Marshall Mathers

Third annual pre-season rankings from a very dedicated fans perspective. Lots of new coaches this year - Attica, RP, NV, Seeger, SV, FC 1. Parke Heritage - Clear favorites again this year, and I don't see them being challenged in the WRC. They graduated 2 very important pieces in Luce/Harper, which will inevitably be hard to replace, but with another year of experience for their younger guys, I don't see their dominance stopping. They bring back some core pieces in Schelsky, Pickle, Crum, Goins, Miller, and add Riverton Parke's best players as transfers. They will still have the size to dominate the post, and have the best guard play around the area. I believe they have 4/12 all conference players from last year on their team this year, and with Treigh Schelsky leading them for the 4th year, they will be tough. Look for them to make another run in March. Lost 20 out of 64PPG from last year, but got 17PPG & 10PPG transfers from Riverton. (7-0 Conference Prediction) 2. North Vermillion - I have NV/Seeger being a very close match up, but since the game is at NV, I will give them the edge. NV graduated a couple key pieces in Dawson/Edwards, but will be replaced with another big kid, and some underclassmen guards. NV has turned the corner the last couple of years, and will only continue to get better with Teagan Leonard leading the team, who is on track to end his career around 2,000 points. Leonard has some complimentary pieces around him with 4 year starter Dowers, and 2 year starter Thomann. If they stay healthy I do think they can beat anyone in the conference outside of PH. Lost 23 out of 61PPG from last year. (6-1 Conference Prediction) 3. Seeger - Seeger only graduated two players from a very competitive/sophomore heavy team last year. They return ALL of those guys, and add a very good freshmen class to compliment them. I would not be surprised if they ended up 6-1 as well. This team will be scary next year if they don't lose guys due to transfers. They will be led by Jack Cole, but don't really have a standout guy, they're all just pretty solid. Lost 15 out of 55PPG from last year. (5-2 Conference Prediction) This is where it gets a little crazy, and could go so many different ways. 4. Covington - They graduated at least 3 starters from a solid team last year, but one of those starters was a key component to how their team runs in Stein. He was a their distributor or scorer for the last two years, and will not be easily replaced. They also graduated Waddell, who was a huge presence for them inside with Herzog last year. They return Herzog (who is a top 3 big in the conference, Smith and Rieman, who were sophomores that gave them good minutes. Lost 34 out of 52PPG from last year. (4-3 Conference Predicition) 5. Riverton Parke - They lost their best player and arguably second best player to Parke Heritage. I would've put them at 4 if they had those guys. They will have Sanders/Lezniak, and a couple other big kids. I will be interested to see how they fare without those two guys. Lost 31 out of 54 PPG from last year. (3-4 Conference Prediction) 6. Fountain Central - They have a top 4 player in the conference in Foxworthy, so they will be able to stay very competitive with him. They also return their second leading scorer from last year and didn't really graduate anyone that important. I see their season being very comparable to last year, and will be able to beat anyone in the 4-8 spot, just don't know if they will score enough outside of Foxworthy to win a lot of games. Lost 14 out of 38PPG from last year. (2-5 Conference Prediction) 7. South Vermillion - They took probably the biggest hit of all teams last year. They graduated at least 8 seniors that I know of, and didn't play any underclassmen. The only reason I put them at 5 is because their JV from what I hear was decent last year, and I think that alone will edge out Attica. I don't know much more about this team than that, but can easily see them being 5-8 as well. Lost 57 out of 59PPG from last year! (1-6 Conference Prediction) 8. Attica - They return some key pieces and made a big jump last year. I think they will be competitive in the 4-8 games for some portions, and could see them winning a game if things go perfect. Lost 14 out of 42PPG from last year.

