Boise State vs VA Tech

http://www.justin.tv/james3412#/w/368730784/2   Inspirational!!!

Gridiron's Week 1 Picks

Friday, 10 September

Timberline (Tier2) @ Langley: Last year's Tier 2 champions square off against a Langley squad that is one year from AAA play.  Timberline is a different squad this year than it was 10 short months ago.  Langley is looking for a strong year in AA now that the program has reached a degree of maturity.  GI thinks Timberline is going to have a bad case of travel legs prior to being outmatched athlete for athlete.  The difference maker however, will be Timberline's finesse game.  If the Wolves can protect their quarterback, this will be a high scoring affair.  That may be a lot to ask from a new offensive line.

GI's Pick: Langley by 21

Nanaimo District (Tier 2) at Robert Bateman (Tier 2): Tier 2 game of the week.  Bateman has a game in the bag after crushing a hapless College Heights squad this past Thursday.  There is certainly some newfound confidence to go along with the enthusiasm of a 1-0 brand new program.  Nanaimo District is a veteren crew with lots of team speed however and if they keep turnovers to a minimum, they are GI's pick to win this tilt.

GI's Pick: Nanaimo District by 6

Holy Cross (AAA) @ Mission: This game is going to be a bit of a "canary in the coalmine" event for AAA Holy Cross.  The Crusaders made a last second pitch to join AA varsity play at the AGM in January, but did not have their I's dotted and T's crossed.  Mission is certainly AA elite in terms of program strength and this game will tell us all a whole bunch as to tier competitiveness and the long-term prospects of the Holy Cross program.  Mission has a deeper bench and more athletes.  Coaching is equal.

GI's Pick: Mission by 16

Rutland (AAA) @ Hugh Boyd: This contest will be very evently matched and the coaches who scheduled it have both made good choices.  Rutland is a very big school and the athletes that step on to the field will reflect the building's draw.  Hugh Boyd will step on to the turf with a squad that is reflective of the coaching continuity and solid program foundation of the Richmond perennial.  Look for a very close game in the first half followed by some third and fourth quarter Trojan fireworks.

GI's Pick: Hugh Boyd by 8

Pinetree @ Rick Hansen: Pinetree picked a mighty tough year to enter AA ball and "rebuild" the program.  Rick Hansen though it has graduated many fine players from last year's squad, has a lot of program momentum and coaching continuity use as a foundation for this year's campaign.  The Hurricanes will play solid defense this Friday and be opportunistic with the big pass as it comes available.  Hansen has a game under its belt already and will have a lot of kinks out of the system by kick-off.  Pinetree is walking into a tough one.

GI's Pick: Rick Hansen by 18

South Kamloops AAA @ Valleyview: The Titans are the top dog in the city of Kamloops.  Too many athletes, too much size and too much speed for the Vikings to handle out of the gates.  A good opportunity for Valleyview to bring its best game and play up.  For the Titans, lots of opportunities to get the roster some experience.

GI's Pick: South Kamloops by 34

Ballenas @ Belmont (Tier 2): The spring game between these two squads was fairly close.  This game is either going to be a Ballenas blowout or a very tight affair that could go either way.  What will be the deciding factor?  Quite simply, does Belmont have the patience and tenacity to play power football.  They surely have the roster for such a style of play.  Teams that try to play cat and mouse with Ballenas and win by finesse are going to have long, long days on the field. 

GI's Pick: Ballenas by 28

Sands @ Pitt Meadows: These teams know each other pretty well from last year's conference battle and there will be an edge to this game.  This game will also represent a clash between two offensive styles of play.  Pitt likes to air the ball out and Sands likes to hammer its foes with power running.  If Pitt can find some offense via the air, this one will be close.  Sands will not have the biggest bench and if they get in a full out track-meet, how much gas will be in the tank.  It is early in the season though and just how good is the Pitt air-assault really going to be?

