Logan hits the road for the short trek to Nelsonville, where it’s been a week of upheaval for N-Y Buckeyes

By CRAIG DUNN Sports Editor cdunn@logandaily.com

LOGAN — Events that played out earlier this week in Nelsonville no doubt ratcheted up interest in Friday night’s Logan at Nelsonville-York football game.

While the Chieftains (4-0) look to remain undefeated, the Buckeyes (1-3) look to right the ship in more ways than one.

Their longtime head coach, Dave Boston Jr., resigned on Monday following an altercation with an assistant coach during last Friday’s 23-12 loss to visiting River Valley and offensive coordinator Earich Dean takes over as interim coach Friday night.

Kickoff at Boston Field (named after longtime coach Dave Boston Sr., who led the Buckeyes to a 1981 state championship) is 7:30 p.m. — Logan’s final 7:30 kickoff of the regular season. All five remaining games on the slate are 7 p.m. starts.

By CRAIG DUNN Sports Editor cdunn@logandaily.com

LOGAN — There has been a lot of talk around Chieftain Nation concerning the kicking game.

However, while Logan is just 4-of-11 when it comes to booting extras points — five of those seven missed PATs have been blocked — the Chiefs are 7-of-13 (54 percent) when it comes to successfully converting post-touchdown 2-point plays.

That means Logan has scored 18 points following its 24 touchdowns — that’s not a bad ratio of points when it comes to high school football — though they just haven’t gone about getting them in a conventional manner.

“There’s a philosophy out there among coaches that it’s probably better to go for two anyway because the chances that you get your two are pretty good, and if you miss one two and get the next two it’s like you kicked two extra points,” Logan coach Billy Burke said. “Some coaches even go with the philosophy of not even worrying about (kicking) the extra point because we might be able to get more out of our two-point conversions anyway.

“I’m pretty happy with our 2-point package and our ability to be able to convert,” he added.

By SPENCER WAUGH for The Logan Daily News

NELSONVILLE — Since Nelsonville-York High School opened in 1967, Dave Boston, Sr. has been a constant force in the Buckeye football program.

Not only is the Buckeyes’ home filed named after him, but until this week he, his son Dave Boston Jr., and his son-in-law Kevin Meade had been the only head coaches in the school’s history.

That all changed on Monday when assistant coach Jason Andrews was terminated by the Nelsonville-York school board and the board accepted the resignations of both Bostons — Dave Boston Sr. was serving as an assistant to his son — following an alleged altercation that took place last Friday night.

So the Buckeyes, who were already going to play like caged animals following back-to-back home losses to Liberty Center (33-12) and River Valley (23-12), will have their emotions ratcheted to a whole-new level.

Earich Dean, a longtime coach in the program, will serve as the interim coach starting on Friday night against the Chieftains.

Dean, who has been the offensive coordinator this season, has three excellent juniors in the backfield to work with. The Buckeyes will likely continue to be a diverse power-run offense. The Buckeyes will spread the field, but still look to win the line of scrimmage and run the football.

Tailback Alex Mount (6-1, 193) leads the team with 497 yards rushing and five touchdowns on 80 carries. The workhorse back also leads the team with seven receptions for 65 yards.

Noah Andrews (5-10, 203) will be the fullback and has rushed for 137 yards and one score on 26 carries. Andrews has made six catches for 16 yards.

Hunter Edwards (6-3, 185), the third junior, is in his third season as the starting quarterback. He has completed 27 of 54 passes for 379 yards with a pair of scoring tosses and has thrown three interceptions. The dual threat quarterback is second on the team with 146 yards rushing and a pair of scores on 52 carries.

Other Buckeye playmakers include ends Garrett Maiden (5-10, 160, sophomore), Walker Elliott (5-8, 172, senior), Aron Davis (6-1, 190, junior), Chris Cook (5-10, 150, sophomore), and wingback Colt Yinger (5-7, 157, sophomore).

Ethan McCombs (5-11, 240, senior) and Micah Odenthal (5-11, 282, junior) are the tackles with Donovan McCollister (6-3, 235, freshman) and Matt Carter (6-2, 210, junior) playing guard. Paul Varner (5-10, 190, senior) is the center.

Defensively, the Orange and Brown will line up in their traditional 4-4 defense. N-Y is allowing 25 points per game and nearly five and a half yards per rush.

Up front, Skyler Canter (6-0, 294, junior) and Tyler Speelman (5-10, 172, sophomore) play inside at defensive tackle while Tyson McManus (6-3, 190, senior), Davis, and Andrews will all rotate at defensive end. Garret O’Nail (5-11, 175, junior) will play all along the defensive line.

Andrews and Jakob Talbert (5-5, 190, senior) are the primary inside linebackers, but Christian Berry (5-10, 182, junior) will play primarily outside linebacker and will move inside when Andrews plays end. Yinger plays outside with Elliott moving to linebacker when Andrews goes to end.

Elliott and Maiden are the primary cornerbacks with Mount adding depth. Cook will play free safety. Edwards will play all over the defensive backfield.

Maiden will handle the kicking and punting for the Athens Countians. Cook will return kicks and punts.

Domonic Micochero is a 6-0, 170-pound linebacker/running back. He wears No. 34 for the Chieftains.

Question: What are some of your strengths as a football player, and what are some of the things you’ve had to work at the hardest to become the player you are?