I want what you're on. FC 6 wins are against a combined 15-35 opponents Their 4 losses are against a combined 33-7 opponents They seem to struggle when the other team is good, and it just so happens that South Putnam is really good. Give me SP 48-13

Sanders being the best coach in the WRC clearly has his guy developing at an extreme rate. They're easily 2A in a couple years

I think we are all wondering what the Prince's fascination is with King Herb after he's been nothing but average for years. Only possibility is it's his family, or a loyal solider from the Rox State team.. or maybe its a Kevin Allen burner account? Nobody will ever know.. But on a real note, who is Kevin Allen, and does he want some of Mom's Spaghetti?

One of these coaches chases talent more than the others

What is Moore's record against Crabtree? Asking for a friend.. But NOBODY has turned a program around like Sanders has at RP

'07 Rockville because Herb is your kin? They weren't better than the '18 NV team

This Panther team is better coached, and much more physical/athletic than that NV team. RP would've beaten them by 2 scores.

Attica vs RP - RP 1 million - Attica 2 Covington vs Seeger - Seeger 42 - Covington 13 FC vs SV - FC 38 - SV 20 PH vs NV - PH 48 - NV 7

NV vs Attica - Crabtree out schemes the Ramblers. 28-13 NV PH vs Covington - This is a toss up for me, but Im going to go 33-27 Covington Seeger vs FC - If Foxworthy is playing Ill take FC 34-20 SV vs RP - RP by 100

Saved the best picks for last - Attica vs FC - 40-7 FC RP vs NV - 60-0 RP Seeger vs PH - 41 - 21 Seeger SV vs Covington - 28-21 Covington

Does it really matter? It's easy to take losses in the summer when it doesn't go on a record. How did those scrimmages help FC so far this season? Well Donnie I have a deal for you. Come up to Detroit and you can have some of Mom's Authentic Spaghetti.

Sounds like you need some of Mom's Spaghetti sir. RP would've been better off hosting an in house scrimmage with their JV team than playing Edinburgh.

Lucy I think this would be a really cool thing for you to implement in willing WRC schools. I know I would be terrified as an opposing player.

SURELY they could've picked somebody up better than EDINBURGH if they knew they were going to be solid this year right?

Im not sold on RP yet. Sanders is the best coach in the WRC, and it's not close, but they just haven't been tested yet. They wont get a true test until South Putnam in the sectional, but I also heard SP lost their good back. The starts could be aligning for Sanders after all.

Not sure your affiliations there, but he hasn't won a memorable game wince 2008.. correct me if I am wrong. I have seen Foxworthy play more than once. Very dynamic player.. potentially the best athlete in the conference. That could easily account for a few scores in the WRC. Don't get me wrong, they don't win with or without him against RP.

Who was hurt for FC? No way even healthy the Herbs can match Riverton Parke. Sanders has built that program with grit and determination from the ground up. Might I add he is also the winningest coach in RP history. RP goes undefeated in the regular season easy.

After now watching every conference team play at least once, and some a few times.. I wanted to give my guesses on all-conference players this year. Most teams still have 1-2 games left in conference play, but this is purely from a fan perspective, not seeing every single game, or even conference vs. conference games. I do believe there are 12 total athletes that get voted in each year, so I will put the 12 I think will get it. Parke Heritage - 1. Treigh Schelsky 2. Carter Crum 3. Renn Harper 4. Brayden Luce North Vermillion - 1. Teagan Leonard 2. Owen Edwards South Vermillion - 1. Aden Wallace 2. Dominick Garzolini Covington - 1. Austin Stein Riverton Parke - 1. Jonah Hopkins Seeger - 1. Jack Cole Fountain Central - 1. Luke Foxworthy Attica - I don't think anyone gets all-conference here

