Division I regional track finals
Fenwick graduation 2012
Ponitz graduation 2012
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Before it even plays, Marshall is out
The Marshall High School football team hasn’t even finished its season, but in some ways, it’s already over.
Marshall will play Ponitz Tech tonight at Welcome Stadium to finish one of the more spectacular offensive regular seasons in recent area memory. In nine games, the Cougars have gained 5,073 yards rushing, an average of 563.6 per game.
Even though Marshall has won all of its nine games on the field, it forfeited its first three victories for using an ineligible player. That meant Marshall coaches and supporters watched several games Friday night knowing they needed some help to make the Division IV playoffs.
They didn’t get it. Coach Earl White discussed his disappointment this afternoon knowing that, even before his Cougars finished the season (likely at 7-3), they had no hope of a postseason.
“We’re very disappointed, extremely disappointed,” said White, who was calm and collected, having already accepted the news. “The playoffs is what you work for and strive for when you start lifting weights in January. You sell the kids on it, and we didn’t get in this year.
“You can’t say it was because of them, it was because of an administrative mistake. We think that we definitely belong there this year, we just have to sell the kids on, ‘Hey we didn’t lose on the field this year and have to go with that.’ “
In the past few weeks, as Marshall kept winning and watching other teams’ results, the coaches constantly checked computer points and projections while continuing to prepare their devastating rushing attack.
“It was like an addiction,” White said of eyeing other scores and scenarios.
Marshall, though, came up short. Because of that, one of the most effective rushing teams to ever play in Dayton — one that an opposing coach said “literally makes you sick to your stomach” to prepare for — won’t have a chance to match up against the state’s best and try to make its run.
“Everybody wanted to see us get in,” White said. “For the City of Dayton itself, struggles with academic things, anytime you can draw something positive, especially in football, a sport like no other, is good. There’s so much teamwork, so much community involvement, it can be very uplifting to the community.”
Permalink | Comments (3) | Post your comment | Categories: Football
Comments
By DPD Grad
October 31, 2009 5:12 PM | Link to this
Whats the real story around the “Administratve Mistake”?
By JOY
October 31, 2009 6:04 PM | Link to this
Keep your HEADS UP KIDS. You did great!!!!!!
By null
November 2, 2009 6:11 PM | Link to this
The “real story” is that Ms. Woodley really needs to consider letting the job of A.D. go. She needs to focus on teaching and let someone maybe a little younger and/or with at least the time, interest, and vision come in and do the job.