Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Colerain Girls Holds Off McAuley 40-38







Al Gabriel
WeAreColerain.com

In a game that Colerain head basketball coach Christi Mack knew would be a 'battle', the lady Cardinals held off the McAuley Mohawks 40-38 at Colerain last night. " I knew this would be a battle. The kids are from the same neighborhoods and they all know each other. Not taking a single thing away from McAuley but this was our worst game of the year. We shot just 25% from the field and just 12 of 22 from the free throw line and we got outrebounded. We were fortunate to find a way to win tonight and I am proud of our kids."
Colerain held a 30-27 lead entering the fourth quarter but the Mohawks quickly erased the deficit and the game was tied at 38 with 2:07 remaining in the game when a scare was put in to the Colerain faithful. Ashley Wanninger, who led all scorers with 17 points went down hard on the floor in front of the scorers table at mid-court while battling for a loose ball. Wanninger lay on the floor for a few minutes while the trainers attended to her but was able to walk to the Colerain bench under her own power with what appeared to be a leg cramp.
Wanninger would return to hit the front end of a 1 and 1 to give Colerain a 39-38 lead and Alexis Fitzpatrick would hit 1 of 2 free throws after a McAuley miss to account for the final score and she would come up with a tough rebound off of McAuley's last attempt and dribble out the clock to send Colerain to its sixth victory of the season. Sheaira Jones kicked 6 big points, all in the second half, that stemmed the tide of any Mohawk momentum.

(Pictured above from left to right: Alexis Fitzpatrick, Ashley Wanninger and Sheaira Jones)

VOTE for Colerain Basketball Star Ashley Wanninger

WeAreColerain.com has learned that Colerain Girls Basketball star Ashley Wanninger is up for LaRosa's MVP of the week honors. She needs the support of Cardinal nation, so please, take a few moments and click on the link below to cast your vote for Ashley.

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR ASHLEY

Watch Ashley and the #4 Ranked Varsity girls tonight @ home as they take on GGCL member McAuley @ 7:30 PM. Good Luck Lady Cards!

We Are..COLERAIN!!!

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Andre Revels...a retrospective

From Bill Koch for the Cincinnati Enquirer, another great article on Andre Reveles ('05).

Andre Revels has seen it all with Bearcats

Best of luck to Andre and all the other Cardinals in New Orleans this week as they look to beat the big, bad Gators from Gainesville.

We Are...Colerain!

Monday, December 28, 2009

Colerain Wrestling Bears Growing Pains

Article from The Cincinnati Enquirer can be found Here.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Year-end Review and Holiday Wishes from your friends at WeAreColerain.com!

2009 is nearing an end and we all have a tremendous amount to be proud of. We here at WeAreColerain.com experienced unprecedented growth this year.

In addition to completely revamping the website, we have continued to expand our coverage of Colerain athletics while bringing you exclusive insight into the athletic programs with "one-on-one" interviews from coaches and players that can be found ONLY here at WeAreColerain.com. But perhaps our greatest achievement this year came during the football season as WeAreColerain.com, with the support and backing of the Colerain Boosters and the Athletic Director's office, broadcasted LIVE Colerain High School football games over the internet. This was a first for Colerain High School and we are very proud of that.

All that said, none of this would have been possible if not for the loyal readers and supporters of the website. We are so grateful and thankful to YOU for checking in on a weekly, if not daily, basis to get caught up on the happenings of Colerain Athletics. Thank you!

2010 is going to be another year of growth for us as we hope to podcast many more interviews and maybe a basketball game or two as the boys and girls are off to great starts to the season.

Happy Holidays to all of our loyal readers! We wish you the very best for this holiday season and the New Year! And never forget...

WE ARE...COLERAIN!

Warm regards,
Your WeAreColerain.com team - Jason, Al, Chris, Brian and Brandon

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Former Cardinal Named Sporting News All-American


Chris Himonidis
WeAreColerain.com


Post-season accolades continue for former Colerain football players. University of Cincinnati LB Andre Revels (c/o '05) was named to the Sporting News 2009 All-American third team today for his exploits on the football field.

Sporting News Today All-Americans

Andre started all 12 games this year for the Bearcats. He led the defense with 103 tackles and had 3.5 tackles for loss. He was the defensive leader on the field and delivered the "Run Fast, Hit Hard" mentality he learned at Colerain on every play.

CONGRATULATIONS to Andre on his well-earned national recognition!

We Are...Colerain!

Monday, December 14, 2009

Boys Basketball 4-0!

The Colerain Boys Basketall team is off to a high flying 4-0 start this season after a convincing win at Simon Kenton last night. Colerain has won 3 of these games on the road, including a GMC OT win at Hamilton!

The boys next play this Friday night at home against Mason. Be there to support the Cardinals as they look to move to 2-0 in GMC play!

WE ARE...COLERAIN!

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Congrats to Colerain Hoopster

From the desk of AD Dan Bolden:

The Colerain Lady Cardinals defeated The Mason Lady Comets 32-29 in a
GMC battle today (Saturday). In that game Colerain senior guard Ashley Wanninger scored her 1,000th career point

Colerain is now 4-1 after running off four straight wins including 3-0 in GMC play.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

ESPN.com Recognizes Former Cardinal




Chris Himonidis
WeAreColerain.com

Hot off the presses, another Colerain Cardinal finds early career success at the college level. Redshirt Freshman DL BRANDON MILLS (c/o '08) was named to the 2009 ESPN.com All-Big East Freshman team per Brian Bennett.

The complete list can be found HERE

WeAreColerain.com would like to congratulate Brandon on the great start to his college career. We look forward to more years of great play by this former Cardinals.

We Are...COLERAIN!!

Wednesday, December 09, 2009

Wrestling Preview

(from Tony Meale, Community Press)

Colerain begins it's second year under Wrestling Coach Jim Wandsnider and they are looking to make Colerain History! Great preview of the Wrestling Cardinals.

Wandsnider aims for history at Colerain

As we can, the staff of WeAreColerain.com will update our readers on the progress of the Wrestling team as they progress towards their individual and team goals.

Best of luck to Coach Wandsnider the Men of Colerain Wrestling on a successful season!

We Are...COLERAIN!!

Monday, December 07, 2009

Update on Coombs Family

From WCPO regarding former Colerain head coach, Kerry Coombs and his family.

Story Here.

Well wishes from the WeAreColerain.com family.

Wednesday, December 02, 2009

Colerain Sweeps Roger Bacon in Bill Brewer Event!

Al Gabriel
WeAreColerain.com

Per Colerain head coach, Kevin Higgins:

The Colerain Basketball team won all three games Saturday night vs. Roger Bacon. Varsity won 61-49 and was led by Ken Kunkel who scored 21 points and had 11 rebounds. Ben Vonderhaar had 9 points and Elisha Campbell had 8 points.

Tuesday, December 01, 2009

SR LB Tyon Dixon on Louisville Commitment

From the Cincy Enquirer...

Colerain LB Tyon Dixon on Louisville Commitment

As we move into a very busy time of recruiting for football, WeAreColerain.com will do our very best to keep our readers up to date on where our Cardinals will be headed next year to continue their football playing careers on Saturday's.

Thanks for your continued support of the website.

We Are...COLERAIN!!!

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Season Wrap Up Interview with Coach Bolden

WeAreColerain.com is proud to provide an exclusive interview with head football coach Tom Bolden. We discuss this past season as well as an early preview of 2010. Check it out and send us any comments you may have!

Click here to listen to this exclusive interview.

Preseason Interview with Boy's Basketball Coach Kevin Higgins

Boy's Basketball Coach Kevin Higgins provided the WeAreColerain.com team with an exclusive 2010 preview interview.

Click here to listen to this exclusive interview.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Bill Brewer Foundation Event Saturday!

Al Gabriel
WeAreColerain.com

Colerain will host Roger Bacon on Saturday, November 28th in the Bill Brewer Foundation charity event. Game times are 4:30, 6:00 and 7:30. All proceeds will benefit the Bill Brewer Foundation. Bill Brewer was the varsity coach at Princeton High School and former Roger Bacon coach who died suddenly in 2007 before the start of the basketball season.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Time for Colerain Basketball. Are you ready?

Chris Himonidis
WeAreColerain.com Staff

With the leaves on the ground and the weather taking a serious dip in degrees, it can only mean one thing...time to vacate the football stadium and head into the Colerain gym for exciting basketball action this winter!

WeAreColerain.com will keep our readers up-to-date on the happenings of Colerain basketball throughout the winter as the boys look to take the next step in their climb up the very difficult GMC ladder while the girls look to improve on their District Runner-up finish last season.

Community Press Report Tony Meale does a nice job highlighting some of the key players and storylines for the GIRLS team this upcoming season. Check it out!

Colerain Light on Tenure, Heavy on Talent

Look for lots more on the blog in the coming weeks as we hope to interview both Coaches Higgins and Mack to get their perspective on their upcoming seasons!

Good luck Colerain Basketballers!!

WE ARE...COLERAIN!

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Video Highlights from Little Cards Super Bowl

6 Year Old Highlights:



8 Year Old Highlights:



9 Year Old Highlights:



11 Year Old Highlights:

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Colerain Football Cardinals named All-District!


Chris Himonidis
WeAreColerain.com Staff


WeAreColerain.com would like to congratulate the following football players for being named to the first, second and honorable mention teams in the Southwest District.

Southwest Ohio All-District Teams

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The 2009 Associated Press Southwest All-District football teams, based on the recommendations of a media panel:

District Offensive POY was Middletown QB Caleb Watkins
District Deffensive POY was Lakota West LB Jordan Hicks

2009 Colerain Cardinals
1st Team Offense: Linemen - Brandon Good, Cin. Colerain, 6-1, 265, SR
1st Team Defense: Punter - Greg Tabar, Cin. Colerain, 6-0, 180, SR

2nd Team Offense: Backs - Trayion Durham, Cin. Colerain, 6-1, 230, JR
2nd Team Defense: Linebackers - Jarrett Grace, Cin. Colerain, 6-4, 230, JR

Special Mention
Chris Dukes, Cin. Colerain, 5-9, 160, JR
Bam Harrison, Cin. Colerain, 5-10, 175, SR
Tyler Williams, Cin. Colerain, 5-7, 150, JR

Hard work, dedication, focus and TEAM support helped get these young men this special individual recognition. It is truly a testament to the continued level of excellence of Colerain football.

