Miami Valley Football High School Predictions, Top 10 players to watch for; Top 5 Storylines in Dayton High School Football

As we enter to another rugged season of Football here in the Miami Valley, one thing is for certain; With all the moves that happened in the Miami Valley Area, this is sure to be one exciting season. With a plethora of players committed to D-1 colleges, teams trying to get back to the state, and social sports awareness at a all time high, its easy to see why we could be in for a epic season here in the Miami Valley.

Top 5 Predictions:

(1) Trotwood will win State this season 
    While I know this is not jumping out on a limb, the Rams did lose the man who rebuilt the Trotwood organization into a dynasty (Maurice Douglass) and also a couple of key players. However, the new coach (Jeff Graham) although while not as experienced as Douglass, has some experience of his own (NFL Veteran) and he has a experienced QB (Messiah DeWeaver) who will lead the way along with a Small College ready D with D-1 talent lurking at every position; Make a note as Trotwood plays Springfield in Week 1 tonight.


(2) Belmont will go .500 this season
     Now this is jumping out on a limb! Anybody who knows the history of Belmont knows that when it comes to football? Haven't hit on much in the last say......50 years or so?....But a new day is coming, as former Thurgood coach (Earl White has moved over to the Bison after leading Thurgood to consecutive playoff appearaces and building a reputation for rolling over folks with the running game. Add to that a pack of young, athletic, hungry players who give not one inkling of a thought to history and you get a possible great story here; the Bison thrashed Ansonia 36-22 to start the season 1-0. Stay tuned.


(3) Springfield will fight for state - in two years
    When the news leaked that Maurice Douglass was leaving the Mighty Rams program and moving to Springfield, it was almost like a earthquake had been sent through the GWOC and Southwest Ohio. Why leave the place that is going to State Championship Games every single year, all the while sending kids all over to D-1 programs?  But make no mistake; Douglass has a way with his players,  and he can restructure a program quickly; And although it seemed like a bad move, it was the perfect one for him to make; He knows there is a wealth of talent in Springfield, but the community was dying. Players not caring, or transferring.  Nothing that a guy who took a middling program and turned it into a powerhouse couldn't handle. While he's already changed the mindset, it will take a year or so to change the results on the scoreboard to the point where we see them in the State Semis. But don't doubt Douglass, as when he gets his QB back in midseason if they are over .500? Watch out.

(4) Wayne will end up in Final Four this year
    The Warriors have been really close in getting to the state title game, but because of the powerhouses that roam down in Cincy, its been too tough to get through; well that could change this year, as the Warriors are primed and ready to breakthrough with QB DMitrick Trice leading the way; With a top D back and weapons galore, this will be a banner year for the Warriors. Question is, can they put it all together when it counts?


(5) West Carrolton will have the hottest freshman in the state
    Yes you read it right; The Pirates, of all people, have one of the best talents in the State, and he will be debuting as the starting RB for the Pirates. Jaylen Artis, nicknamed the "Tank", will put his talents on display this weekend. He has been punishing opponents since pee wee, and now the Pirates have put the ball in the hands of the talented frosh; Can he help rise the Pirates from the depths of the GWOC bottom?


                                   Here is SportsEffectLive Top Players to watch for this Season:


Messiah DeWeaver QB, Trotwood - DeWeaver will look to prove his commitment to Michigan as a junior is no fluke. And he's definitely ready for the challenge.

Jamahl Manley QB , Thurgood - Without the coach to run the scheme that worked so well, can Manley step up to the challenge to become a All-State QB and lead his Cougars back to playoffs?

Damian Popp  RB, Centerville - Popp popped all over the scene last year, and didn't stop until he ran for almost 2k (1,982 yds) and 20 TD's; Can he top 2,000 this season?

Chris Young RB/ LB, Miamisburg  - Young was dominant with the Vikings last season, amassing 16 TD's on the ground; however, he's even scarier on the defensive side, which is what the D-1's see.

D'Mitrick Trice QB, Wayne - Trice lit it up for 34 TD's and only 8 INT's for a 11-2 squad last year. Can he go one more notch and get them boys to the State?

Davion Lankford  RB, Belmont - Lankford was unstoppable racking up 3 TD's and 130 yards in Game 1; Can he keep that up all season when the D is keying on him? Great start nevertheless.

