Sports
Gallia Academy Must Respond Against Logan
< < Back to gallia-academy-must-respond-against-loganThe race to the top of the SEOAL is starting to heat up. Logan (4-4, 2-0 SEOAL) is currently holding the top spot, but they have a tough matchup this week as the Chieftains head to Gallipolis to take on the Gallia Academy Blue Devils (5-3, 1-1).
Gallia Academy is coming off of a tough 31-21 loss to the Warren Warriors last week. The question on everybody’s mind, including Gallia Academy Head Coach Wade Bartholomew himself, is whether the Blue Devils will be able to bounce back.
“The only thing our kids can do is understand that they’re guaranteed 10 football games,” Bartholomew said. “It was a disappointing loss, but we have the opportunity to come back and prove that we’re a good football team.”
With that loss to Warren comes a lot more added pressure.
“Losing this game is the difference between a 7 win ball club, and a 5 win ball club. We are definitely feeling the outside pressure.”
Last season the Chieftains fell to the Blue Devils at home 23-14, and they do not want that to happen again. Running back Isaac Schmeltzer is leading the charge for Logan averaging 6 yards per carry with 11 total scores, while quarterback Nick Kost has thrown for five touchdowns and run for four.
“Logan does a great job of distributing the ball,” Bartholomew said. “Those three in the backfield is who we’re really worried about. We’ve been focusing on how to stop the three-headed-monster.”
Logan’s trio of Schmeltzer, Kost and Bryce McBride has combined for nearly 1500 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground this season.
The Chieftains are coming off of a loss themselves, falling to Zanesville 58-13. Friday’s game will be all about which team can respond after upsetting losses last week. Moreover, which players will step up and lead their team to a victory.
“I’m looking for Wade Jarrell to bounce back big time,” Bartholomew said. “Our offense has to play a big game, and Wade has to play a better football game.”
The Chieftains will try to clinch an SEOAL title this week, while the Blue Devils try to regain some ground in the conference.