I Can't Hunt Because I'm at Disney

Friday Night Lights and I am Out of State!!!

Let's hope everyone could keep up the high energy without me!!!!!!

Vacation

Off to Disney!!!!

This is wishing Southern Columbia well in their upcoming playoff game against Northwest. I am off to Disney and should be returning in time for the December 4th game.

Mount Carmel Makes a Tough Choice

This past Friday, Mount Carmel Area played without their star senior running back for the Eastern Conference Championship. Whether you like the head coach or not, a decision was made regarding the violation of team rules.

I am on record to say that I don't know the nuts and bolts of the incident. I do know a star player was not in uniform, but wasn't a problem to the coaching staff all season.

To the underclassmen returning next year, take a look around you. If you see that 70 year old man up in the stands, he probably got away with some thing back in 1959. Keep in mind back in 1959 there wasn't the following:

Cell phones
Internet
Texting
MADD
SADD

Cable TV was in it's infancy and cars were a luxury and usually there was only one in the family. The days of something getting swept under the rug are pretty much over. There are just too many grey areas and the laws are much more strict for the people in the know as well as the violaters.

Do yourself a favor, after a big win or tough loss grab a bite to eat with your friends and family and head home to bed.

The End of Jon and Kate

With their divorce coming before the end of the year. The show Jon and Kate is coming to a close (thank God).

In the end, they say money can't buy love. It this case it couldn't buy hate either.

Weekend Wrap Up

After Southern Columbia returned to the state playoffs, I took off early on Saturday to watch the highest ranked football team in Pennsylvania. The Villanova Wildcats and alma mater are #3 in the FCS poll. Villanova will host Holy Cross in the first round of the FCS playoffs.

Here is wishing luck to Southern, Tri-Valley, North Schuylkill and Upper Dauphin in this weekends playoff games.

Great job by Mount Carmel in winning the Eastern Conference. The Red Tornadoes battled heavy graduation, illness and suspensions and finished 7-5. Mount Carmel defeated Loyalsock and lost a close game to Lewisburg on a Monday night. Those two teams are battling for the D-4 title Saturday afternoon.

Applause for Twin Valley Conference

With Tri-Valley, Millersburg and Upper Dauphin still alive going into Week 13, at least one of the three will see Week 14. Upper Dauphin and Millersburg will square off in an "All-Valley" District 3-A final on Friday at Hersheypark Stadium.

If Tri-Valley (District 11 Champ) and the District 3 champ keep winning, there could be an all-TVC Eastern Final. This would be the first ever. Tri-Valley would have to win this week and get past a possible match up with Southern Columbia in Week 14.

LEAVING THE COAL REGION BEHIND

Several coaches have found some success after leaving the coal region. Carm DeFrancesco is at the helm of Upper Dauphin, Mike Kogut is leading the Bulldogs of Tri-Valley and Ron Miller is at West York. All three are graduates of Mount Carmel Area.

Will Sarah Ruin My Vacation???

The Going Rogue tour coincides with my vacation to Disney. I am flying there on 11/24. Guess who will be in Orlando on the 24th? Sarah Palin is wrapping up the first part of her tour in Orlando on 11/24?

Is a Disney Vacation in the works???? Mother, daughter and two infant children in the brood. What a better place to vacation.

I Hope Santa Shops at Lowe's

With Black Friday shopping only a week away, I hope Santa has some great ideas for Christmas. If you could look at what happened last year:

Trade in the reindeer????

Read about the accident from last year.

Jim Roth Previews the District 4-A Championship

Southern Area turned in an outstanding performance against Bloomsburg last weekend. Big drives, clock control and great defense in the face of a team flu and a player suspension.

I like the Tigers winning a close one depending on the status of the Line Mountain quarterback Marty Beninsky.

The New Republican Party

Can We Survive???????

From Lulac.

Solace for the Red Tornadoes

Five wins and five losses in a season don't mean much for a high school with 5 state titles in the trophy case.

Of the five teams Mount Carmel lost to during the regular season. All five had convincing wins in the first round of the playoffs. None more surprising or convincing than Lewisburg's 21-10 victory over Montoursville completely dominating both sides of the ball in the second half.

The Drive of the Ages for Southern

18, 90, 10 sounds like meaningless numbers until you put them into context. For a football team trying to avenge an earlier defeat, fighting the flu, a player suspension those numbers come to mean so much more for Southern Columbia's football team.

Bloomsburg's Blake Rankin electrified the home crowd with a 38-yard scramble for a touchdown as time expired in the 3rd quarter pulling the Panthers within 21-6 and a possible possession or two left in the game.

To add to Southern's frustration, a knuckle ball kick bounce over the Tiger return man and he eventually was tackled at the 10. The start was first and ten at the 10-yard line. A quick three and out would have gave Rankin a chance to rally, momentum was on Bloomsburg's side.

The next time Bloomsburg would touch the ball there would be 1:49 left in the game and the Panthers would be staring at a 28-6 deficit and dashed district title hopes.

Southern went on an 18-play, 90-yard drive that would eat up the first 10:11 of the first quarter. High school teams would have a hard time with two 9-play drives or three, 6-play drives. College and professional teams would be envious.

From the News-Item, "It's one of the more impressive wins we've had, considering a good amount of our starters didn't practice all week," Roth said. "To come out and play this way is a tribute to their toughness and their courage to come out here and gut it out against a good team and turn around their fortunes from the first time.

