Logan turns two Gallipolis miscues into 14 big points en route to 35-21 victory over defending champions

By CRAIG DUNN Sports Editor cdunn@logandaily.com

GALLIPOLIS — Opportunity knocked Friday night… and the Logan Chieftains were once again there to answer the door.

As they’ve matured into a championship football team this fall, the Purple & White have almost always taken advantage of opportunities provided them by their opposition.

Logan turned two huge Gallipolis miscues into 14 points Friday night at Gallia Academy’s Memorial Field… and those 14 points proved to be the difference as the Chieftains clinched a tie for the Southeastern Ohio Athletic League championship with a 35-21 victory.

League leaders play for title share this week then, with victory, would play for outright crown next week

By CRAIG DUNN Sports Editor cdunn@logandaily.com

LOGAN — It’s been four years since the Logan Chieftains have been involved in what could be termed a championship football game… and now, they get to play what amounts to not one, but two of them in eight days.

The Chieftains — make that the Southeastern Ohio Athletic League-leading Chieftains — travel to the Old French City on the Ohio River to battle longtime league rival and football nemesis Gallia Academy Friday (7:30 p.m. kickoff) needing just one win in their final two games to clinch no worse than a tie for the school’s 26th grid title.

At this point, however, “tie” could be classified as a four-letter word in the Chieftain locker room. Their eyes are on the prize — and, while obviously not looking past Gallipolis to their season finale next Friday against Warren, they want it all to themselves.

By CRAIG DUNN Sports Editor cdunn@logandaily.com

LOGAN — From 2004 to 2009, when the Chieftains were riding their record 34-game Southeastern Ohio Athletic League football winning streak, there were very few scenarios in which it could be imagined the Purple & White would not emerge with a title.

Like most of those Logan teams, the 2013 Chiefs are in total control of their championship destiny as the season winds down. All they need to do is win Friday at Gallipolis, and next Friday in their home and season finale against Warren, to take the title outright.

The scenario is simple; achieving the desired results will be anything but

By SPENCER WAUGH for The Logan Daily News

GALLIPOLIS — Gallia Academy hit a speed bump last week in the shape of the Warren Warriors.

The Blue Devils, picked to repeat as champions in a pre-season poll conducted by SEOAL media, were on their way to a league championship showdown with Logan on Friday night… but the Warriors had other ideas.

Gallipolis had not lost to Warren in 15 years and had real playoff hopes before the Warriors dominated the Blue Devils by controlling the clock through a physical ground game and winning, 31-21.

Prior to that loss, the Blue Devils had dropped games to state-ranked Athens (62-19) and Kentucky power Belfry (41-19). Neither of those teams has lost a game.

Zanesville QB throws for six touchdowns as state-ranked Blue Devils roll up 58-13 triumph over Logan

By CRAIG DUNN Sports Editor cdunn@logandaily.com

ZANESVILLE — If you replace the blue uniforms with purple, stick an arrowhead decal on the helmets, and turn back the clock four or five years, you can just picture the Logan Chieftains of 2008 and 2009 reincarnated as the Zanesville Blue Devils of 2013.

Like those '08 and '09 Logan teams of yore, the '13 Blue Devils were, as advertised, indeed a spread-offense, passing-and-scoring juggernaut.

Zanesville quarterback Thomas Wibbeler threw for 424 yards and six touchdowns as the Blue Devils rolled to a 58-13 non-league victory over the Purple & White Friday night in Zanesville High School's Sulsberger Stadium.

Logan puts three-game win streak on line against Blue Devils, who are ranked third in state in DII

By CRAIG DUNN Sports Editor cdunn@logandaily.com

LOGAN — This week’s non-conference game at Zanesville is anything but a “break” from the Logan Chieftains’ quest for a Southeastern Ohio Athletic League football championship.

In football, taking a “break” basically means you’re either on a bye week or you’re playing someone that should offer little resistance when it comes to earning another victory.

That’s not Zanesville. Not now, and not in recent seasons.

By CRAIG DUNN Sports Editor cdunn@logandaily.com

LOGAN — To say the least, it’s been a tale of two seasons for the Chieftains.

Through their first four games, an injury-riddled Logan team had been outscored 141-69 (with nearly half of those points in a 32-27 win over winless Newark), had been held to minus-30 yards rushing by Loudonville, and was adjusting to life after their starting quarterback was injured in the third quarter of the season opener.

In that same stretch, the Chieftain defense had been riddled for school single-game records of 518 rushing yards (by Lancaster) and 469 passing yards (by Newark).

Things have turned around drastically over the last three games, however, especially as the defense has begun to stabilize. After allowing 453 total yards per game the first four weeks, the Chiefs have permitted 288.7 the last three games — not an eye-popping number, but steady improvement nonetheless.

By SPENCER WAUGH for The Logan Daily News

ZANESVILLE — A scouting report of Zanesville could be as short as five words: They are good. Really good.

The Blue Devils are 7-0 and ranked third in this week’s Associated Press Division II poll. Zanesville is averaging over 48 points per game on offense and holding opponents to just over 12. Their offense is averaging over 450 yards per game while the defense is allowing fewer than 175 yards per game.

The Blue Devils are winning games by an average of 36 points per game.

Kost throws for two TDs, runs for two more, as resilient Chieftains rally for huge 28-21 SEOAL victory


By CRAIG DUNN Sports Editor cdunn@logandaily.com

LOGAN — Having already lost their composure once Friday night — and regaining it with a halftime of soul-searching — the Logan Chieftains weren't about to lose it again.

They had fought and clawed their way from behind to establish a 21-13 lead with a little more than three minutes remaining in their Southeastern Ohio Athletic League clash with visiting Jackson in Logan Chieftain Stadium, only to see the Ironmen tie the score with a near-miraculous touchdown drive and subsequent 2-point conversion with 58.3 seconds remaining.

But this band of Chieftains has proven to be a resilient bunch. Rather than settle for overtime, the Purple & White instead went 50 yards on just five plays — in just 36 seconds — to get a Nick Kost 7-yard TD run to stun the Ironmen, 28-21.

By CRAIG DUNN Sports Editor cdunn@logandaily.com

LOGAN — When measured against traditional Logan High School football standards, the Chieftains’ accomplishments thus far this season can be considered modest.

But when you consider the Chiefs have averaged just two wins per season over the last three years, they’ve already eclipsed some expectations, and they’ve equaled or bettered some of their numbers from that time span… and there are still four games remaining this fall.

And if they can add a victory over Jackson Friday night (7:30 p.m. kickoff) in Logan Chieftain Stadium to what they’ve done thus far, the Purple & White can lay another vital brick toward solidifying a new foundation of success.