Answer: My experience and knowledge of the game is a big factor. My size is something I had to work on hard during the off-season by lifting every day.

Q: What does it mean to you to be a Chieftain and what do you want your legacy to be?

A: It’s an honor being a Chieftain. When I step onto the field, I just think about all of the other players who stepped on the field wearing purple and white. I want to be a part of the class that everybody remembers.

Q: What are some of the ways that you show senior leadership to your underclassman teammates?

A: I try to treat the underclassmen just like one of the older guys and I always talk to them about anything they need to talk about.

Q: What other sports do you play, besides football, and what is your favorite sport and why?

A: I’ll only be able to play one sport this year because I tore my UCL in my elbow, but I would say football is my favorite sport.

Q: What are some of your top athletic accomplishments or memories?

A: My fumble recovery that I ran back for a TD last year is a big memory for me.

Q: Do you have any pregame rituals or routines?

A: Before every game I get my wrists wrapped and then get my brace on and then suit up.

Q: Hobbies?

A: Drinking Kroger chocolate milk. I have finished a gallon with dinner on multiple occasions.

Q: What do you want to do when you are an adult, and why?

A: I’m still trying to decide.

Q: If you could meet one person from any era of history, who would it be and why?

A: Abraham Lincoln, because he changed a lot of bad things and was willing to fight for what’s right.

Q: Who has had the greatest influence on your life, and why?

A: My parents have been a major influence on my life. They focused me to be polite and responsible and I think more people need parents like mine.

Q: Do you have a nickname?

A: Mocha.

Q: Favorite college team?

A: Ohio State.

Q: Favorite movie?

A: The Rocky series.

Q: What's your favorite school subject, and why?

A: Science has always been really interesting to me.

Kyle Jacobsen is a 5-foot-8, 135-pound cornerback/running back. He wears No. 29 for the Chieftains.

Question: What are some of your strengths as a football player, and what are some of the things you’ve had to work at the hardest to become the player you are?

Answer: Some of my strengths as a football player are working with a team and trying my best to help the team. I had to work on my aggression the most to become the player I am.

Q: What does it mean to you to be a Chieftain and what do you want your legacy to be?

A: It’s an honor to be a Chieftain. I want my legacy to be one of the players who helped us to a state championship.

Q: What are some of the ways that you show senior leadership to your underclassman teammates?

A: I try to do my best at helping them with questions they have about what we are supposed to do.

Q: What other sports do you play, besides football, and what is your favorite sport and why?

A: I don’t play any other sport. My favorite sport is football because I like hitting people.

Q: What are some of your top athletic accomplishments or memories?

A: My top memory would have to be the last game of my freshman year.

Q: Hobbies?

A: Hunting and fishing. The biggest fish I caught around here would have to be a seven-pound largemouth bass.

Q: What do you want to do when you are an adult, and why?

A: I want to be a mechanic because I like to work on vehicles.

Q: If you could meet one person from any era of history, who would it be and why?

A: I would like to meet Archie Griffin because he is the only guy to win back-to-back Heisman trophies.

Q: Who has had the greatest influence on your life, and why?

A: My dad because he pushes me to work harder.

Q: Favorite college team?

A: Ohio State Buckeyes.

Q: Favorite television show?

A: Dukes of Hazzard.

Q: Favorite movie?

A: Gridiron Gang.

Q: Favorite video game?

A: Black Ops II.

Q: What's your favorite school subject, and why?

A: Shop, because we get to build a house from bottom to top.

COLUMBUS — With five teams in the top ten losing last weekend, the Logan Chieftains moved up three slots in this week’s Associated Press high school football poll.

The undefeated Purple & White (4-0) jumped to No. 12 in Division II of the AP poll, which was released Monday evening.

Logan also maintained its unofficial hold on second place in its Division II Region 5 playoff region, according to computer ratings expert Joe Eitel (joeeitel.com). The Ohio High School Athletic Association is expected to release official computer ratings on Tuesday.

Southeastern Ohio Athletic League rival Jackson (also 4-0) jumped into the top ten in Division III — taking the No. 10 slot — while Miller (4-0) broke into the AP poll in Division VII and Lancaster (4-0) moved into the No. 10 position in Division I. Future Logan foe Columbus DeSales (3-1) is No. 15 in Division III.

How a state panel of sportswriters and broadcasters rates Ohio high school football teams in the second weekly Associated Press poll of 2015, by OHSAA divisions, with won-lost record and total points (first-place votes in parentheses):

Bobcats offer another tough challenge as Chieftains seek to remain undefeated, continue run for playoffs

By CRAIG DUNN Sports Editor cdunn@logandaily.com

LOGAN — Already this season, the Logan Chieftains have faced — and fended off — challenges from a variety of opponents with varying playing styles.

They all had one thing in common, however: athletic quarterbacks who could run the ball as well as they threw it.

That’s the challenge awaiting the Chiefs as they take on the Cambridge Bobcats, a first-time opponent that will make the nearly two-hour trek from Guernsey County to Logan Chieftain Stadium Friday night (7 p.m. kickoff) for the first-ever football meeting between the two schools.

Friday’s clash with the Bobcats (2-1) ends an early-season string of three consecutive home games for the Chiefs (3-0), who play four of their next five foes on the road starting next week at Nelsonville-York.