GI's Pick: Sands by 16

Saturday, September 11th

Okanagen Mission @ John Barsby: This game has become a neat little rivalry over the past three years with OKM winning in 2007 and Barsby winning in 2008.  There is a pattern to these results beyond the split...the home team has won on each occasion.  This said, look for a solid outing from the visiting Huskies!  Barsby has one game under its belt thus far and the improvement from week one to week two is usually a big one in such cases.  OKM will be in tough inside "The Cage" in south Nanaimo.

GI's Pick: Barsby by 14

Windsor @ Mt. Douglas (AAA): Both of these teams are coming off of dominant victories south of the border.  This is also a re-match of last year's BC Championship game!  Windsor returns all but one of its starters from that game while the Rams have reloaded with a great crew of battle hardened JV's from the 2009 squad.  Look for a lot of difficulty moving the ball inside the Windsor defense and for the Mt. Douglas defensive line to be taken to the matt.  Windsor does not make a lot of mistakes and this will always keep games close.  What will break the deadlock however is Mt. Douglas's big play ability.  I just do not think that Windsor wins the speed match-ups.

GI's Pick: Mt. Douglas by 21

Handsworth @ Carson Graham (AAA): The Royals are notorious slow starters and have been getting whacked pretty regularly in the Buchannan Bowl.  This said, Handsworth is fielding its best varsity squad since 2007 and I think they know it.  The level of play will be up for certain.  Carson has been spinning their tires of late (the past 7-9 years) and Dome celebrations are all but a distant memory.  Look for a close game most of the way with Handsworth pulling off a minor upset.

GI's Pick: Handsworth by 4

Kelowna (AAA) @ Clarence Fulton: The Maroons have one of their better than average squads this year but so does Kelowna!  The Owls are playing ball at a level they have not previously experienced as a program and it is quite simply going to be a long, tough day for Fulton.  The first quarter will be particularly tough on the Maroons as Kelowna has a game under their belt already and the home squad has to be carefull of a blowout score by half-time.

GI's Pick: Kelowna by 40

Seaquam @ Cedar Park Washington: Kudos to coach Pechet for scheduling this game.  Seaquam will get better for playing it and gain a measure of toughness as well. Cedar park is not overly big in terms of catchment so this will be a very winnable game for the Seahawks.

GI's Pick: Seaquam by 6

Mark Isfeld (Tier 2)@ Howe Sound (Tier 2): Gotta give this one to the up and coming Sounders.  Isfeld has a long travel day and will be matched athlete for athlete come gameday.  In Isfeld's favor is the fact that they played a solid spring jamboree and will have the benefit of that experience headed into the contest.  This is Howe Sounds first action for 2010.

GI's Pick: Howe Sound by a shakey 6

G.P. Vanier (Tier 2) @ Frank Hurt (Tier 2): The Towhees of Vanier have an overwhelmingly athletic and monster sized roster.  If they stick to hardcore power ball, this contest will be lopsided right out of the gates.  Frank Hurt will throw a lot, some big plays are in the offing if Vanier gets caught out-formationed.

GI's Pick: Vanier by 24

All You Linebacker Hopefulls!

Getting close to "Collision Time" in the Pacific Northwest!!

A couple of videos about the best that ever played"

Intro

Good But......

Now Let Us Sing With Full Hearts

Who is going to be the AA version of this guy??

Hope Springs Eternal

Good post on the forum by one of the Stafford Coaches I believe.  There are some real gems in this video and it sure does get a fella back in the "Football Mode"!  Enjoy!!

Ranking The Deuce For 2010

2010 Lets Rock!

Entering year three of its existence, Tier 2 A.K.A. "The Deuce" will deliver a better quality season and level of play than it has to date.  There is a lot of continuity between last year and this year coupled with the addition of Frank Hurt, Robert Bateman and Belmont.  The net result will be parity in the form of hotly contested games week in and week out.  The Ackles Cup played to determine top-rail in this tier will feature two mighty-fine and accomplished football squads.

Ranking the conferences with teams listed in predicted order of finish.

#1. Island Conference: Parity in this division is huge!  A bad game/slip-up by any of the top five could easily invert the entire order of finish.  There will be no "weeks-off" on the Island and a failure to prepare will be costly.  Beware of Timberline, Milne and Gulf Islands, they are not far off the mark.

