Quote from: FCGrizzliesGrad on November 16, 2019, 09:47:17 PM
What on earth happened in NY? Mount St Joseph put up 166 total yards and less than 20 minutes of possession in an 11-9 loss to SUNY Maritime.

Franklin almost took down Hanover. Panthers with a TD with a minute and a half left. The Victory Bell stays in Hanover for a 2nd year 27-21

Defiance gets their first win of the season and win the Battle of the Hammer for the first time in 4 years and second time this decade 10-7 over Bluffton.

Scoreboard operators in Manchester had their work cut out with the Spartans holding the Bronze Ball for the 9th year in a row in a 70-54 win over Anderson.

A couple 4th quarter TDs make the score a little closer but Rose was beaten handily by St John's 47-14.

Hanover was lucky to escape with the W.  Franklin came to play, and had a good game plan and matched up well.  I haven't looked at the stats, but I wonder how many yards the Griz had in the fourth quarter.  Everyone in the stands knew who was getting the ball, but Hanover didn't seem able to stop the big runs.

It was an interesting day, and a win that Hanover has been waiting for for a long time.

I sensed a different feeling throughout the game.  During all past visits to FC, the Victory Bell was heard fairly regularly (TDs, third down conversions, etc), but yesterday, I can't recall hearing it once until Hanover got their hands on it.

I was told that Hanover's starting QB and RB were both injured and out for yesterday's game, so I was glad to see them put up as many points as they did.

I have only been watching this rivalry for 8 years, so not the longevity of some on here, but this clearly was not a typical Grizzlies team.  I expect them to be back to the top of the pack next season, and we will have to wait and see if Hanover or MSJ can put together consecutive seasons where they challenge for the title.

I'm looking for some NCAC insider information.  Hanover is headed all the way to Hiram College to scrimmage the Terriers this Saturday afternoon.  From the looks of the campus via Google Maps Satellite View, it looks pretty compact without a lot of parking around the football stadium.

Anyone from the NCAC have any experience where visiting teams' fans congregate for tailgating, or can give other advice related to the campus?

Any help would be appreciated!

Quote from: SaintsFAN on November 04, 2013, 07:29:01 PM

Quote from: GRIZ_BACKER on November 04, 2013, 06:14:50 PM

Quote from: SaintsFAN on November 04, 2013, 02:57:40 PM

Quote from: GRIZ_BACKER on October 31, 2013, 10:28:57 AM
http://vimeo.com/75727059

Check out the video above related the to FC Touchdown Club.  Very well done.

Very cool video, btw. That's an awesome thing going on at Franklin.

Thanks.  Thomas More stll have a shot at playoffs?

They have to win out. If W&J loses then they are in as auto qualifier.  If W&J wins out and they win out, they should be the 1st Pool C team to go out of the South a Region.

They need to make a statement in The Bridge Bowl, IMO to remove doubt. It would be a shame if they missed. This team is good but a very young one. They just broke the record of shutouts in a season with 4 (my freshman year 95 team had the record with three). Anytime you are mentioned with that team, you're doing something right. Plus they have probably a first team AA at RB in Hayden. We'll see, I guess.

I was beginning to think that this year's edition of the Bridge Bowl would be an interesting matchup, with MSJ being closer than the 71-3 fiasco of last year (or the year previous, I can't remember).  Then they got shut out by Rose Hulman 34 - 0, and I really don't know what to expect.  Would not be surprised to see them make a game of it, or for the Saints to completely roll over them, knowing the implications for the post season ride on the effort.

This week's game against Earlham won't be too much of a gauge, so I guess we will know in about a week and a half.

Quote from: dc_has_been on October 22, 2013, 12:08:24 PM
Hopefully DC will bounce back this week and beat Hanover.  I still am pleased overall with how they've performed this season and now expect them to take two out of their last three and finish 5-5.  With so much young talent, I hope that it carries over to next season and the DC program grows in to a competitor of the HCAC.  Time will tell, but hopefully they take care of the Panthers first.

I am hoping Hanover stays on a roll and takes care of business in Defiance on Saturday.  In preparation for this titanic struggle in Northwest Ohio, I was scouring the conference stats for tell-tale signs of something.  What struck me was the similarity between the two teams this season in terms of results.  Here is the link to the HCAC site:

http://www.heartlandconf.org/sports/fball/2013-14/teams?sort=ydpg&r=0&pos=yar

Both teams have lost to MSJ and Rose Hulman, posted a convincing win over Anderson, and have other conference wins (Defiance over Earlham and Manchester and Hanover over Bluffton in a shutout).  Many other similarities throughout the stats (avg points/game, avg yards rushing, etc).

