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Galion Has to be Patient

Click here to listen to an interview with coach Matt Dick

          After week off, Galion returns to action this week as they host Cloverleaf in a division IV regional quarterfinal.

          After getting the second seed in region 14, the Tigers earned a bye.  Coach Matt Dick says they spent the week trying to get tougher.  “Yeah, we've definitely made it a little shorter, got in and out, but we've really spent the time with our offensive line driving the sled, trying to get a little tougher, and get used to playing a little lower.  I think in the playoffs the ability to run the football and control the line of scrimmage becomes really, really important especially late in games.  So, we spent some time driving with our line and running backs, but we did get in and out pretty quick.  Though we had some tough sled sessions really practice was over by over by 4:30 most days, so it allows us to get a little more juiced up and just our passion for football is maybe a little bit more back,” said Dick.

          Galion (9-1), and #4 in our final Swankonsports.com football coaches poll in the league school division, plays host to Cloverleaf (7-4).  The Colts outscored Bay Village (42-35) last week in their playoff opener.

          Dick says they have some skilled players that can make big plays, especially in the run game.  “I just think it was a really, really gritty performance last week.  We went up and watched them.  Their kids just played really, really hard and made enough plays to win a tight football game versus a good opponent.  I thought Bay had some really special skilled athletes and somehow Cloverleaf did a great job playing defensive and running ball.  I think they're a real challenge,” he said.

          Dick says they have to stay patient on offense and on defense they have to make sure they are lined up right to begin the play.  “I think defensively it starts with our alignment.  Making sure we're lined up for their heavy formations correctly.  Understanding where the tight end is sneaking around for the pop pass or those type of things, which always becomes a priority with any team that does a heavy tackle over formation,” he told Swankonsports.com on Monday evening, “Offensively, I think the key is to hand the ball to the ref after every play.  It's okay to punt.  We have played really, really good defense all year.  I think it's important that we limit our turnovers and make them earn it.   I think their team I saw them going plenty 10 and 20 play drives, but I want them to do that.  I don't want to give them any easy ones.

Published 11/04/25

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Galion Must Stop Clear Fork Run

          Galion still has a chance to share in the title in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference as they host Clear Fork on Friday night.

          They tail Shelby by a game and would need Marion Harding to upset the Whippets.

          Last week, Galion (8-1,5-1), #4 in the Swankonsports.com football coaches poll in the large school division, rallied to beat Harding (28-20) in conference play.

          Coach Matt Dick says Harding showed a lot of good things, but his kids responded.  “Our kids showed a ton of grit to find a way to win the in fourth quarter.  I think Marion Harding did a great job with a great game plan to start fast versus us.  I like they would throw the deep ball and then they've switch to like an Army formation.  They've got a lot of one back, a lot of good big guys on one side and they did nice job of taking advantage of us.  They did it about three times in a row and next you know we're looking down 14 points.  We had to claw our way back.  My hat is off to our kids and our coaches for battling all the way back and find a way to win,” said Dick.

          Clear Fork (6-3,4-2) drilled River Valley (44-7) last week.

          Dick says the Colts have to be respected.  “There's weeks where they look as good as anybody that we play.  There's other weeks where their offense may struggle maybe a little bit here and there.  They definitely ran the ball well all year, and played great defense, that's a good recipe for success,” he said.

          Clear Fork started a different kid at quarterback last week in Ben Campbell and he scored four TDs.

          Dick says they aren’t sure who they will get at that spot, but no matter what that run game in designed very well.  “We have to stop the run.  I think they switched quarterbacks last week.  I don’t if #2 was banged up a little or they just wanted to see #4 run.  Both those kids are at quarterback, the double tight formations, it really spreads you out and it makes it hard to guard both sides, both edges,” he told Swankonsports.com on Thursday evening, “Whether you they have got like tight and trips on one side, tight on the backside, it's hard to have really sound edges on both sides of that.  So, I think they do a good job outflanking you and both of those kids run hard.  They have got a running back that runs hard, they have got some big fullbacks.  They're definitely a tough one on offense.  Now, we've seen a lot of those this year, but nothing quite like them.  They're definitely unique in how they do it.”

Published 10/24/25

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Galion Wants to be Cleaner

          Galion, the second place team in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference, takes the bus to Marion Harding on Friday night.

          They won their fourth straight game last week in routing River Valley (36-6) on Friday night.

          Coach Matt Dick says they were good, but not really good.  “Hopefully, we got a little better.  We tried some different tempos on offense, but hopefully we can be a little cleaner this week,” he said.

          Dick says they want to be better at executing the stuff they do this week and going forward.  “Penalties weren’t too bad.  We play kind of that edge of the line on penalties, so not so much worried about that.  Just execution, especially if we start doing check with me or different tempos or just the technique of how we do anything,” he told Swankonsports.com on Wednesday night, “Whether it's run a route, whether it's block, how we carry the ball, the mesh, the little details I think we can get better at.  This week we gave every offensive guy a goal and then they came up with three steps they're going to take to meet that goal and hopefully we'll see that on Friday night.”

          Galion (7-1,4-1), #4 in the Swankonsports.com football coaches poll in the large school division, is at Marion Harding (3-5,2-3) on Friday night.  The Presidents picked up their second league win last week in outscoring Marion Pleasant (48-28) on Friday.

          Dick says Harding again will have some athletes that can make plays and they and do a number of things on defense.  “As always there they have some explosive athletes.  Coach (C.J.) Westler does a good job with their offense.  I really thought that they played well versus Pleasant last week.  They definitely shift and motion and trade tight ends and really put you in a bind on defense.  Then defensively, their 3-3 stack they can bring a lot of pressure.  They can drop a lot of guys off, so obviously when you bring everybody and drop everybody it gives you a little bit of a challenge,” said Dick.

Published 10/16/25

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Galion Defense Bringing it

          Galion, a game back in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference, entertains the River Valley Vikings in a conference game on Friday night.

          They are going to need some help when it comes to the league because they have already lost to first place Shelby.

          Last week, they destroyed Marion Pleasant (42-0) on Friday night.

          Coach Matt Dick says the players have high expectations.  “We played a really clean game.  I think we're starting to get to the point on defense where if we don't get a three and out and they go six plays, we start to get angry.  Our defense is really set a really high standard and they really play hard and really play fast.  Then offensively, there were a lot of two or three play drives.  It was fun to watch,” he said.

          Galion (6-1,3-1), #4 in the Swankonsports.com football coaches poll in the large school division, hosts River Valley (3-4,2-2) on Friday night.  The Vikings beat Highland (14-6) last week.

          Dick says the Vikings will spread you out and he thinks their defense is much improved.  “Their offense is five wide.  They spread the ball around.  They have got lots of big athletes and because of that they have that explosive capability.  I don't think they have been as explosive as they've been,” he told Swankonsports.com on Thursday evening, “I mean they've had some first team All-Ohio quarterbacks last four years.  This kid is doing a good job, it's just not quite as good as explosive as in the past.  I think their defense has improved.  It may be the best River Valley defense I've seen in a while.  They usually struggle on that side of the ball with all their athletes playing offense.”

          Galion’s defense has permitted only one score in the last three weeks.

          Dick says they have great pursuit.  “We have got a lot of fast guys that are really hungry and get to the football and it's really fun to watch.  When one guy misses, there's usually two or three more there.  Our JV's did a great job of holding them out in the second half.  Those guys got a lot of playing time.  It was fun to watch the varsity guys cheer on the JV's trying to keep that shutout.  I'd rather be fresh than have a shutout, but anytime you get a shutout it’s something special and kudos to our young guys for keeping it,” said Dick.

Published 10/10/25

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Galion Looking to be Better

          Galion, a game back in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference, will play at Marion Pleasant in a conference game on Friday night.

          It was a shutout last week for the Tigers as they blanked Highland (35-0) in conference play.

          Coach Matt Dick says it was a good effort except for the turnovers.  “Pretty solid game.  We have to clean up the penalties.  We had an amazing goal line stop.  A kid caught a deep ball on us.  The DB and the receiver went up for it.  Their kid made a play and carried it all way down about the four yard line.  Jacob Chambers hunted him down.  We had a goal line stand for about, I don't know, let's say 10 plays from the four yard line when there was a bunch of penalties and stuff.  It was cool.  Anytime you get pinned back and you can get that stop it says something about your defensive players and how we play defense and our effort.  I was really pumped about that.  We still have to clean up the penalties.  That's probably the biggest negative we took away from the game,” said Dick.

          Galion (5-1,2-1) visits Pleasant (1-5,0-3) on Friday night.  The Spartans lost (27-24) to Ontario in the “MOAC” last week.

          Dick says Pleasant presents some challenges.  “They do a good job of spreading the ball around.  The running back leaks out the backfield a lot.  Then defensively they are really stout up front.  They always have defensive linemen that penetrate and get good pressure on the quarterback.  The two inside mics do a good job of reading.  They are a typical Pleasant team,” he said.

          Dick says this week is more about Galion getting better as a football team.  “I think it’s less about the conference just more about trying to maximize our team and reach the highest possible level by the end of the season.  Who knows when that end will come.  It might come week 10, might come week 11, week 12, who knows, but that idea that we're trying to play and reach a level of excellence that has nothing to do with Pleasant.  I think we've really kind of preached that this week.  I've done some things different practice trying to get the most out of our kids,” he told Swankonsports.com on Thursday evening, “I think you know these next couple of weeks or whatever there's a little bit of a lull in the season.  It feels like weeks six, seven and eight kids just start to get tired of the normal routine.  So, we're trying to mix up a little bit and really try to take another step in our play.  I think you know hopefully we're going to see that on an individual basis, but then offense, defense, special teams, all three levels.  We need to find a way to get better and I think that has nothing to do with our opponent.  It has everything to do with what we do.  We spend a lot of time talking about that.  Set some goals for the week and I thought our kids did a really nice job of getting through the practice week with the right attitude, the right effort and hopefully that will show up on Friday.”

Published 10/03/25

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Galion Wants to Get their Athletes the Ball

          Galion, trailing the “MOAC” leaders by a game, will host Highland in league play on Friday night.

          They outlasted Ontario (7-0) in a league game last week.

          Coach Matt Dick calls the win fortunate.  “Yeah, I think we were in a lot of ways lucky to escape.  Anytime you win 7-0 that's just one big play on the other team and we would have been in a lot tougher game at the end there.  So, we were lucky to win, but hopefully we can take that luck and learn from it and have a good week of practice.  We're getting healthier.  We get some running backs back this week, which just helps our depth in a lot of different positions.  It really pays dividends that being faster, fresher and maybe a little bit hungrier to play football.  We had a good Monday, so hopefully we'll see something different on the Friday of this week,” said Dick.

          Dick says going forward hopefully they are going to have more depth.  “I think as a small school football.  Anything probably below division III you're looking for ways to find more and more depth because you never know what's coming.  If you told me we're going to play the fourth and fifth string running back and they were going to play well.  If you told me that in August I would have said no way.  Guys like Kale Early stepped up huge for us.  Sam Evans… and Camden Kuehlman to block.  Those guys really made it so we could survive a couple weeks without the Camden Kuehlmsn, without the Braxton Stuckman.  Hopefully both those guys are going to be back,” he told Swankonsports.com on Monday evening, “That depth doesn't just help us from the offensive standpoint.  Some of those guys.  Kale was asked to play running back and nose guard and I think that you could play at a different level when you only play one way or way and a half, not the whole time.  I think that you're going to see guys move around the field a little bit faster.  I just felt like our kids were fresher this week for whatever reason.  It's almost like they got the right amount of sleep this weekend and on Monday they moved around pretty well.  So, hopefully we'll see that all week.  We're going to keep them hungry to play Friday and hopefully we'll come out and really be aggressive right off the rip.”

          Galion (4-1,1-1), #5 in the Swankonsports.com football coaches poll in the large school division, is at home for Highland (2-3,1-1) on Friday night.  The Fighting Scots were smoked (48-0) by Shelby last week.

          Dick says Highland is going to want to run it out of the veer and they play tough defense.  “A very unique offense, but I think it's a physical offense.  I think that really fits coach (Ty) Stover.  They've always been a run first team that plays great defense and I think that's still true.  I think that when you get into a grimy, low scoring game, that's exactly what they want.  So, finding ways to get our athletes the ball in space and let them do what they do is kind of a priority this week.  Then just turnovers, execution, those things.  You don't want to let a team like Highland hang around because they want that low scoring, run the ball, play great defense game.  Coach Stover does great job over there,” said Dick.

Published 9/23/25

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Galion Faces Size in Ontario

          Galion has another tough one in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference as the Tigers are at Ontario to meet the Warriors on Friday night.

          They took Shelby to the end last week before falling (45-34) in a conference game.

          Coach Matt Dick says they were right there.  “It was a heck of a game.  I wish we could have done things a little bit differently as coaches and put our kids in better positions towards the end of the fourth quarter, but anytime you have the ball with a chance to win versus team like Shelby you have got to be happy with that.  Hopefully, maybe we'll get any other shot.  Obviously, when you get in the playoffs you play some really talented teams you're going to chance to beat a really good team and Shelby’s definitely that.  I like how we competed, but we didn't get it done,” said Dick.

          Galion (3-1,0-1) plays at Ontario (2-2,0-1) on Friday night.  The Warriors lost (14-10) at Clear Fork in “MOAC” play last week.

          Dick says they are big and have some athletic kids that can make plays.  “Really big up front.  The offensive and defensive line are big kids.  They've had a lot of success in the last couple of years, so it's been a couple years since we beat them, but we're excited to play them.  They have their own challenges,” he told Swankonsports.com on Wednesday evening, “I can tell you the Guy Trainer kid whether it's kickoffs or punts or just catching the ball in space he does a nice job.  The running back runs hard.  They have got a sophomore quarterback they’re breaking in, so that takes some time.  I know he's had some turnovers, but he is a big kid, big arm.  So, lots of good things going there and they have their own unique challenges.”

          Dick says Ontario’s size on defense is a concern too.  “That's the biggest thing that I think really stands out to me on film is just how big they are up front on the offensive and defensive line.  I think some of the speed stuff.  We've seen some teams that are little bit faster.  Their skill, their secondary is as solid as any we've seen all year probably.  So, I would just say that that big defensive line, that big offensive line.  That’s the stuff that’s a real strength for them, especially how it matches up versus us.  We are small and we are quick we are not big,” he said.

Published 9/18/25

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Galion Looking to Contain Shelby

          It’s a big one on week one of league play in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference as Galion is at Shelby to tangle with the Whippets.

          Last week, Galion (3-0,0-0), #3 in the first Swankonsports.com football coaches poll in the large school division, blanked Norwalk (41-0) last Friday.

          Coach Matt Dick says after a slow start they played pretty well.  “It was a little sloppy in first half offensively, but I felt like our kids regrouped the halftime and we came out and ran the ball a little bit better and really shut that game out nicely.  Obviously, with Shelby looming in the background that made it tough to stay focused on Norwalk.  I think that showed in the first half, but now it’s Shelby week and the kids are juiced up,” he said.

          Shelby (3-0,0-0), #1 in our poll, belted Bellevue (49-6) last week.

          Dick says you have to try and contain the Whippets explosive offense.  “DeVito and Bowman combination offensively just gives you all types of problems.  Not that they don't have a million other great athletes everywhere from their two big tight ends, all their different running backs, all the other receivers, but I really think they're offense starts with trying to limit Bowman at receiver and DeVito at quarterback.  The key word being limit.  They're going to get some big plays.  They've had a million explosive plays between the two of them already through three games.  The more you can hold them down the better chance you have to win,” said Dick.

          Dick says when you have the ball you can’t have mistakes.  “I think they just really know how to start fast and you can just blink and be down 3 touchdowns.  I also think that in every game it seems like the offense has stopped themselves whether it be a false start penalty or holding penalty.  When you get in third and a 10 or 15 that's a hard place to be in against Shelby’s defensive line and all of those athletes in the secondary and that linebacker.  So, I think it's really key to not let them get in rhythm and then offensively for you to make Shelby stop you, you can't stop yourself,” said Dick.

          Dick says playing Shelby is always exciting.  “For a conference championship if you get one or two losses or you'll be out of the league race, but I will say that there's been plenty of years when you can have one loss and still win the league.  Just look at it last year Ontario and Shelby had a great early season game and then they had a great game in the regional finals.  So, you never know then when you’re going to see them again, but that's what's really cool about a lot of our conference being in the same region and a lot of our conference being pretty tough,” he told Swankonsports.com on Tuesday evening, “Make sure some sometimes you have some cool matchups once or twice.  You kind of take charge early on by beating the conference champs, that's a big deal.  Again, it's not going one week at a time, one game at a time.  It's always a fun game.  Galion and Shelby have such a great rivalry.  All the old timers love those “NOL” rivalries.  So, anytime we get to play them it's a real fun experience with the community, with the school, with the kids, with their families, everybody always gets juiced up and at the end of the day just have to play really clean football game Friday.”