And for those JR’s on 2nd team and Honorable Mention…the work starts now for all of you to find yourselves on the 1st team next year as you help propel your 2010 Cardinal Football team to Canton and the program’s 2nd State Title!

GO CARDINALS! WE ARE…COLERAIN!

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Little Cards- 6 Year Olds Win Super Bowl; 8, 9, and 11 Year Olds Fall Short

Four of the Little Cards teams made their respective Super Bowls which were played this Sunday at Wyoming High School. The results are as follows:

6 Year Olds


Colerain, coached by Don Goodman, faced the Forest Hills Warriors (an Anderson and Turpin Feeder)in the 6 year old Super Bowl

The Cards struck first in the 2nd quarter when #4 took a dive up the middle and bounced outside for an 8 yard TD run. The 2 point play failed on a bad exchange. It would go to halftime, 6-0.

The teams would exchange drives to start the second half with #37 coming up with a big 4th down stop for the Cardinals to create momentum. Then, early in the 4th quarter, #6 scrambled 36 yards for another Cards TD, and #4 would add the 2 points, 14-0. That would be the final as the Cards held onto win, 14-0.

8 Year Olds

The Little Cards took on the Harrison Wildcats in this age group

This was a defensive battle from the beginning. The Wildcats took the opening drive the length the field but the Cards stopped them on downs to take over on their own 11. Earlier in the 2nd quarter, on 3rd and long the Cards QB #16 threw an interception deep. Harrison would then go three and out but the on ensuing Cards drive they fumbled it right back. Both teams would exchange once more before the half ended, 0-0.

Colerain took the opening drive of the 2nd half deep into Harrison territory but the drive stalled and they were forced to punt. The two teams would battle back and forth until in the 4th quarter the Wildcats scored on a QB sneak from the 1 yard line, the conversion would fail. The Cards were unable to answer and fell by a final of 6-0.

9 Year Olds

This age group, lead by Coach Foster, battled the Forest Hills Mad Dawgs in what has become a very heated rivalry, and was the game of the day.

The Cards would start off strong, methodically taking the opening drive 60 yards, capped by a 1 yard QB sneak by #18. #1 would add the 2 points, 8-0. But the Dawgs would answer quick, after being stuffed on two plays, the next one went 59 yards for a TD. The conversion was good, and it was tied, 8-8 in the 1st. Colerain's next drive would stall, and again Forest Hills struck with a big play. This time it was a 53 yard 2nd quarter TD run, with the conversion it was 16-8 Mad Dawgs. Neither team muster much the rest of the quarter and at half the score remained, 16-8.

Both teams struggled to find yardage in the 3rd, but a long pass from the Cardinal QB #18 to #36 changed the field position in favor of Colerain. In the 4th quarter, the combination of #18 to #36 would hook up again on a big pass play but as he crossed the five yard line #36 lost the ball and Forest Hills recovered it in the endzone for a touchback. The Cards would force a punt but would be stopped on downs before they could score. The defense held once again and forced another punt. The Cards would take over with 37 yards to drive and just 49 seconds left on the clock. A run by #1, a pass from #18 t0 #36, and a spike to stop the clock setup the Cards just outside the redzone. Then with just 7 seconds to play, #18 hit #36 once again, this time for a 21 yard TD pass. #1 would add the two points, 16-16, and they were heading to overtime.

The Little Cards would get the ball first, and after several runs, #18 threw a play action pass to a wide open #36 for a 4 yard TD, but the conversion attempt was stuffed, 22-16 Cards. Forest Hills would score on their possession, setting up a big two point play. The Mad Dawgs would take it in, and the Cards fell in a thriller, 24-22.

11 Year Olds


The 11 year olds were the #1 seed in their age group but were taking on the four time defending champions, the Harrison Wildcats.

Harrison start to march on their opening drive but a bad shotgun snap was recovered by #18 for the Cardinals. Both teams would then exchange several drives with no results. It was not until 2:04 of the 2nd quarter that Harrison got a 16 yard TD pass to put points on the board first. The conversion would fail, but the Wildcats lead 6-0. With little time left in the half the Cards went to the air to try and score quickly. But unfortunately a Harrison defender was on the ready, intercepting #1's pass for #7 and returning it for a TD. The conversion was good, and the teams would go into half time with Colerain trailing 14-0.

The Cardinals would take the opening drive of the second half deep into Wildcat territory, but on 4th and goal they were stopped on the 3 yard line. The Cards would force the Wildcats to punt and #7 would return it to the 12 yard line. A penalty would push the ball back but #1 would find #39 on a 19 yard TD pass. The conversion would fail, and with 6:01 to play the Cardinals trailed 14-6. Harrison's next drive would go nowhere and the Cards would take over. However, they were unable to generate any points, and the Wildcats took over on downs. The Cards defense was unable to keep the Cats from getting first downs and running out the clock, and for the fifth straight time Harrison won the Super bowl, this time 14-6.



Congratulations to all the age groups on a wonderful season, and good luck next year. If any parents or coaches have names or rosters, free free to email me and I will update the article and add the names of every kid of every age group, hopefully to acknowledge every player.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

4 Little Cards teams playing in Super Bowl this Sunday

Four of the Little Cards football teams have advanced to the Super Bowl and will play this Sunday at Wyoming. Teams and game times are listed below:

6 year olds- 7:45 am

8 year olds- 10:15 am

9 year olds- 11:00 am

11 year olds- 1:30 pm

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Cardinal Swimmer to Become a Blue Devil!

From The Desk of AD, Dan Bolden:

Colerain High School is proud to announce that senior swimmer Lauren Weaver will attend Duke University to swim and study. Lauren has been to the state championships in swimming in two events the last two years with her highest finish being 2nd place. We are excited for Lauren and her family as she fulfills a dream to continue to swim collegiately and pursue a degree at a fine university.



Congratulations and best wishes to Lauren!

Sunday, November 01, 2009

Saturday, October 31, 2009

GMC CHAMPS!!!!!!!!!!

COLERAIN 24
OAK HILLS 7


THANK YOU, SENIORS!!!

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Week 10 Preview - Oak Hills Highlanders



Chris Himonidis
WeAreColerain.com


What: Week 10 Preview
Who: Colerain Cardinals (7-2, 6-0) vs. Oak Hills Highlanders (3-6, 1-5)
Last 3 meetings between these programs
2008: Colerain 42 – Oak Hills 0
2007: Colerain 35 – Oak Hills 7
2006: Colerain 50 – Oak Hills 7

Where: Oak Hills High School, 3200 Ebenezer Road
Directions to Oak Hills High School
When: Friday October 30, 2009 @ 7:30 PM
TV: None
Internet: None
Radio: 1480 AM (Colerain)


Key Players & Stats/Comments
OAK HILLS HIGHLANDERS (3-6, 1-5 in GMC)
Last Game – Lost to Lakota West, 7-34

QB - #10 Steve Gebing (Sr.) – 6’3”, 225lbs, 69-136 for 767 yds PASS, 3 TD – 6 INT
128-318 yds RUSH, 3 TD
RB - #6 Cory Burgin (Jr.) – 6’, 180lbs, 91-323 yds RUSH, 13-89 REC, 3 total TD
WR - #8 Thomas Konkoly (Jr.) – 6’1”, 185lbs, 84-382 yds RUSH, 4 TD’s
WR - #82 Corie Cartmell (Sr.) – 6’2”, 185lbs, 24-357 yds REC (14.9 avg), 2 TD
WR - #7 Robert Klotz (Sr.) – 5’10”, 170lbs, 14-111 yds REC (18.4 avg)
DL - #30 Ryan Quinn (Sr.) – 5’8”, 190lbs, 7.5 sacks, 1 FF
DL - #92 Brian Johnson (Sr.) – 5’11”, 240 lbs, 2.5 sacks, 1 FR, 1 int for 23 yards and 1 TD
LB - #23 Geoff Stacey (Sr.) – 6’3”, 225lbs, 4.5 sacks
DB - #38 Jayson Schunk (Jr.) – 6’1”, 190 lbs, 5 int for 158 yards and 1 TD

COLERAIN CARDINALS (7–2, 6-0 in GMC)
Last Game – Beat Middletown, 10-7

QB - #8 Greg Tabar (Sr.-CAPT) – 14-41 for 132 yds PASS, 135-909 yards RUSH, 10 total TD’s
RB - #1 Tyler “Uno” Williams (Jr.) – 76-828 yds RUSH and 7 TD’s, avg of 10.7 yds/carry
RB - #34 Trayion Durham (Jr.) – 125-960 yds RUSH and 13 TD’s, avg of 7.7 yds/carry
RB - #22 Chris Davis (Fr.) – 30-203 yds RUSH and 1 TD…Fantastic Freshman is AVG 6.8 yds/carry
DL - #50 Jake Blust (So.) – Leads team with 4 sacks. Will be tested by big RB Antonio Banks
LB - #5 Tyon Dixon (Sr.) – verbal to Louisville, aggressive and emotional leader on the field
LB - #44 Jarrett Grace (Jr.) – @ 6’4” 210 lbs, already has multiple D1 offers and is leading team in tackles. Stepped up BIG TIME last week vs. Middletown with first two INT”s of the year
LB - #25 Joe Bolden (So.) – 3.5 sacks, 3 FF, 2 FR…is going to be stud over the next two years
DB - #7 Jovanta “Bam” Harrison (Sr.-CAPT) – 3 INT, 1 FR…Solid player in both coverage and run support

Keys to Victory for Colerain
KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE PRIZE–This can’t be stressed enough. A win is not going to put this team in the playoffs. That shouldn’t be the focus. The focus should be on winning the GMC for the 10th consecutive year. Oak Hills will throw the kitchen sink at the Cardinals in an attempt to derail the “Decade of Dominance” tour. The Cards can’t overlook this game or this opponent. Penalties and poor field conditions can change the outlook of any game. Stay focused every snap and keep your eye on the prize: GMC Title number 11.
THE ULTIMATE NEUTRALIZER: MOTHER NATURE – For what seems like the 6th week in a row, rain is forecasted Friday night. If it rains, the Cardinals need to be extra careful with ball protection. There shouldn’t be a need to pass the ball much, if at all, but that puts the onus on the backs and Tabar to hold on to the football and avoid turnovers. Tackling could also be an issue on defense if the weather is poor.
PLAY COLERAIN FOOTBALL – The Men of Colerain know what is at stake in this game. An undefeated GMC season and a legitimate shot at the playoffs. If things outside their control don’t go their way, this could be the last game for some outstanding Seniors. This team has improved week, after week, after week. Now is the time to exemplify what Colerain football is all about. Finish the regular season on a high note and if the stars are in alignment, or if Springfield beats Wayne, be hitting on all cylinders heading into the post-season.

