special experience. It’s new. It’s different. It’s special. The same can be said for making the football playoffs.
I can’t guarantee much other than the sun will come up tomorrow and my mother will be mad at me for some reason, but I can say for sure that if Plymouth makes the playoffs even if it’s an away game there will be people in attendance that haven’t been at a game all year. Adults that haven’t been at a game this century will be there. Alumni will be coming from far and wide. Plus, the student that sits in the back right corner of every class they are in will ask their parents if they can go. The players on the football team, even though they are just teenagers, will be the biggest celebrities in town.
But, first things first, Plymouth has a very tough game against Norwalk St. Paul, the 2009 Division VI state champions. They advanced to the regional finals in Division VII last year and they return about everybody with the exception of their quarterback, kicker, punter and tight end. The Flyers have outscored their conference opponents 155-15 this year and there has been a running clock in the second half of everyone of their conference games. Their only loss is to Sandusky Bay Conference leader Huron, a Division V school.
The Flyers haven’t lost to Plymouth since well… since before you heard of any TV show called “CSI” or “Law and Order” for that matter.
This year Plymouth has a real chance if they play with emotion. The only time they didn’t do that this year they were crushed by Mapleton (41-28) in a game that really wasn’t as close as the score indicates as Plymouth scored twice in the fourth quarter when the game was already decided. If they do come to play to their potential they at least have a chance to make it a game.
They have a four year starter at quarterback in Hunter Bailey, who can throw and run. Chance Butcher is a four year starter at running back, where this year he is getting some help at the position from basketball star Tyson Bebee. Tyrell Edmiston, a 6’5″ wide receiver, leads the Firelands Conference is receiving scores this year and is the best athlete in the conference.
If they beat St. Paul, the Rig Red will replace the Flyers in the number one position in the region’s computer standings. If they don’t they are almost certainly going to need to win their final three games of the season against Western Reserve (1-5), New London (1-5) and Crestview (2-4) to make it. It would help their chances if Lucas, Sandusky St. Mary’s and Harrison Central, teams they beat in non-conference play, continue to win.
If the Big Red wins three of its next four games they can start printing the playoff t-shirts in Plymouth.
After years of toil and sweat behind radio station microphones, longtime broadcaster, Jeff Swank joined the new generation of sports followers on the web.
Swank launched his internet radio station with nothing more than some wire, a box with some knobs and switches, and an itch to do much more than just scratch the surface of everything sports.
Richland Source is proud to introduce Jeff as a writer focused on high school sports. He will contribute a weekly column and analysis of a featured game of the week from one of our area high schools.
In addition to his work at Richland Source, Jeff provides complete high school sports coverage for over 70 Ohio schools at his web site, http://www.swankonsports.net76.net/.
