Here’s what the head coaches are saying about MVP’s entrants into the state football finals this weekend: Alter, Coldwater and Delphos St. John’s. Listen up:
“I know we talked about this in 2007, but it’s probably an advantage for us that we’re clear on the other side of the state. Our kids really don’t know that much about the Ursuline’s and the Mooney’s of the world. Our kids just don’t hear that much info on them. I think we would probably be more intimidated the closer we got but the fact is we just don’t know about that or the power ofthe Steel Valley (Conference). We’re over here kind of isolated by ourselves. I’m not saying we’re not aware of things that go on in the other parts of the state, I just don’t think our kids are intimidated because they just don’t know that much about them.” – Coldwater head coach John Reed when asked why Coldwater and other MAC schools don’t seem to be intimidated by Steel Valley teams like Ursuline and Mooney.
“At the beginning of the season we get rated No. 1 and the bulls-eye just gets bigger. Not only are we the defending champion but then we’re No. 1. I told the kids at that time that that particular rating that early said maybe as much about our past and tradition as it did about the team this year. If we were 4-6 last year and started out 4-0 this year we would not have been ranked No. 1. The kids felt from the beginning that they had to go out and prove that within this 2009 team there was the ability to excel.” – Alter head coach Ed Domsitz on his team which has won every game this year by at least 15 points.
“Maybe that’s an advantage for Delphos. You know this is our fourth time here and unfortunately we haven’t been able to get that win. Delphos knows what it’s all about. They’ve got a great program. We’re hoping to get to that level.” – Norwalk St. Paul coach John Livengood whose team is 0-3 in state finals. St. John’s is 5-0.
“Coming into the season I believe we had a pretty good sized bulls-eye on our back. I guess this is something that a lot of people thought was supposed to happen and it was supposed to happen pretty easy. Obviously it hasn’t been easy.” – Delphos St. John’s head coach Todd Shulte whose team is back to defend their D-VI state title after surviving back-to-back OT games in the regional final and state semifinal.
“I think our team has exceeded expectations. I don’t think most people thought this was going to be a year where we’d be able to achieve what we have. It just goes to show what young people can do when they set their mind to do it.” –Reed whose Coldwater team made it back to the state finals for the second time in three years despite graduating 21 seniors.