Bottom-Line
The Cardinals are looking to win their 8th straight game of the season after losing their first two against St. Xavier and Elder. Clearly this is not the same team that started 0-2 and was outscored 36-7 in the first two weeks. They have improved both offensively and defensively. The team is healthy and could be a real surprise if they can find a way to get to week 11. With that as a goal, the Cardinals will not let up this week against GMC Rival Oak Hills. Colerain should handle this team with relative ease. Don’t expect lots of new stuff as it won’t be necessary. Colerain should be able to run their offense without much variation from standard formations and the defense will be lights out. The goal here is to secure the win by scoring early and often and possibly find a way to get every senior some playing time as the Cardinals won’t know if there will be a next week.


GO CARDINALS!

WE ARE...COLERAIN!!


This preview is copyrighted by WeAreColerain.com for the private use of our audience. Any other use of this information, descriptions, or accounts of the players or programs without WeAreColerain.com’s express written consent, is strictly prohibited.

What’s a Harbin and why do I care?

Chris Himonidis
WeAreColerain.com


You care because the “harbins” determine who makes the playoffs in Ohio. Not conference championships or simply W’s and L’s, but the Harbin Rating determines who makes it to week 11 and who turns in their equipment the first week of November. Colerain has made the playoffs 12 times since their inception in 1973, all coming during the Coombs and Bolden years. Currently, Colerain has made the playoffs 9 consecutive years (2000-2008). Without a doubt, that streak is in serious jeopardy this year.

As a recap, Colerain plays in Region 4 in Ohio’s Division I classification. Region 4 includes teams from the Cincinnati and Dayton areas. In order to qualify for the playoffs, the Cardinals must win enough games to garner enough computer generated Harbin points to finish in the top 8 teams in Region 4, which currently has 31 teams.
To see how the Harbins are calculated, go here:
OHSAA Website - Harbin Calculations
To see where Colerain currently sits in the harbin calculations, go here:
Joe Eitel.com - 2009 Region 4 standings

Despite media reports all last week to the contrary, the win over Middletown last Friday night at the Cage did NOT qualify the Cardinals for the playoffs. It helped their position significantly, but did not clinch a spot. In order for that to happen, several things need to take place. Below is a"cheat sheet" for the Colerain Cardinal faithful to keep in mind when scoreboard watching on Friday night.

A - Colerain MUST beat Oak Hills Friday night. Lose…and the season is over.
And
B - ONE of the following MUST happen:
1) Hamilton (2-7) defeats Fairfield (5-4)
2) Springfield (6-3) defeats Wayne (6-3)
3) East (3-6) over West (8-1)
4) Fairmont (4-5) over Centerville (7-2)
5) Princeton (5-4) over Middletown (8-1)
6) Sycamore (2-7) over Mason (2-7) AND Sidney (4-5) over Troy (5-4)
7) Dupont Manual (4-5) over Male (7-2) AND one of the two
.... a) Sycamore (2-7) over Mason (2-7)
.... b) Sidney (4-5) over Troy (5-4)

So…what does it all mean? It means that Colerain needs to take care of business on Friday night and then scoreboard watch. Not a comfortable position to be in but given the fact that this team started the year 0-2, it is an amazing feat to even be in this position. The Cardinals have been playing “elimination” football for 8 weeks knowing that one more loss would end their post-season hopes and end a 9-year playoff run.

Congratulations to the coaching staff and the players who have rattled off 7 straight wins under that level of pressure. It says a tremendous amount about the grit, determination and heart of this program. Hopefully one more win will reset the record to 0-0 and get them ready for a trip to either Moeller or St. Xavier on Saturday November 7.

Good luck this Friday night on ending the season with a perfect record in the GMC and at least a share of the GMC crown for the 10th year in a row!

WE ARE…COLERAIN!!

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Middletown Post Game Interview

Player interviews and highlights to follow.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Little Cards Night at Walt's BBQ

October 26th will be Little Cards Night at Walt's BBQ on Colerain Ave. Walt's will be donating a portion of sales to the Little Cards Program for meals served between 6 and 9. Please come out and enjoy a good meal and support your future Cardinals.

Little Cards Sweep Delhi

Week 10 Results vs. Delhi

6 year olds W 14-6
7 year olds W 14-6
8 year olds W 38-0
9 year olds W 28-8
10 year olds W 22-0
11 year olds W 30-16

The Little Cards finish their regular season next week at Wyoming.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Week 9 Preview - Middletown Middies


Chris Himonidis
WeAreColerain.com Staff


What: Week 9 Preview
Who: Colerain Cardinals (6-2, 5-0) vs. Middletown Middies (8-0, 5-0)
Last 3 meetings between these programs
2008: Middletown 42 - Colerain 39
2007: Colerain 63 – Middletown 13
2005: Colerain 68 – Middletown 14

Where: The Cage @ Colerain High School, 8801 Cheviot Road
When: Friday October 23, 2009 @ 7:30 PM
TV: Middie TV online
Internet: WeAreColerain.com
Radio: 1480 AM (Colerain)


Key Players & Stats/Comments
MIDDLETOWN MIDDIES (8-0, 5-0 in GMC)
Last Game – Beat Oak Hills, 40-0

QB - #14 Caleb Watkins (Sr.) – 6’4”, 210lbs, 66-112 for 1,187 yds PASS, 12 TD – 2 INT
64-163 yds RUSH, 7 TD…without question, teams leading offensive force..dual pass/run threat
RB - #27 Antonio Banks (Sr.) – 5’11”, 215lbs, 4.54/40 yd dash…100-676 yds RUSH, GMC leader w/13 TDs…Indiana Recruit…7th in the GMC in rushing
WR - #4 Kevin Watts (Sr.) – 5’11, 200lbs…236 yds RUSH, 214 yds REC, 6 TD’s
WR - #5 Nick McKnight (Sr.) – 6’3”, 200lbs….Leads the GMC in REC yards…27-459 yds REC (17.0 avg), 2 TD
WR - #6 JJ Greenwood (Sr.) – 5’11”, 180lbs….8-147 yds REC (18.4 avg), 5 TD
DL - #63 Sandon Fingers (Sr.) – 5’9”, 300lbs…matchup against Sr. Capt Brandon Good will be a fun one to watch all night and will have a significant impact on Colerain’s ability to run the dive play
LB - #52 Aaron Lewis (Sr.) – 5’9”, 195lbs…leads the GMC with 9 sacks, also has 3 FR and a TD
DB/LB/PR/KR - #24 Jerry Gates (Sr.) – 5’10”, 185 lbs…2.5 sacks, 1 FR, 6 int for 119 yards and 2 TDs…true “do everything” guy for the Middies…almost a 26 yd avg on KO, 14+ on PR.
DL - #47 Rashard Frazier (Sr.) – 6’6”, 225 lbs…4th in GMC with 5 sacks, 1 FF
WILD CARD: RB - #56 Kyle Schwarber (Jr.) – 6’2”, 220lbs…Is X factor on offense as lead blocker in short yardage situations, on defense as a starting LB, and on special teams as the short snapper. Solid, fundamental player with excellent tackling ability.


COLERAIN CARDINALS (6–2, 5-0 in GMC)
Last Game – Beat Mason, 56-3

QB - #8 Greg Tabar (Sr.-CAPT) – 3rd in the GMC in rushing at 869 yds and 9 TD’s. Ran with confidence and executed almost flawlessly against Mason last week
RB - #1 Tyler “Uno” Williams (Jr.) – 5th in the GMC in rushing at 778 yds and 7 TD’s but first with an avg of 10.8 yds/carry on 72 carries
RB - #34 Trayion Durham (Jr.) – Avg 7.9 YPC and up to 4th in the GMC in rushing. Will need to run very hard and take it to NT Sandon Fingers and LB Aaron Lewis
RB - #22 Chris Davis (Fr.) – Fantastic Freshman is AVG 6.6 YPC
DL - #50 Jake Blust (So.) – Leads team with 4 sacks. Will be tested by big RB Antonio Banks
LB - #5 Tyon Dixon (Sr.) – verbal to Louisville, aggressive and emotional leader on the field
LB - #44 Jarrett Grace (Jr.) – @ 6’4” 210 lbs, already has multiple D1 offers and is leading team in tackles. Big task to contain Middie QB Caleb Watkins and RB Antonio Banks
LB - #25 Joe Bolden (So.) – 3 sacks, 3 FF, 2 FR…been playing very well lately
DB - #7 Jovanta “Bam” Harrison (Sr.-CAPT) – 3 INT, 1 FR…Solid player in both coverage and run support…will be very important in secondary to track down speedy Middie WRs