Published 9/10/25

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Galion Wants to be Better

          Galion is on the road for the first time this year as they will be at Norwalk to face the Truckers.

          Another old “NOL” rivalry.

          The Tigers (2-0) beat up Carey (41-14) last week.

          Coach Matt Dick says they got it going early.  “We started really fast offensively.  I think we scored in like the first three offensive plays, but Carey’s a tough football team and they battled back.  They had some long drives and we had to stop them.  Actually, I think they completed one of the long drives, so hats off to them for battling back.  We did start explosive and this week our has been on execution,” said Dick.

          They may have won their first two, but Dick says they have plenty to work on.  “You have got to pick something to get better.  The offensive line we’re working on pulling and finding that linebacker.  We missed him way too many times and there's a lot that goes into that.  The gap double getting a little bit more movement and then the guards hugging that double team a little more.  So, little details like that at every position,” he told Swankonsports.com on Thursday evening, “I felt like our slot receivers didn't block as well on jet sweep as they did the week before.  The quarterback carrying out fakes and making the right decisions to take what they give you.  So, there there's a lot of stuff in there and I just did offense.  Defense getting a better stance, a better take off.  Sometimes our eye discipline at DB got bad.  So, we're looking for those little details and then as a coach we're trying to find those drills that will match those skills up that we need to practice.  Sometimes it takes a couple different drills, a couple different weeks till we fix it, but we're definitely focused on some of those small details trying to get better.”

          Norwalk (1-1) dropped a (36-6) decision to Ontario of the “MOAC” last week.

          Dick believes they are going try and run the ball.  “I don't know them very well.  They're big up front.  They run the wing-T.  Ontario had a good game plan and did some good things versus them, but Ontario is a good football team.  So, we'll see how we do.  We are just trying to take it one week at a time because the “MOAC” starts next week,” he said.

Published 9/05/25

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Galion Working on Little Things

          Galion will entertain the Carey Blue Devils of Northern 10 Athletic Conference in a non-conference game on Friday night.

          Last week, they held St. Mary’s Memorial to 153 totals yards and just two of 10 on third down and they beat the Roughriders (35-6) in non-league play.

          Coach Matt Dick was happy.  “We played really well.  St. Mary's Memorial is a tough opponent and we just we're really clicking.  It was a good to start the season,” he said.

          Dick says this week they have been working on refining a lot of things.  “We've worked a lot on execution.  All of those little details that go into to finishing drives or just executing maybe some of our more complex screens or draws better.  We've been really working on those little details,” he told Swankonsports.com on Wednesday evening, “It's hard because last week we didn't punt once.  We’ve been telling the kids that we have to be really, really focused on those fine details.  It’s kind of hard, but we've had some tough practices.  We tried to get better this week and I think we've done that and hopefully (Thursday) will be a good dress rehearsal and then we'll go play well on Friday.”

          Carey lost their opener (30-7) to Hopewell-Loudon.

          Dick says they are going to be tough and physical like always.  “Hopewell-Loudon is definitely a different beast.  They throw the ball and spread out really well.  We like to be a little bit more balanced than that.  So, it definitely makes for a tougher matchup with Carey.  We've been playing for a long time and they always play great defense.  They run the ball hard.  They're always tough opponent and our kids have been preparing for that all week,” said Dick.

Published 8/28/25

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Galion to Face Physical St. Mary’s Memorial

          Galion, one of the better teams year in and year out in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference, will host St. Mary’s Memorial in their opener on Friday night in non-conference action.

          Coach Matt Dick likes the progression he has seen with the team, plus they are getting healthier.  “I think a lot of guys are coming along.  We're getting a little healthier.  We’re getting Sam Evans back, a linebacker it's been banged up a little bit.  Hopefully, we'll get Trevor Shifley back here a little bit with another couple more weeks.  I’ve liked the growth we’ve seen, especially the sophomores that played as freshmen.  They have really taken some big steps and the senior class, all those guys have done a great job all year,” said Dick.

          Dick says they have a defense this year that isn’t really big, but they are fast and he likes that.  “We really fly around the football on defense.  We’ve got a lot of little 150 pound guys that just want to get to the football,” he told Swankonsports.com on Monday evening, “I think that's the strength of our team.  It's just these guys that are selfless guys that love to hit, run and tackle and a lot of them played a lot of reps last year and that experience makes them really fun to watch play defense.”

          On the other hand, St. Mary’s Memorial is a big, strong team that is going to feature the power run game, according to Dick.  “They're huge and they run right at you, whish is kind of the kryptonite of a fast, little defense, but we have to get creative with ways to stop them up front and make sure those trenches don't get rolling and pushing us back.  They run the football like an old school West Holmes team or an old school Madison, team just come right in,” he said.

Published 8/19/25

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Galion With Lofty Goals

          Galion has been a competitive football team in the tough Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference and this year should be no exception.

          The Tigers had a (7-4) season, which included a first round playoff loss in division IV.

          Coach Matt Dick says they will have quite a bit of experience this season on both sides of the football.  “We had four seniors last year and I think I counted seven positions that they played.  That's a ton of guys back.  There's 15 seniors, even some sophomores and freshmen got some playing time last year, so the experience is definitely up,” said Dick.

          Dick says with that experience they have some high expectations for this year, plus he thinks the chemistry is good and that will be a plus.  “The standard of how we do stuff gets raised a little bit.  It's always fun when you have a nice group of seniors that really get along and are just good kids.  It kind of trickles down to the whole team and makes for a real fun experience,” he said.

          Galion will scrimmage Lexington on Friday.  They have a new opponent to start the season in St. Mary’s Memorial on August 22.  That will be followed by non-conference games with Carey and Norwalk.

          Dick thinks his coaching staff has also matured over the past year and they are going to have their players prepared and ready to go.  “Last year we had some pretty big coaching changes.  A lot of the staff kind of had turned over had been here a long time.  So, I think the difference between last year to this year is for some of my coordinators this is year two for them doing it, so the expectations,” he told Swankonsports.com on Thursday evening, “Some of those really little fundamentals that we're trying to coach with a lot more detail and raise that bar a little bit.  I think ultimately if our fundamentals go up, you're going to see the play on the field go up.  I think we're really focused on that and in a lot of different positions.  Whether it's a fullback trying to kick out, a defensive end closing and keeping his outside foot back.  All those real little details that really allow you to play great defense, offense or special teams.”

Published 8/08/25

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Galion Gets by Bath

          Galion got only two hits, but they scored the only run of the day, and beat Lima Bath (1-0) in a division IV district semifinal on Wednesday afternoon at Fort Jennings High School.

          They return Friday to play Upper Sandusky, the Northern 10 co-champ, in the district final.  Upper beat Van Wert (5-4) on Wednesday.

          Braxton Prosser goes the distance and gives up only one hit and strikes out nine.

          Coach Kenny Fagan says he is their ace and he showed that on Wednesday.  “We had our guy on the mound in Braxton (Prosser), that's our dog, that's the guy we went out there and these situations.  He threw a heck of a game, so we're really happy about that,” he said.

          Fagan says Prosser just made a lot of big pitches in clutch situations.  “At the start of the game pretty crappy conditions and he didn't have a lot of feel for his off speed early because it was spitting rain a little bit.  The command of his fastball and just hitting spots.  I would say what made him great was his character.  He got in some jams and let his defense play behind him and he just showed a lot of grit and passion out there and I think that willed us to a win,” said Fagan.

          Galion’s only came when Kane Hay drew a bases loaded walk.

          Fagan says they had a lot kids making team plays.  “It came on a walk, so we got an RBI walk for our one run and in that inning we just had great team at bats.  That's something that we've been really, really working on all year,” he told Swankonsports.com on Wednesday night, “We're good we have those good team at bats and it just took one for us (Wednesday).  We thought that was enough the way Braxton was throwing and our defense that we have behind him.  So, it’s tournament time, they're always close and (Wednesday) night proves that.”

          Galion (19-4) plays Upper Sandusky (17-4) on Friday.  At one time they were both in the Northern Ohio League.  They were to play May 2, but the game was cancelled.  “The are a good team, well coached, consistently at the top of their league.  They have got good pitching and they hit the crap out of the ball.  So, we're going to have a pretty tough contest on Friday and I'm excited for it,” he said.

Published 5/29/25

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Galion Downs Harding

          Galion hopes to be peaking as the Tigers head for postseason play.

          They still have an outside chance to get a piece of the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference title after a (5-2) win Tuesday at home over the Marion Harding Presidents.

          They trail Highland by three and the Fighting Scots still have three league games to play.

          Coach Kenny Fagan says they stuck to their game plan.  “We knew Marion Harding has got some pretty good arms and the pitching was their strength.  We thought that if we could get some base runners on and cause some havoc on the bases and it kind of worked out for us,” said Fagan.

          Fagan says they like to play an aggressive form of baseball.  “We like to steal, we like a bunt, we like to be aggressive and make you kind of throw it around a little bit.  We call it putting people on the carousel.  We had one good inning of doing it and I think that ended up being the difference in the game,” he said.

          Galion (16-5,8-4), #3 in the Swankonsports.com baseball coaches poll in the large school division, is the top seed in their division IV district, which is in Fort Jennings in western Ohio.

          Fagan says they are still focused on improvement.  “I think we have still got a lot of things that we can work on in the next two weeks.  I think we're trending in a pretty good direction,” he told Swankonsports.com on Tuesday evening, “We had another really good start by Grady Crim and he's going to be crucial to us in the tournament.  It's really just about finding some timely offense for us.”

Published 5/14/25

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Galion Rips Ontario

          Galion moved into a share of first place in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference on Wednesday with a (13-2) whipping of Ontario on the road.

          Again, coach Kenny Fagan says they played good team baseball.  “We keep preaching the team at bat approach and moving one guy one base at a time.  (Wednesday) night a bunch of things came together and came out of a win,” he said.

          Fagan says they did a lot of good things in the batter’s box on Wednesday.  “I thought we ran the bases really well.  We did a good job of taking walks.  We're typically a team that's pretty aggressive at the plate.  Sometimes it kind of bites us, but (Wednesday) we had nice long at bats, worked some counts, and just got guys on by any means,” said Fagan.

          Max Albert had three hits and Allen Carver and Trey Longwell both had two.  Kurt Hay had three RBI.  Albert got the win on the mound.  He went four innings and had nine strikeouts.

          Galion (6-2,4-1) plays at home against Ontario (4-4,3-2) on Thursday.  They play defending champion Highland, who lost its first conference game of the year (6-1) to Shelby on Wednesday, next week.

          Fagan says their team is built on pitching and defense and they did both things well on Wednesday.  “I say this a lot, that's what we pride ourselves on.  Max (Albert) had another phenomenal start.  He kind of ran his pitches up in four innings,” he told Swanknsports.com on Wednesday night, “Trey Longwell came in and closed them down.  Defense is always our strong point and that's what we kind of pride ourselves on, so that's been a stalwart for us all year.”

Published 4/17/25

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Galion Blanks Shelby

          Galion shutout Shelby (3-0) Thursday in play in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference action.

          The Tigers continue to tail Highland by a game in the conference standings.

          Galion scored three times in the bottom of the fourth inning and coach Kenny Fagan says they just found a way.  “We thought their guy was doing a really good job of getting easy outs, so we kind of just talked in between our inning we scored three of anything to win,” he told Swankonsports.cm after the win, “We have got to take walks, got to run the bases and it kind of worked out for us.”

          Shelby coach Jon Amicone says they played well, but just too many mistakes in a close game.  “I though both pitchers threw great games and gave their teams and opportunity to win.  Unfortunately, we made a few mistakes that cost of a chance to win.  It’s a tough pill to swallow,” he said.

          There were only three hits in the game.  Shelby had two and Galion one.  The Whippets had two errors.  Gailon didn’t have any.

          Fagan says they got great pitching on Thursday.  “Braxton Prosser went six innings.  I think he struck out 12.  Alan Carver came in with the save.  Our pitching and defense is our strength and we know that.  It proved that (Thursday) night and that's going to lead us to some wins,” said Fagan.

          We are just two weeks into the seven week regular season in the “MOAC” and Fagan knows there is a lot of baseball left to play.  “I can't remember a time where we beat Shelby twice in the year, so that puts us in a pretty good spot.  We know we got a tough road ahead with Ontario and Highland coming up and those are big ones for us,” he said.

Published 4/11/25

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Galion Responds With Win

          Galion got a win they had to have on Tuesday as they edged Clear Fork (4-3) in Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference action.

          They had lost (2-1) to Colts (2-1,1-1) on Monday.

          Braxton Prosser got the win on mound.  He went the distance and struck nine.

          Coach Kenny Fagan says they were able to manufacture some runs on Tuesday.  “With two kind of pitchers duels back-to-back nights.  There wasn’t a ton of offense, not a lot of big hits, but (Tuesday) night we just manufactured a few more than them and held a little bit longer than we did (Monday) night,” he said.

          Clear Fork coach Gabe Kennedy was pleased with how his team fought back in the game.  “Galion did a great job getting guys on base. Our pitching enabled us to leave a lot of them on base, but they came up with a lot of clutch hits as they game went on.  I’m proud of how our guys fought back from being down 4-0.  They never quit and that’s what you want out of your players.  We have a lot to work on and I trust our guys will look forward to the challenges ahead,” said Kennedy.

          Grady Crim had two RBI for the Tigers.  He also had two hits as did Prosser.

          Fagan says his kids played well as a team.  “You kind of find a way to win.  We had a little bit of different lineup (Tuesday) night than we thought we were going to have a couple weeks ago, but the guys we moved around did an awesome job and we're really cohesive.  It's really just all about winning in the dugout, which is it's an awesome feeling,” he said.

          Galion (2-2,1-1) plays Shelby in its conference series next week.  Clear Fork has Ontario.

          Fagan says the “MOAC” is tough every night.  “We say this every year, but in the “MOAC” you don't get a night off.  I mean every team's got a 1A and 1B, nobody's really got a number two.  Clear Fork showed that to us (Tuesday) night,” he told Swankonsports.com after the win, “(Garrett) Hotz throwing a good game (Monday) night and (Jay) Jackson coming in.  He held us pretty well.  So, it's just a tough league all the time and week to week you're always in a spot for good competition.”

Published 4/02/25

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Clear Fork Walks Off Galion

          Clear Fork got a walk off hit in the bottom of the seventh to edge Galion (2-1) in the opener in Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference play for both on a frigid Monday at American Legion Field in Bellville.

          Colts coach Gabe Kennedy says both sides turned in a great effort.  “I think it was a battle throughout.  It was a pitcher’s duel with good defensive plays.  Both teams kind of got guys on base and the pitchers found a way to kind of shut it down a little bit and have their bats come up the next inning and trying to get some guys on base and then the other team... just back and forth and excellent pitching.  Overall, I think both teams were battling out and Galion’s tough.  They've kind of had our number the last couple of years, but those kids always bring it.  They are laser focused coach (Kenny) Fagan does a great job over there,” said Kennedy.

          Brooks Craw came off the bench to double and Chandler Ball, who did not start the game, delivered a single to right field to give the Colts (2-0,1-0) the win.  “We get to the seventh inning and we need a guy to get a hit and get on base.  Brooks Craw is a kid who doesn't start.  He's a guy who's going to DH maybe from time to time and pinch hit and he knows his role.  He does his role very well.  He comes in there and not joking it's 41° out and the dude has been in there keeping game changer in short sleeves,” he told Swankonsports.com after the win, “He comes out delivers a huge hit, a lead off double and that ended up being the difference.  The next batter up gets a hit to right field and we have a walk off.  Porter Schmidt reenters the game and then pinch runs basically himself.  A huge win for us.  I was just really happy to see our kids playing and have a good time doing it.  It was a fun baseball game to watch.”

          Garrett Hotz of Clear Fork and Galion’s Max Albert were both outstanding on the mound Monday.

          Galion coach Kenny Fagan says they will be ready to even the score on Tuesday afternoon at their place.  “Our guys played hard, but just didn’t do enough little things to win a pitcher’s duel.  Max kept us in it going six innings and their guy did the same thing.  The ball bounces a certain way sometimes and we’re excited to get another chance at them (Tuesday),” he said.

          Mason Sansom got the win in relief pitching the seventh for the Colts.