Nick Coleman RB, Alter  - Coleman was a monster last year, and will follow fellow Knight Malik Zaire to Notre Dame; Question is, can he lead a Alter team deep into the playoffs?

Jaylen Artis  RB, West Carrollton - Artis, nicknamed the "Tank", has been unstoppable up into this point; Now the heralded frosh will be tested early and often; Can he handle the transition?

State bound Trotwood, Thurgood, changes culture of Dayton High School Football

Brandon McKinney throwing with future QB

       Last summer SportsEffectLive.com attended former C-J standout and current Indianapolis Colt Brandon McKinney's 7 on 7 passing camp (located at Trotwood Madison high school) in which there were 6 teams in attendance, all getting ready for the season; As we talked with one of the Trotwood coaches, they felt like that Thurgood wasn't quite on Trotwood's level, which may have been one of the reasons that the two schools didn't play this season.  As they competed in the summer drills, it was a heated series and Thurgood had stopped the Rams, which in turn gave them the ball. As it turns out, maybe they were one of the ONLY TEAMS who could have competed with the Rams this season.

          Thurgood Marshall has gone where no Dayton City League team has gone before; landing in the D-III State Semifinals. Behind a incredible running game (led by Denzel Norvell and Vayante Copeland), a very good coaching staff and a underrated defense the Cougars have become a major force. Last year the Cougars was a cinderella team as they made the playoffs, beat a precocious Alter squad (who was undefeated) and almost got to state last year (losing to Springfield Shawnee after leading at half 13-0); this year, as the players said: This was revenge. 
      
         And sweet revenge it was as the Cougars would beat the brakes off of Athens 60-21. There would be no comebacks this season as Thurgood amassed over 650 - yes, that's right - 650 offensive yards, while holding Athens to 230 yards. And with it, the Cougars have cemented their place in dayton history, as not only the first city team to get this far, but looking to build on a possible legacy if they can pull out a state title. Which leads us to the Trotwood Madison Rams...

   

  

Israel Green goin' ham

Trotwood, coming off a dramatic D-II State Championship last year,  looked overmatched, out of sync, and frustrated in their season opener against a mighty opponent in their first week on ESPN; Then injuries occurred, which forced them to look into a young QB to run the show...They lost another game early in the season to fall to 1-2. It looked like the Rams would flounder and maybe not even get back to the playoffs. After that, the coaches started to see the Ram football they had been accustomed to throughout the last half decade. The young QB (Messiah DeWeaver), called the "Black Tom Brady" by Coach Douglass, starts to develop; new guys fill into their roles; and the vets started to kick into top form.  After barely squeaking into the playoffs on a Week 10 win, Senior RB Isreal Green began the charge like he did last year, running roughshod over any opponent. Rams hit their groove, got their swag back, with a little more drama nevertheless, and got back to the State Semifinals for the 3rd season in a row.
       
       Coach Maruice Douglass, who said earlier in the season that "Some new guys would have to step up" did a masterful job of coaching his guys up, keeping them focused, and not letting the bottom fall out when they started out 1-2. Now the Rams are literally two wins away from repeating as champions and starting the chants as a DYNASTY really in the making. With a rushing game that has been invigorated and a QB that has been making better and better decisions it will be left up to the defense, which has Mike McCray Jr. (Michigan bound) leading the stable of Rams who make it happen, this could once again be "RAM Nation" as they head into the Semis as the favorite.

        Just a few years ago, if anybody said that City League Football was State worthy, you prolly would've laughed. Playoffs? Ok. State bound? Just don't happen. But with Thurgood Coach Earl White instilling a running game unparalled to any school in Ohio, its time to recognize that good City League teams can compete with ANYBODY. It was always a myth, a running joke, that City Schools weren't smart enough, weren't capable enough of competing with the big schools. Funny, all it took was a couple changes here or there, a dedicated group of young men, a solid game plan, and the skys the limit.

    Whether they like it or not, the ONLY team capable of playing with the mighty Rams is the Thurgood Marshall Cougars. And that, my friends, is no joke.

How sweet would it be to see both teams bring home the title?  Maybe we just might see that rivalry renewed next year.