Keys to Victory for Colerain
WIN THE TURNOVER BATTLE–this goes without saying…so I’ll say it. The weather will be wet on Friday night so ball security is key. The Cardinals have done well lately holding on to the ball and that needs to continue on Friday. The Middies can score quickly from anywhere on the field but there is no need to give them short fields to do it. Last year, the turnovers were even at 2 and the score was only 3 points different. Colerain must not only hold on to the ball on offense, but they must also create turnovers on defense. The Cardinals have 10 turnovers on defense this year (4 FR, 6 INT) vs. 23 (7 FR, 16 INT) for Middletown.
SPECIAL TEAMS COVERAGE – Can’t emphasis this enough. The Colerain special teams kick coverage has been mediocre at best this season. Under no circumstance should Colerain kick the ball to playmaker Jerry Gates if at all possible. He is fast, hard to tackle and can change field position in an instant. The battle of field position is going to be key and Colerain has a real chance to win this as the Middies avg only 27.3 yds/punt vs. over 40 from Colerain. Win field position and limit Middletown’s return capability.
WE ARE COLERAIN – The Men of Colerain know what is at stake in this game. Simply put, a loss would mean no playoffs for the first time since 1999 and no shot at a GMC title. The end of the “Decade of Dominance” tour. Not to mention the fact that this Middletown team ended Colerain’s 61 game GMC winning streak last year at Middletown, 42-39. Colerain must come out with more intensity and focus than they have at any point this season. They must impose their will on the Middies and play strong, fundamental football. It’s Senior night and for those Seniors, they will be playing their last game ever at the Cage. They do not want to end their playing career at Colerain with a loss.
THE FANS – That’s right…the fans. There hasn’t been a “We Are…Colerain!” cheer since week 2 @ Elder. That is unacceptable. This team needs the support of their fans now more so than ever. The fans need to be loud and proud of who we are and what Colerain football is about. This is not your father’s GMC. The days of beating every team by 5 TD’s are gone. The coaches in the league are better and the teams are catching up to Colerain. The indifference from the fans and the expectation of a 4-5 TD victory every week are unfair and unrealistic. Let the young men of Colerain know that you are there throughout the entire game. Cheer loud for the defense and make it hard for the Middie offense to move the ball…you CAN have an impact! And more importantly, you NEED to.


Bottom-Line
Colerain is not favored to win this game. Middletown is undefeated. They have the #1 offense and #1 defense in the GMC. They are where Colerain was last year at this point. For the first time in a very long time, Colerain is the hunter, not the hunted. If Colerain plays hungry and plays to defend the homefield, they have a very good chance to win this game. Offensively, Colerain hasn’t seen anyone this year as balanced as Middletown. That being said, this is a playoff game for Colerain. Lose and the season ends after next week’s game vs. Oak Hills…no question. The Cards are playing at home as opposed to that house of horrors they were in last year, Barnitz Stadium.

Bottom line is that Colerain needs this game more than the Middies do. It’s at home on Senior night and the Cards will want revenge for Middletown ending “the Streak” last year. No way they allow them to end the 52 game home winning streak as well.


GO CARDINALS!

WE ARE...COLERAIN!!


This preview is copyrighted by WeAreColerain.com for the private use of our audience. Any other use of this information, descriptions, or accounts of the players or programs without WeAreColerain.com’s express written consent, is strictly prohibited.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Monday, October 19, 2009

Congrats Cardinal Runners!

By Brendan McDonough for
WeAreColerain.com

The cross country teams competed in the Greater Miami Conference Championships this week at Voice of America park in West Chester, Ohio, with both teams securing a third place finish in the 10 team conference. The girls were led up front by junior Allison Steinbeck, who finished 9th with a time of 19:49 followed by senior Kristen Wells, finishing 10th in 19:59, and junior Sam Work (13th, 20:04). Juniors Marisel Lopez (20:47), and Stacey Sulken (21:11) finished out the top 5. On the boy's side, the team's first top three finish in 10 years was led by a great front pack of senior Jeffrey Denny (8th, 16:42), sophomore Erik Tomczewski (10th, 16:47) and junior Craig Sulken (13th, 16:49). Senior Zach Burt ran well with a time of 17:06, and junior Victor Zeinner recovered from injury and sickness to run a 17:41. The girls are ranked 7th in the city, while the boys are currently ranked 6th. Several athletes also made the all-conferences teams:

1st Team All-Conference:
Jeffrey Denny
Erik Tomczewski
Craig Sulken
Allison Steinbeck
Kristen Wells
Sam Work

2nd Team All-Conference:
Zach Burt
Stacey Sulken
Marisel Lopez

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Mason Highlights!

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Friday, October 16, 2009

Inagural Road Broadcast for WeAreColerain.com

As a reminder if you can not it out tonight to Mason you can listen to our very first broadcast from the road. Click on the microphone on the home page to listen.
Don't forget to email us at radio@wearecolerain.com.

Directions to Saturday's Boy's Soccer Match vs. Talawanda

Oxford Community Park:

Coming into Oxford via 27 North, at first Traffic light (top of hill),

make a left on Chestnut St., follow to College Ave. (second stop sign).

Make a right onto College and a left on Spring St. (first traffic light).

Follow out to Oxford Community Park on left.

On Senior Night Cards Get Hard Fought Draw with Oak Hills, 3-3.

Contributed by Mike Hoffman

October 14, 2009

Colerain welcomed Oak Hills tonight. This game was played on the turf field due to wet weather over the past few days.

JV

This was one of the better games this team has played. The amount of hustle and enthusiasm was the highlight of this game. Colerain played a high pressure game, keeping their defense pushed up as far as possible the entire match. For the most part, the Cardinals kept the ball on Oak Hill's side of the field. The goal of the game was when Colerain pushed everyone past the 50 yard line, including the sweeper. This allowed Oak Hills to play a long ball to Colerain's half of the field, their striker was then able to run on the ball and create a one on one situation with the goalie, which then scored. There is an old soccer saying: "you live and die by pressure".

Varsity

It was Senior Night for the Card's, honoring their 5 graduating seniors. Playing their last home game for the Colerain Cardinals were: Ryan Theile, Sam Salatin, Connor Mcgee, Mike Davidson, and Chris McAfee.

This was a game of determination, with both teams having roughly the same record and Colerain having played last night at Lakota West, the Cardinals had to show what they were made of. Oak Hills jumped to an early lead, scoring in the first two minutes of the game off of a low shot into the corner of the net from just outside the box. 1-0 Highlanders. Oak Hills would score again 10 minutes into the match on a play that started from a throw in. The ball was played back to the player that threw it in, who served it up to the center of the Colerain goal box; an Oak Hills striker was then able to put it in. 2-0 Highlanders. Colerain was able to get one back before the end of the half. With three minutes remaining, Damani Storm's drove the ball down into the Oak Hills corner, Damani then served up a nice 50/50 ball in front of Oak Hills goal; Ben Mikkelson made a nice diving head ball into the Oak Hills goal. 2-1 Highlanders. Ten minutes into the second half Colerain scored again. This started when Mike Davidson took a hard shot from just outside the penalty are, hitting the near post; Connor Mcgee following the shot was able to control the ball and score. Game tied 2-2. With 22 minutes remaining Colerain would take the lead. Ben Mikkelson received the ball at the top of the Oak Hills box slightly left of center; Mikkelson immediately turned and fired a hard, low shot that the Oak Hills keeper could not get to, giving Mikkelson his second goal of the game. 3-2 Cardinals. With 16 minutes left in the game oak Hills received a penalty kick just outside the top right corner of the penalty box. Oak Hills quickly chipped the ball up into the center where a striker one touched the ball into the goal. The game ended tied 3-3. The one thing Colerain can take away from this game was their ability to generate some offense and score some goals. One last not, Colerain wore pink socks for this game to show their support for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

From Coach Berry & AD Dan Bolden:


Saturday's boy's soccer game times and location have been changed. The JV will play at 1pm and the Varsity at 3pm. The games will not be played at Talawanda High School but at Oxford Community Park.

Colerain drew Loveland for their first postseason tournament match. The game will be played at Loveland on Tuesday October 20th at 7:00pm.

Good Luck Colerain!!!!!!!!!

Week 8 Preview - Mason Comets


Chris Himonidis
WeAreColerain.com

What: Week 8 Preview
Who: Colerain Cardinals (5-2, 4-0) vs. Mason Comets (2-5, 1-3)
Last 3 meetings between these programs
2008: Colerain 48 – Mason 27
2007: Colerain 35 – Mason 14
2006: Colerain 41 – Mason 14
Where: Mason MIDDLE School, 6100 S. Mason-Montgomery Rd.
Directions to Mason Middle School
When: Friday October 16, 2009 @ 7:30 PM
TV: None
Internet: WeAreColerain.com
Radio: 1480 AM (Colerain)

Key Players & Stats/Comments
MASON COMETS (2-5, 1-3 in GMC)
Last Game – Beat Hamilton, 17 - 7

QB - #14 Alex Farren (Sr.) – 6’0”, 185lbs, 90-187 for 900 yds PASS, 8 TD – 8 INT
RB - #33 Gave Shreve (Jr.) – 6’1”, 210lbs…35-147 yds RUSH (4.2 avg) with 1 TD
RB - #2 Matt Bertrams (Jr.) – 5’9, 175lbs…35-44 yds RUSH (1.5 avg)
WR - #87 Ethan King (Jr..) – 6’2”, 175lbs….17-254 yds REC (14.9 avg), 2 TD
WR - #18 Ronald Swonger (Jr..) – 5’10”, 180lbs….14-174 yds REC (12.4 avg), 2 TD
WR - #83 Derek Henson (Jr.) – 6’0”, 180lbs….13-211 yds REC (16.2 avg), 3 TD
K - #91 Andrew Grage (Sr.) – 5’10”, 165lbs…teams leading scorer, 6/7 FG, 11/11 XP
LB - #59 Kyle Searer (Sr.) – 5’9”, 185 lbs…1.0 sack, 1 FF, 2 FR
DB - #4 Nick Wehby (Sr.) – 5’11”, 180 lbs…1 FR, 2 int for 22 yards
WILD CARD: RB - #7 David Fulcher (Jr.) – been injured almost all year. Could be back for this game. When playing, is a dynamic player and very fast.