          Kennedy says they just made the last big play.  “When it's cold out it is hard to find your groove.  You might go 2-0, 3-0 and then you got to battle back a little bit out there.  Galion is tough and they have a great pitching rotation as well.  I feel like we can compete as well.  So, it was kind of going back and forth.  You're kind of waiting to see who makes the mistake or who just makes a great play offensively and luckily it was in our favor,” said Kennedy.

          The series concludes Tuesday, weather permitting, at Galion (1-2,0-1) and Kennedy knows Galion will be even tougher.  “You always want to win that first one to get going.  It's one of the things where you, and I said this earlier, you can't take a day off.  It's if you think we're happy and we're excited and we're content with beating Galion (Monday) night, you have got another thing coming because I got news for you.  They're going to bring it (Tuesday) because Galion always does.  They're tough kids, and like I said very well coached, and we have got to be ready to go (Tuesday),” he said.

Published 4/01/25

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Galion Does not Fear Genoa

          Galion is up at Genoa for a sectional final in division V on Friday night.

          The Tigers (7-15) have been up and down this year as a young team likely is a lot of times.  They have lost their last four after a five game winning streak.

          They don’t have a lot tournament experience, but coach Tyler Sanders says he doesn't believe the stage is too big for his kids.  “I think with our kids they don't get fearful very much.  They play pretty freely.  We've played a lot of good opponents on some big stages this year.  So, I think our kids will be ready to go and we're looking forward to the opportunity to compete,” said Sanders.

          Genoa (17-5), and runners up in the Northern Buckeye Conference, has won 11 of their last 13.

          Sanders says they have a big surrounded by some good shooters.  “They have a very talented team this year, almost all juniors.  They have got a 6’8” kid inside that's a handful and they have got guys around him that really shoot the ball well,” he told Swankonsports.com on Thursday evening, “They really complement each other well.  They run their stuff well, they're well coached and just going to have to do a real good job I think of being physical with them and valuing the ball.”

          Sanders says against big guys you have to keep your focus on what’s important.  “You watch highlights and you watch you know film and stuff and the kids are always quick to talk about the dunks and kind of getting mesmerized by that.  You just kind of remember hey it's worth two points, same as a layup.  So, just trying to remind the kids that the challenge isn't too big for us and we can go toe to toe with them,” he said.

Published 2/21/25

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Galion Has to Handle the Ball

          Galion entertains Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference leader River Valley in an “MOAC” game on Friday night.

          On Monday night, Willard snapped the Tigers five game winning streak by beating Galion (58-49) in a non-conference game.

          Coach Tyler Sanders says they did not execute very well against the Willard zone.  “Willard did a great job.  We hadn't seen a lot of zone this year just because of our ability to shoot the ball.  Willard did throw a pretty aggressive zone at us and really made it hard for us to get much ball movement.  So, we just struggled a little bit and kind of slowed us down and took us out what we wanted to do.  Six games in 11 days too.  I think trying to find their legs a little bit.  So, gave the kids off (Tuesday), but they've been practicing hard and know that they'll bring the energy (Wednesday) night,” said Sanders.

          Galion (7-12,5-7) is at home for River Valley (15-2,10-1), #3 in the Swankonsports.com boys’ basketball coaches poll in the large school division on Friday night.  The Vikings beat Highland (56-41) in a conference game on Tuesday night.

          Sanders says the Vikings are the whole package.  “They really can do it all.  They have guys that can play multiple positions.  They have bigs, they have guards, they have guys that can really shoot the ball, they have guys that can really get to the rim,” he told Swankonsports.com on Tuesday evening, “It’s really kind of pick your poison, but after the kind of basketball we have been playing we're really looking forward to a good test and River Valley’s definitely going to provide that for us.”

          River Valley won the first meeting (73-41) on January 2.

          Sanders says they must rebound better and limit their turnovers.  “That was still a little bit earlier in the season and our young kids were still trying to find their footing and stuff and I think we've done a better job of that.  As always, River Valley is really going to do a good job of hitting the glass.  They're really going to try to get into you and turn you over.  So, if you can get on the glass a little bit and you can do the job valuing the basketball you can always give yourself a chance,” he said.

Published 2/05/25

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Galion Must Rebound

          Galion, riding a three game winning streak, will host Highland in a Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference game on Thursday night.

          They will be at Marion Pleasant on Saturday in league play.

          After an (82-68) win at home over Clear Fork in “MOAC” play on Monday night, the Tigers (5-11,3-7) have won three in a row.

          Coach Tyler Sanders says they are playing with more confidence.  “I think just finally seeing the basketball through the hoop.  Something just clicking right now.  I don't think we changed a whole lot.  I think we've just stayed the course and what we believe in and it's finally sophomores catching up to what varsity basketball is like.  It's been really fun to see hopefully we can start getting some stops on the defensive end and we'll feel a little bit better,” said Sanders.

          Galion started the season with very little experience, is starting to figure out varsity basketball.  “The growth that we've seen from our kids from the beginning of the year to now it's just night and day.  It's been fun though because I mean we were a team that was really we're struggling to get to 50 and now we've had five games in a row here where we've been 67 points or higher.  So, it's just good to see it from the kids and then to put up 82 (Monday) night hit 14 threes it was a fun night,” he said.

          Highland (6-11,2-7) lost (65-50) to a Shelby in a conference game last Friday.  Galion won the first meeting (53-47) on December 20.

          Sanders they have keep Highland off the boards.  “Same as before, they're just super long and athletic.  One of the more athletic teams in the conference and they present problems that way and can defend you at the rim and they really hit the glass hard,” he told Swankonsports.com on Tuesday night, “We were fortunate enough to go in there and really battle on the glass and secure a win.  I think that that's going to be the key to Thursday night is just containing them on the boards and not allowing them to get second chance points.”

Published 1/29/25

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Galion Must Continue to Rebound

          Galion will be at Clear Fork on Thursday and at home for Shelby on Saturday in games in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference this week.

          Last week, they played two of the better teams in the area and lost both games.  Marion Harding, the league co-leader, beat them (63-46) in a “MOAC” game last Thursday and “N10” leader Colonel Crawford smoked them (58-31) on Saturday.

          Coach Tyler Sanders says they just made too many mistakes against good teams.  “Marion Harding and Colonel Crawford they are at the top of their leagues.  They're just both really good teams with good big guys and good guards.  It's just a lot of tough things about those teams and trying to execute against those teams.  If you miss the littlest assignment it shows up big on the scoreboard.  We just had too many of those and just weren't able to kind of minimize the mistakes and it ended up biting us,” said Sanders.

          Sanders says he believes his young team is making progress this year, especially in a couple of key areas.  “We definitely haven't seen it in the win and loss column like I know we hoped.  We played such a tough schedule.  It's just one of those things where I think if you get fixated on the wins and losses then it's easy to kind of get down in the dumps.  So, we are just trying to minimize mistakes.  Some of the mistakes that we were making earlier in the season we're trying to make progress in those areas and kind of turn the corner,” he told Swankonsports.com on Tuesday night, “Less turnovers, we've been winning the rebounding battle, which was an important thing for us earlier.  Despite losing we continue to win in those areas.  So, those are good things, those are good signs, it's just come down here to the home stretch as we're making the second half of the season just play as good at basketball as we can heading into the tournament.”

          Galion (2-9,1-6) is a Clear Fork (5-8,2-5) in an “MOAC” game on Thursday night.  The Colts beat Willard (54-44) in a non-conference game on Tuesday night.  Clear Fork beat Galion (51-36) on December 6.

          Sanders says they need to continue to rebound the ball.  “They can spread you out.  The (Garrett) Hotz can be a problem.  We're just going to do a good job minimizing him.  The last time we played them they really hurt with second chance opportunities.  I think since that game it kind of woken us up and made us a much better rebounding basketball team.  So, I think if we can just hold them to one possession, we’ll give ourselves a chance,” he said.

Published 1/15/25

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Galion Trying to Play Fast

          Galion will host Marion Harding in a contest in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference on Thursday night.

          The Tigers (2-7,1-5) put together one of their better performances of the season in beating Lucas (77-57) in non-league play on Saturday.

          Coach Tyler Sanders says they got down the floor and got some good looks at the basket.  “We're trying to play a little bit quicker and stuff and so things are still a little bit new, but I like the way that our guys got down on the floor and got a lot of shots up.  We attacked the glass well.  It’s the little things and being scrappy and we're able to put quite a few points up.  It was just important for us to see the ball go through the hoop as many times that night and we were fortunate enough to do so,” said Sanders.

          Marion Harding (9-2,5-1) shares the “MOAC” lead with River Valley.  The Presidents smoked Pleasant (61-30) on Saturday night in a league game.  They beat Worthington Kilbourne (56-37) on Tuesday night.

          Sanders says they have players.  “Like every year they're always really tough.  They do a great job on the defensive end as well as the offense.  They kind of give you issues in many different areas, so they’re a tough guard.  They have got a tough post player, they have got wings that could shoot it,” he told Swankonsports.com on Tuesday evening, “It's just one of those things where players are going to have different assignments and we have go to make sure that we execute those assignments to give ourselves a chance going into the fourth quarter.”

          Sanders says against Harding you have to have a next play attitude and they really haven’t had that this year.  “The one thing that we've noticed actually playing such young kids is that when we make a mistake it usually ends up being three or four mistakes.  Then we'll have a segment there where we play really good basketball then we'll have a segment where we make three or four mistakes in a row.  It’s really about minimizing the damage and like you said moving on to the next play and just trying to capitalize each moment,” he said.

Published 1/08/25

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Galion Must Refocus

          Galion takes the bus to Highland to face the Fighting Scots in a Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference game on Friday night.

          It was a frustrating week last week for the Tigers as they lost a heartbreaker to Shelby (51-48) and were destroyed by Ontario (79-47) in conference games.

          Coach Tyler Sanders says it was a rough week, no question.  “It's just part of just having young kids and kind of going through the ups and downs.  Against Shelby, we really took a one point lead there with two seconds left and the shot got waved off because of a travel call.  So, it's a game where you just go from that that high of emotion thinking you're winning the game to the low.  It was just tough for my kids.  We're trying to really get them back on track going into a tough game Saturday and Ontario is really improved.  They just have a lot of kids that can play, they're super athletic and we didn't respond well, but that's part of it.  We just have whole week here to kind of get back to the basics and really work hard on what we do,” said Sanders.

          Sanders says is an important week for them to work on things.  “It's just one of those things where it's like I think at the beginning season you're just so anxious to get to games and then you get into the games and you have so many that you need time to go back and kind of work on the things that you're struggling with,” he told Swankonsports.com on Tuesday night, “We have finally kind of got that break here in the next two weeks so we don't play as much.  We're able to key in a little bit on what we don't do well and just kind of regroup and regather.  Like I said, I think our team has made great strides.  We've improved, we just need to get over the hump, get that win and I think that we're all kind of going to settle in.”

          Galion (0-5,0-3) is at Highland (3-3,1-2) on Friday night.  The Fighting Scots lost Tuesday night (64-53) to Shelby in “MOAC” play.

          Sanders says they have the personnel that could give them problems.  “I just walked out of the gym watching them play Shelby in a tough game.  They're super physical, they're long, they're lengthy, they do a good job of defending at the rim.  They could cause a lot of problems for us if we don't handle the basketball like we didn’t against Ontario Saturday night.  So, we just really have got to really do a good job of valuing the ball and working hard to get open looks.  We have just got to knock them down.  I think if we can just regather and play the defense we did the first four games of the season, I think they'll give ourselves a chance,” said Sanders.

Published 12/18/24

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Galion Getting Better

          Galion is a young basketball team that is maturing and this week they get two more chances to prove that with Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference games against Shelby on Thursday and Ontario on Saturday.

          They lost (51-36) to Clear Fork in a conference game on Friday and Huron (55-51) in a non-conference game on Saturday.

          Coach Tyler Sanders says they definitely made progress.  “I think that we're progressing.  We kind of knew with a young team we weren't exactly sure what to expect, that's the one thing that we did know.  I've seen some improvement.  The kids have really been getting after it in practice.  We are a completely different team Saturday night than we were in the first two games against a really good Huron team.  We took them down to the wire.  Of course we want to win, but I really like the direction that we're heading as far as we're inching closer to getting that first win.  The kids are bought in and just really giving great effort in practice, so really getting after it,” said Sanders.

          Sanders says his young kids were right there against Huron, a very good team.  “I mean no disrespect to Madison and Clear Fork, but Huron has got a lot of varsity experience and they're going to be a team that's probably going to win 18, 19 games this year.  They have got that kind of ability.  They have got one of the best point guards and one of the best big men in all of the area.  So, for us to go in there and just be right there.  Have a lead late in the game I think shows a lot about our team.  It's just going to be young guys trying to figure out how to close out games and how to hold it together down the stretch.  We knew that coming in, but we have a lot to look forward to,” he said.

          Shelby, the defending “MAOC” champion, comes calling on Thursday night.  The Whippets play their first game Tuesday against Marion Harding.

          They lost a lot to graduation, but Sanders says Shelby is still going to be very good.  “It is a little bit of a mystery.  Although I've been saying I think the “MOAC” is incredibly underestimated this year.  We definitely had a lot of talent that graduated last year, but I think top to bottom this year could be a whole heck of a lot more competitive.  I think every team has a chance to beat you on any given night.  It's just a little bit different dynamic than I think we've seen in years past,” he told Swankonsports.com on Monday afternoon. “Shelby, I've been saying I know that they graduate a lot, but I still think they're going to be one of the top teams in the conference.  DeVito, Holman, now Foltz has transferred over there.  There's just a lot there that can overwhelm you if you don't stay disciplined and stick to the things you know.  As far as Ontario Saturday night, they're a little bit in the same boat as us.  Young and inexperienced striving for that first win, but have got a lot of potential and a high ceiling.  So, we have got to work cut out for us this week, but we're up for the challenge.”

Published 12/10/24

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Young Galion Team Starts With Madison

          Galion tips off the season on Tuesday night on the road at Mansfield Madison against the Rams in non-conference play.

          Coach Tyler Sanders says they are ready to get the season started.  “I think we're chomping at the bit.  I know the boys were a little bit disappointed that the Crawford game the night before Thanksgiving got moved.  We're at that point where we've had enough practices, we're just anxious to play.  So, I expect our boys to be ready to go and leave it all out on the floor,” he said.

          Madison has a new coach this season in Davey Hipp.

          Sanders says they expect the Rams to come out and play hard and they do have some kids with experience.  “That's the hard part of getting the first shot, first crack and maybe not knowing exactly what to expect.  We've watched the film that we've been able to watch.  I think we just got to be ready for it,” he told Swankonsports.com on Monday afternoon, “They're still bringing back a lot of guys that played a lot of varsity basketball last year, some guys that are really capable.  If we just we allow them to get easy shots it could be a long night for us.  I expect they're going to play inspired basketball and be ready to do kind of start off a new era.”

          As with any opener there will be some butterflies and Sanders says they have to work through those.  “Especially for a team like us where we're super young and inexperienced, but we have a lot of potential.  I think that the sooner that we can get a win that will kind of take that breath and allow them to relax a little bit.  So, we hope that we can just go out there and play as hard as possible and compete at a high level and come home with a “W,” said Sanders.

Published 12/03/24

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Galion Can do a lot of Things

          Galion is replacing a lot of scoring from last year, but they have a lot of guys that can make plays.

          Coach Tyler Sanders says they don’t have a lot of experience.  “We don't have tons.  We have two returning Dominic Capretta, who was a freshman last year and got good minutes off the bench and Quinn Miller, who was a starter, he's back for his senior year.  So, those are really the two guys that were returning with varsity experience,” he told Swankonsports.com on Wednesday night, “We're going to play a lot of guys this year we're looking at about six sophomores, a junior, and then five seniors.  So, we're going to be rotating nine to 12 guys on any given night.  Not a lot of experience, but I think a lot to be excited about.”

          Sanders says there is a lot of potential with this group.  “We go back to this summer and the kids were doing a great job of attending everything and being at everything, we had great attendance and that sort of thing.  I think it's starting to show.  We are inexperienced and we're going to have those lulls where we make silly mistakes, but the potential is there and the ceiling is high.  So, you kind of see things happen at times that it just makes you really excited about the future,” Sanders said.

          Sanders says the kids they have can do a lot of different things on the floor.  “I think that we're going to be pretty dynamic as far as we can do a lot of different things, have a lot of different kinds of lineups and I think that we'll just be able to challenge a lot of different teams with the way that we can play on any given night,” he said.

Published 11/21/24

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Galion Wants to Continue to Build Momentum

          Galion, already in the playoffs for sure, ends the regular season at home on Friday night against the Marion Harding Presidents in action in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference.

          Last week, they handled River Valley (42-34) in “MOAC” play.