Mid season update with conference play starting or about to start. I have seen everyone play, and after looking at my first set of predictions in November, I was close, but not perfect. My 3/4/5 spots are changing a bit. Original Predictions - PH, NV, Covington, SV, RP, Seeger, FC, Attica 1. Parke Heritage - 11-1. (69 Offensive Average - 46 Defensive Average) This hasn't changed. They are still the team to beat in the conference, and are a top team in 2A. I think their loss to Linton has humbled them some, and unfortunately for the other teams in the WRC caused them to become even better. They have proven to be prominent in the inside out game with Crum & Pickel, as well as formidable with their guard play with Schelsky & Harper. They seem to only play 6 players most nights, but can get to 8-9 in the rotation. Conference Prediction (7-0) 2. North Vermillion - 10-3. (66 Offensive Average - 51 Defensive Average) I am keeping them at #2 for the time being. Leonard has proven to be a top freshmen in the state, and potentially making a case for the top player in the conference. They have some good players around him and seem to be scoring some points. My only complaint with them is their only notable wins are potentially North Central & Shakamak (42-67 for teams that they have beaten.) Their 3 losses are to teams with a combined 28-6 record. This is the best NV team since their 18/19 team though. Conference Prediction (6-1) 3. South Vermillion - 5-7. (59 Offensive Average - 63 Defensive Average) I am moving them up a spot. This group has a lot of potential. They can score points VERY quickly from a few different areas. Their offense revolves around Wallace, and he is at his best when he is balanced in his shooting and passing attack. Their guard play around him is quick and athletic. Their 5-7 record doesn't do them justice with losses to combined 67-18 record teams. They just had a shootout to Seeger in a 74-72 win. This team will be formidable in conference play. Conference Prediction (5-2) 4. Seeger - 5-5. (58 Offensive Average - 54 Defensive Average) They have caught me by surprise. Living in Parke County I don't get to see much Seeger, so I will take the incorrect prediction putting them at 6 initially. Their sophomore class has been very impressive this year. No true standouts, but they play team basketball. Their losses are to a combined 31-21 record, with a couple of those games within a few points. They beat Covington in the Bi-County tournament by 1pt and loss to South Vermillion by 2. Conference Prediction (4-3) 5. Covington - 5-8. (51 Offensive Average - 50 Defensive Average) The Trojans are having an interesting season. They are +1 in the margin of scoring and are 5-8. They have lost 4 games by 5 points or less, with one of those coming from a 2-9 Faith Christian team. If this group plays consistent that are a top 3 team, but they can't seem to put the ball in the hoop when it matters in close games. I still think with conference play starting that they can beat everyone but PH. They rely on Stein tremendously for offensive production, and he has been in a bit of a slump. If he is playing well, they are tough to beat. Conference Prediction (3-4) 6. Riverton Parke - 6-5. (56 Offensive Average - 51 Defensive Average) Their 6-5 record is similar to NV's 10-3 as they haven't beaten anyone good yet (23-47 record for teams they have beaten.) They are still much improved from last year, and have a solid sophomore class like Seeger. They have a bunch of guys that can score on any given night, but are getting great play out of Hopkins. I think they only have 2-3 more wins left this year, but are likely to give the top teams an early battle. Conference Prediction (2-5) 7. Fountain Central - 3-6 (38 Offensive Average - 38 Defensive Average) They are really struggling to score the basketball, and rely heavily on Foxworthy's production to score/win games. Most teams have figured this out and are not letting him catch it. Their wins are against a combined 3-26 teams. They have already beaten Attica once, and I expect them to do it again in conference play. Conference Prediction (1-6) 8. Attica - 1-6. (39 Offensive Average - 56 Defensive Average) They are much improved from last year. I'd assume a hall of fame coach in Pat Skaggs has helped that out, but they just don't have the guys to win games yet. Conference Prediction (0-7)