COLERAIN CARDINALS (5–2, 4-0 in GMC)
Last Game – Beat Sycamore, 28-0

QB - #8 Greg Tabar (Sr.-CAPT) – 3rd in the GMC in rushing at 801 yds and 7 TD’s. 1-5 for 3 yards passing in 4 GMC games. Team has averaged 33.5 pts in those games going 4-0.
RB - #1 Tyler “Uno” Williams (Jr.) – 5th in the GMC in rushing at 652 yds and 7 TD’s
RB - #34 Trayion Durham (Jr.) – Avg 7.0 YPC and up to 6th in the GMC in rushing.
RB - #22 Chris Davis (Fr.) – Fantastic Freshman is AVG 6.9 YPC
DL - #50 Jake Blust (So.) – Leads team with 3 sacks and is really making a name for himself
LB - #5 Tyon Dixon (Sr.) – verbal to Louisville, aggressive and emotional leader on the field
LB - #44 Jarrett Grace (Jr.) – @ 6’4” 210 lbs, already has 3 D1 offers and is leading team in tackles
LB - #25 Joe Bolden (So.) – had monster game vs. Sycamore and is forming impressive combo with fellow Sophomore Jake Blust in Cardinal front seven.
DB - #7 Jovanta “Bam” Harrison (Sr.-CAPT) – Solid player in both coverage and run support


Keys to Victory for Colerain
STAY FOCUSED–Important for every game, but especially this week. Colerain can not be caught looking ahead to next week’s monster matchup against Middletown. Mason came to Colerain last year and scored 27 points and was leading at halftime. This is a spread offense that is capable of scoring points in bunches. It will take a concerted effort by the defense on the road to win this game..
OFFENSIVE GAME PLAN – Will be interesting to see what the offense does tonight. With a large game on the horizon, do they use this opportunity to experiment on offense a bit or do they continue to “do what they do.” My guess is the later.
BRING THE INTENSITY – For whatever reason, it seems like this team sometimes lack a consistent fire to perform at the highest level throughout the entire game. They are certainly capable as was evidenced during the 1st half of the Elder game earlier this year. Mason is a good team that, at home, could give the Cards some real problems. This is a great opportunity to come out and beat a solid team handily. Mason has the 2nd ranked offense in the GMC behind…guess who…Middletown. This is a great warm up for the Middies next week. If the defense keeps their heads on straight and brings the “Colerain Way” of running fast and hitting hard every play, a shutout is possible and would go a long way in bringing some swagger back to this team.


Bottom-Line
Mason is a step up in competition from Sycamore, despite the exact same 2-5 record. Sycamore’s offense played right into Colerain’s strength. Mason is a completely different offense. Throw into that mix the potential return of star RB David Fulcher and this has the makings of a real good game. For that reason, Colerain should come out and lay the wood on this team. Make a statement before next week’s home finale against the Middies that Colerain is still the king of the GMC. Never fear, but always respect your opponent. Then, go out and beat them soundly. Colerain has the horses to do that against Mason.

GO CARDINALS!

WE ARE...COLERAIN!!


This preview is copyrighted by WeAreColerain.com for the private use of our audience. Any other use of this information, descriptions, or accounts of the players or programs without WeAreColerain.com’s express written consent, is strictly prohibited.

Mason Pregame Interview with Coach Bolden

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Firebirds Blank the Cards, 3-0.

Contributed Mike Hoffman

October 13, 2009

Colerain traveled to Lakota West

JV

The Colerain Junior Varsity team played a good game today. West was able to score 1 goal in the first half on a questionable call inside Colerain's penalty box, giving them a penalty kick. That would be the only goal of this game. The referee's definitely played a role in this match, continuously calling every little "ticky tack" foul. The Cardinals did a good job of figuring out Lakota's attack and shutting it down. The second half was clearly dominated by the Cardinals; they were just unable to generated enough offense to score.

Varsity


It seems as if the Cards have had quite a long hiatus, not having played a game since October 5th, It was senior night for Lakota West and the Firebirds came out fired up, scoring three goals in the first half. With 35 minutes left, the Firebirds took a shot from 25 yards out, their striker was then able to get in front and deflect it in. 1-0 West. With 26 minutes left, West scored on a corner kick that they were able to head ball in. 2-0 West. With 16 minutes left , the Firebirds served up a ball from the right side that they were able to head in. 3-0 West. This would end the scoring in this game. The Cardinals, after some personnel changes, were able to the Firebirds from this point on. The Cardinals struggled with their passing game tonight, unable to control the ball well enough to generate much of a threat to the Firebirds.

Senior Night and the final home game is tonight at the Football Stadium. The Cards will be wearing pink socks in support of the Pink Ribbon Girls Foundation. JV starts at 6, and Varsity around 7:15pm.

Go Cards!!!!!!!

WeAreColerain.com Internet Radio HITS THE ROAD!

Chris Himonidis
WeAreColerain.com

Thanks to you, our loyal listeners, WeAreColerain.com has decided to hit the road this week! For the first time ever, we will be broadcasting an AWAY game as the Cardinals travel North and East to take on the Comets from Mason. As is the case with every game, the Pre-game show will start at around 7:15 PM with the game scheduled for 7:30 and the postgame wrap-up immediately aftwards.

This decision was made due to the strength in numbers of folks that are listening to us online. As we say during the broadcasts, we are amateurs and are trying our best to bring you Colerain football from the common fan's perspective. The response has been great, but we know it will only get better and grow as we near the end of the season and the playoff chase intensifies.

As always, if you can't make the trip to "God's Country!" up in Mason, listen online and email us in the booth at radio@wearecolerain.com and let us know where you are listening from as well as any questions you may have regarding the website, the announcers, the team's play, or whatever you'd like!

Thanks again for all your loyal support to the website and to Colerain athletics! Let's keep this train rolling and cheer our young men on to victory this Friday night!

Go Cardinals!
We Are...COLERAIN!!

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Monday, October 12, 2009

Cross Country Week in Review

Submitted by Brendan McDonough
For WeAreColerain.com

For the last week of the regular season, the Colerain Cross Country teams traveled to Centerville, Ohio to attend the Centerville Stampede. The constant raining from the week before had left the course completely muddy, with some stretches have mud ankle-deep or worse. The high school varsity races, too, were the final races out of twelve on the day, and many runners were recovering from sickness, leading to very slow times for all athletes. The teams, however, braved the adversity and still put together good performances at the end of the season. The girl's team finished 6th as a team. Top individual performances included senior Kristen Wells, who finished 12th overall and lead the team with a 20:55, as well as junior Marisel Lopez who finished 30th with a time of 21:41. Finishing 39th overall was junior Stacey Sulken with a time of 22:00. The boy's team finished 2nd overall in their competition. The team was lead by a great front pack of senior Jeffrey Denny (8th overall with a time of 17:34), junior Craig Sulken (9th, 17:36) and sophomore Erik Tomczewski (11th, 17:42). Senior Zach Burt (21st, 18:11) also ran a very good race to help carry the team. The boy's team is currently ranked 7th in the city and 20th in the state. Next week both teams will begin postseason competition with the Greater Miami Conference Championships.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Soccer Schedule Note

The Colerain vs. Oak Hills soccer matches that were rained out Thursday, October 8 have been rescheduled. The Girl's matches will be played Monday, October 12 at Rapid Run Middle School, JV at 5:00pm and Varsity at 7:00pm. The Boy's will play Wednesday, October 14 at Colerain, JV at 5:00pm and Varsity at 7:00pm.

GO Cards!!!

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Friday, October 09, 2009

Week 7 Preview - Sycamore Aviators

By Chris Himonidis
WeAreColerain.com

What: Week 7 Preview
Who: Colerain Cardinals (4-2, 3-0) vs. Sycamore Aviators (2-4, 0-3)
Last 3 meetings between these programs
2008: Colerain 35 – Sycamore 14
2006: Colerain 19 – Sycamore 8
2005: Colerain 62 – Sycamore 7
Where: Sycamore Jr. High School, 5757 Cooper Rd, Blue Ash
When: Friday October 9, 2009 @ 7:30 PM
TV: None
Internet: None
Radio: 1480 AM (Colerain)


Key Players & Stats/Comments
SYCAMORE AVIATORS (2-4, 0-3 in GMC)
Last Game – Lost to Hamilton, 48-7

QB - #6 Kyle Sess (So.) – 5’9”, 165lbs…yikes!….300 yds PASS on a 33% completion rate. Teams 2nd leading rusher at 256 yds (3.4 avg) and 2 TDs.
RB - #31 DeCarlos Smith (Sr.) – 5’6, 154lbs…491 yds RUSH (4.3) with 3 TDs
RB - #29 Dayshai Minnifield (So.) – 5’9, 185lbs…178 yds RUSH (4.8) with 1 TD
WR - #19 Will Bundy (So..) – 5’10”, 160lbs….13-223 yds REC (17.2 avg), 4 TD
PR/KR - #3 Darius Hillary (Jr.) – 5’9”, 165lbs…averaging 25.3 yds on kickoffs with 1 TD
LB - #48 Tim Andrews (Sr.) – 6’3”, 191 lbs…2.0 sacks, 2 FF, 1 FR
LB - #27 Paul Yanow (Sr.) – 5’11”, 183 lbs…1.0 sacks, 1 FR


COLERAIN CARDINALS (4–2, 3-0 in GMC)
Last Game – Beat Princeton, 31-14

QB - #8 Greg Tabar (Sr.-CAPT) – 3rd in the GMC in rushing at 682 yds and 7 TD’s
RB - #1 Tyler “Uno” Williams (Jr.) – 6th in the GMC in rushing at 542 yds and 6 TD’s
RB - #34 Trayion Durham (Jr.) – Avg 5.6 YPC and keeping defenses honest up the middle
RB - #22 Chris Davis (Fr.) – Fantastic Freshman is AVG 7.6 YPC
DL - #50 Jake Blust (So.) – Leads team with 3 sacks
LB - #5 Tyon Dixon (Sr.) – verbal to Louisville, aggressive & emotional leader on the field
LB - #44 Jarrett Grace (Jr.) – @ 6’4” 210 lbs, already has 3 D1 offers and is leading team in tackles
LB - #25 Joe Bolden (So.) – quietly leading the team in fumble recoveries and is really making a name for himself on defense
DB - #7 Jovanta “Bam” Harrison (Sr.-CAPT) – Solid player in both coverage and run support


Keys to Victory for Colerain
MUSCLE UP–As Coach Bolden mentioned in the pregame preview, Sycamore is a very young team. They list 29 Sophomores on their varsity roster. I didn’t check, but that has got to be more Sophomores than any other team in the GMC. Many of those Sophomores are going to be starting which means quite simply, they will not have had the time in the weight room that our Junior and Senior starters have had. Colerain needs to use their strength in the trenches this week and push Sycamore around both offensively and defensively. There should be very few, if any, penalties on the lines this week as Colerain should be heavily favored in the trenches.
KEEP YOUR COOL – For whatever reason, Sycamore, much like Middletown, seems to be one of those places that Colerain struggles with the yellow laundry on the field. The Cardinals must maintain their calm if calls start mounting up against them and refocus. This is a perfect game to practice some restraint and emphasis smart, disciplined play.
RESPECT MOTHER NATURE – The weather could be nasty on Friday night. It was nasty against Hamilton and the Cardinals did a fantastic job holding onto the football, not turning it over at all. However, in much nicer weather, Colerain turned it over twice last week against Princeton. Bottom-line is that every team is giving Colerain their best shot. Giving your opponents a short field is dangerous. Doing it against a disciplined, opportunistic team like Sycamore could be VERY dangerous. Take care of the rock..