          Coach Matt Dick says they did a nice job being physical.  “We did a great job of pounding the ball up the middle.  Our defense got a lot of timely stops.  I know they scored a couple at the end.  Hats off to their kids as well, great quarterback in the (Chase) Ebert kid, but our kids really executed.  We had a fake punt early the first half and just a lot of stuff bounced our way and our kids played really well,” he said.

          Galion (6-3,3-3) has won three straight and Dick says they want to continue to build that momentum.  “I think the game plan last week was to really pound the ball, but now it's more about getting balance, getting ready for the playoffs.  Marion Harding’s defense obviously is a little different than River Valley’s, the same on offense.  It's a different game plan, but we talked about how can we become more dangerous to win as many games as possible the playoffs,” he told Swankonsports.com on Monday evening, “I think at this time of year, we can't go back and replay those three losses, but we can have a nice little run the playoffs.  We did that last year and I think our kids would love to do it again this year, but that's not easy.  If we're going to be able to win a couple games, we're going to have to get better.  We pushed them hard (Monday) in practice.  Our kids locked in.  We put some new wrinkles in and we're just going to keep developing those over the next two or three weeks and hopefully we'll keep playing, so we keep getting better.”

          Marion Harding (1-8,0-6) lost last week (14-3) to Marion Pleasant.

          Dick says they are going to be aggressive.  “Just a lot of athletic kids.  They're playing man press on defense a lot.  They bring a lot of pressure that makes it hard to run the ball, but it allows you to take some deep shots and have some explosive plays that you can run by their blitzing.  Then offensively, the quarterback has done a nice job of throwing the ball around.  He has lots of yards.  I think they pitch their jet sweeps and that adds a little bit to their pass yardage.  They've had nice little offense all year long.  I think that you know just like anybody else in the “MOAC” it's hard to go 1-0 in this conference,” said Dick.

Published 10/22/24

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Changes have Brought Success for Galion

          Galion travels to River Valley to take on the Vikings in a game in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference on Friday night.

          The Tigers (5-3,2-3) broke a three game losing streak last week by dismantling Marion Pleasant (31-10) in conference play.

          Coach Matt Dick says some new faces helped make the difference.  “Ayden Schmidt did a good job of coming in at quarterback and jump starting the offense.  Our defense, Cameron Kuehlman being back in the middle really made our defensive front seven just a little bit tougher, a little bit harder to run up the middle with a big mic linebacker like him.  I really felt like we started to click. Jacob Chambers got off some explosive runs, so did Braxton Prosser, so it was a whole team effort.  Hats to Aiden Schmidt for coming in at quarterback and the sparking that offense,” said Dick.

          River Valley (5-2,3-2) smoked Highland (38-14) last week in a conference game.

          Dick says they Vikings are explosive and they have to keep the ball away from them.  “They're very, very explosive on offense.  If the (Chase) Ebert kid gets hot there's probably nothing you can do other than just keep mixing it up.  You're always hoping for an off night when you're playing a great quarterback and then offensively pound the ball,” he told Swankonsports.com on Thursday evening, “We have not been a very smash mouth team this whole year, but I think that's a key to victory when you're playing a five wide offense to be able to run the ball and keep their offense off the field.  We're going to do our best to do that.”

          If the regular season ended last week, Galion would host a division IV playoff game, but Dick says for them to do that they have to keep winning.  “Every week is a is a new challenge in the “MOAC”.  There are no bye weeks.  River Valley would probably be our best win of the season so far.  It's the next step for our team.  Our kids had a good week of practice.  We got off the losing streak last week, the weather's been nice, lots of positives.  So, hopefully we can put together another good game on Friday night and get to the fourth quarter and try to find a way to win it,” he said.

Published 10/18/24

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Galion Looking For Answers

          Galion will be at home for Pleasant in a game in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference on Friday night.

          The Tigers (4-3,1-3) are on a three game losing streak after a (24-21) setback to Highland in a “MOAC” play last week.

          Coach Matt Dick says just couldn’t quite get it done.  “I thought our defense really played great and our special teams, we had two blocked punts, but we just couldn't find a way to get that one last touchdown to recover from a really bad start in the first quarter.  We had two turnovers are really kind of put us in a hole and Highland did a good job of capitalizing on them.  I thought it was a heck of a football game.  It came down to the fourth quarter.  We had a ball and a chance to win.  As a competitor what more do you want.  I just wish we would have got it done.  The good news is Pleasant I think falls into a pretty similar category where it's going to be a very tight football game where we have a chance to grow and get back on the winning ways,” he said.

          Pleasant (4-3,2-2) fell to unbeaten Ontario (35-14) last week.

          Dick says they are solid and well coached.  “Almost every team in our league I could say this about, but their quarterback has been there a while.  I don't know if he’s been a two or three-year starter.  He does a lot of good stuff on offense with the ball in his hands.  I love their center, he is a great blocker.  They have plenty of skilled athletes to spread it around.  Defensively, they play a 4-4 cover 3 but they're just so fundamentally sound.  I think you know a lot of teams try to do it a lot of different ways, but I really respect the team that kind of lines up in about the same alignment.  It's just their kids play hard and they play with good fundamentals.  They’re very gap sound.  Because they are a 4-4, cover 3 they give you some stuff in the passing that helps you out a little, but at the same note they're going to do their job every time.  I think it's a different challenge this week, but it'll be a fun challenge,” said Dick.

          Right now, Galion is 12^th in their computer region.

          Dick says they are trying to find a way to get back on the beam.  “For us it’s about going 1-0 every week.  We've been trying this is basically a fourth week of practice after a loss, so trying to find different ways to do that has been creative.  We tried a different way this week and some good news a couple kids are going to hopefully come back and be healthy and that might help us out,” he told Swankonsports.com on Wednesday evening, “A lot of guys like Braxton Stuckman.  He was playing mic linebacker and running back basically the whole game on both sides of the ball.  That's a lot to ask for any kid and a lot of pounding.  He played great, but I'm hoping that maybe we can get him off one side of the ball for let's say 20 or 30 plays and then he just gets that much better.  Man is he a load when he runs the ball and playing linebacker boy had a great week.  It's little things like that, just a little bit of rest here or there. I think it really makes the team that much better and we're hoping to do that at a lot of positions.  At least some good ideas and some good plans for this week and hopefully it works out to get over the hump.”

Published 10/10/24

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Galion Fixing Things

          Galion visits Highland for a game in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference on Friday night.

          The Tigers (4-2,1-2) are coming off a (49-0) beat down from Ontario in a league game last week.

          Coach Matt Dick says they did not execute very well.  “Hats off to Ontario, their kids played hard.  They have a super athletic quarterback.  When we broke down the film I really felt like we kind of lost our fundamentals.  I think sometimes we play special athletes or just the other team makes a good play kids start to question of what you do.  When you start doing your own thing it just doesn't fit together well.  I think we had a lot of that both on offense and defense.  It was a good film session and we've had a tough week of practice trying to bounce back.  Losing two in a row is hard, but those were two pretty special teams.  We have got a lot to play for and Highland is the next step,” he said.

          Dick says they have had a very intense week of practice where they have introduced some new things.  “As a coach when you lose a game you could play good cop, you play bad cop, you can get more rest, less rest, you could run them, you could do a lot of things and the truth is my only goal is to go 1-0.  So, we're trying to figure out what works for this team.  We've done a lot of different things this week in practice adding some different pass sets, some different pass sessions, some different team sessions,” he told Swankonsports.com on Wednesday evening, “Just doing things a little different trying to spark some more competition and just to spark some more focus.  I think our kids have responded to that.  We've had a great week of practice.  We have got one more to go. I'm hoping that that translates to a lot better performance on Friday and from what I've seen in practice there's a lot to be excited about.”

          Highland (2-4,1-2) lost (41-6) to Shelby last week.

          Dick says they will face another very good quarterback who leads a good offense.  “Another good quarterback.  There are no bad quarterbacks in the “MOAC”.  Stover is a heck of a dual threat athlete.  I like what they do offensively.  A lot of run up the middle inside zone lead type scheme, but then they throw it well as well, so I like what they do offensively.  Defensively, they are in 3-4.  It kind of forces you to take advantage of certain things.  It’s nice to see a different defense.  We’ve seen 4-3 two weeks in a row and kind of struggled with that a little bit.  So, we're kind of excited to see something a little bit different on the defensive side.  They do a nice job on both sides.  Coach (Ty) Stover always has a really hardnosed, tough football team and I'm sure it's going to be a real battle,” said Dick.

Published 10/03/24

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Galion Will be in Better Position

          Galion will host Ontario in a game in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference Friday night.

          They trail the Warriors and Shelby by a game in the conference standings.

          Last week, Shelby buried them (35-6) in “MOAC” play.

          Coach Matt Dick says they just made too many mistakes.  “Give Shelby a lot of credit.  They're very explosive, well coached football team and they really exploited some of our weaknesses.  We were kind of behind on momentum the whole game.  I think we did a fake punt where we got the first down on fourth down, but then we fumbled it right after we got over the line.  Then just momentum from there when we dropped the ball, it seemed like we turned over or get a four and out even though we're in the red zone.  Then defensively you know trying to stop their offense was a struggle.  I think whether it was fundamentals or our coaches put kids in bad spots, it was a little bit of just bad football all around.  As team we kind of talked about that at the film and really looked at that and our coaches owned their roles in it.  Our kids did a great job of owning their mistakes and hopefully this Friday night we're going to fix some of those,” said Dick.

          Galion (4-1,1-1) is at home for Ontario (5-0,2-0), #4 in the Swankonsports.com football coaches poll in the large school division, on Friday night.  Ontario downed Clear Fork (31-14) last week.

          Dick says Ontario has a lot of playmakers, beginning with their quarterback Bodpegn Miller, last year’s “MOAC” player of the year.  “Their quarterback that's the Ohio State commit.  They run the ball hard.  The running back is a really, really tough runner.  He runs really similar to you know maybe a Clear Fork running back, the new kid that’s in, just breaks a lot of tackles.  They won a championship last year and a lot of those guys are back.  When you have Bodpegn Miller at quarterback I think that gives you a real chance for the second one.  So, they had those high expectations.  I think about last year, we came off a rough Shelby game.  I really felt like we didn't play our best game in Ontario.  Turnovers kind of got the best of us in that game,” he told Swankonsports.com on Thursday night, “We tried some stuff different.  It’s hard to have kind of the same type of feelings we had at Shelby, but our response we're trying to be different this year.  We have to find a way to slow down the running game of Ontario is going to be a tough challenge.  Once you finally do that, I think Bodpegn Miller throwing the ball and running the ball is a whole other dimension.  I think you know that that's a tall task.  Again, I think you are going to have to score points to beat Ontario.  Last year if we look at the game I think that we did score a lot of points just turnovers kind of got the best of us in the end.  I expect hopefully a similar game.  I know our offenses are a little different than they were last year.”

          Dick says they believe they have a solid game plan and the players just have to do their jobs.  “I do think it's two good “MOAC” teams and I hope our kids bounce back.  I know our coaches have put a ton of time into putting our kids in better positions.  I think we were talking about that even on a Thursday.  I don't need their best game, but I need them to do all the things we're built on.  A lot of that is just playing really, really hard, playing for each other and when the lights are on make the play.  I think kids are going to be put in position to make plays and I'm excited to watch them make them this Friday,” he said.

Published 9/27/24

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Galion to Face Shelby in Shootout

          Galion takes on Shelby in a key early season battle in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference on Friday.

          They scored 27 points in the first quarter last week and the Tigers (4-0,1-0) destroyed Clear Fork (41-21) on Friday night.

          Coach Matt Dick says they made some special plays in the kicking game.  “Hats off to Clear Fork, those kids played hard.  I think without that start it would have been a heck of a game.  They really played some good defense versus us towards the end of the game and then got the offense going a little bit.  So, hats off to them.  I think some special teams stuff and just a really, really fast start from the defense and specifically exactly defensive end Zach Sallee.  I think he had two blocked punts, he had like four or five tackles for loss and a couple sacks and it was impressive,” he said.

          Shelby (4-0,1-0), #2 in the Swankonsports.com football coaches poll in the large school division, blew out Marion Harding (33-14) last week.

          Dick says quarterback Brayden DeVito is really special.  “I love watching their quarterback play, he's amazing.  He can do no wrong.  I mean he can throw it, he can run it, he's just a heck of a kid to get the watch play football.  From a guy that you know loves competition, loves competing, he's just a great opponent.  Their coaches do a great job with them on both offense and defense.  I have a lot of respect for what they do over there.  Just a chance to compete with a kid that runs the offense like they run and all the different things he can do.  You could almost do everything right and he could still beat you on a play.  The idea that you got to teach your kids to respond and play the next play.  When you're playing him, or playing Shelby, it’s going to be a long night.  If you do it the right way, come the fourth quarter, you'll be in it and have a chance to win.  You know that's what we're trying to do every week,” said Dick.

          Galion QB Braxton Prosser is very good too.

          Dick says it should be a great contest.  “I think it's nice when you can do stuff consistently.  We talk a lot to our quarterback about throwing the ball on time.  When it's there, just take it and I think that really special athletes they just sometimes want to make special plays.  Sometimes even too much.  I can tell you Braxton has really grown this year at throwing the ball on time.  When he does make a play it's within the restraints of not turning the ball over, getting check downs and those type of things.  He's grown over the years at that,” he told Swankonsports.com on Monday evening, “I think their quarterback does a great job as well.  I think the key is to make those quarterbacks throw from the pocket, make those quarterbacks hand the ball off, let someone else beat you not them.  I think you're going to see two pretty explosive offenses hopefully and two great defenses.  We have played these games a lot versus Shelby.  We've had some good teams, a one loss or two loss or no loss teams and usually it matches up and we have a heck of a game on a Friday night and I expect this one will be the same.”

Published 9/17/24

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Galion Must Stop Clear Fork Run

          Galion travels to the valley to meet Clear Fork in a game in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference on Friday night.

          Both are coming off wins last week.

          Galion (3-0) smoked Upper Sandusky (42-0) in non-league play last Friday.

          Coach Matt Dick says they were good on both sides of the ball.  “I thought Braxton Prosser really played a great game offensively at quarterback.  We had a lot of different receivers catching the ball, running the ball, it was a total team effort.  It was kind of fun to watch our offense really clicking.  Then defensively the last three weeks in a row we have played pretty good and that's pretty cool to see,” he said.

          Prosser threw four TD passes last week.

          Clear Fork (1-2) dominated Lexington (28-3) Friday in non-conference game at the Colt Corral.

          Dick says they want to be a power football team.  “They were a real physical football team versus Lexington.  I think that was a key to success running iso, power, trap, those type of things.  They have got some fullbacks that really bring it, a running back behind them, a couple of them run hard, run fast.  They might be the most physical team we've seen all year, I think Carey is probably in the running, but I like a lot of the stuff they do, really smash mouth football,” said Dick.

          Against the Colts, Dick feels first down will be very important.  He says Clear Fork doesn’t want to be in situations where they have to throw.  “You get them in passing downs you feel a little bit more comfortable because I think they just want to run the ball so much.  That may just be a bit of scouting report for Lexington,” he told Swankonsports.com on Tuesday evening, “We're still early in the season.  I think for us we're probably similar to Lexington as compared to like Granville, or who they played week one, Perkins. We're probably more similar to Lexington than we are the other two teams.  So, my best guess is they're really going to try to smash it down our throats and we're going to have to hold the line of scrimmage and play all four quarters.  It’s “MOAC” football, it's a different game when we get the conference.”

Published 9/11/24

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Galion Working on Focus

          Galion will be at Upper Sandusky to battle the Rams in a non-conference game coming up on Friday night.

          Last week, the Tigers (2-0) downed Carey (14-8) in a good football game.

          Coach Matt Dick says some of their less experienced guys got to do some learning.  “We played hard, good defense all night.  The offense struggled a little bit, but it's always a good growing experience for a lot of young guys that are out there playing their first meaningful reps in a game that was pretty intense,” he said.

          Dick says they were better than they were week one, but he says they need to work on their short term memory.  “I definitely think we got better in different aspects of the game.  I think we'll get better this week.  I guess one of the things that we're really fighting every week is to go 1-0 and try to improve and really be in the moment.  Whether it be at practice or at school, but just really lock in.  We talk about that a lot throughout the season.  After last week, I think our kids really understand the idea that every week there's a new week and that we have to maximize our time together,” he told Swankonsports.com on Monday morning, “Whether it be in practice or film or whatever, we're going to try to maximize the amount of time we grow and that's going to be a big focus this week.  The other focus is going to be to not hesitate or to not worry about the last play.  I felt like some of our guys, or coaches even, got caught up in what happened the last drive or the last play.  We have got to have a short term memory and really focus on what we're doing every single play.”

