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Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Monday, November 09, 2009
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This is a tremendous task to complete; no, not the Trojans story of a considerable bulky wictory over Bismarck-Henning, or that the Raiders put a four quarter whoopin' on a tough PORTA team, but the fact that two teams from the Okaw are yet again, yes again, playing eachother late in the playoffs. Also, these two teams were two teams late in the season with big question-marks on what they were capable of and what they would actually achieve. Both programs new of what potential and determination was being put forth; however, their records and constant back and forth performance led to doubts on deep play-off runs. The story going into this game is what you want in play-off football, two teams coming off big victorys with Maroa dominating an away game for a full four quarters and allowing less than 100 yards total rushing, and a A&M team being a lot like the Maroa team of 2004 -coming in overlooked- and having to fight all year with definately nothing given to them without getting it earned, mostly respect, and beating a respected PORTA team and scoring on every end of the field (offense, defense, and special teams). Not to mention the regular season game which would have only been closer had they gone into an over-time, which if you asked anyone there might as well been an over-time game. This is a game that will be a four quarter game because neither team will stop playing until they line up on the fifty yard line and congratulate eachother on who was more deserving to be the victor that Saturday afternoon.
Now, the interesting correlations that play a big mind game for anyone keeping up. Maroa and A&M have gone in different directions since about 2004-05. When A&M stopped being the big bully on the playground and started looking like the kid last picked for kickball; Maroa started really showing it's face like the cool kid that had the newest style pair of shoes of which other kids were jealous. I say that because of the two different styles these programs have, not with any disrespect intended.
CAM has had a mean, in your face, down your throat style of play since the ice age. Run, run, run, play action, run, run, run, SCORE! Easy as it seems to stop them, stack the box, key in on the highest rusher, keep the linemen confused, TEAMS DIDN'T DO IT! Their linemen, and I know first hand, are never the biggest, are never the strongest, but they are the best unit on the field at all times, firing off the ball like lightning, and they play hard for four full quarters. They were like a wild fox on crack with rabbies - fast, mean, and scary! Then it stopped for a few years not being as dominate up front relying them to play more optimistic than they were used to. Finally, they have the line AND the skilled athletes to pass, run, and option off to either-or. Mark Ramsey knows his football and seems to have opened up that play book at the right time and is allowing his skill players to show they aren't a pure run team, and when Mark Ramsey opens his play book: WATCH OUT! This man have been to the ship and is hungry to get back, I promise you!
Maroa, the new kid on the block, has had a slump in it's program long before Josh Jostes came to town. Only entering the playoffs four or five times the previous eleven years, never going too deep, and in less than the ten years he has been sheriff he has come up with atleast six playoff apperenses, two undefeated regular seasons, four or five conferense titles, and oh yea, that state championship that was the biggest thing since the original M&M Cafe' opened in town. But, the difference: this team is the Cowboys, the Lakers, even the dreaded Yankee's, they like to do things in flash and fashion. The halftime song and dance "Shabooyah", the sideline shuffles, and the smile that goes from ear to ear, and you either love it or hate it, but if you hate it-you LOVE to hate it! They don't necessitate big passes or big plays, they just make those happen. They simply take it, because they can. The athletes that have came through the program the last half decade simply put the kill in skill. A lot of them are small, and not committed to the weight room or speed camp, they just know how to go up empty and come down hands full of pigskin. I am NOT saying these kids don't work hard, but I AM saying the kids I am talking about are somewhat God gifted and a natural ATHLETES. Put a natural athlete with a coach like Jostes, who runs a heck of a summer program and you'll have all-conference, all-county, all-state player(s). It tends to be easy to cover a number one reciever, just not when a team has three of them; that's been Maroa's game since 2004.
It's odd though when you think about it. Jostes came in as a young early-twentys guy who had to start out fresh with a program that was down, with left-footed athletes, and a community that was awaiting basketball season. While Ramsey, an Okaw legend, dominate program, and multiple conferense champ, was like Jostes big brother that always got the best of him leaving him running to ma(no offense). As anyone with siblings knows and will tell, we all grow up. It took some true effort, determination, and maybe even desperation, but finally Maroa started to win when it counted. Beating A&M for the first time in Jostes' short career and handing A&M their first shut out in "100" years! It was the first win that was a true "test worthy" win for Maroa. Finally beating someone with a winning record, program, and respectful team. That was really the start of a Maroa turn-around. To where some could argue that was the start of a turn-around for the CAM program as well, just in the wrong direction. And finally, FINALLY, this has come to what it is. A quarter-final playoff game again two Okaw teams that WANT and NEED this game to prove to everyone who is the better team. As I've heard Jostes say, "Even a blind squirrel finds a nut" and this weekend we will find out if Maroa was just lucky enough to store away enough nuts in the regular season to walk away full. However, don't think the raiders aren't hungry for some "nuts" of their own, and likely to go nuts to get full themselves.
Last but not least: the OKAW CURSE- and even as a Maroa fan, I'm going to talk about it (cub fans are now scared) but for the last 10 years it seems that when two okaw teams meet in the post-season the victor tends to be the loser of the regular season game. Examples (St. T fans might want to close their eyes) Argenta-St. T in I believe the quarterfinals class 2A with "Stitt vs Godfrey"(sp?) St. T. vs Monicello Class 3A quarterfinals-"Only thing that stops a bulldog is a Semi" , Maroa vs St. T 2004 first round "The Hockaday Era" has begun. And finally the St T vs Maroa 2005 "Revenge of the Fallen".
That is what makes this game "that" much more interesting. As many think Maroa is playing their best football and will run over CAM now, A&M may argue the same thing. The Trojan offense is seemingly unstoppable and the Raiders Defense is seemingly unmovable. The Raiders have something to prove and the Trojans have everything to loss. Never underestimate a teams desire and determination. Muhammad Ali once said about Joe Frashier, "that man won't go down without getting back up, but he gets up because I knock him down" and this quote makes me think of this game. The Raiders will not quit until the final bell goes off and the Trojans will have to remember that a first round knockout isn't likely. It's almost sad that these two teams are ONLY playing in the quarterfinals because I would like to one day see the Okaw playing for state at the Champbana statium. Some have said, you must go through the Okaw to get to state in the lower three classes, expecially now with the addition of T.U. and Tuscola-good luck by the way.
The crowd will be vicious, the players will be ferocious and the game will be intense. I believe that's the best way to discribe a playoff style game, or atleast how it should be. With tuscola and tolono both also continuing their State Bound Dreams, I hope the other Okaw teams, unluckily enough not playing, will come out and watch this battle of the Titans, a true Iron Man Match. I hope it won't be a blowout either way, and don't believe it will be. I hope this game goes as long as this here note. Readers beware, this is no after-school special, this is real, this is now, and this is OKAW VALLEY FOOTBALL, and at it's finest.
Sincerely,
Jon Rod-8
"R.T.V.-Represent The Vally-"
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