1. Nanaimo District
2. Belmont
3. G.P. Vanier
4. Timberline
5. EJ Milne
6. Gulf Islands
7. Mark Isfeld

#2. Western Conference: Bateman is run by a BC HS Hall Of Fame Coach and will get stronger with each passing week.  Moscrop and Howe Sound are on the verge of taking their game to the next level.  Frank Hurt has numbers, but needs to get focused.

1. Robert Bateman
2. Moscrop
3. Howe Sound
4. Frank Hurt

#3. Interior Conference: Vernon has a solid history over the years and is capeable of putting a very good squad on the field.  Westsyde is tiny in terms of numbers, but this is offset by coaching continuity and football culture in the school.  Penticton and Mt. Baker are a big drop-off from the top two in their division, but deserve kudos for plugging away at building their respective programs.

1. Vernon
2. Westsyde
3. Penticton
4. Mt. Baker

Deuce Domination: Ranking The Top Five

1. Nanaimo District Islanders:  The only team to defeat last year's Provincial Champions returns a solid group of players that is augmented by a very good group of battle tested JV's who are moving up.  A very large portion of the 11th grade has varsity experience from the previous year and this will make an immediate impact on game preparation and intensity.   The Islanders are not overly huge, but are very quick and nasty hitters.  I like what the coaching staff has done the past couple years and payday approacheth.  There is a feel around the program and in the school that this is going to be a special year for Gang Green.  Bank on It! (Boys g. 11/12-230) 
2. Belmont Bulldogs:  Lurking within a numerically rich roster is a core of very tough and talented football players.  If Belmont gets some confidence and momentum, they will thrive. This school is made for football and easily has the best home field at any level of play in all of BC in Bear Mountain Stadium.  There is massive size up-front on both sides of the ball, a sledge hammer tailback and the defensive core really likes to bring a physical game.  A hint to the coaching staff here, read-up on Bo and Woody.   (Boys G. 11/12-500 plus.)
3. Robert Bateman Wolfpack: Coach Bill MacGregor is now building his third HS program!  Coach M is a Hall of Famer and has won provincial titles at his former posts and this man stuctures his programs to win.  The denizens of The Deuce had better not mistake this program as a stumbling, happy go lucky expansion program as that would be a big mistake.  Look for a run based offense that is both patient and relentless in pounding the rock.  Play action pass will lead to some big yardage and the Wolfpack defense will swarm.  A week two exhibition tilt vs Nanaimo District will be an early season hi-lite with big ranking implications.  Upset Alert! (Boys G. 11/12 310-plus.)
4. G.P. Vanier Towhees: This group features arguably the best group of athletes top to bottom in The Deuce.  This group will fare very well in contests that turn into brawling, physical slugfests as that is how they like to dance.  However, since the program's inception in 2003, the Towhees have a history of falling prey to finesse games and teams that spend a lot of time working special teams.  If this team figures out how to play complete games, they may have no peers in the league.  If....... (Boys G. 11/12-320 plus)
5. Moscrop Panthers: A fifth place ranking may be too low and it may also represent a bit of a motivational blessing for last year's Provincial Finalists.  This year's squad is much like Nanaimo District in terms of experience and coaching continuity.  They are also massive up front and with a run oriented Wing-T offense, look for some serious mileage on the odometer in 2010.  Moscrop as a program is getting some legs under it and word out there has it, they are on the cusp of elevating their game to a whole other level.  (Boys G. 11/12-300 plus.)

The Best Of The Rest

Howe Sound, Vernon, EJ Milne, Timberline, Gulf Islands: Any of these squads could catch fire and blaze their way to the top of the Deuce.  The coaching, the rosters, are all there.  GI's Darkhorse teams are EJ Milne and Timberline.


GI is looking forward to the 2010 battle to dominate The Deuce with great interest!!  Best wishes to all who strap on their gear/coaching whistles and give their all!  He knows you all play and coach with as much passion and dedication as anyone else in BC!  Mad respect for all Tier 2 football players and coaches out there! Get After It!!!

