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Science Hill (1-0) vs. Bradley Central (2-0)


Acumen
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Will the Hilltoppers make the improvement good teams make from game 1 to game 2?

 

This game will go a long ways in telling where we are in the new district. Science Hill is very good and will be better this week, but it will a be a long road trip. We will get a read on the travel issue if the stands are filled or empty,

 

It is the Home opener for the Bears. Played one cross town rival the first week, then the oldest rival Friday night in McMinn County. Both on the road against 5A teams. Not bad tests and then Science Hill comes in sandwiched between the oldest rival and the biggest rival in Cleveland High. Will the Bears be ready to play in that situation or will they have a let down with the games before and after?

 

This is going to be a good one.

 

Bradley has replaced a lot of players from last year's tilt, but we have our QB back and the supporting cast is showing some mettle.

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SH has 8 starters back on defense and 7 on offense but of course no more Malik McGue. The senior class is full of three year varsity starters so hopefully the travel and atmosphere will not be an issue for this group.

 

The defense has very solid front seven and the defensive backs didn't really face a throwing team week one but did handle Knox Catholic in a scrimmage by getting three picks against their first group. It was just a scrimmage however.

 

The offense moved the ball between the 20s in game one and has a very talented mix of speed and power. However 6 trips in the red zone and points only on one of them will not get it done in 6 A football. Three missed FGs and two picks. SH needs to continue to pound the run and throw the ball when the box is full. I expect they should improve over week one but for almost all the teams this is new conference territory so I see this first year of play hard to predict accurately.

 

As crazy as it sounds I am looking forward to the three hour drive and a visit to BC. Excited to get the conference season started.

 

Go Toppers!

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SH has a lot to prove this week. They didn't look all that good the other night vs Elizabethton. They will face a better team on the road this week. If the special teams issue and OL can take a big step forward I think the Toppers will be fine. They have the talent. Red zone offense has definitely got to improve. Like Acumen said, they really had no problem at all moving the ball against the Cyclones the other night. However, once they got in the red zone, they made dumb mistakes that cost them a lot of points. You're not going to win many games in this conference if you do that. I need to see more from Bedard this week too, especially with passing. He didn't look nearly as sharp as I know he can be.

Edited by TFL2001
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.

 

What have been the scores of your games? Other than you have very talented Receivers and probably one of the better QBs in the state what does the D look like this year?

 

This game will go a long ways in telling where we are in the new district. Science Hill is very good and will be better this week, but it will a be a long road trip. We will get a read on the travel issue if the stands are filled or empty,

 

It is the Home opener for the Bears. Played one cross town rival the first week, then the oldest rival Friday night in McMinn County. Both on the road against 5A teams. Not bad tests and then Science Hill comes in sandwiched between the oldest rival and the biggest rival in Cleveland High. Will the Bears be ready to play in that situation or will they have a let down with the games before and after?

 

This is going to be a good one.

 

Bradley has replaced a lot of players from last year's tilt, but we have our QB back and the supporting cast is showing some mettle.

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.

 

What have been the scores of your games? Other than you have very talented Receivers and probably one of the better QBs in the state what does the D look like this year?

 

 

 

Bears beat Walker Valley 34 - 27 and McMinn County 34- 14. Bears have most of the defense returning from last year but are running the 3 - this year. 

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SH has a lot to prove this week. They didn't look all that good the other night vs Elizabethton. They will face a better team on the road this week. If the special teams issue and OL can take a big step forward I think the Toppers will be fine. They have the talent. Red zone offense has definitely got to improve. Like Acumen said, they really had no problem at all moving the ball against the Cyclones the other night. However, once they got in the red zone, they made dumb mistakes that cost them a lot of points. You're not going to win many games in this conference if you do that. I need to see more from Bedard this week too, especially with passing. He didn't look nearly as sharp as I know he can be.

Ditto with TFL. Toppers were 2-6 in the Red Zone with 3 missed FG's and a pick. Bedard looked strong running the football but was hesitant in the pocket. He held the ball too long in going through reads and his INT's were terrible throws. The quick hitters over the middle worked and he rolled left on a 3rd down play and threw a dart to Mathes I think. His deep pass to Mathes was Reed Hayes like. So, we know he can do it but his picks were killers.

 

Elizabethton cut the SHHS defense with the run and we couldn't seem to stop them. But we seemed to always make a defensive play. #6 Tolley is a force on D. If the O doesn't put the D in bad spots, SHHS can be formidable.

 

Russell will be the real deal. Bedard has so many weapons he doesn't need to do it all himself. I thought the over the middle stuff and swing passes were perfect. Get the playmakers the ball and let them work.

 

I don't know much about da Bears but we can't be -3 in turnovers. No turnovers against EHS and that game is over at halftime.

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Ditto with TFL. Toppers were 2-6 in the Red Zone with 3 missed FG's and a pick. Bedard looked strong running the football but was hesitant in the pocket. He held the ball too long in going through reads and his INT's were terrible throws. The quick hitters over the middle worked and he rolled left on a 3rd down play and threw a dart to Mathes I think. His deep pass to Mathes was Reed Hayes like. So, we know he can do it but his picks were killers.

 

Elizabethton cut the SHHS defense with the run and we couldn't seem to stop them. But we seemed to always make a defensive play. #6 Tolley is a force on D. If the O doesn't put the D in bad spots, SHHS can be formidable.

 

Russell will be the real deal. Bedard has so many weapons he doesn't need to do it all himself. I thought the over the middle stuff and swing passes were perfect. Get the playmakers the ball and let them work.

 

I don't know much about da Bears but we can't be -3 in turnovers. No turnovers against EHS and that game is over at halftime.

I agree with game management on offense but the special teams is what almost did us in.  The INT's were tipped balls except for the last one which was a poor game management decision.  Tuck the ball gain 10 yards on the run and it is 4th and 2 and the clock is running.

 

The special teams killed us.  9 points lost on the missed FGs and the snap over the punter's head gives them first and goal from the three and leads to 7 more points.   That is a 16 point swing and the game turns into a nail bitter because of it.

 

I think the offense will be fine.  I am thinking it sure would have been nice in those games last year when we were blowing people out to have had our current #11 play a lot more QB early  in the games to give him a chance to throw the ball when it counted.  When he did play QB last year after game #2 it was to hand the ball off to the third string running backs so they could get some carries.   It will take a little time to get used to making the QB decisions which is more about game management and not always about putting the team on your back like they asked at RB last year.   There is a ton of speed and power in the backfield and on the edges and I know the game plan is to get the ball in their hands and use #11's arm to do so.

 

If we can get the special teams on track I think we will be in good shape.  Defense this week will need to get pressure on their very good QB and to cover some very tall and athletic receivers and on offense we need to use a good balanced attack and stay with it through the red zone.

 

 

Go Toppers!

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