Were officially a little less than 1 week out from the first practice, so it is time for my annual WRC Pre-Season Rankings in order. 1. Parke Heritage - 24-6 Last season with a semi-state run. They graduated Dowd, who was in my opinion, very important to their success last year. With that being said, they bring back 3 at least 3 all-conference players in Harper, Luce, Schelsky. Schelsky will get his 1000 point in game one, while Harper will also score his 1000 this season. Luce has an outside chance of scoring 1000 this year as well. They return Crum, who will more than likely score 1000 in his career as well. They are returning at lest 57PPG from last season. I believe Goins, McMullen, & Tidwell will all also be in the rotation. I also heard they have a North Putnam transfer, that is 6-7. They may have "too" many weapons this year if that's possible. I felt the only thing they were missing the last couple of years was a true big, and if the rumors are true, they got it. They will go undefeated in conference, and make another state run. 2. North Vermillion - 15-11 Last season with a sectional championship. They graduated White, Tryon, & Wesch. I don't believe any of these players were all-conference, but they did combine for about 25PPG out of the 56PPG average. They return 3 starters in Dowers, Edwards, & their all-conference selection in Dawson. These 3 combined for about 30PPG. I'm not entirely sure who they have to fill the next roles, but they did have a 6-6 kid play JV last year. I'd assume he will see rotation minutes. 3. Covington - 10-14 Last season. They graduated 24PPG and return 31PPG. Stein is their returning all conference selection, and arguably the best shooter in the conference. They return a good defender in Slider and a a big rim & post presence with Herzog. This varsity roster will be pretty senior heavy, so I look for their experience to propel them to some wins. They could very easily be above North Vermillion. 4. South Vermillion - 14-8 Last season. They graduated a few seniors, but a couple extra important all-conference selections in Bush & Shoults. Those 2 will be very hard to replace this year, and the seniors accounted for 35PPG out of their 59PPG. They return a good guard in Wallace @ 11PPG, and a couple other athletic guards. Garzolini will be a key returner for them as well. 5. Riverton Parke - 3-21 Last season. They graduated their best player in Robins, but I think it could be good for the team dynamic this year. They do not add their stats, so I am not sure what the averages were. They were VERY young last year and had a solid JV squad. I look for them to win some games this year after getting some experience under their belts. They will still be below .500 with youth mistakes, but I look for them to be a much tougher opponent than last year. Steward has this group playing very hard. 6. Seeger - 14-9 Last season. They graduated 40PPG last season out of their 50PPG, and as far as I know they only return 1 starter in Winchester. I live in the Parke County district, so I am not fully aware of what the most northern team in the conference has returning. Collins typically does a really good job, so I look for them to be competitive. My pick here could be completely wrong, and their underclassmen may be really good. 7. Fountain Central - 10-13 Last season. They graduated 43PPG last season, two of those graduates were top 5 players in the conference. They return Foxworthy, who was a 7PPG player last year, and will be their clear best player. I heard they have a good upcoming freshmen class, so I wouldn't be surprised if Dean plays his younger guys to get some experience this year. I think they will be competitive in the 5-8 games, but struggle against the top teams. 8. Attica - 2-22 Last season. Can Skaggs save the ramblers this year? I doubt it, but I think they will improve from last year. They had some freshmen pieces, but I think they are a couple years out from being more competitive.

Two years of football experience is not "overrated," no matter how good or bad they are. Lots of lessons to be learned that carry over to high school athletics, especially if your high school coach is directly involved. An undefeated junior high team that stays together for a few years and continues to work at it will absolutely be better than other schools with a sub .500 record that do the same. There are some factors that influence junior high success, the main one being puberty. Some of those average junior high teams can catch up to the really good ones when hitting puberty.

I misinterpreted what you posted.. I was thinking it was North vs. South.. but I see what you mean. I dont have the time to do that much research, but it would be interesting to see the history between counties

I got bored this morning and did some research on this topic.. NV vs SV Head to Head History per John Harrell - 1994 - 2024 - SV 17 Wins - 766 Total Points (24.7 OA) - NV 14 Wins - 753 Total Points (24.3 OA) - SV Tournament History (8-39) - NV Tournament History (51-38) (6 Sectional Championships, 3 Regionals, 2 Semi-States, 1 State) The bigger school is just barely winning the H2H match-up, but the tournament history is quite telling.. lets see if history can change for the Cats the next 3 weeks.

Lots of wine in Southern Vermillion County..