          Upper Sandusky (1-1) rallied in the second half to beat Mt. Gilead (27-18) last week.  Galion has not lost to the Rams since 2008.

          Dick says Upper will stress them with their pass offense.  “I think they do an incredible job offensively of spacing, route running, just understanding how to attack a defense.  They've been doing that for two or three years now at least where it's just at an elite level.  So, they're going to do some things offensively that are going to be successful.  We as a defense have to be ready to play the next play.  Hopefully, offensively we can kind of balance that out a little bit this week and get them rolling a little bit more because it's always easier to adjust defensively when you're up or have a lead when it's a tight ball game it makes it harder and harder,” said Dick.

Published 9/03/24

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Galion Needs to Play Form in Front

          Galion dominated their game last week and Friday night they hit the road for Carey and a non-league game against the Blue Devils.

          The Tigers destroyed Wynford (49-13) last Thursday.

          Coach Matt Dick was impressed.  “I felt both offense, defense and special teams, all three units played well.  A lot of kids made plays.  It was just nice to see and a good start to the year,” he said.

          Braxton Prosser threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more for the Tigers.

          Still, Dick knows they have to get better in a lot of places.  “This week playing Carey, they're a very physical team.  Wynford was a physical team, but I would say Carey is another level or two up.  The defensive line playing low, fitting in the gaps the right way, getting hands on offensive lineman when they’re not blocking you.  All of those little details up front I think are super, super important and then DB’s I think taking read steps and get their eyes out backfield because they love to sneak someone out one out of 10 plays and that's hard to stay disciplined,” he told Swankonsports.com on Tuesday evening, “Offensively, I think  we have a lot more receivers that can touch the ball, a lot more kids could touch the ball.  So, hopefully we spread around a little bit and really get the whole offense rolling.”

          Galion also limited Wynford to 201 total yards last week.

          Carey got beat in the final minute (27-22) by Hopewell-Loudon in their opener last Friday.

          Dick says again this is going to be a very physical Carey football team they will be facing.  “Just a really physical team, that’s something they've been doing for many, many years. They have played lots of great games.  It's going to be a hard nosed football game.  If you give them the ball and let them get up it just goes for a long night because they'll do 24 play drives.  So, I think scoring early is really, really important and then stopping the run,” said Dick.

Published 8/28/24

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Galion Has to Compete in the Trenches

          Galion opens the football season at home against the Wynford Royals on Thursday night.

          Coach Matt Dick says they are going to be prepared this time.  “We're changing things around to be better prepared for Thursday game this week.  We actually practiced on Sunday.  We did that the last two Sundays trying to get used to it and our kids have done a nice job of adjusting.  I feel like we're going to put out there a better product on Thursday.  I thought last year, the weather didn't help, but also, I just didn't think we executed at the level I was happy with,” said Dick.

          Galion beat Wynford (28-20) last season at Wynford.

          This year Dick says the Royals have a run game that is going to be difficult to stop.  “They have got a ginormous right tackle who caves in the side.  They run behind him a ton.  They're a classic wing-T team.  You have got to stop trap, buck sweep and boot,” he told Swankonsports.com on Monday evening, “Then they have got a nice nice tailback and the quarterback does a good job of executing that offense.”

          Dick says the key for them on Thursday is they cannot let Wynford push them around up front.  “I worried after our Lexington scrimmage with our D-line, but I felt like the whole front did a little bit better job versus Tiffin and we're going to rotate fresh bodies in.  Playing low and playing nasty when playing a wing T team is a real big,” he said.

Published 8/20/24

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Galion Needs to Improve Up Front

          Galion is a football team that has an upside and they are working hard to get there.

          They open the season against Wynford in non-conference play next Thursday.

          Coach Matt Dick says he likes the direction his team is heading.  “I think they've come a long way.  We're replacing a lot of seniors this year and I think a lot of kids have stepped up.  We looked pretty good in our Lexington scrimmage.  It was kind of back and forth.  Both teams didn’t show a lot, but I thought our kids competed,” he said.

          Dick says in the preseason there is certainly a balance when it comes to getting kids playing time.  “I think it's a balance between seeing and what kids can do it.  We’re not sure if they're a huge playmaker not.  We are giving those kids lots of reps.  On the same note, the kids that we feel either proved themselves last year or through camp.  We try not to use them as much because you know cut down on injuries.  The less hitting they take the better.  So, it's that balance that some kids we are really put to the test, especially some of our two way lineman.  We're going to let them gassed a little bit and then some of our skill guys like Braxton Stuckman, who ran the ball pretty hard last year as a sophomore, I'm really not worried about what he can do at running back.  So, give some of those other guys a little bit more of a shot.  We have got three or four guys that have been back there running the ball and they've been doing a nice job.  So, it's been fun to watch different guys step up and we've got some nice surprises and hopefully we'll have more.”

          With the season now just a week away, Dick says they have to get better up front in the trenches.  “When I think about week one or Week two with Wynford and Carey.  If they're not the two most physical teams we play they're equal to maybe a Clear Fork or Highland will be pretty physical teams as well, or maybe a Pleasant, but those two teams right off the rip are really, really physical teams.  I think it was the tight end last year for Wynford moved to tackle.  He is just a physical football player,” he told Swankonsports.com on Thursday afternoon, “The thing that stuck with me, I actually coach the D-line and I've just been all over them about playing lower, playing meaner, playing nastier.  If you don't, you don't give our defense a chance versus a heavy run team like Wynford or Carey.  So, that's the thing that I hope our D-line grows and that's probably been bothering me the most out of all of this stuff.”

Published 8/16/24

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Galion Whips River Valley

          Galion scored eight times in the first three innings and went on to punish River Valley (11-1) in five in action in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference on Wednesday evening.

          The Tigers (12-5,6-4) have now won their last seven.  They have four games left in conference, two with Marion Harding, and two with Shelby.  They trail the Fighting Scots by two in the loss column.

          Coach Kenny Fagan says they have found their grove in the batter’s box.  “We were kind of slumped there for a little bit, for about two weeks and you know and then the last six, seven games they've kind of come alive.  So, they're adjusting I think and we're having better approaches, we are hitting with two strikes a little bit better and then moving guys around,” he said.

          Braxton Prosser was 4-4 with an inside the park home run and three RBI.   He also picked up the win on the mound.

          Fagan says Prosser was efficient against the Vikings.  “We always pride ourselves on our defense.  We think we do a really good job defensively.  When you can go three nights in a row getting pretty much three complete games out of guys.  I think Grady Crim threw like 60 pitches (Tuesday) night and Braxton Prosser only throws 60 (Thursday),” he told Swankonsports.com on Wednesday night, “You're going to like nights like those.  They're filling it up, let them put the ball in play, and letting the defense go to work.  So, that's the recipe for success for us.”

          Fagan says they are getting hot at the right time.  “We will find out who we play this weekend.  That was one of our goals is getting hot when it matters, getting hot going into May.  We have won seven in a row, so I think they're doing a good job.  They kind of know what our goals are that we set for ourselves moving forward.  So, things are going pretty well here,” said Fagan.

Published 5/02/24

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Highland Takes Down Galion

          Highland demolished Galion (12-5) in a Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference game on Tuesday night on the road.

          The Fighting Scots (9-2,3-2) will play at home against Galion (6-4,3-3) on Wednesday afternoon in league play.

          Being a game back in the conference standings, Highland coach Donnie Kline says it was a big win for them.  “That's a really good Galion team, so we're real happy to win.  I think both teams with a couple league losses knew they were up against it.  I thought both pitchers did a pretty good job.  There were a lot of balls put in play pretty hard, but at the end of the day I think our guys did a nice job, kind of late, trying to produce some offense and found a way to get the win,’ said Kline.

          Galion coach Kenny Fagan says they didn’t cash in on their chances.  “Highland is a tough team and we didn’t do enough to keep up with their firepower.  Had a few too many walks and left a few too many on to be successful.  We get another chance at them (Wednesday) with a new mindset,” he said.

          Highland had a lot of offensive stars in the game.  Jayden Collins had three hits and four runs scored, Kort Sears had a hit and three RBI, Zach Church had two hits and four RBI, Hayden Kline two hits, a double, and two RBI, and Rhett Russell had three runs scored.

          Kline felt they showed some patience at the plate.  “It’s kind of like a boxing match if you think about the analogy of just kind of body blow, body blow, body blow and I think we did that pretty well.  Then I think we had a two out, five run, fifth inning, all of those runs with two outs,” he told Swankonsports.com after the win, “The guys will be patient and put balls in play.  We were aggressive on the bases.  Just kind of took the wind out of the sails of a really good offensive team that they have over there at Galion.”

          There seems to be at least five contenders in for the “MOAC” title Highland won last year and Kline knows it will be a battle.  “When you look at the scores around the league you can see that.  Even though the scores go different ways you can see that the scores are close.  Every time our game gets over the first thing we do is kind of turn on Swankonsports.com and find the final scores around the league because again it's always a coin flip,” he said.

Published 4/17/24

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Galion Beats Clear Fork

          Galion scored early and they topped Clear Fork (8-4) in a Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference baseball game played on Wednesday evening at the renovated American Legion Field in Bellville.

          The Tigers took a (2-0) lead in the top of the first, Clear Fork rallied for three in the bottom of the second.  Galion took command by scoring at least once in four of the next five innings.

          Coach Kenny Fagan says got some clutch hits.  “They still struck out 13 times, but we managed to plate eight.  The bats came alive when we had guys on and that'll do it for us,” he said.

          Fagan says they were able to reach Clear Fork pitchers for some extra base hits to drive in runs.  “We had a few big ones.  Max (Albert) led the game off with two run homer, so that gave us some good juice.  We had a couple doubles Hunter Miniard had a nice double.  Grady Crim had four RBI's and a double,” he told Swankonsports.com on Wednesday night, “We had guys on, we kind of executed some good team baseball and plated some guys across.”

          Galion (2-0,1-0) plays at home against Clear Fork (1-1,0-1) on Thursday afternoon.

          Fagan says they have to be ready to do it again.  “We split with Clear Fork last year, so we know they're capable of coming back to our place and stealing one from us.  They're a darn good team, so we have got to come prepared again (Thursday),” said Fagan.

Published 3/28/24

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Galion Has Got to Shoot it

          Galion will be down at Lexington, the top seed, for a division II sectional final on Friday night.

          The Tigers whipped Clear Fork (60-44) in a semifinal on Tuesday.

          Coach Tyler Sanders says they executed the game plan pretty well.  “We prepared really hard and the kids did a really good job of just keying in on all the small details of what was going to make us successful.  We got kind of got a little bit of a slow start once again, but we got out of it pretty quickly.  Really executed well and did a good job of defending and eliminating the second chance opportunities.  So, really just proud of the boys and their effort,” he said.

          Lexington (20-2), #2 in the final Swankonsports.com boys’ basketball coaches poll, the Minutemen are the “OCC” champs this season and reached the district final last year.

          Sanders says they are just very good and they are going to have to make a lot of shots to stay in the game.  “I don't even know where to start with them.  They're super talented at every position and they really don't have many weaknesses.  It's just going to come down to us hitting shots.  The thing about the game of basketball is if you can hit shots then you can stay alive.  So, as long as we're we shoot the ball the way that we're capable we'll give ourselves a chance, but we have to be at our very best and I expect that the guys will be up for it,” he said.

          Lexington beat Galion (50-40) on January 6.

          Sanders says for most teams trying to run with the Minutemen isn’t a good idea.  “You definitely have to try to eliminate easy fast break points and transition buckets.  I think anybody that tries to run with them is probably setting themselves up for failure.  They are almost at every position the most athletic team on most nights.  When you go up against team like that and you have a bunch of possessions typically the better team is going to prevail,” he told Swankonsports.com on Thursday night, “We want to push the ball and try to get easy opportunities, but we definitely want to take our time and run through our stuff.  The last time we played the game extremely slow and I'm sure that they're going to have a way that they would like to counteract that (Friday) night.  There's different ways that we can try to play slow, play fast, but at the end of the day we're just going to have to like I said earlier shoot the ball well, not turn the basketball over, and just stick to our stuff.”

Published 3/01/24

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Galion Must Defend, Rebound

          Galion is at home for a team out of their own league in Clear Fork on Tuesday night in a sectional semifinal in division II.

          In two non-conference games last week, the Tigers (11-11) won them both, beating Northmor (57-56) on Tuesday and Mt. Gilead (67-51) on Friday, two teams out of the “KMAC.”

          Coach Tyler Sanders felt they built a good foundation for this week.  “I think when you’re late in the season, you're just looking for wins and you're looking at improving.  I thought we started out really slow and last Tuesday against Northmor, but we found a way to get it done at the end.  I thought Friday we did a good job executing in the second half and kind of gearing up and getting ready for what we're trying to accomplish in the tournament,” said Sanders.

          The two schools split their games in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference this season.  The Tigers beat Clear Fork (68-55) on December 7.  The Colts returned the favor, winning (62-52) on January 18.

          Sanders says there are not going to be surprises.  “It's all out there, everybody's got 22 games to look at.  We know what they do, they know what we do and it's just going to be about executing and doing a good job on the things that we've really prided ourselves on, which is trying to play solid defense and rebound the basketball.  So, it'll come down to those two things as always,” he said.

          Clear Fork’s Garrett Holz is first team District 6 in division III.

          Sanders says they are going to need to contain him.  “He's a first teamer for a reason.  He's a great player and he can put it up so quick.  I think it was the second Ontario game, I think he was held scoreless in the first half and ended up with 21 or 22 points and similar to the Madison game just started out slow, but then he just puts it on you so quick and just like that and they have an insurmountable lead or they've come back and put themselves in position to win,” he told Swankonsports.com on Monday afternoon, “He's a tank and he's just somebody that we're really going to have to keep our eye on and make sure that we don't let him get free.”

Published 2/27/24

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Galion Becoming a Better Team

          Galion plays at Marion Harding on Friday night in a game in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference.

          The Tigers beat Buckeye Central (79-41) in a non-league game on Tuesday night.

          Coach Tyler Sanders says they were ready to play.  “It was just good to see us kind of execute our stuff especially late.  You're always worried about and anxious just because you're not sure how your boys are going to come out and play and how hard and whether they're going to execute or not.  I thought we did a good job of getting a lot of guys in and everybody really contributing to that win,” he said.

          Galion (9-10,6-7) will travel to Marion Harding (15-6,10-3) on Friday night.  Harding beat Marion Pleasant (47-39) last Friday in a conference game.  They lost to a very good Delaware Hayes team (70-52) in a non-conference game on Tuesday night.

          Harding won the first game (70-61) on January 12.

          Sanders says they have to handle the ball and rebound better if they are going to win this time.  “They're incredibly athletic and they do a really good job defending and pressuring the ball and rebounding.  If we don't take care of the basketball and don't rebound then we're going to probably find ourselves in a similar situation that we did last time around.  A game where we executed well early, had a good lead, and then kind of let it slip away as the game went on.  So, we just really have got to take care of the small details and just do a really good job of giving a team effort on the defensive end and on the glass,” said Sanders.

          The postseason tournament starts in a couple of weeks.  Sanders believes his team is starting to peak.  “Since that Marion Pleasant game, we've kind of started going upward and started playing better as we go into the end of the tournament.  I've noticed that this being my first year that everything seems to be a little bit more natural as we get here to late in the season and the rotations seem to be a little more natural.  What we ask them to do on offense, the way we try to get out and run seems to be a little bit natural and all that stuff just takes time.  It's not a Disney movie where it happens overnight, it takes time and sometimes it takes a full season.  So, we're getting to that point I think where everybody's really starting to understand their role and what everybody has to do to make this team successful.”

Published 2/16/24

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Galion Must Start Better

          Galion plays at home against Bucyrus in a non-conference game on Tuesday night.

          They return to play in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference when they host second place River Valley on Friday night.

          Last week, Galion (7-9,6-6) beat Highland (67-61) in an “MOAC” game on Thursday night and lost (57-43) to Pleasant in another lead game on Saturday night.

          Coach Tyler Sanders says it was like they were two different teams.  “It was just two different teams as far as ourselves go.  Thursday, we played really well against Highland and I don't think the score really indicated how well we played.  I thought that we really buckled down when we needed to buckle down and did a good job of holding our composure,” he told Swankonsports.com on Monday afternoon, “Saturday, it just took us too long to get going.  We were down a large amount the first half and we clawed back in the second half and got it within striking distance and just didn't have enough to pull off the comeback.  So, I give the boys credit for not putting their head down and I give them credit for fighting back, but we just can't have these games where we start off the way we did on Saturday.”

