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Greenville,
Bradford and the rest of the Darke County prep
football team will get things going with
two-a-day practices. All teams
have high hope but not all team will prevail after 10 games. CNO file
photo
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Fall
sports coming soon to a school near you
Focus on football
By George Starks
DARKE COUNTY- Today is the first of August and it starts the official
beginning of prep football.
The conditioning and camps are over and two-a-days/three-a-days in the
case of Greenville, will start today.
August 30 marks the opening night of the season with all six team being
in action.
So who are the contenders in Darke County?
In my opinion, it all starts in Versailles and Bradford.
The Railroaders went to the post season for the first time in 20 years
last year.
Under its familiar coach, Curtis Enis, the big question is, will the
Roaders be contenders or pretenders?
Bradford lost some key kids last year to graduation in Dylan Canan,
Austin Sell, Riley Hart, Johnathan Barbee, Andrew Stewart, Chris Clark,
all who led the Roaders to the playoffs in a loss at Marion Local.
If Enis has a reason to be positive it’s because he has some solid
juniors coming back, and from all reports, his numbers are up in
Bradford.
Is Bradford football back?
I think so and unless my gut is leading me down the pea patch, I think
the Roaders can go 5-5 or maybe even 6-4 by season’s end.
The big question is, will that be enough to get them into the post
season?
Bradford will have the opportunity to make a statement on opening night
when the Roaders will travel to Riverside. Week two, Bradford will have
its home opener with Twin Valley South.
In Versailles, the Tigers will open their season at home against the
Celina Bulldogs.
Last season, the Tigers were in the thick of a postseason berth until
the very end, losing some key games.
This year, coach Adam Miller and his crew will look for a better ending
to the Tigers’ season.
Will the Tigers make a statement early?
I say yes as Tiger Ball will be huge opening night.
These may be the only two real contenders in the county, sad as it may
seem.
Greenville is bouncing back from a 3-7 season a year ago and will open
at home with the Eaton Eagles.
The Wave schedule is not favorable for Greenville as the Wave will go
on the road for three straight games, starting with Tipp City in week
two, at Lebanon in week three and at West Carrollton in week four.
The Wave will return home on week five for their homecoming with
Western Brown.
Five very tough games for the Wave right out of the gate.
If Greenville is going to be a contender, they will need to post at
least a 4-1 mark in the first five games.
In Arcanum, former Wave coach TJ Powers will open at home with Preble
Shawnee.
This should be a game the Trojans will win, but after that comes the
Cross County Conference portion of the schedule.
Week two will see Covington coming into Trojan Nation before Arcanum
hits the road in week three at Tri-County North.
These are two very tough teams as many believe the Buccs and Panthers,
along with Miami East, are the contenders in the CCC.
I think Arcanum is a 5-5 team this season, especially with such a young
team.
Then comes the rest of the county, starting with Ansonia.
The Tigers won just one game a year ago, beating Mississinawa Valley.
The Hawks went 0-10 and were never in too many games.
Don’t look for much from these two teams.
Ansonia opens at home with Belmont while the Hawks will travel to Union
City to play the Indians.
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