Onward to Line Mountain.

Jim Roth Previews the Bloomsburg Panthers

Going into Friday's playoff game with long time rival Bloomsburg, Southern looks to avenge and earlier season loss to the Panthers. In the Roth era at Southern, this may be the first time the Tigers are looking to return the favor.

Veteran's Day 2010

Saluting all those who served and have served. Special shout out to my uncle (Air Force (ret)) who is rehab from a fall earlier this month in Texas.

Smoke Under the Teepee

Shamokin Area concluded their first season under Dan Foor with a 3-7 mark on the season with a 35-13 loss to Loyalsock where the Indians rushed for over 240 yards, but turned over the ball 6 times.

Here is a look at some of the numbers. Shamokin was outscored by the opposition in the 1st and 3rd quarters by 71 to 35 and 69 to 24. The Indians were break even in the 2nd and 4th quarter.

Shamokin was a -4 on the turnover ratio losing the ball 27 times on 20 fumbles and 7 interceptions. Most area teams were around 16 turnovers for the season. Lewisburg only lost the ball 9 times all season. Shamokin's average is close to three a game.

Penalties were a big part of the 2009 season. Shamokin had 80 for 673 yards. An 8/game average. Most area teams averaged half of that with the exception of Selinsgrove. We touch upon the subject of penalties later.

OFFENSIVE LINE

The offensive line was a strong suit for the Indians this season and shook off a bad start and played fine as a unit. It was more impressive showing the Indians lack of a passing attack. Strong nucleus returns next season.

RUNNING BACKS

Ran tough but fumbled alot. Forbes is a senior and will be missed. The unit has lacked a burner for a few years.

QUARTERBACK

The Indians shared duties with Haddock and Supsic. Haddock was the better runner, but Supsic didn't do a bad job running the team. With Forbes gone and Haddock's speed will he move to tailback next season?

Passing accuracy was at a premium all season.

WIDE RECEIVERS AND TIGHT ENDS

Hard to pinpoint if it was youth at quarterback or at these positions. They were never a threat receiving but did a good job blocking up front for the running game.

DEFENSE

The front seven played very all season and never quit to their credit. Forbes will be gone but a strong unit returns.

SECONDARY

Could use a lot of work. Only adequate on run support, got burned consistently in obvious passing situations. The unit will have the same questions in 2010.

SPECIAL TEAMS

The punt return team was woeful. Never a threat for a return, this unit lost major field position over the course of the season by not catching the ball. Catching the ball in 2010 would be a huge improvement. The rest of the special teams played well including the field goal unit.

INTANGIBLES

All things considered, Coach Foor came into a tough situation as the third head coach in three years. He had to open with the Indians two big rivalries back-to-back. He installed a new offense.

If one had to pinpoint two turning points of the season, it would have been Supsic's interception into interference to an eventual TD for Mount Carmel. In week 2, who knows how the rest of the game would have went.

The next one came in week 5 against Danville. Shamokin played a terrible first half but managed to tie it at 10 late in the half. The Indians came out uninspired in the second half. Danville went on to win that night and have not lost since.

CHARACTER

Going into 2010 if there is anything you can find with a 35-13 to Loyalsock, Shamokin fell behind 14-0 and turned the ball over 3 times in the first period. They could have started the buses but the Indians pulled within 1 and eventually trailed at the half 21-13. The kids should be commended.

The Party of "No" Comes Through Again!!!!

In a historic vote, the House passed Affordable Health Care for America Act by a 220-215 vote. Locally, "Blue Dog" Tim Holden voted against it.

Just to keep score of the years, here is where Republicans have stood:

SOCIAL SECURITY ACT OF 1935 372-58.

THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 290-130.

VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965 333-85.
MEDICARE 307-116.

CLEAN WATER ACT 305-115.

According to Lulac, in each instance, the House of Representatives under control by the Democratic party enacted legislation that made the lives of Americans better. The Republicans voted against women, (up until the SS Act was passed, women were not allowed to collect a pension), people of color, old people's medical needs and the right of every American to have good clean water. It is no wonder that health care is on their hit list. The party of NO is not for America.

Terelle Pryor Comes Home to PA

It has been two years since Terrelle Pryor walked off the hardwoods and gridiron and State College and Hershey a PIAA Champion. Today Pryor and the Buckeyes return to Happy Valley as 3.5 point underdogs and Pryor guilty of 9 interceptions on the season.

Take the Lions today who will make less mistakes than the Buckeyes. The Ohio State defense will keep them in it, but the Lions have been very stingy giving up less than 10 points a game.

Shamokin Set to Close Out the Season at Loyalsock

Shamokin is set to close out their 2009 football campaign at Loyalsock on Friday night. Going into the game at 3-6, the Indians are nursing some injuries but look to end '09 on a 3-game winning streak.

VOTE!!!!!!

Take time out of your busy day and find time to vote!!!!!

It's been 30 years!!!!!

Do the Phils have what it takes to come back from down 3-1 and eventually win on the road? The last time this feat was done was in 1979 by the "We Are Family" Pittsburgh Pirates. Jim Rooker was the Game 5 starter for the Pirates, I believe Cliff Lee is a little better. The bats or Rollins, Victorino, Howard and Ibanez are now hitting a collective .190.

Let's get a win tonight with Cliff at home first and go from there.