          Bucyrus (4-12) lost (82-73) to Wynford in a game in the Northern 10 Athletic Conference on Saturday night.

          Like most everyone says that’s about to play Bucyrus, Sanders says they have to contain Malachi Bayless (19.7 ppg) in order to beat the Redmen.  “I mean they just played Wynford incredibly tough the other night.  I know that the wins and losses doesn't really tell the full story there.  Anytime you have somebody like Malachi you can really shoot the basketball and demands so much attention on the defensive end you never feel safe.  So, it’s going to take a team effort and a collaborative effort to shut him down and to make other guys beat us,” he said.

          River Valley (13-5,8-3) smoked Galion (82-47) when they played them on January 4.

          Last week, the Vikings again challenged conference champion Shelby, losing (88-76) on Thursday night.

          Sanders says the Vikings do it on both ends.  “They've gone toe to toe Shelby both games, one that they probably should have won and the other one like they're striking distance late in the game.  They're just incredibly talented.  There are so many ways they can beat you.  They guard really well and they're coached really well.  So, we just really have got to take care of business (Tuesday) night and get the positive vibes going our way and then sit down and really put together a solid game plan that will give ourselves a chance Friday night,” said Sanders.

Published 2/06/2024

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Galion Talking Defense and Rebounding

          Galion wants to continue to play improved basketball as they travel to Highland on Thursday and host Marion Pleasant on Saturday in Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference games.

          Elijah Chafin scored 20 points last Friday and the Tigers buried Ontario (67-41) in a conference game.

          Coach Tyler Sanders says their execution on both ends was pretty good.  “I was really happy with the way that we won.  I felt like we just had to kind of get through this rough patch and find a way to get it done.  The boys executed the game plan well and then we were able to kind of put it away early in that second half and kind of allowed us to enjoy it and to get our minds ready here heading into this week,” said Sanders.

          That win broke a six game losing steak for the Tigers.

          Galion (6-8,5-5) will play at Highland (1-16,0-10) on Thursday night.  The Fighting Scots were thrashed (96-53) by “MOAC” leader Shelby last Friday.  They lost (70-58) to a very good Mansfield Christian team on Saturday.

          The Tigers needed overtime to beat Highland (69-58) on December 21.

          Sanders says they must rebound better.  “They definitely gave us a tough punch that first time around and now we know what to expect.  I mean they hit the glass incredibly hard.  As we've talked about week in and week out, rebounding has been a struggle for us.  If we don't control the boards again on Thursday night then we could have a little bit of the same that we saw the first time around,” he said.

          Pleasant (8-8,4-6) comes calling on Saturday night.  In the first meeting, Galion won (52-43) on December 23.

          Pleasant is now without leading scorer Trey Booker due to a season ending knee injury.  Sanders says that makes them different.  “He was such a tremendous player and I feel terrible for him and prayers to him.  He is maybe one of the most dynamic players offensively in our league and so it's just a completely different look.  The way you prepared the first time around it's just completely different this time around,” he told Swankonsports.com on Tuesday afternoon, “The way that you try to guard and contain him and the way you guarded other players.  Now, other players, from what I've seen, have stepped up and have really tried to fill his shoes and score the ball more.  They're still playing good basketball.  So, we're going to have our hands full and just going to have to find a different way to defend them this time around.”

Published 1/31/2024

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Galion Not Playing to Their Potential

          Galion entertains Ontario on Friday night in a game in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference.

          The Tigers lost (65-62) to Upper Sandusky in a non-conference game on Tuesday night.

          They have lost six in a row and coach Tyler Sanders says they have to find a way to get back on track.  “We have hit this rough patch of games.  We're just trying to fight ourselves out of it right now.  It started in that tough stretch of games with the Lexingtons and the River Valleys and stuff like that.  We just kind of got put in this this unfortunate losing streak.  We're just trying to find ways to get out of it.  I give credit to my kids, they're working hard every day and they're doing the right things and they're giving it what they have got,” he told Swankonsports.com on Wednesday afternoon, “We have got to execute better and in those moments late in the game like we saw Tuesday night.  We have just got to put our best foot forward down on the defensive end and rebounding and just close out those games when we have a lead.  My boys are doing all the right things and working really hard and I'm confident that we'll get out of it here pretty soon and start playing the kind of basketball that I know that we're capable of.”

          Galion (5-8,4-5) is at home for Ontario (4-10,2-6) on Friday night.  The Warriors have won their last two league games, including (67-59) over Clear Fork on Saturay night.

          The Tigers beat Ontario (66-53) on December 15.

          Sanders says this is a different team.  “They're playing a lot better basketball than they were when we saw them the first time.  We lost to Clear Fork last week and then they turned around two days later and got Clear Fork at home.  So, we have our hands full.  They all can shoot the ball really well.  They're getting better on defense.  It's just going to come down to containing their guys and having some pride one-on-one defensively and not getting in situations where we feel like we have to help or over help and just do a really good job containing their guys and limiting them to one possession,” he said.

          Ontario wants to play fast and Sanders says so do they, but they have to be under control.  “Just stay disciplined and do what we've been working on all season and just really value each possession and really try to be efficient in each possession.  I always tell the kids we're good with playing fast, but I never want to play out of control.  I'm good with getting up and down, but I don't want to run in trying to make quick decisions or trying to fit in passes quickly in spots where they don't belong.  So, we want to get up and down, but we want to be under control, we want to play the kind of basketball that I know that we're capable of. Control has got to be the number one priority on Friday night,” said Sanders.

Published 1/24/2024

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Defense the Story for Galion

          Galion plays twice in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference this week as they travel to Clear Fork on Thursday and host the league leading Shelby on Saturday afternoon.

          They lost (70-61) to second place Marion Harding last week.

          Coach Tyler Sanders says they were not very good on defense against the Presidents.  “Marion Harding was playing incredibly well.  Like some of our other losses it's been good quality opponents that really play hard on defense and make it tough for you and rebound well.  Credit to them, they did what they have to do to get the win.  I didn't love our defense that game.  I didn't like the intensity and that's something that we kind of have addressed this week and whatnot.  I think that the kids did a really good job coming into practice this week and kind of refocusing their minds and getting back to doing what we need to do to get a win,” he said.

          Galion (5-5,4-3) plays at Clear Fork on Thursday night.  The Colts (6-6,2-4) have won four of their last five, including a (57-46) win at Black River on Tuesday night in non-conference play.

          The Tigers won (68-55) on December 7.

          Sanders says the Colts have improved.  “They're playing a lot better.  The team at the beginning of the year is not the team that we're seeing now.  They've really been playing well.  Against River Valley last week they hit 12 threes, really shot the ball well in the first half.  If we don’t do a good job of containing them defensively it could be a tough night for us.  So, we have to really buckle down on the defensive end and try to do things to make them uncomfortable and get out and go,” said Sanders.

          Shelby hammered Galion (81-43) on December 9.

          Sanders says it if they try to do the same things, the results will be the same too.  “We just did not play well that first time around and I think they took it to us so early.  I think we just got to go in there and just play calm, play cool, play collected, not be in a hurry.  I think they're so good, they're physical, they pressure you defensively and they cause you to do things they don't want to do and that you try to teach your guys not to do,” he told Swankonsports.com on Wednesday afternoon, “We just have got to stay disciplined and really focus on playing our brand of basketball not allowing something else that another team is doing affect what we're trying to accomplish.  If that's a game where we try to make it a track meet again the score in going to look the same, but if we can slow it down and be selective and get good shots while slowing them down on the defensive end and making them take long possessions before they shoot.  That's the kind of style that's what we want to play.”

Published 1/18/2024

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Galion Must Rebound

          Galion plays at home against Marion Harding in a game in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference on Friday.

          The Tigers trail Shelby by two games and need a win to stay in the conference race.

          Last week, they lost to two solid teams in River Valley (82-47) in a “MOAC” game on Thursday and unbeaten Lexington (50-40) in a non-conference game on Saturday.

          Coach Tyler Sanders says they did a good job in their preparation for Saturday against the Minutemen and following the game plan.  “The way we played against River Valley wasn’t what we had envisioned or what we had pictured and what we prepared for.  I give a little bit of credit for the kids come Saturday night against obviously now a top three team at division II and really take them deep into that fourth quarter and put the pressure on.  The kids did a really good job.  You never know after a game like we had Thursday how kids are going to respond.  To their credit they came in Saturday morning for a voluntary shoot at 7:30 in the morning and got focused for Lexington that evening.  So, I’m just proud of the way they responded and how they prepared for that game,” said Sanders.

          Galion (5-3,4-2) hosts Marion Harding (9-2,5-1) and in second place in the conference standings.  They smoked Ontario (72-52) last Saturday in a conference game.

          Sanders says they have really good talent.  “They're incredibly talented.  They have had a great start to season.  I think all their programs freshman, JV, and varsity all having tremendous success right now.  So, it's going to be a big challenge Friday night for our program from freshman on up,” he told Swakonsports.com on Tuesday afternoon, “They just have a lot of ways that they can get to you, a lot of a lot of playmakers, a lot athleticism and we're going to have to do a good job of playing team defense and trying to help each other keep our opponent in check and just as always battle on the glass and play our brand of basketball.”

          Sanders says a big key for the Tigers is to keep Harding off the offensive glass.  “That's kind of been kind of been something we battled against.  Ever since this summer it's going to focus point is just not giving up second chance points.  The games where we've played real well, we've done a really good job of limiting those opportunities.  It's been these last few games the number one goal of our teams would be to keep our opponents off the glass and win that rebounding battle,” he said.

Published 1/10/2024

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Galion Has to be Physical

          Galion plays at River Valley in a game in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference on Thursday night.

          They are at unbeaten Lexington for a non-conference game on Saturday night.

          The Tigers handed Lucas its first loss of the season (61-41) last Friday in non-league play.

          Coach Tyler Sanders says they were able to convert against the Lucas pressure.  “I was really pleased with the way we buckled down on defense in the second half.  I thought we really did a good job there of handling some different traps and stuff thrown out as late and found a way to get easy buckets.  So, I'm really happy with the boys and the way they executed in the second half,” said Sanders.

          Galion (5-2,4-1) plays at River Valley (5-3,3-2) on Thursday night.  River Valley beat Highland (74-46) last Thursday in league action.  This is a big game to determine who is going to chase Shelby in the league.

          Sanders says they have to match the Vikings physicality.  “They play really hard on defense, super active, make it tough for you to do what you want to do.  They have just some really athletic players and do a good job with floor spacing on the offensive end.  It's just going to be a tough matchup.  There's a lot riding on this game.  It's going to come down to the things that always comes down too,” he told Swankonsports.com on Tuesday afternoon, “We're going to find out whether we're able to match up against a little bit bigger, more physical team.  Whether we're up to the challenge to rebound the basketball.  So, I think if we do those things then we'll see how the game turns out there in the fourth quarter.”

          When it comes to Lexington, Sanders says that is not their focus right now, but he knows it will be a tremendous challenge.  “They're obviously incredibly dynamic and just a really good basketball team.  I wish I could say that I have a big game plan in store for them, but we've been pretty focused on Thursday night's game with River Valley.  Hopefully, we can win that game and give us some momentum going into Saturday.  I think we all know we have our work cut out for us Saturday, so we'll try to take care of Thursday night and then set our eyes on Saturday,” he said.

Published 1/03/2024

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Galion Faces Unbeaten Lucas

          Galion, of Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference, hosts Lucas, the Mid-Buckeye Conference co-leader, on Friday night.

          The Tigers are coming off a solid (52-43) win over Marion Pleasant in a “MOAC” game last Saturday.

          Coach Tyler Sanders says they put some good things together.  “I was super proud of the boys.  It was one of those weird afternoon games where you're not really sure exactly what you're going to get just because you're kind of outside of the norm.  We were playing probably our first opponent that I thought was a fairly comparable to us as far as record and ability,” he told Swankonsports.com on Wednesday afternoon. “I thought that we came out well, competed well, executed well and took care of some of those things that we've been worried about in the previous game.  Just rebounded well from that game against Highland and really played our brand of basketball.  Just really happy with the way things turned out.”

          Galion (4-2) plays at home against Lucas (7-0), #3 in the Swankonsports.com boys’ basketball coaches poll in the small school division, on Friday night.  The Cubs beat Loudonville (66-39) in a “MBC” game last Friday night.

          Sanders, formerly the coach at Crestline, knows Lucas will be prepared to play them.  “I spent many years of playing Lucas.  I think it’s going to be a great challenge for our boys.  The one thing that you always know about Lucas, you always know about coach (Taylor) Iceman is he's always going to have his boys ready to roll.  I think for them that we’re probably their biggest test yet and so I'm sure you know coach Iceman's getting them to try to answer the call,” said Sanders.

          Sanders says a key for them to be able to match the physicality of the Cubs and if they can do that they will be in pretty good position, “It’s going be a good physical battle.  I just think that we're going to have to really do a good job of matching their physicality and their effort on the glass.  If we do that, I think we'll put ourselves in a position to win that game, but we have got to definitely take care of that that physicality and the rebounding, which has been a question mark thus far,” he said.

Published 12/28/23

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Galion Has to Have Focus

          Galion hosts Highland on Thursday and visits Marion Pleasant on Saturday in games in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference.

          Last Friday, Cooper Kent had 32 points and the Tigers rallied in the fourth quarter to beat Ontario (66-53) in a conference game.

          Coach Tyler Sanders attributes the win to great senior leadership.  “I thought we got a really slow start and they made a lot of shots that kept them in the game and kept their energy high.  Then I thought our guys just really chipped away late and just did a really good job.  I think what you saw was good senior leadership and just guys that have been in that position many times.  So, I was just really proud of the seniors to step up and kind of lead by example and secure the rebounds and handle the pressure they needed to handle.  So, just really proud of those seniors and their leadership,” he said.

          Galion (2-2,2-1) plays at home against Highland (1-4,0-3) on Thursday night.  The Fighting Scots were smoked by conference leader Shelby (74-21) last Friday.

          Sanders says they must have focus because they are always going to have that to win.  “I had to remind my kids, I think everybody saw that, I had to remind my kids that we're not Shelby.  We are a lot different basketball team, built a lot differently and we're not in a position where we can go into a game and just play off of just straight talent.  We have to we have to execute on the little things, we have to prepare right, we have to hit the weight room hard and do all those little things to make yourself successful,” he told Swankonsports.com on Tuesday afternoon, “I've been very proud of our kids and the way that the focus that they've come in these last two days and stuff, but for us there are no easy games and we just have to be mentally prepared every game we go into.”

          Galion travels to Marion Pleasant (4-3,1-2) on Saturday night.

          Sanders says after the Spartans lost to Clear Fork (65-56) last week, he knows they will be hungry.  “Obviously they have got some dudes that can really score and can really shoot the basketball.  That's a team where early on their scores we're looking pretty good and you could tell that they were playing a pretty high level and then Clear Fork got to them.  So, I'm sure they're going to be hungry and ready to get some wins this week and stuff and kind of get that that bad taste out of their mouth.  So, we have to play really well, especially at Pleasant, and really value the basketball and just improve in some of the areas that we've struggled here earlier this season,” said Sanders.

Published 12/20/23

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Galion Ready to Play

          Galion plays its first game of the season on Thursday night as they host Clear Fork in a Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference game.

          Coach Tyler Sanders says they are ready to get it going.  “We came into the year and when we first talked, we talked about how we're really focusing on the defensive end and how that was a little bit boring to the kids.  They really made great strides on that end of the floor.  It's been really fun to see and I think it just going to make as the season goes on and we get more comfortable, it's going to make us a more well-rounded basketball team,” he said.

          Sanders says the Tigers are a team that should be able to put some points on the scoreboard.  “I started to get a little bit worried there because I’d focused so much on defense a couple of our last scrimmages we struggled a little bit putting on the ball in the hoop, but as we've continued on the kids seem to be getting more and more comfortable having a better understanding of their roles.  When the ball is moving and we're getting up and down the floor I think that we have the chance to put up a lot of points,” said Sanders.

          Clear Fork (0-1) lost its first game (78-52) to Lexington in a non-conference game last Friday.

          Sanders says the Colts rebound well and this season seem to have a better understanding of what they need to do.  “I had the opportunity to watch them the other night against Lexington.  I thought they played really well those first few minutes and then kind of the end of the first quarter, early second quarter it got away from them, but then they were back to playing really competitive basketball and kind of scored right there with them the rest of the way,” he told Swankonsports.com on Monday evening, “The team from what I've seen, they hit the boards really hard this season and they look a lot more under control.  I think coach (Tim) Brafford is doing a good job.  We go to the same church, so we see each other every Sunday morning, so I don't want to have to roll in there Sunday after a loss.  So, it should be a fun game and a competitive environment and we're just happy to be out on the floor.”