Bottom-Line
Colerain wins this game with a healthy margin if the weather doesn’t play a factor. The Aviators are still a year or two away from reloading their program with the necessary playmakers and depth to compete with a team like Colerain. Now, if the weather is bad and the Cardinals don’t take care of the football, it could get interesting. The defense has an opportunity to pitch a shutout and the offense has a chance to really fine tune the option as well as work on a few wrinkles which might help later on in the season..

GO CARDINALS!

WE ARE...COLERAIN!!


This preview is copyrighted by WeAreColerain.com for the private use of our audience. Any other use of this information, descriptions, or accounts of the players or programs without WeAreColerain.com’s express written consent, is strictly prohibited.

Thursday, October 08, 2009

FOOTBALL SCHEDULE UPDATE!

Al Gabriel
WeAreColerain.com


From the desk of the AD:

ColerainHigh School ’s football game vs. Middletown has been rescheduled to Friday, October 23, 2009 at Colerain High School ; kickoff at 7:30 pm. The game was scheduled for Saturday but has been changed back to Friday night.

WeAreColerain.com contacted the AD to inquire about the status of TV coverage for the Middletown game and we were told that the game would no longer be on TV. No futher details were available.

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

McAfee to Davidson Gives Cards the Win Over Harrison, 1-0

Contributed by Mike Hoffman

October 5, 2009

Colerain traveled to Harrison.

JV

The Cardinals played a precision game today, executing playable passes, multiple runs, and great communication. With 43 seconds left in the first half Eric Moormann setup a corner kick, serving up a well placed ball right to Joe Flohr, who was able to head it in. Harrison's defense did a good job of not letting the Cardinals stay close to their goal, clearing the ball any way they could, mostly by kicking it out of bounds. This set up multiple scoring opportunities for the Cardinals. Colerain used Drew Hoffman's ability to throw the ball in from the sideline to the middle of Harrison's goal, giving the offense multiple chances to score. The game ended with Colerain winning 1-0.

Varsity


There was a lot of back and forth in this game. Colerain had the ball in and around Harrison's goal box quite a few times in the first half, but it seemed if the Cardinals where trying to do too much with it, instead of taking the shots they were looking for passes. Harrison did do a good job of containing the Cardinal offense, forcing them to one side or the other. The first half ended 0-0. As the night started to creep in, the grass started to become wet and slippery, creating some footing problems for both teams. Colerain was able to put together a nice attack. Chris McAfee making a nice run from Colerain's backfield, received the ball at about the Harrison 25 yard line on the right side of the field about 5 yards in from the sideline, Chris mad a nice pass to Mike Davidson, who was running in from the left side of the field, leading him just enough that Mike was able to control the ball and take a hard shot into the net. The game ended with Colerain winning 1-0.

Colerain hosts Oak Hills on Thursday.

Thursday is SENIOR NIGHT for the Cardinals. Come out and watch the seniors play their last home game for the Colerain Cardinals.

Pregame Interview with Coach Bolden Sycamore

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

That Time Of The Year, Already?

Al Gabriel
WeAreColerain.com

It is hard to believe but basketball season is right around the corner! WeAreColerain.com caught up briefly with Girls coach, Christi Mack to ask her about this coming season and this is what Coach Mack had to say:

"We are so excited about the upcoming season. We have a very young, athletic and talented group of girls this year. We will be quicker and more athletic than we have ever been. We have had the most girls come out for preseason conditioning and open gyms since I started coaching at Colerain in 2004. Senior shooting guard Ashley Wanninger has committed to play for Xavier University and many of our younger players are being recruited by multiple Division I colleges. As to be expected, our league will be evry tough again. Lakota West always picks up where they left off and Sycamore and Mason looked great over the summer. Every game will be tough this season and we hope to continue to have great fans follow our program."

The Lady Cardinals will have a 'Blackout' game this coming season and the kids are hoping for a big turnout in support! WeAreColerain.com will update the night the Blackout will occur as we get closer to the game. Please spread the word! Also, it is in the works that WeAreColerain.com will also do live Internet radio of select boys and girls home games this season. Stay tuned for announced dates!

WE ARE...COLERAIN!

Marching Band Invitational Info

The Colerain High School Music Department proudly presents the CHS Marching Band Invitational on Saturday, October 31. There will be over twenty spectacular bands from Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana competing in a Mid-States Band Association sponsored competition. The competition will be held in the football stadium from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Finals will begin at 6:30 p.m. Admission for the entire day is $8.00 per person. Admission for the evening finals only is $5.00 per person.

Monday, October 05, 2009

Cross Country Week In Review

Submitted by Brendan McDonough
For WeAreColerain.com

This week the cross country teams competed at the Firebird Invitational in Kettering, Ohio. The boy's team finished 2nd in a very competitive race, losing only to an Elder squad projected to go to the state championship meet. Senior Jeffrey Denny and Junior Craig Sulken ran out front, finishing in 16:50 (8th overall) and 16:52 (9th) respectively. Junior Kurtis Marshall also stepped up to fill roles left by injured runners, running a personal best time of 18:18 as the team's 5th man. The girl's team finished 5th overall in their race. Junior Allison Steinbeck led the team with a time of 20:19, finishing 14th overall. Juniors Marisel Lopez (21:17) and Lyndsey Yuellig (22:25) also stepped up and ran great races for the team.

In Wet Conditions, the Wildcats Get the Best of the Cardinals, 2-0.

Contributed by Mike Hoffman

October 3, 2009

Colerain hosted Finneytown today. Field conditions were very wet and extremely soft.

JV

Field conditions played a factor in the 2-0 loss today. Colerain seemed to have trouble adapting to the wet conditions. With the ground so wet and soggy the ball was not traveling as normal, thus causing a lot of passes coming up short, footing was also at a premium. Fairfield was able to score once in the first half and once in the second, doing a good job of using short passes to move the ball. This game, for the most part, was played between the 30's.

Varsity

Following the JV game the field conditions deteriorated. This game saw a lot of slipping and sliding. Thirteen minutes into the first half Finneytown scored on a well shot ball from the right side about 10 yards out and about 5 yards from the sideline. The shot was solid to the opposite top corner of the net. Nine minutes into the second half the Wildcats scored again off of a free kick 5 yards outside of the box. That would end the scoring for the game. Colerain played hard but was unable to generate many quality shots on goal.

Colerain travels to Harrison on Monday.

Good Luck Cardinals!!!!

Indians Take Care of the Cardinals, 5-0

Contributed by Mike Hoffman

October 1, 2009

Colerain traveled to play a tough Fairfield team.

JV

This team is learning. Fairfield put some serious speed on the field tonight but Colerain seemed to handle it just fine. Fairfield was able to score 2 goals in the first half, one from a penalty kick 25 yards out and one down the middle of the defense. Colerain made some adjustments and were able to control Fairfield the rest of the game. In the second half Colerain did a good job of picking up everything Fairfield was throwing at them, including some nicely scripted corner kick plays. Colerain's defense did a nice job of pulling Fairfield offside's, pushing the ball forward and shutting down the Indian's attack. The Colerain offense had some opportunities in front of Fairfield's goal but was unable to score. The game ended 2-0 Fairfield.

Varsity

Colerain knew they had their hands full coming into this game. Not only did Fairfield have an impressive record of 9-1-3 but senior midfielder/defenseman Conner Mcgee was unable to play due to injury. The game started out at an extremely fast pace. You could tell it was Fairfield's intention to get a goal in the first two minutes of the game. Colerain, however, loves that kind of game and did a good job handling Fairfield's attack. At the half way point of the first half. Fairfield was able to score on a run down their right side centering the ball to the middle. The Indians would score once again this half on what seemed like a high arcing shot that goalie Mitch Revetta was coming out for but from out of nowhere, a Fairfield striker got a head on it and scored. The half ended 2-0. Colerain did a good job controlling Fairfield most of the second half. However, at about the 13 minute mark, the flood gates opened for the Indians. Fairfield was able to score on a P.K. inside the box, then again 3 minutes later down the middle and once again with 90 seconds left in the game. Final score 5-0.

