Hoover vs Massillon Jackson
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SITE: North Canton Memorial Stadium
DATE: Friday, October 30, 2009 (Kickoff @ 7:30 p.m.)
RECORDS: Massillon Jackson 0-9, Hoover 6-3.
LAST WEEK: Massillon Jackson 7, Perry 10; Hoover 9, Canton GlenOak 13.
LAST MEETING: Hoover won, 26-7, last year.
PLAYOFF OUTLOOK: This game holds tremendous significance. Hoover must win to put themselves in a position to win the Federal League as well as qualify for post season play.
With regards to winning the Federal League, Hoover will need help from Perry as they host GlenOak this week. If Perry knocks off GlenOak and Hoover takes care of business against Jackson, both GlenOak and Hoover would tie for the Federal League championship along with Boardman, assuming Boardman defeats Austintown Fitch.
Currently, Hoover is fifth in region 2. The top eight teams qualify for the playoffs. You would think all Hoover has to do is beat Jackson and they'd qualify for post season, but it's not that simple. A win over Jackson will not generate very many level one Harbins points due to the fact that Jackson is 0-9. Other teams in the region may leap-frog Hoover by beating an opponent with a record better than 0-9. If Hoover hopes to play in week eleven, they'll need some help from other teams within the region and previous oppenents.
At this point, the playoff contenders in region 2 and the various senerios are many. However, we can highlight a few key games that will have an impact on Hoover's playoff hopes. They are:
- Coolidge (5-3) hosts Dunbar (8-1)
- Lexington (6-3) hosts Ashland (8-1)
- McKinley (5-4) hosts Massillon (7-2)
- Perry (4-5) hosts GlenOak (7-2)
- Austintown Fitch (6-3) @ Boardman (6-3)
- Lake (4-5) hosts East Technical (2-7)
- Brunswick (6-3) hosts Medina (4-5)
- Perrysburg (7-2) @ Maumee (8-1)
- Amherst Steele (7-2) hosts Avon Lake (6-3)
- Toledo St. John's (6-3) hosts Toledo Central Catholic (7-2)
Teams highlighted in blue are our preferred teams
CLOSER LOOK AT JACKSON: Jackson would love to claim its first victory this season at the expense of their arch rival, the Hoover Vikings. The Polar Bears appeared to be getting close to getting their first win earlier this season, as evidence by a 27-21 loss to Federal League leader GlenOak in Week Four. However Jackson has been outscored 81-14 in dropping their last three games to Boardman, Lake and Perry to fall to 0-9. The Polar Bears are trying to avoid their first 0-10 season since 1963.
Jackson’s multiple formation offense has shown an ability to move the ball behind QB Grant Seanor #11, but the Polar Bears haven’t been able to sustain that success over the course of a 48-minute game. Jackson’s offensive line has had some issues opening holes for the running game or keeping Seanor free of pressure in recent weeks. When he does have time to operate, Seanor has been able to find senior receivers Jake Batcho #14, Nathan Kanam #12 and Casey Irwin #18, while junior RB Will Logan #30 (5-8, 163) has been the Bears’ top rusher this season. Logan has rushed for 192 yards in the last two games.
Defensively, the Polar Bears’ 3-4 scheme has struggled to stop the run lately. The Bears are breaking in several young players on the defensive side, but Balderson singled out juniors Zakk Stayer and Tony Reed as having made favorable impressions on him.
Jackson, which has been susceptible to allowing backs to pick up big chunks of yardage, will have to perform its defensive responsibilities and limit its breakdowns to have a chance at stopping Hoover's running game. Jackson has given up 2,374 rushing yards on 390 attempts this season for a dismal average of 6.1 yards per carry and a league high 263 yards per game. The Hoover Road Graders will be busy!
NETWORK
Hoover Vikings Football
Hoover Vikings Football
Massillon Jackson Polar Bears Game Preview