The weather shouldn't be a huge factor in the game, as it is predicted to be around 50 around game time, although the wind is predicted to be in the 15 - 25 mph range.  Neither team relies solely on the pass, so if the wind dictates a ground and pound affair, it should not be a surprise.

Defiance has done well in taking advantage of turnovers this season, so minimizing them in all facets of the game will be important for the Panthers.  Hanover's D looked pretty sharp the last couple of weeks, but it is hard to read too much into that.  Stillwell (#99) leads the conference in sacks, and will look to add to his total on Saturday, but I am sure he is being game-planned for.

Looking forward to the game to see if Hanover's gains of late are as significant as we all want to believe.

Quote from: sigma one on September 16, 2013, 05:34:35 PM
Last week I said that it was not ER's style to run up a score.  Then, 69-0, not a score a lot of people will like.  Games can develop in strange ways, and the Wabash #1s scored one TD in the 2nd half.  I, at least, can't fault the coach for wanting to give a new starting QB a few more snaps. At the half is traditionally early to pull starters unless the game is really, really out of control. (And it was Game 1 after all, and the #1s could use a bit more work.)  The first TD of the second half was a pick six to make it 45-0.  then, the #1s were in for one series, resulting in a TD:  52-0.  Enter Walsh and a steady stream of others.  A FG and another pick-six before the end of the 3rd quarter.  I actually felt a little sorry for Walsh because he had handcuffs on, and he could not show more of himself after he and Putko battled for the starting role through camp.  Oh, well. 
     Finally, a CP Porter TD in the 4th.  I think all the coaches, everyone on the team, and all the fans who know his story wanted that to happen once they saw him capable of running with his old intensity.  He was the 4th Wabash running back to play.  Zurek, the #2 back, got only one series.  Stella got some work as well. 
     Wabash threw its last pass, an incompletion,, before the end of the 1st half. 
     To Hanover's credit, they played reserves late.  Smart move as they looked forward to the HCAC schedule.  Some coaches would have let their 1s try to score late in the game against the Wabash reserves (and to avoid a shutout).  I don't know how many players saw action for the Little Giants because the Box Score is screwed up, listing some as non-participants, including the starting center.

I think it would be hard for anyone at the game to claim Wabash was purposefully running up the score.  It was Hanover's responsibility to stop Wabash from scoring, whether it was the first or fourth string out there, and clearly there weren't a lot of stops.  Too many errors in all three facets of the game to expect to be competitive with a team like Wabash at home.

There are a lot of lessons to be taken from the game and applied to conference play beginning this week.  That's why you play better teams, and I am hopeful that message isn't lost on this year's team.  Franklin has established themselves as the top team in the HCAC, and the rest are going to have to elevate their games substantially if they hold any hope of knocking the Griz from their perch any time soon.

Lastly, it was great to see and hear the response CP Porter got as he got in the game and scored.  I wasn't aware of the story at the time, but figured there must have been some adversity he had overcome.  Kudos to him for working as hard as he did to get back on the field.

Quote from: FCGrizzliesGrad on August 14, 2013, 03:01:26 AM
I'm surprised no one has mentioned this yet. The HCAC Coaches poll has been released. Not really a shock at who's the favorite. Quite close in the middle of the pack though... http://www.heartlandconf.org/sports/fball/2013-14/releases/8_7_preseason_poll

Franklin (7)           79
Hanover (2)           67
Manchester           54
Mount St. Joseph  45
Rose-Hulman        44
Bluffton                 43
Defiance               40
Earlham                19
Anderson              14

I was surprised that Hanover got 2 votes for first.  I would expect Coach Baud voting for his own team, but looks like someone else among the coaches think the Panthers have a chance.  A lot of football to be played between now and the Victory Bell game in November, in case it comes down to that game being for the conference championship.

Quote from: dc_has_been on July 22, 2013, 03:09:24 PM
Defiance were crowned the winners of the best HCAC football helmet.  Congrats to the Yellow Jackests!  Now hopefully they'll be competitive on the field and make some noise this year. 

Here's the link: http://www.heartlandconf.org/sports/fball/2013-14/helmet_bracket/champions

Maybe we can keep the HCAC conversation going for a while, until at least when camp starts.

Considering Defiance has a new turf field and a coach in his second season, one could reasonably expect more out of this season.

What do you know about Defiance's recruiting class this year?  With a full year for Coach Sheehan and staff to really work on the recruiting side of things, is it safe to assume they made some noise in that regard?

Also, what did Defiance lose from last year, and in what areas do they need the most improvement?

I'm looking forward to the road trip to Defiance this season to see the new field.