Published 12/05/23

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Galion Working on the Defensive End

          Galion has a new basketball coach this year in Tyler Sanders, who comes over from Crestline to take over the Tigers program.

          Sanders says they have identified a couple of areas where they know they need to get better.  “It's just been a little bit different.  It’s been up and down and you have a few hiccups along the road, but we're just working on setting that standard and getting everybody to come along with it.  For the most part, I think we've done pretty good.   From a basketball standpoint coming in we had two glaring problems and that was defense and rebounding.  I think we're getting the defense corrected and working on the rebounding.  So, I think once we get those two things corrected, we could be a pretty decent basketball team,” said Sanders.

          Galion has a couple of second team all league performers back this year in Cooper Kent and Elijah Chafin.  Sanders says they are going to be able to put the ball in the basket.  “We are returning a couple of seniors, one that’s already scored 1,000 points, and one that's real close and some really nice role players that can really shoot the basketball.  I think that is the kind of the good part everybody knows their role coming into the season and it’s kind of been their role as they have progressed through their years in high school,” he told Swankonsports.com on Tuesday afternoon,” Everybody kind of knows their responsibility coming in and what they have got to do to be successful.  So, I have no worries about scoring the basketball this season.  I think that this team can really shoot the basketball, but the defense and the rebounding, like I said, was the glaring problem that we are working on correcting.”

          Galion opens the season on December 7 against Clear Fork in a Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference game.

          Sanders says he already sees some good things on the defensive end.  “I think that the thing that we saw in our first scrimmage and talking to an opposing coach where we both agreed on it kids play a lot harder when the ball goes through the hoop.  So, I think that's a good combination that we can have in our kids really starting to play hard on the defensive end and starting to rebound.  I think when they're man make shots, I think about just going to get them to play that much harder.  So, I'm really excited about the way that they're progressing and stuff and we are just going to keep harping on it,” he said.

Published 11/15/23

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Galion Has to Score

          Galion will be at West Holmes on Friday night to play the Knights in a division IV regional quarterfinal.

          Last week, the Tigers (8-3) smoked Oberlin Firelands (36-6) in a first round game.

          Coach Matt Dick says it was a solid overall performance.  “We played great defense, ran the ball well, Braxton (Prosser) I think went 6-8 and I think his two misses were dropped passes.  So, it was a pretty clean night and we were able to rest him a little bit, get that turf toe healed a little bit better.  We were happy to get injury free out of there,” he said.

          West Holmes (9-2) played one of the wilder games in the state last week when they outscored Bryan (70-50) to win their opening playoff game. 

          Dick says they have an explosive offense led by quarterback Morgan Smith.  “They're another high powered offense.  We've seen a lot of very, very high powered offenses this year.  They remind me of a mix of kind of Shelby and River Valley.  I like their quarterback iso.  They throw to the (Kyle) Maltarich kid in a million different ways.  He's as good as any receiver as we have seen all year,” he told Swankonsports.com on Tuesday evening, “They're just really, really explosive.  If their quarterback is on they're going to score a bunch of points.  I think our advantage would probably be running the ball and ball control, but the key is scoring with them.  If you're not going to score 28, 35 points you have a hard time beat West Holmes.  So, you're going to find a way to score and hold them down as best we can.”

          Yes, they want to slow West Holmes down, but to have chance to win, Dick says on offense you have to find things that are going to work.  “I'd love to go three yards of cloud of dust and just pick our way down the field and eat up a whole quarter, but the West Holmes defense looks really, really good at times.  I know they gave up 50, but it's not like I could just turn on the film and go hey this is what they're giving up.  Bryan did a lot of different things well and the hats off to their kids, they played well.  Anybody that's played West Holmes.  They've had some high scoring games and they’ve had some low scoring games.  I do not think that West Homles’ defense is a weak link or anything like.  It's hard to score on them.  The key is to try to find advantage whether you're out formation them or maybe get a match up like, but we're going to have to try to find ways to get any advantage we can because they're a good football team.”

Published 11/01/23

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Galion Has to be Physical

          Galion is at home for Oberlin Firelands on Friday night in a first round playoff game in division IV.

          The Tigers (7-3) ended their regular season on an up note with a (34-0) win over Marion Harding in Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference action.

          Gabe Ivy finished with 185 yards and a score for the Tigers.

          Coach Matt Dick says they were able to run the ball well.  “We ran the ball well, got out of their injury free, scored I think the first three or four possessions. It was a nice night, our kids played hard and it was nice to be able to rest some of our guys and get a little healthier this week,” he said.

          Firelands (6-4) carries a three game winning streak into the game after a (27-0) win over Wellington.

          Dick describes them as a physical run team.  “They're big and their physical and rundown hill.  They probably run wedge more than any other team I've seen on film this year.  They're really trying to smash it down your throat.  So, if we can play well up front, especially on the defensive line I think that that's really a key for competing with them.  I do think they run the ball well,” said Dick.

          Dick says the Falcons can be hard to run against.  “They run a 3-4 defense, kind of reminds me of some old school Clear Fork defenses from about 10 years ago.  They have the big outside linebacker, stand up, rush the quarterback.  Makes for hard running and we're run football team.  So, we're have to match their physicality and I think maybe some spread formation might be a little better this week.  I'm excited to see how we match up physically with them,” said Dick.

          Dick says honestly it can be difficult to judge the athleticism of Firelands.  “They are a little bit outside of what we know.  They're opponents they play, I don't have a real strong opinion one way or the other on them.  So, I really don't know how fast they are or how big are they because I don’t know the opponent they are playing,” he told Swankonsports.com on Wednesday night, “If we have those common opponents it kind of gives you a little bit better gauge.  This is kind of an unknown and that makes it exciting.  At the end of the day, if we could play low, we could play fast, we have a chance to play some pretty good football.”

Published 10/26/23

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Galion Finding Pieces

          Galion is trying to solidify a first round playoff home game in division IV as travel to Marion Harding for a game in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference on Friday night.

          Right now, they stand fifth in their region.  The top eight are home.

          Gabe Ivy ran for 230 yards and two touchdowns last week in a (42-35) “MOAC” win over River Valley.

          Coach Matt Dick says his kids rose to the occasion.  “Our kids battled hard, it was homecoming and we have a good senior class.  I think really did a good job leading.  Braxton Prosser battled through some injuries.  It was a whole team effort our defense had some real timely stops.  It was an interesting game because we're up by 14 points at halftime and the message was we're right where they want us.  River Valley has that mindset that they’ll score in the fourth quarter and win a game.  Their quarterback is really, really impressive and they're offense is very dangerous,” said Dick.

          Galion (6-3,3-3) is at Marion Harding (3-6,2-4) on Friday night.  The Presidents were shutout for the second straight week (36-0) by Marion Pleasant last week.

          Dick says they are still dangerous.  “I think they have got some really special kids that when things are going their way they're really, really tough to beat and when things go the other way they struggle a little bit, I think especially being fundamentally sound.  So, I think that you take advantage of that, but I think it's a game of momentum.  If we get off to a fast start that'll make it a little bit easier of a night, but they do have some players.  That quarterback has been there a while and he really throws the ball well,” he said.

          When it comes to the playoffs, Dick says they have to continue to battle adversity.  “I mean we've been we've been battling injuries for a while.  We’ve got some new injuries this week that we're going to deal with.  Hopefully, kids will get healthy by Friday.  Really, we're just trying to go one week at a time trying to find a way to win and be ready with different packages when kids get banged up, whether it be offense or defense,” he told Swankonsports.com on Monday evening, “Who's that next guy up?  As coaches, we're just going to keep trying to put our kids in the best situation possible.  This is a big week and playing a playoff game at home as many weeks as possible is always the goal because it’s a lot easier to win at home than it is on the road.”

Published 10/17/23

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Galion Needs Four Quarters

          Galion is in solid position to make the postseason this fall, but they are focused on beating River Valley on Friday night in Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference play.

          Last week, their fell (14-13) to Marion Pleasant in a conference game.

          Coach Matt Dick says they just didn’t get enough things done.  “It's kind of heartbreaking coming off the field.  You just felt you know as a coach you could do just a little bit more and found a way to win there.  Hats off to Pleasant, they played a heck of a tough game.  After watching the film, it didn’t come down to one series, one turnover, one stop it's just there's a lot of plays that we could have made that win the game and we just didn't.  We did a good job I think this week on Saturday and Monday and Tuesday of pointing that stuff out.  Some of it was as easy as being a little bit better on a gap block, a little bit better on the backside outside linebacker block.  Little things that would have led to touchdowns or bigger plays that I think we could fix.  We kind of looked in the mirror and challenged our kids to be better in those tough situations.  As coaches, I told them I have have got to put you better positions.  We worked on that this week.  We have got a new game plan and we're hopeful we execute a little bit better against River Valley,” said Dick.

          Galion (5-3,2-3) hosts River Valley (4-4,3-2) on Friday night.  The Vikings won their second straight game in dramatic fashion as they railed to beat Highland (38-37) in the end last week.

          Dick looks for a high scoring shootout in this one.  “They do a great job of throwing the ball around.  They've been doing that for a couple years now.  I know they got a new head coach, but it looks really similar and I'm impressed.  This new quarterback that stepped in, he picked up right where Shidone left off and he may even be doing a little bit better.  So, hats off to their offense,” he told Swankonsports.com on Thursday evening, “I think their defense gives up some big points on the other side of it.  I think that kind of balances the game.  It’s going to be a shootout.  I think they kind of force that.  Offensively, you have really got to execute to keep up with them.  I mean if you're in the game in the fourth quarter in the “MOAC” you're in a good place.  I think there's a good chance we're going to be that way come the fourth quarter this week.  We have got to find a way to get it done.”

          Galion is seventh in the division IV computer region.  They are almost certain to make the playoffs, but Dick says they aren’t concerned about that right now.  “To be honest with our kids we're really focused on going 1-0.  I think it's heartbreaking when we don't get it done.  We have got a good team, a good group of seniors.  We’ve had a couple injuries that's definitely made it harder, but our kids are battling every week.  We're really just focused on beating River Valley.  It’s homecoming week, that's a big deal.  They have got all their plans with their dates for the dance and all that stuff.  It's our last home game, so it's a great time to make some great memories and try to find a way to win,” he said.

Published 10/13/23

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Galion Making Some Tweaks

          Here in early in the week, the Galion Tigers aren’t sure who will be at quarterback when they play at Marion Pleasant on Friday night in action in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference.

          Last week, they had to go with a backup quarterback in the second half of a (23-21) win over Highland in conference play.

          Coach Matt Dick says their younger players really turned in a tremendous effort versus Highland.  “I was really pumped with how our young guys played.  I mean we had a bunch of new guys out there in new positions and we were down a quarterback in the second half.  Ayden Schmidt, a sophomore, came in and got the job done.  Hopefully we'll get Braxton (Prosser) back this week.  (Monday) at practice, I said we got that done, but understand I mean that level of play wasn't where we're going to be at offensively.  So, now we're trying to take a sophomore quarterback and readjust the standard,” he told Swankonsports.com on Monday evening, “You made in your first game now let's see what we can really do.  At practice (Monday) night, Braxton starting to get healed a little bit.  Now, hopefully we'll get him back, but it's fun to see all these young guys stepping up.  It was a really good team victory on Friday night.”

          Dick says this week will be a process.  “I think certain things that we practice a lot and certain things we don't practice a lot.  I think there's certain players that when they go down it's a way bigger deal.  If you go in a game and your high school quarterback goes down, I don't care who you playing, that's a big deal, especially with spread offense, everything goes through them.  We signal plays, all those different things.  The team really rallied around him and they fought and he fought, it was a fun win.  It'll be interesting to see how far he can come this week in practice and like I said if we get Braxton back and it's not a big deal,” said Dick.

          Galion (5-2,2-2), number four in their division IV region, plays at Marion Pleasant (4-3,2-2) on Friday night.  Pleasant lost (45-14) to league leading Ontario last week.

          Dick says they have been up and down, but with quarterback Owen Lowey they are very dangerous.  “I think you watch different games and they look great and other games they look average.  I think it's probably pretty similar to us or a lot of the “MOAC” teams.  I mean like River Valley I think they scored 43 points on and what did Shelby score on River Valley last week 20, 28?  So, you just don't know what you're getting with Pleasant.  I think with their quarterback they can score a whole lot of points in a really short amount of time.  Then defensively I think they've been playing better and better every week,” he said.

Published 10/03/23

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Galion Has to Clean Some Stuff up

          Galion is going to be at home for the Highland Fighting Scots in a Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference game on Friday night.

          It’s a game between two teams that have played the league co-leaders and came up a little short.

          Ontario outscored Galion (59-35) last week in a league play.

          Coach Matt Dick says they did a lot of good things, but they did some bad things too.  “I thought you know offensively we had a lot of success early on.  Defensively, we had some coverage break downs, just gave up some wide open passes.  It was a little disheartening, but I thought our kids played really hard.  I just think we there was some miscommunication between db’s and that happens sometimes and especially we got some young guys out there the first time, that's going to happen.  On the flip side, I loved our kids response at halftime.  Came out and got some momentum I think we had second down on the two yard line going in.  If would have scored that one we would have cut the game to three,” he told Swankonsports.com on Wednesday evening, “It was a heck of an effort, a heck of a comeback.  The problem is we fumble that ball and from that point on Ontario really controlled the football game.  Hats off to them, they're a good football team, but we have got to find ways to make teams beat us instead of beat ourselves.  I felt like there were way too many plays, both players and coaches, where we just got in our own way.  Hopefully, this Friday we can do little bit better job of making the other team beat us.  If we're going to lose, let's get beat by them, not beat ourselves.”

          Galion (4-2,1-2) host Highland (4-2,1-2) on Friday night.  Highland got blasted (48-14) by Shelby last week.

          Dick says they still have Dane Nauman and this year they are throwing the ball better.  “Their fullback graduated and he was a heck of a freaking lead blocker last year, but (Dane) Nauman is still a really really tough kid to stop.  When you give him the ball 20 times a game, he wears defenses out.  So, first and foremost, we're going to have a strong front seven, eight or nine to stop him in the run.  Then I think they're quarterback does a better job throwing the ball this year. They're a little bit more balanced.  I think that makes their offensive attack maybe different, but about the same.  They go about it a little bit different way.  They have another kid they put in the backfield that's just as scatty and athletic as Nauman, maybe not quite as big.  So, I like what they are doing offensively.  I think they wear you out.  The key is to stop the run first and then you're probably going to be in one-on-one situations in the secondary and we have got to make some of those plays.  If you win let's say 50 or 60 percent of those 50/50 balls that's a win for the night and that's what we're going to try to do defensively,” said Dick.

          Dick believes they will have an opportunity to put up some points on Friday night.  “I think their defense flies around hits people.  I think they give you opportunities for success.  It's just can you execute?  I think last year they really hit us up front and I think and we struggled with their physicality.  This year, they're a good football team, we are as well, but we're going to have to take advantage of what they give us and execute,” he said.

Published 9/28/23

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Galion Has to Take Advantage

          Galion is over at Ontario in a big game in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference on Friday.

          The Tigers trail Ontario and Shelby by a game and they need a win.

          They lost (62-26) to Shelby last week.  They were outscored (36-6) in the second half.

          Coach Matt Dick says just couldn’t keep up.  “We had some injuries with some guys and towards the third quarter I think that the wheels kind of fell off and Shelby's offense, which does most weeks, had a lot of explosive plays.  I think anytime you have one play touchdowns and two play drives, I think that wears on your psyche as high school kids and coaches and we just didn't respond very well towards end of the third quarter.  I think there was a point, somewhere about mid third, where we were driving maybe on the 35 yard line, down to scores, if we score there we make it a game.  You have to keep scoring to keep up with them and on the same note you have to be able to play that next play because they're offense is going to have explosive plays, but you've got to be able to rally.  Maybe rally and get a goal line stop or rally and get the next stop the next series and at some point we just kind of lost that and hopefully we will fix that this week,” said Dick.

          Galion (4-1,1-1) goes to Ontario (5-0,2-0), #4 in the Swankonsports.com football coaches poll in the large school division on Friday.  The Warriors routed Clear Fork (45-0) last week.

