High School Germantown-Farmersville Valley View Spartans

[Sevens]

Saw the game. Dunbar was killing VV in the first half with pressure. Pohl wasn't even getting a 3 step drop before the pressure was there. Dunbar had a lot of speed off the corners. VV adjusted in the second half and allowed that pressure to run up field and ran draws up the middle. Jarbo is a good runner. Reminds me of Eddie Brate, to take you back in time. Bigger than Brate, but kind of shifty and runs with a good body lean. After the Edgewood scrimmage my opinion of VV was that they were a very good passing team, average running team offensively, but rather weak defensively. They have a decent DL, but are void at LB. But in the Dunbar game, when Dunbar took away the passing, the running game stepped up and the defense really stepped up. It was 6-0 in the 3rd quarter. VV drove inside the 5 before Jarbo fumbled. VV then stuffed the run and got the safety to make it 6-2. Up to that point Dunbar had been very successful running the ball. VV got really good field position after the free kick and scored to make it 9-6. Dunbar drove inside the 20, but VV defense held on 4th down. After that VV dominated. They are a good team, not great. They are pretty equal to what they have been the past few years. Word is Indian Hill is down from past years. So I would expect a VV win, but the game is in Cincinnati, against a Cincinnati team and that doesn't always go well (ie. Roger Bacon 2006).

 

[sepia5]

Saw the game. Dunbar was killing VV in the first half with pressure. Pohl wasn't even getting a 3 step drop before the pressure was there. Dunbar had a lot of speed off the corners. VV adjusted in the second half and allowed that pressure to run up field and ran draws up the middle. Jarbo is a good runner. Reminds me of Eddie Brate, to take you back in time. Bigger than Brate, but kind of shifty and runs with a good body lean. After the Edgewood scrimmage my opinion of VV was that they were a very good passing team, average running team offensively, but rather weak defensively. They have a decent DL, but are void at LB. But in the Dunbar game, when Dunbar took away the passing, the running game stepped up and the defense really stepped up. It was 6-0 in the 3rd quarter. VV drove inside the 5 before Jarbo fumbled. VV then stuffed the run and got the safety to make it 6-2. Up to that point Dunbar had been very successful running the ball. VV got really good field position after the free kick and scored to make it 9-6. Dunbar drove inside the 20, but VV defense held on 4th down. After that VV dominated. They are a good team, not great. They are pretty equal to what they have been the past few years. Word is Indian Hill is down from past years. So I would expect a VV win, but the game is in Cincinnati, against a Cincinnati team and that doesn't always go well (ie. Roger Bacon 2006).

Thanks for the insight! Great to hear from someone witnessing the game "from the ground." VV did in fact dominate what apparently is a down Indian Hill team, putting a 48-14 thumping on them. I believe that's four wins in a row against Indian Hill for the Spartans. The week one win against Dunbar looks all the more impressive given that Dunbar nearly beat Trotwood-Madison this past week.

I hope VV can make a run this year, because they've got some strong seniors. But getting past the likes of Alter and Kenton won't be easy--those are two great teams, and I agree VV may only be a good team.

 

[Sevens]

Lost to Fenwick 43-34. Frustrating game. VV returned opening kickoff inside the 5 and then returned a fumble to jump out 14-0. After that VV could not stop Fenwick's running game. VV is really void of linebackers this year. Really, really bad tackling in this game. The DB's are pretty good. Chris Lykins is as good a corner as VV has had, and the DL is average. But the LB's really struggle. VV will have to outscore good teams to win and I'm not sure they have the skill's to do that. Pohl is a really good QB, and Jarbo is a good runner, but the slots and receivers are average at best. VV is good enough that they should dominate weaker teams and will be in the game against good teams. They probably are a playoff team, but they are way behind Alter, Kenton, Massie, etc in the region.