[dflpackage01]

Looking forward to traveling to the game and am hopeful that both teams play well and stay healthy. Of course, I would love to see the Tomcats come out on top. I've not seen JC play in person, but have watched most of the games and scrimmages on film. They are a super talented and physical team. While I think their teams the last two years were more physical, this year's team is solid. While #1 (probably their second best overall player IMO behind Johnston) is a superb runner and field general, I personally think he can still continue to grow as a passer. However, Jackson and Johnston are very physical runners. #60 is a very physical Center and allows them to move 57 to guard. 60 is a nice addition to the line along with 65 (and occasionally 56). Having the HWT wrestling champion on the line (who is spelled by a former M.S. HWT champion) isn't too darn bad. 65 and 66 move well. If memory serves, 74 is the other lineman. They all get down field well and maintain their blocks well. They are going to be tough to stop. All excuses aside, Ashland was able to prevent JC from scoring a bunch in the district title game last year, although JC moved the ball very well in that game. Ashland has to play assignment football and get off the blocks. Ashland's secondary is very talented. That will be a big help tonight particularly in the run game in coming up to make some plays.
Defensively, the front 5 of JC is excellent. While the Horn brothers are quick, strong, and difficult to block, #3 and #2 are special players. I do think that the LBs and DBs can be vulnerable to giving up potentially significant passing yards. Don't know if they will. That said, they do have speed in the secondary. #21, a sophomore, is pretty darn fast, at least in terms of track speed. Hard to tell on film.
Offensively, this is probably the best OL Ashland has since the 2012/2013 season when Ashland lost 22-21 in OT at JC. (Bias alert: I had a kid on that team on the OL/DL in that game. I think that team was likely the most physical overall team Ashland has had in the past 6-7 years. Defensively, we had O'Brien, Ellis, L. Johnson, C.J. Johnson, Swift, Justice, Younge, Wessel, Salow, etc..). Ratliff is an excellent QB. We have the returning district player of the year (Hester) and a very speedy companion back in Pittman. Our receivers are solid. Defensively, our DTs are very talented, our DL is probably better than last year, and our LBs, while not big, make a lot plays. Overall, it should be a good game. My boys have made acquaintances on the mat and on the field with the JC players in the past and currently. It's a good group of kids on both sides of the ball, even if it appears that the adults can't get along in these meaningless posts where we try to jab one another and wish we were 17 again and playing this great game.
For what it is worth, I continue to personally embrace the concept that wrestling makes kids tougher mentally and physically. JC is always so physical in no small part because of wrestling. Year in and year out they produce region winners, state placers, and state champions in H.S. and M.S. By way of example: 57, 6, 3, 40, 41, 56, 17, 21 fall in this category. I don't know numbers for some of the kids who don't start like Rodriquez, Spradlin, and some of the smaller weight class guys. As far as Ashland is concerned, we are starting to embrace that concept with more fervor as we have a few starters who do or have wrestled: 64, 55, 30 and have a few others who are contributors: 4, 19, 78, 21, 77, 38 (some of whom were regional or state place winners either in H.S. or MS). IT simply makes kids mentally and physically tougher.
In any event, good luck to both teams. I hope Ashland wins by 1. (Actually, no I don't. I'd like to win by 100, but do it in a very classy and professional way.) See you at the game. I'll be the one in Maroon.