Colerain hosts Finneytown Saturday.
JV at 11:00am
Varsity at 1:00pm

Sunday, October 04, 2009

Saturday, October 03, 2009

Friday, October 02, 2009

Week 6 Preview - Princeton Vikings



by Chris Himonidis
WeAreColerain.com


What: Week 6 Preview
Who: Colerain Cardinals (3-2) vs. Princeton Vikings (3-2)
Last 3 meetings between these programs
2007: Colerain 42 – Princeton 27
2006: Colerain 44 – Princeton 6
2005: Colerain 57 – Princeton 20
Where: The Cage @ Colerain High School
When: Friday October 2, 2009 @ 7:30 PM
TV: None
Internet: WeAreColerain.com - pregame starts @ 7:15 PM
Radio: 1480 AM (Colerain)


Key Players & Stats/Comments
PRINCETON VIKINGS (3-2, 1-1 in GMC)
Last Game – Beat Lakota East, 16-6

QB - #11 Spencer Ware (Sr.) – The one, the only…20-52 for 252 yds, 4 int – 81 rushes for 370 yards, 7 TD’s
QB/RB - #9 Nate McGill (So.) – 14-30 for 178 yds PASS, 2 TD-2 INT – 24-108 RUSH
RB - #5 Tevin Redmond (Sr.) – 63 for 353 yds (5.6 avg)
WR - #17 Jay McCants (Jr.) – Big 6’5” target ….13-120 yds REC (10.8 avg)
WR - #8 Justin Cornwall (Jr.) – 12-210 yds REC, 2 TD – 11-33 RUSH, 1 TD
DE - #49 Marcus Armstrong (Sr.) – 2.0 sacks, 2 FF, 2 FR, 1 TD
LB - #44 Charles Mason (Sr.) – 2.0 sacks, 2 FF, 1 FR


COLERAIN CARDINALS (3–2, 2-0 in GMC)
Last Game – Beat Hamilton, 27-16

QB - #8 Greg Tabar (Sr.-CAPT) – 3rd in the GMC in rushing at 565 yds and 5 TD’s
RB - #1 Tyler “Uno” Williams (Jr.) – 4th in the GMC in rushing at 479 yds and 5 TD’s
RB - #34 Trayion Durham (Jr.) – Avg 5.6 YPC and keeping defenses honest up the middle
RB - #22 Chris Davis (Fr.) – Fantastic Freshman is AVG 8.3 YPC
DL - #50 Jake Blust (So.) – Leads team with 2 sacks
LB - #5 Tyon Dixon (Sr.) – verbal to Louisville, aggressive & emotional leader on the field
LB - #44 Jarrett Grace (Jr.) – @ 6’4” 210 lbs, already has 3 D1 offers and is leading team in tackles
LB - #25 Joe Bolden (So.) – quietly leading the team in fumble recoveries and is really making a name for himself on defense
DB - #7 Jovanta “Bam” Harrison (Sr.-CAPT) – Had 3 int last week vs. Hamilton


Keys to Victory for Colerain
3RD DOWN DEFENSE– No need to change this point from last week. This cannot be stressed enough. The defense allowed Hamilton 43% conversion on 3rd downs. The Cardinals are not getting off the field defensively on 3rd down. They are allowing opponents to convert on 3rd down a remarkably high 38% of the time. That may not seem high, but consider this:
- It’s the 2nd worst % allowed in the GMC, only Mason (39.3%) is higher. Princeton allows just under 30% conversion rate on 3rd downs by comparison
- It’s the highest % allowed by any Colerain team since before 2004. Over the past 5 years (04-08), that avg. has been 21%
The Cardinals must improve in this area defensively.
KNOW “WARE” SPENCER IS AT ALL TIMES – Spencer Ware is a special, special athlete, there is no question about that. He is a 4 year starter at QB for the Vikings and will continue his athletic exploits upon graduation. Ware will be playing both football AND baseball at Louisana State University, that’s LSU for those who weren’t certain. Look up the word PLAYMAKER at Dictionary.com and his picture is there…at least it should be. At 5’11”, 222 lbs, his shiftiness and strength are unmatched in the conference, possibly the entire state. The offense begins, and ends, with Ware. You aren’t going to stop him, but you do need to contain him. Colerain LB Jarrett Grace has looked very good early but will be severely tested on Friday night. The Cards must limit Spencer’s big play capability. He will run but is not afraid to throw the ball so the DB’s must keep the WR’s honest and not let them get behind them because Ware can chuck the ball downfield. The defense must never lose sight of this incredible football player. And for the fans, make note to enjoy watching this young man one last time. It may be a very, very long time before you see someone of his caliber again.
CONTINOUS OFFENSIVE IMPROVEMENT – The offense is looking better. They played a very tough, athletic team last week in the Big Blue and came away with a hard fought victory. The drive to end the first half was very, very encouraging. The single most impressive thing about this offense seems to be their ability to not turn the ball over. They have done a very good job maintaining their possessions and if there is a fumble, have done an excellent job of getting on the ball. That said, the OL needs to continue to improve and the decision making needs to be fine tuned from the QB position. Don’t like to look ahead…but…there is a very large battle looming in the not to distant future that is going to require this team hitting on all cylinders to keep up against a certain GMC opponent. This is a great game to continue the development of the offense.


Bottom-Line
Matchups are so important in football. How a team matches up with another is critical to success. And many times, as much as football is the consummate team game, there are individuals that change that dynamic. Princeton QB Spencer Ware is one of those players. He can single-handedly change the outcome of any game if given the opportunity. This will be his last game against Colerain and while he’s never beaten the Cardinals, he has constantly caused our defense problems. This year will be no different. He will get his yards and probably score a few TD’s on his athletic prowess alone. However, no matter what kind of show Mr. Ware puts on, football is ultimately…the consummate team sport and this Princeton Viking team does not have the depth or the experience necessary to win a four quarter game against the Cardinals at the Cage. Colerain should continue to use time-consuming drives to keep Mr. Ware and his offense on the sidelines and at the same time, protect the defense from over-exposure to Mr. Ware and his play-making abilities. Do that, and the Cards will move to 4-2 on the season and remain undefeated in league play.

GO CARDINALS!

WE ARE...COLERAIN!!


This preview is copyrighted by WeAreColerain.com for the private use of our audience. Any other use of this information, descriptions, or accounts of the players or programs without WeAreColerain.com’s express written consent, is strictly prohibited.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Preview Interview: Princeton

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Colerain Just Can't Find the Back of the Net, Fall to Middies 1-0

Contributed by Mike Hoffman

September 29, 2009

Colerain hosted the Middletown Middies tonight. Due to a week of rain, the field condition tonight was wet and very soft.

JV


This match was all Cardinals. Colerain got an early lead on a through ball from John Weisman to Jamie Gobeille scoring the Card's first goal 5 minutes into the match. Colerain was relentless with the pressure. Joe Flohr working the ball down to the on yard line, just outside the Middletown goal, made a perfect pass backward to a trailing John Armbruster who buried the ball in the net, giving Colerain a 2-0 lead. Colerain would score one more time in this half. Flohr again to Armbruster who shot it across the middle, Jamie Gobeille, being in the right place, was there to deflect it into the net. Card's up 3-0. Just before the end of the half, Middletown took a shot from outside Colerain's 20 yard line, putting the ball in the top corner of Colerain's net. The half ended 3-1 Colerain. The second half would continue to be all Card's. After a Cardinal throw in from about half field, Colerain worked the ball down the middle, getting a nice pass of to Jeff Gobeille, who was charging in from the left flank, scoring Colerain's fourth goal of the night. But it didn't end there. With about 15 minutes remaining in the game, Joe Flohr took a hard shot which bounced off Middletown's goalie, Joe Taphorn trailing the play scored the goal. The game ended Colerain winning 5-1.

Varsity

Although the score does not reflect it, this game was all Colerain. The Card's clearly dominated the Middies in this match, playing on Middletown's half of the field 98% of the game. Colerain had numerous opportunities to score but could not get the ball in the net. Middletown was able to score one goal in the first half using their speed to get behind Colerain's defense. In second half Colerain would take shot after shot. The shot's resulted in goal kicks which Colerain would bring right back down the field or goalie punts which again, they would bring right back down the field. Middletown did a good job of clogging up the middle of their goal box disallowing any clear shots for the Cardinals. The game ended in a 1-0 loss.

Colerain travel to Fairfield on Thrusday....

Monday, September 28, 2009

Cards Win Back to Back, Blank the Knights 2-0

Contributed by Mike Hoffman

September 26, 2009

Colerain played the Northwest Knights tonight. Due to field conditions the game that was supposed to be play at Northwest High School was moved to Colerain's Football stadium.

JV

Colerain started the game off strong, taking control of the field from the first whistle and never giving it up. Just two minutes into the game Eric Moormann scored Colerain's first goal Eric received a ball that Northwest was trying to clear out out their goal box, taking a nice shot from the 18 yard line, placing the ball in the top corner of the net. Colerain continued to control the field by making nice passes, giving themselves multiple opportunities to score. The first half ended with the Cards up by 1. The Cardinals continued to dominate the field in the second half, keeping the field spread and making nice runs. With 23 minutes remaining, Jamie Gobeille scored on a run through the of the Knights goal box, placing the ball in the side of the net. With 16 minutes remaining in the game Austin Wessels did the same thing, scoring the Card's third goal. The Cardinals defense did a tremendous job keeping the ball pushed forward and not letting the Knights play on Colerain's side of the field. Colerain, overall, did an excellent job of controlling the field, making nice passes, communicating, and playing hard. The Cardinals won 3-0.

Varsity


With a goal of back to back wins, Colerain comae out fired up tonight. The Card's started the first half moving the ball north and south enabling them to change the field of play and create opportunities. With 10 minutes left in the half, Senior Mike Davidson found an opening, charging in from the left flank, scoring Colerain's first goal. The half ended with the Cardinal's up 1-0. The second half was played mostly between the 30 yard lines. Colerain stuck to moving the ball north and south, changing the field and patiently looking for opportunities to penetrate. With 12 minutes left in the game Colerain was awarded a free kick at about the Knight's 25 yard line. The Cardinals set up a nice play with Chris McAfee taking control of the middle, receiving the ball, and scoring Colerain's second goal. Colerain finished the game winning 2-0, giving Colerain's goalie Mitch Revetta back to back shut outs.

The Cards next host Middletown on Tuesday September 29, at Colerain.