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Top 5 Reasons Trotwood Madison football on verge of Dynasty

      Five years ago one of my family members (cousin) was in a dilemna. He was a star athlete for a prestigous high school  in the Miami Valley and was a honorable mention all-state. He was heading into his senior year of high school, and although he was clearly a D1 talent, he wasn't quite getting the recognition he deserved. He felt like if he stayed, he would surely be a All-State selection with a chance to win a State Championship. However, there was NO GUARANTEES as far as getting a scholarship from a D1 school, as the coaching staff "didn't really help their players get into school. The coach didn't really want to deal with that." But the coaches did want to deal with the regional and state appearances that his players had helped him get to, year after year. And the front page headlines that came with it.

Coach Douglass at State Championship

   Word in the streets was that there was a new coach was at Trotwood Madison, and he was looking to rebuild a reputable program. Everyone had heard of Maurice Douglass from his days of playing high school, to college, to playing in the NFL for the Bears. He was a household name to the people of Dayton. And on top of that, he had the ability to get players into big time colleges, not just the D2's and D 3's that lots of talented players from this area ended up despite having D1 skills.

      During the start of  my cousins junior year, his team had scrimmaged Trotwood, and he was one of the best players on the field. On either team. Douglass told my cousin "you are a heck of a player" and "a sure fire Division 1 player" and good luck.

     During that summer there was the talk of transferring, to do it or not to do it. On one hand, if you transfer, you go to a coach who will show you exactly what it will take for you to get to the next goal. However, you will have to prove yourself all over again. Would it be worth it? And on the other hand, you have established yourself for three years with your program. Dominated every level. And nothing on the recruiting front. Not even a good football camp option for him to pick from.

            What would you do?


     It was decided that he would stay put and dominate in his last year, and surely someone would come knocking at the door. In the meantime, two of his friends on the football team decided to  transfer - during that summer of comtemplation. The results?

          One of the players signed with Cincinnati, and the other signed with Michigan.

    Now not to say my cousin was Cincinnati or Michigan material, but he had another great season, and the team went to the state finals, only to lose in the last seconds. He was first team all-state, and got votes for Defensive Player of the Year. However, not a mouse fart on the D1 radar.

                                                                     
         How does that happen?


Bam Bradley, Douglass celebrate Title

   
    Trotwood did make the playoffs that season, but was ousted early. Since then, Coach Douglass has directed his program to multiple playoff appearances, one heartbreaking state final loss (after dominating most of that game) and then a "Getback" like State Championship Run this season. So with a State Title, a Runner-Up and mulitiple playoff appearances,(along with 3 straight GWOC Titles) Im not sure what the average fan sees but I see a dynasty in the making.

SportsEffectLive.com give you the Top 5 reasons why Trotwood is heading towards a dynasty and will be the PREMIERE football school in the Miami Valley and in the state:

(1)  Coaching  - Coach Douglass has played with the best of the best. And has won. On every level. So he KNOWS what it will take to continue keeping guys hungry, devoted, and consistent. He also has one of the premiere coaching staffs in America in Mike McCray, Jeff Graham, and Kerry Ivy on board. These guys know what it takes, as Graham and McCray played in the NFL as well.

(2) Talent in Miami Valley  - Yeah ok, so you have to live in Trotwood in order to play there, but its not that hard to do. But there is overwhelming talent in the Trotwood area, and all along the Miami Valley; and as long as he keeps winning and getting players into college, he will keep getting the top players to come and play with him.

(3) Player Development  - Organizations like Centerville, Dunbar, C-J, Alter, and Wayne have top of the line programs for player development, but right now, there is no SCHOOL that is developing their players the way Trotwood is. The numbers is simple; look at how many kids Douglass is putting in school on a yearly average the last 6 years..

(4) D1 Advancement  -  Say what you want, but EVERY kids goal in football (besides NFL) is to go to a Division 1 school. Preferrably the Ohio States, the Michigans, the USC's or Alabamas; but how many players actually go there? Trotwood is sending players all over the D1 map, from the BIG10 to the MAC and everywhere in between.

(5) On the MAP  -  The final piece to becoming a dynasty is being nationally recognized for it. Trotwood has now ended up ranked in the top 50 (48th) for high school football this year, and I look for them to move up into the top 20 by the end of next season. They have new Ohio State coach Urban Meyer personally looking their way (dont understand why Tressel never did); They have some All-American canididates coming back, a good fanbase and they will be as hungry as ever to protect what it took them years to get. The Rams deserve top billing as the PREMIERE Football School Team in the Miami Valley and a DYNASTY in the making. 
                               
                                                                                      Ram Nation is in full effect

           


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