Quote from: FCGrizzliesGrad on July 11, 2013, 06:47:57 AM
Quarterfinals of the helmet bracket and 2 of the matchups are within just a couple votes. Still more than 24 hours to vote for your favorites.
http://www.heartlandconf.org/sports/fball/2013-14/helmet_bracket/round_2

Less than 60 days until the season finally starts. Seems like it's been forever since last season. Where's my time machine?

Fortunately for the Griz fans, you got two weeks more than the rest of the conference!

Quote from: FCGrizzliesGrad on July 09, 2013, 09:21:28 PM
Time to wake up from a 7 month slumber here in the HCAC. I'm sure nothing has happened in the world since December

HCAC is running a bracket to decide the best football helmet in the conference. Seeding is based on last year's standings. First matchup between #8 Earlham and #9 Anderson is available until 10am tomorrow morning at the bottom of the page
http://www.heartlandconf.org/sports/fball/2013-14/helmet_bracket/round_1

Quarterfinals begin at noon tomorrow and run till noon on the 12th.

I am a bit biased but I think Franklin should be the favorite to win the bracket.

Thanks for reviving the HCAC thread.  It was sad that the last post was back on December 4th, but then I had nothing to contribute to get the conversation started again.

It will be interesting this season to see the progress some teams have made.  As a conference, the HCAC had a lot of new coaches last year, and some (i.e. Earlham) really didn't have much time for recruiting.  Now that the new coaching staffs have had a full season and off season to install their program, it will be interesting to see the results.  Looking forward to a great season.

In looking at the bracket, it looks like Bluffton has new lids for the upcoming season.  I can't get an image large enough to see, but I like the color.

As for Franklin having the best helmet design, being a Hanover fan, I cannot give you an 'amen' to your vote.  However, that being said, I think the simplicity of the entire Franklin uniform is neat, sort of like Penn State, Michigan (before Addidas got creative), and the Oakland Raiders.

It looks as though three in the conference have gone with the matte look (MSJ, Manchester and Bluffton).  Wonder who will be next?

Quote from: GRIZ_BACKER on November 11, 2012, 07:42:20 AM
Congrats to the GRIZ on winning the HCAC and the Victory Bell.  Great game in front of a capacity crowd.  The Panthers jumped out to 8-0 lead before being pounded 45-8 by halftime.  58-29 was the final.  Hopefully FC will get a good seed for next Saturday.

I mentioned it in an earlier post that Hanover couldn't afford any turnovers giving the Griz a short field, and you can see what happens with 3 interceptions in the first half.  Unbelievable!

The last two weeks of the season really showed some of the weaknesses Hanover has to fix to win consistently.

Enjoyed the game atmosphere at Franklin.  With the exception of a few drunk TKE students, everyone was friendly and welcoming. Nice of Franklin to set aside the Physical Plant parking lot for Hanover fans.

Quote from: GRIZ_BACKER on November 04, 2012, 08:30:57 PM

Quote from: Thunder44 on November 04, 2012, 09:55:49 AM

Quote from: FCGrizzliesGrad on November 03, 2012, 08:27:48 PM
Big upset with Manchester holding on to beat Hanover. With a win next week over Anderson they would finish above .500 for the first time this millennium. Add in a Franklin win over Hanover and they would finish 2nd in the conference. Not bad for a team picked 7th by the coaches.

Nice win for the Spartans yesterday.  The Panthers made a good game of it near the end, but it proved too little, too late.  The Hanover O missed a lot of opportunities in the first half, and was lucky to only be down by 7.  The second half started nicely for the O, but a few missed tackles by the D gave Manchester some long gains and scores.  Throw in a blocked XP and missed XP, and you get the final outcome.

As discussed earlier in this thread, this was a potential trap game for Hanover.  You can't expect to go on the road and play a team like Manchester and not bring your A game.  I am hopeful this game irritates the Hanover players and they practice with a renewed intensity this week.

If the complete Hanover shows up on Saturday, the Victory Bell game is going to be one for the ages.  Hoping that is the case!

The game should come down to how well the Hanover O line can handle the GRIZ D line and linebackers.  Unlike previous years, the GRIZ have a very solid defense and can keep the ball on the ground if needed on offense. Only 72 points given up in the conference this year and only 23 in the last five weeks. Less than 50 points in conference against the starters all season.  Anything can happen though. (ask Wabash about Oberlin).  I am confident the GRIZ will be focused and ready and in reality the playoffs start this week.

The Griz D Line will be a real test for Hanover's young O Line.  They haven't faced the kind of opponent that they will this Saturday since very early in the season, and I expect the game plan for Franklin to be built around various stunts and blitz packages to attempt to confuse the Panthers O Line.  If the O Line can keep Dexter Britt upright and give him time to pass, this will be an interesting game.