Hamilton Postgame Interview with Coach Bolden

Friday, September 25, 2009

#11 Walker Scores the Game Winner, Colerain beats Princeton 1-0

Contributed by Mike Hoffman

September 22, 2009

JV

The Cards struggled, allowing the Vikings to control the game. The Vikings scored 15 minutes into the game, making a run down Colerain's left side, getting past three players to score the game's first goal. With 15 minutes left in the half, Princeton off of a throw in, was able to get around a Colerain defender 30 yards out with no defense support, then capitalized on a one on one opportunity with the goalie. This gave the Vikings a 2-0 lead at half. Colerain continued to struggle most of the second half. With 15 minutes left in the game the Cardinals started to play much better. Colerain's defense worked diligently, keeping the ball pushed forward and making nice runs. The Cards, however, were just not able to get the ball in the net. The game ended with Colerain losing 2-0

Varsity

It seemed as if Colerain had two teams tonight. The first half was dominated by the Vikings, controlling the ball and playing at Colerain's end of the field for most of the half. Colerain tried to generate some offense but the Vikings defense was there to shut them down and push the ball back at Colerain. As much as the Vikings played on Colerain's side of the field, the Cards did a good job of not letting Princeton score. The half ended 0-0. Coach Berry must have given them one heck of a a talk at half time because the Cardinals came out playing like a totally different team. Colerain dominated the second half of the game, keeping the ball on the Viking's half of the pitch and playing like a team on a mission. Colerain passed the ball extremely well, passing playable balls to teammates and following with energetic runs. The Cards kept their heads up and were able to find the open player on the opposite side of the field, which created multiple opportunities. With 28 minutes to play, #11 Kevin Walker dribbled the ball through two defenders to create a one on one situation with the Vikings keeper. Coming in from the left side of the field, Kevin stayed patient, waiting for the goalie to make a move, and then shot the ball in the ball in the opposite corner of the net, giving the Cards a 1-0 lead. The Cardinals sustained the "controlled" play and end the game winning 1-0.

Colerain travels to Northwest this Saturday......

Video Highlights from Hamilton Game

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Nike's 5Days2Friday Crew Visit Colerain

by Chris Himonidis
WeAreColerain.com


Being a nationally recognized High School football program certainly has it's perks. Colerain is being visited this week by a crew of reporters, sponsored by Nike, promoting this week's showdown with Hamilton. Videos with interviews with current students, HC Tom Bolden and AD Dan Bolden can be found at the following website as well as daily diaries from the crew.

5Days2Friday Page - Colerain vs. Hamilton

Kudos to Nike for all they do for High School athletics in this country and especially for our very own, Colerain Cardinals.

Go Cardinals! Beat Hamilton!

WE ARE...COLERAIN!!

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

BREAKING NEWS: Hamilton QB Townsend OUT against Cardinals

By Chris Himonidis
WeAreColerain.com

Thanks to our friends at the Enquirer, it was RELEASED TODAY that Hamilton starting QB Drew Townsend is OUT OF ACTION for tomorrow night's contest against our Cardinals.

Replacing him, according to WeAreColerain.com sources, will be Jr. WR Brian Cleckley (#9). This should be an interesting twist on the defensive game plan for Coach Cutwright as Cleckley was a dual threat RB/WR so he may be a bit better running the ball than his predecessor, Mr. Townsend.

Keeping you as up-to-date as possible with breaking news as it relates to our Colerain Cardinals!

See you in Hamilton tomorrow night.

WE ARE...COLERAIN!

Week 5 Preview - Hamilton Big Blue


What: Week 5 Preview
Who: Colerain Cardinals (2-2) vs. Hamilton Big Blue (1-3)
Last 3 meetings between these programs
2007: Colerain 35 – Hamilton 7
2006: Colerain 24 – Hamilton 0
2005: Colerain 51 – Hamilton 12
Where: Hamilton High School - Directions from CHS
When: THURSDAY September 24, 2009 @ 7:05 PM
TV: Fox Sports Net Ohio
Radio: 1480 AM (Colerain), 1450 AM (Hamilton)


Key Players & Stats/Comments
HAMILTON BIG BLUE (1-3, 0-1 in GMC)
Last Game – Lost to Lakota West, 6-20

QB - #12 Drew Townsend (Sr.) – 31-64 for 417 yds, 6 TD-1 int
RB - #7 Devin Jarrett (Jr.) – 80 for 359 yds (4.5 avg), 3 TD
RB - #33 Chris Tarrant (Jr.) – 30-129 yds RUSH (4.3 avg), 1 TD
WR - #9 Brian Cleckley (Jr.) – 32-111 yds RUSH (3.5 avg), 1 TD, 14-164 yds REC, 4 TD
WR - #19 Kenny Lewis (Jr.) – 9-136 yds REC, 1 TD, 33.7 yds avg. kickoff return
DB - #4 Casey Rowlette (So.) – 0.5 sack, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 INT
DB - #2 Todd Dockery (Sr.) – 2 INT for 18 yards
DT - #56 Terrion Jackson (Jr.) – 6’4” 249lbs, 1.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble


COLERAIN CARDINALS (2–2, 1-0 in GMC)
Last Game – Beat Lakota East, 48-24

QB - #8 Greg Tabar (Sr.-CAPT) – Mr. Tabar is tearing it up. 329 yds rushing and 4 TD’s in last two games
RB - #1 Tyler “Uno” Williams (Jr.) – WOW! Welcome back Mr. UNO! 219 yds RUSH, 1 TD, 63-yd punt return for a TD…all last week. Rasied YTD rushing avg. from 5.3 to 9.9
RB - #34 Trayion Durham (Jr.) – Continued steady play from the big Jr. fullback opened up big lanes for Tabar and Williams last week against Lakota East
RB - #22 Chris Davis (Fr.) – 7-65 yds in 2nd varsity game, pitched in a 19 yd kickoff return as well
DL - #50 Jake Blust (So.) – continues to be a strong contributor on defense
LB - #5 Tyon Dixon (Sr.) – verbal to Louisville, aggressive & emotional leader on the field
LB - #44 Jarrett Grace (Jr.) – @ 6’4”, 210 lbs, already offered by UC after limited action his Sophomore year
LB - #25 Joe Bolden (So.) – quietly leading the team in fumble recoveries and is really making a name for himself on defense
DB - #21 Chris Dukes (Jr.) – will be tested this week against two 6 footers for Hamilton in #9 Brian Cleckley and # 19 Kenny Lewis, also both Juniors WILD CARD –K - #26 Jordan Pleasants (Sr.) –6 for 7 on XP duties last week and looked good on kickoffs as well. Only missed XP was on a bad snap, never got kick off. Cardinals may have found their kicker.


Keys to Victory for Colerain
3RD DOWN DEFENSE– This cannot be stressed enough. The Cardinals are not getting off the field defensively on 3rd down. They are allowing opponents to convert on 3rd down a remarkably high 37% of the time. That may not seem high, but consider this:
- It’s the 3rd worst % allowed in the GMC, only Lakota West (37.3%) and Mason (39.6%) are higher
- It’s the highest % allowed by any Colerain team since before 2004. Over the past 5 years (04-08), that avg. has been 21%
The Cardinals must improve in this area defensively. Last week in the 1st quarter against Lakota East, the Cardinals allowed two 3rd and long conversions on the same drive allowing the Thunderhawks to march 80 yards for a TD. That’s NOT Colerain football as we’ve come to expect it. It will be interesting to see if this defense can turn up the intensity on 3rd downs and prevent the long, time-consuming drives by the opposing team.
PRESSURE THE QB – Hamilton QB Drew Townsend is a very talented football player. He was third in the GMC in passing last year behind two guys named Watkins and Ware, not too shabby, huh? He has matured as a QB and has improved his completion percentage over last year. He has already thrown for 6 TD’s this year against only 1 INT. In 10 games last season, he threw 9 TD’s to 7 INT’s. That being said, the Cardinals must apply pressure to Mr. Townsend because he simply cannot move well in, or outside, the pocket. In 2008, he “rushed” (i.e. “ran for his life!”) 81 times for (-81) yards…yes, that’s NEGATIVE yardage. This year, it’s more the same. 20 rushes for (-56) yards. If the Cards Defense can pressure Townsend and either force him to scramble or make poor passing decisions, it can create short fields and possibly some turnovers which would make Defensive Coordinator Shawn Cutright very happy as that is an area of emphasis in his mind (see Lakota East pre-game video preview).
PENALTIES! PENALTIES! PENALTIES! – It’s starting to get ridiculous. 10 penalties for 89 yards last week against Lakota East. Now I realize that some of those came late in the game and were mostly of the 5 yard false start and illegal motion type penalties due to waves of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th teamers making their way into the game, but that’s no excuse. Forget the impact of the yards, think about what offensive penalties do to the rhythm of your offense. The Triple Option is a rhythm offense. Once you get in that groove and you’ve got the defense back on their heels…look out! But if you are constantly stopping for penalties, it destroys your momentum AND moves you backwards on the field. It might not have nearly as much of an impact against the softer part of the schedule, but every week is a playoff week for this team and championship behaviors must be learned now, not week 9, 10, or 11.


Bottom-Line
Hamilton came into this season with high hopes as they improved to 6-4 last season. May not seem like much, but that was the first winning season for Big Blue since their last playoff team went 7-3 in 2001. Head Coach Jim Place has revitalized Big Blue and has them believing they can compete with anyone. A tough OT loss in week 1 and a big loss last week to GMC rival Lakota West has Hamilton looking to gain confidence and keep the hopes alive of a second consecutive winning season. Unfortunately for Big Blue, the Cardinals are not going to help in that endeavor. What was a very good defense last season (allowing only 175 yards/game) has sputtered to find that same success in ’09 (allowing 284 yards/game). While only allowing opponents 116 rush yds/game this year, expect for Colerain to double that output easily. If the Cardinals can step up the defensive effort on 3rd downs, Hamilton should have trouble moving the ball. However, don't expect a shutout as the Big Blue are too talented for that to be the case and when opponents have scored on Colerain, they are averaging 20 points/contest. Look for a high scoring affair with the Cards putting it away late in the third quarter.

GO CARDINALS!

WE ARE...COLERAIN!!


This preview is copyrighted by WeAreColerain.com for the private use of our audience. Any other use of this information, descriptions, or accounts of the players or programs without WeAreColerain.com’s express written consent, is strictly prohibited.