Gridiron's AA Varsity Pre-Season Predictions and Top 10

2010

OK Gang, its August and this means it is time for the removal of the cover of GI's 2010 pre-season crystal ball.  This year's AA Varsity league is tougher than ever and watching the chapter that is 2010 get written is going to be fun, fun, fun!  There are going to be some great games at Empire Field this November!

Ranking the Conferences along with projected order of finish.

#1. Coastal Conference: Brutally tough 1-6!  Pinetree is in for a shocker.  Projected order of finish:

1. Sands
2. Seaquam
3. South Delta
4. John Barsby
5. Hugh Boyd
6. Ballenas
7. Pinetree

#2. Mainland Conference: The top five are going to be intensely competitive and Langley could upset.  Abbottsford is everyone's little brother at the top of the valley.

1. Windsor
2. Handsworth
3. Mission
4. Pitt Meadows
5. Rick Hansen
6. Langley
7. Abbottsford Collegiate

#3. Interior Conference: The top three teams will dominate.  Going into the playoffs, the #1 seed will be competitive against a lower seed from down south.  Fulton and Norkam are going to enjoy "up" years.  The Bighorns will be mounted on everyone's living room wall.

1. Clarence Fulton
2. Norkam
3. Okanagen Mission
4. Valleyview
5. Kalamalka
6. Invermere

#4. Northern Conference: Show me a Northern Conference team that can win a first-round playoff game and El Norte gets moved up from the crawl space to the basement.