I seem to recall reading somewhere that Franklin is playing one of their Offensive Tackles on the D Line.  Am I just making this up, or is this really the case?  Is the D Line rotation for the Griz dealing with a lot of injuries or just a weak part of the D?

Quote from: FCGrizzliesGrad on November 03, 2012, 08:27:48 PM
Big upset with Manchester holding on to beat Hanover. With a win next week over Anderson they would finish above .500 for the first time this millennium. Add in a Franklin win over Hanover and they would finish 2nd in the conference. Not bad for a team picked 7th by the coaches.

Nice win for the Spartans yesterday.  The Panthers made a good game of it near the end, but it proved too little, too late.  The Hanover O missed a lot of opportunities in the first half, and was lucky to only be down by 7.  The second half started nicely for the O, but a few missed tackles by the D gave Manchester some long gains and scores.  Throw in a blocked XP and missed XP, and you get the final outcome.

As discussed earlier in this thread, this was a potential trap game for Hanover.  You can't expect to go on the road and play a team like Manchester and not bring your A game.  I am hopeful this game irritates the Hanover players and they practice with a renewed intensity this week.

If the complete Hanover shows up on Saturday, the Victory Bell game is going to be one for the ages.  Hoping that is the case!

Quote from: GRIZ_BACKER on October 30, 2012, 07:51:33 AM

Quote from: Thunder44 on October 30, 2012, 07:25:37 AM

Quote from: FCGrizzliesGrad on October 29, 2012, 08:07:55 PM
It's so quiet around here... let's talk about the possibility of trap games this weekend. Since a loss doesn't affect the title chances of Hanover or Franklin, could one or both be upset?
I don't think Franklin will come out as flat as they did last week and should handle Bluffton because of it, but I could see Manchester putting a scare into the Panthers. The Spartans have won their last 4 and their only loss by more than 10 was to Franklin which was 21.

Manchester for sure isn't the team they were a couple years ago, and sitting at 2nd place in the conference has to make them feel pretty good.  I have no doubt that they will bring everything this Saturday against Hanover.  Good teams don't get caught by trap games very often, and as Hanover is working towards being a good team, I think they will be prepared. Perhaps another question to ask is whether a 'significant' win for Hanover against Manchester has any bearing mentally heading into the Victory Bell game?

I seriously doubt that Franklin will have any trouble with the Beavers, regardless of the slow start last week.  If they are going to beat Franklin, they will need to do it for all 4 quarters, not just a quarter or two, and I don't think they have that in them.

The "trap" game could be 11/10 in Franklin with Hanover if the GRIZ play at the level they played up in Defiance. 4 lost fumbles and an interception to go with 18/36 passing.  Assuming weather holds up as predicted Sat in Franklin, the Beavers may be in for a long day.  Hopefully the effort in Defiance got everyone's attention and this week practice will be sharp and everyone focused.  I am looking forward to 11/10. A true conference championship game in front of a packed house.  Should be fun.

I am looking forward to that game also.  Looking at the results from the last 4 meetings, Hanover has lost by scores from 14 to 30 something.  It will be interesting to see if they have closed the gap any.  Aside from the Defiance game, Franklin isn't known for making too many mistakes, and knowing that the game is for the conference championship, I expect a solid effort.

Hanover has experienced some adversity in a few games this season, and has found a way to win, so they have that going for them.  If the Panthers don't turn the ball over and give the Griz a short field, they will at least make it a good game.  If they are in striking distance in the 4th Quarter, I feel pretty good about our chances.

Quote from: FCGrizzliesGrad on October 29, 2012, 08:07:55 PM
It's so quiet around here... let's talk about the possibility of trap games this weekend. Since a loss doesn't affect the title chances of Hanover or Franklin, could one or both be upset?
I don't think Franklin will come out as flat as they did last week and should handle Bluffton because of it, but I could see Manchester putting a scare into the Panthers. The Spartans have won their last 4 and their only loss by more than 10 was to Franklin which was 21.

Manchester for sure isn't the team they were a couple years ago, and sitting at 2nd place in the conference has to make them feel pretty good.  I have no doubt that they will bring everything this Saturday against Hanover.  Good teams don't get caught by trap games very often, and as Hanover is working towards being a good team, I think they will be prepared. Perhaps another question to ask is whether a 'significant' win for Hanover against Manchester has any bearing mentally heading into the Victory Bell game?

I seriously doubt that Franklin will have any trouble with the Beavers, regardless of the slow start last week.  If they are going to beat Franklin, they will need to do it for all 4 quarters, not just a quarter or two, and I don't think they have that in them.