1. Dutchess Park
2. Kelley Road
3. College Heights
4. Nechako Valley
5. Correlieu
6. Prince George

 GI's Top 10

1. Windsor: If you believe that players pick-up where you left off the year before, you gotta love Windsor's math on this one.  This was a team that started 21 g. 10/11's in last year's final.  Coach Schuman brings this battle tested wealth of talent back on the field in 2010.  Technically unmatched, this crew is the team to beat this season.  What is going to be fun is how the Dukes flex their playbook.  Historically, when the Dukes abound with veteren talent, the offense gets very creative.  Some advice for AA DC's, stock-up on the Tylenol. 
2. Sands: The smashmouth Scorpions lost in overtime to the Dukes last year in the Semi's.  This group of players has largely been together since their AAA days in 07/08 and will be gunning to pound opponents into submission week after week.  This is a very big team at all positions and there is speed at key positions to accompany the size.  Opposing defense would be well advised to drag some concrete meridean dividers off the highway into C-Gap in order to gain an outside chance of slowing things down. Teams that cannot move the ball over the top or around the Scorpion D are going to need another half-hour post-game to look for lost molars and such.
3. Seaquam: Go back and look at the archived varsity seasons on the BCHS website.  One thing that will stand-out is the fact that since 2006, Seaquam has been the most consistent team on the plus-side of the win-loss column in AA ball.  The SeaHawks have done so by ground and by air depending on the season.  This year look for lots of balance and a good mix of shotgun and under-center schemes offensively.  Defensively, it is likely we will see more blitzing than in years past.  This squad will get off to a good start and will play upper crust divisional opponents with realistic thoughts of victory in mind.  Look for a stunner vs Sands by way of a spread air and ground attack.  
4. Handsworth: This is a definite "up-year" for the Royals.  A very good roster core returns and the 10's who have moved-up are athletic and battle tested.  The Royals will start slow in exhibition play and then gain strength as the season unfolds.  I would liken the Royal defense to a large constrictor snake that tightens its coils as the struggle continues.  Come playoff time, the Royals will keep every game close and a mistake free offense will take opportunistic shots at unwary defenders.  This is a sleeper pick for the championship tilt.
5. Mission: This year's Roadrunner squad has lots of size, lots of speed, lots of talent and lots of experience.  The offensive numbers are going to be very big by mid-season and body for body, the team as a whole matches up with anyone in the division. There have been a lot of near-misses and disappointments for this program since 2005 and a breakthrough post-season is tangibly close.  This squad will compete for the divisional crown and will be tough to play at Empire shold they get to that surface late in the season.  Keep an eye on em!
6. South Delta: The 2009 implosion must have been devastating for this squad.  There has to be a hunger for redemption in the hearts of those who return.  This will be a physically gifted group of players with outstanding coaching.  The SunDevils will be coming in a bit under the radar but not for too long.  Look for a very balanced attack offensively that is predicated on airing the ball out a bit more than last season.  This will be accomplished with a wide variety of formations designed to isolate defenders and cover for soft spots on the offense.  Defensively, there will be a lot of base heat and team pursuit from this group and a couple statistical ball hawks will emerge from the secondary.  Opponents should heed the trick-play!
7. John Barsby: Nanaimo's Barsby Bulldogs have been making steady improvements since 2007 and will be in every game they play this season.  The offensive and defensive lines are battle tested and veteren groups.  The big question mark will be how the incoming class of g. 11 players adapts to varsity play as the senior game at AA is light years tougher than the regional JV conference.  Special teams will be a difference maker for Barsby week-in and week-out.  Opponents should look at some old tape and be on guard for some perplexing wrinkles to accompany.  Much like Handsworth, this could be a sleeper pick for late round playoff action.
8. Pitt Meadows: The Marauders are below the horizon for now.  Short term memories will not serve opposing squads well.  Look back a couple years at JV and remember that this was one of the teams in the championship game of 08.  With a solid year of varsity play under their belt, this group will be mentally equipped for all that the league can throw at them this year.  With a couple breaks and the momentum of consecutive wins, these guys could catch fire and then who knows?
9. Hugh Boyd: This program has been too good for too long to write-off as anything but a playoff contender year-in and year-out.  The roster is filled with talent and experience and the coaching staff has a history of consistently fielding winners.  The Trojans will have to win vs Island opponents/Pinetree and knock-off at least one of the neighboring Sands, Seaquam or South Delta programs to make the playoffs.  This is entirely possible.   
10. Rick Hansen: Never count these guys out.  A gob of talent graduated this past June but Hurricane Fans should not lose heart.  This is big AA school with a very established program feeding the varsity squad.  The coaching staff is superb and when one takes a good look at the historical performance of this group, they consistently get better as the season unfolds.  The coaches will use their talent well and this team will be in the thick of most games they play.  The trick for Hansen in a very, very tough division is to keep the score close as deep into the game as possible and then get opportunistic.  I don't see a steamroller here but I do see a team that if it gets into the playoffs, will have done so by earning it and will have a savy confidence that is worth post-season W's.

Honourable Mention: Ballenas, Langley


The Interior and the North are notable by their absence.  Again, show us some 1st round victories this year and we can begin the ranking discussion.

Latest Reports From Around BC

So Gang, what is the latest from the spring scrimmages/camps around BC?  The Island had its JV and Varsity Jamborees at the end of May.  Barsby, Ballenas, Gulf Islands and Nanaimo District played quite well!  You can tell that Milne has made big strides in the right direction and Isfeld was certainly scrappy at times.  Timberline seems to be in a rebuild, but should not be overlooked by folks in their division.  Spring is always a tough go up in Campbell River.

Based on what I saw of Tier 2 at the Jamboree, I'd rank em as follows:

1. Nanaimo District

2. Gulf Islands

3. Milne

4. Belmont

5. Timberline/Isfeld

Vanier was not present and is a bit of an unknown.  Come mid-season this fall they ought to be pretty tough as they have super athletes!

After looking at video extensively, I am convinced that the Barsby vs Ballenas tilt was much closer than the score would indicate.  The Border Battle this October is going to be INTENSE!  Looking forward to another classic with the Dawgs and Whalers!

Biggest surprise of the Jamboree:  Nanaimo District and Milne.  Teams not to take for granted on the schedule: Timberline and Belmont.  Both have solid athletes and both will get better.

A question to everyone out there on the Mainland.  How have the spring tilts gone for everyone? Am very curious to hear about the Seaquam-South-Delta dust-up!!!

Send in/post your observations/thoughts as we'd all appreciate it.