          Dick likes Ontario QB Bodpegn Miller, who has thrown 10 TD passes, and says their defenses kind of invites to try and make a big play.  “I really love their quarterback.  I thought he did a heck of a job last year and watched him on film this week.  I just love how he steps up in the pocket and when he tucks it and is running vertically he's as good an athlete as we have in the conference.  I mean their offense is it's totally different than Shelby, but on the same note, I like a lot of things they do.  Defensively, they're playing zero and putting a lot of pressure on offenses to either take shots or really grind it out versus seven or eight man boxes and I think that makes for a tough night.  So, they've had a nice start to their year, and it was a heck of a game last year, I expect there'll be a heck of a game (Friday) night,” he said.

          Dick says they have to be able to take advantage of what Ontario is giving them.  “I think like some of those Dave Carroll defenses were back in the day where he would do a 5-2 and zero.  Those are bang or bust defenses.  There were times where we scored 35 points in the first half and there's times where we scored nothing in the second half.  I think that's the type of defense Ontario runs.  They're going to put a lot of pressure on you to make one-on-one plays and they're going to live with the consequences,” he told Swankonsports.com on Thursday evening, “I think as an offense, we have to do the same thing.  We have to put our kids in the best situations and take some shots to loosen them up a little bit and if they finally do loosen up, play loose man, then we have got to be willing to throw out to those flats and again make their guys make one on one tackles.  So, it's easy to have success and on the same note it could be a long night as well.”

Published 9/22/23

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Galion With Big One Against Shelby

          Coming off a great effort last week, the Galion Tigers face their biggest test of the season this week as they visit Shelby to tangle with the Whippets in a Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference game on Friday night.

          They whipped Clear Fork (35-3) in a conference game last week.

          Coach Matt Dick says they played well in all three phases of the game.  “Anytime you could play good defense I think when you give our offense time to get rolling with all the weapons, the running and passing, screens, all that stuff that we can do offensively, if you give us time, we'll get it rolling.  I think our defense did a great job of that, our special teams and then offense came out in the second quarter and Braxton Prosser threw some good balls and some kids made some special plays,” he said.

          Three of their scores last week against Clear Fork came on plays 75 yards or longer.

          Dick says they have explosiveness at every position.  “I think if you look at past Clear Fork teams they always seem to have, it wasn't just one guy or two guys, they always had three or four guys that could really take the ball the distance at any one moment.  We have got guys on this Galion team like a Linkoln Tyrell, he's probably our second tight end, I think he caught a pop pass over the middle and went 80 yards after he ran over a safety.  I mean he's a kid that made some big plays in the Tiffin Columbian scrimmage as well.  He's a kid that you know is maybe a third or fourth or fifth option sometimes, but yeah he's as explosive as anybody we’ve got,” he told Swankonsports.com on Tuesday afternoon, “Jacob Chambers, Elijah Chafin, a guy like Logan Shiflry, he's been injured all year and we got him back.  He played a little bit in the fourth against Clear Fork.  He's another guy that is just really an explosive athlete that no one really knows about and the reason they don't know about him is because the guys like Gabe Ivy and Braxton Prosser and some of those guys that touched the ball right off the rip for us.  So, it's fun to have that many weapons and on defense, it's fun to have that many guys you can rotate in in the secondary that just brings depth.”

          Galion (4-0,1-0), #4 in the Swankonsports.com football coaches poll in the large school division, plays at Shelby (3-1,1-0) on Friday night.  The Whippets are coming off a (45-14) thumping of Marion Harding last week.

          Dick says they will have to do an excellent job defending the Whippets quarterback Brayden DeVito and receiver Issiah Ramsey.  “They do a great job offensively.  Their receiver is probably as good as any bad seen in high school or he's definitely up there.  The quarterback is a great running threat and throwing threat.  They spread the ball around.  They score a bunch of points like a video game.  It’s one of those games where it's kind of the opposite.  We’re going to run the ball and play defense and they're going to score points at will.  We’ve had some great matchups with Shelby over the years.  We’ve had high scoring offenses coming to play you know like a 10-8 ball game, stuff like that.  So, I'm excited to go over there and find a way to play defense and special teams to get that side rolling and then offensively find ways to exploit what their defense gives us,” said Dick.

Published 9/13/2023

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Galion Feeling Good

          Galion plays host to defending Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference champion Clear Fork on Friday night in the conference opener for both.

          Gabe Ivy ran for a school record 372 yards and four touchdowns as the Tigers (3-0), #4 in our first Swankonsports.com football coaches poll in the large school division, thrashed Upper Sandusky (41-6) last week.

          Coach Matt Dick says their offensive and defensive lines were outstanding.  “It's really helpful when the offensive line blocks as well as they did.  It makes it really easy for Gabe Ivy and calling plays you know.  A lot of credit to our offensive line coach and all those guys taking this stuff this week and then even running backs coach and our receivers coach.  All those guys and all those players did a heck of a job.  I mean it was just the level of guys executing, even the quarterback turned out and ran his fakes.  When you can line up around a couple base plays makes for a real easy offense,” he told Swankonsports.com on Monday afternoon, “Defensively, a guy like Sam Evans, a little sophomore outside linebacker, just on one of their best receivers, he did an incredible job.  It’s not going to show up in the stat line, but just jamming the kid off the ball or right off the snap every play.  He just totally disrupted their offense.  So, he had a heck of a night.  It was a fun night, our kids played well.  It's about as much as we've ever clicked offense, defense, special teams in a long time, it was just a good night.”

          Clear Fork (1-2) dropped its second game in a row when Lexington beat them (28-27) on Friday night.

          Dick says the Colts are really good up front.  “I really like their offensive line and their Defensive line.  I think they are a physical group.  They kind of remind me of group like Carey or maybe even better, especially the two guards on offense.  I think they both play, one plays nose and the other plays defensive tackle on defense.  Those two kids just get after the football and they take blow people off the ball on offense.  I think those two guys specifically really make their offense go and defense go.  A nice tight end #45, who also plays defense line, two way guy, a lot like Linkoln Tyrell, it's almost like a duplicate, which I think it's kind of funny when you have guys you can compare from the other team.  Hey, we're going to see who the better Linkoln Tyrell is this week.  So, Clear Fork’s got a lot of good things going even though they are 1-2, especially on the offensive and defensive line,” Dick said.

          Adjusting to what they see from Clear Fork is going to be a big key on Friday night, according to Dick.  “I think execution.  I think that's what really made us take a huge step forward last week.  I just hope that when we add wrinkles, we are playing a different defense.  They are 3-3 stack and they move their linebackers around.  We need to really adjust to that and really be sound in our fundamentals.  I think that is what really makes our offense and defense go.  Defensively, adjusting from their “I” formations, they're spread, again it's different.  They do different things in each formation, but if we can adjust and still be fundamentally sound, I think that gives the best chance to win.  In the “MOAC”, it's a coin flip every week, that's the nature of the beast.  I've been lucky enough to be around for a long enough to see for us to be heavily favored and Clear Fork coming in and beating us and the opposite be true.  So, we have played some great games with Clear Fork over the years and those kids always play hard for that community and we're excited that they're coming to Galion and it's going to be a great game Friday,” said Dick.

Published 9/05/23

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Galion Faces Upper’s Pass Offense

          Galion tries to go unbeaten in non-conference action as they host Upper Sandusky in non-league play on Friday night.

          They hung on last week to beat defending Northern 10 Athletic Conference winner Carey (21-14) on Friday night.

          Coach Matt Dick says they got better as a team.  “I thought we grew.  I think these first couple weeks of the season every year there is a lot of room for growth.  I thought we took a step.  Still trying to clean some stuff on the “O” line, but our special teams and defense played great.  We had a lot of fourth quarter stops right there at the end to win the game.  Anytime you can play defense like that, it's pretty fun to be around,” he said.

          Dick says they could have made it easier on themselves, but they stepped it up and made big plays.  “I just wish offensively we would have performed a little better at the end.  We could have ran out the clock and made it a little bit easier on our defense and special teams.  On the same note, hats off to our kids for making the plays they did down the stretch.  A guy like Hunter Miniard for making a tackle for loss and then a sack/fumble at the very end of the game.  I mean those are huge plays.  They were within the 20 yard line.  It's fun to watch special moments,” said Dick.

          Upper Sandusky (1-1) got four TD passes from Caden Holman and beat Mt. Gilead (26-12) last week.

          Dick says the Rams offense is tough to contain, but they look forward to the challenge.  “Their quarterback is back and they have got two or three receivers back.  They were nice combination last year.  Even at the end of the year, even in the playoff game versus Clear Fork they were doing some pretty big things.  I think that they just keep building on that.  This year I think what?  They are 1-1,” he told Swankpnsports.com on Thursday night, “Offensively, they are a tough matchup for just about anybody.  Our defense likes a challenge like that.  They're different than what we've seen, but we do scrimmage a team like Tiffin, who helps us get prepared for the pass.  I hope that those type of scrimmages, you know Lexington as well has pretty special receivers, we're hoping that experience early on this year will help us morph into a defense that can compete with their spread athletes.”

Published 9/01/23

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Galion Seeking Improvement

          Galion hosts Carey, the defending Northern 10 Athletic Conference champion, in their home opener on Friday night.

          They played last Thursday at Wynford, another team out of the “N10”, and won (28-20) to open the season.

          Coach Matt Dick says they did enough to win.  “It was a rainy game and to throw the ball in the rain and mud, that makes it harder, but you know hopefully we clean some stuff up in practice.  I'm excited to see our offense roll out there this Friday.  Defensively, I thought we played a really, really strong game.  A couple big pass plays.  Those are little fixes.  Hopefully we'll do better on third down and long on those.  We played pretty solid defense last week.  Special teams, I thought were terrific, hopefully we can repeat that,” said Dick.

          Carey (0-1) was beaten by talented Hopewell-Loudon (36-19) in their opener to the season.

          Dick says both teams showed a lot of offense in that game.  “The Hopewell-Loudon quarterback, he just went off, he's pretty amazing, it was special night for him.  He had all these receivers he's throwing to.  It was really an impressive offense.  Carey was very impressive offensively as well.  When they get in that Maryland “I” they're really tough to stop.  They do know how to spread it out as well, so you can't really condense the box too much.  I think some of the things Hopewell-Loudon does we can mirror some of it, but some of it we're just different.  I just hope we can execute a little bit better on offense,” he said.

          When it comes to Friday, Dick says the teams are really pretty similar.  He hopes they can improve and get I done again. “I think we're both similar in the fact that we have two pretty good looking tight ends, they have two pretty good looking tight ends.  We have got a big ole line, they got a big ole line.  It’s really a fun battle this Friday.  It's going to be a good test for our team.  Week two we hope to grow,” he told Swankonsprts.com on Wednesday evening, “That's what it’s all about every weekend get a little better and enjoy that journey.  This is a special group of kids.  I think all of us were a little disappointed in how we played, but on the same note, hats off to Wynford with how they prepared and how they played.  The cool thing is we found a way to win, so hopefully we'll try to do something this Friday.”

Published 8/24/23

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Galion Has to Win up Front

          Thursday night, Galion opens the season on the road at Wynford, of the Northern 10 Athletic Conference, in non-league action.

          Some teams like the Thursday night week one game in hopes of increasing their gate.

          However, Galion coach Matt Dick is a little concerned.  “A lot more than I originally thought.  When I was asked by my “AD” what about Thursday, I was like sure whatever helps balance the budget a little bit better, hopefully get a couple more fans there,” he told Swankonsports.com on Monday evening, “But we were practicing on Sunday, that was our Monday and we're a day ahead of our schedule and a little bit less time to recover from the last scrimmage.  It's been an adjustment, that's all I can say.  Bit off a little more than I could chew for that one.”

          Dick feels Wynford is really good up front in the trenches.  “They're a big, physical football team.  Run wing-T on offense and 3-4 on defense.  (Cyle) Skidmore is their head coach, but I believe it's his brother that is a great looking guard and defensive tackle.  He really dominates both sides of ball on the “O” line and “D” line.  I like how they're a physical football team,” said Dick.

          Dick says both teams what to physical and he looks for tough game in the trenches.  “Anytime I mean we're probably hearing that the week after something.  Anytime you're playing these smash mouth football teams you have got to match up or you have got to be really quick and shoot the gaps, but you have got to really control that line of scrimmage and hopefully you can match their aggression.  We try to be a physical football team as well so it should be a good smash mouth game,” he said.

Published 8/15/23

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Galion Continues to Build

          Galion welcomes a lot talent back this season, but they still have a lot of improving to do before the season opens in a week and a half.

          They open the campaign at Wynford, in non-conference play, next Thursday night.

          They scrimmaged Lexington on Saturday and coach Matt Dick says there were some good things and some bad things.  “We have got a lot of potential.  I think offensively you are just cleaning up some gaps and soundness up front.  We have got some new guys up there.  One of our starters is out right now, so hopefully he'll be back soon and that'll help clean up some of those gap sound plays where we just missed the linebackers running through our hole, but once we clean that up, I hope our run game looks a little better.  I thought we threw the ball well, made good reads at quarterback.  There's a ton of potential, a lot of guys are back from last year, so hopefully we're going to build on what we did last year take another step,” said Dick.

          Galion is predicted to be one of the better teams in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference this fall, but Dick says they have to continue to show improvement.  “Anytime you got a big line like Holden Hunter and Alex Griffith and tight ends like Linkon Tyrrell and Landon Campbell and all those guys kind of flip over and play on the defense as well.  All of the linebackers are back and most of the secondary.  You're just hoping that they've had a year of growth and we start to see that.  I think with how two days are scheduled it really is a rush.  We run a lot of multiple fronts on defense a lot of multiple formations and plays on offense, so just takes a while to get going and I'm just excited to see what this team can look like come week three or four once they start grasping details,” he said.

          With a lot guys returning for the Tigers, there is not as much teaching to do, but Dick says they still must review things.  “I think it's always amazing to me what kids remember and what they forget.  There's a lot of those times you're pleasantly surprised this year because the kids just remember from the year before and then there's a time for you're like, oh well, we haven't gone over that yet this year and it takes a little bit of a review,” he told Swankonsports.com on Monday afternoon, “I think playing versus Lexington, they have a good front seven and I think they gave us a good look on Saturday.  So, I think we're going to breakdown that film (Monday) with the kids and they're going to see some of those fundamentals.  Their first step and where their eyes go.  I really hope to see our line, especially offensive line, improve over the next couple of weeks.  We'll go to Wynford, he's got some big kids up front over there and I think it would be a good challenge for us.”

Published 8/08/23

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Longwell Fires No-Hitter; Galion Beats Fostoria

          Kael Longwell threw a no-hitter and Galion beat Fostoria (10-0) on Wednesday evening in a division II sectional semifinal.

          They play at Wapakoneta on Friday afternoon in a sectional final.

          Coach Kenny Fagan says they knew what they wanted to do against the Fostoria hitters and Longwell went out and executed very well.  “I think we had a pretty good plan going into the game and Kale Longwell executed it.  He came out with a no hitter, seventh in program history, so pretty big night for him,” said Fagan.

          Galion scored twice in the first inning and Fagan says sometimes this year, they have had trouble scoring runs, so that made them more relaxed.  “When you put some runs up early and you can kind of feel that sigh of relief,” he told Swankonsports.com on Wednesday night after the win, “We had struggled to hit there for a little bit, so last couple games we've struck early and I think that makes a big difference.”

          Galion beat Colonel Crawford, the top seed in division IV, (4-3) in a regular season game on Monday.

          Fagan says that helped them be ready for Wednesday.  “I think we did a good job of practicing this week.  We used Colonel Crawford Monday as kind of a test tournament game.  We kind of got the attitudes right.  We haven't had a ton of tournament success the last four or five years, so just trying to turn that around a bit,” said Fagan.

Published 5/18/23

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Galion Takes on Physical Bellevue

          Galion travels to Bellevue for a battle between two old Northern Ohio League schools, in a first round game in division IV on Friday night.

          Being an eight-nine game, it should be a good contest.

          Galion (6-4) outscored River Valley (56-49) in a Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference game on Friday night.

          Gabe Ivy ran for 330 yards and three scores for the Tigers last week.

          Coach Matt Dick says the end of the second quarter was important for them.  “We really ran the ball well.  We had a great series right before half where we ran that hurry up “I” offense.  I mean we have “hurry, hurry” in, but we were having so much success with “I” football and just pounding it,” he told Swankonsports.com on Wednesday evening, “There was about a 1:30 left, but we still stayed in the “I” and just ran it down their throats and it was fun.  We scored right before half.  They got an interception right before half and we scored one more time with a trick play.  It was a petty cool 1:30 of the game.”

          Galion has relied a lot on it’s big offensive line this year.

          Bellevue (6-4) lost to arch rival Clyde (13-12) last Friday in a game in the Lake Division of the Sandusky Bay Conference.

          Dick says the Redmen are physical and like them, they like to run the football a lot.  “I think they are super physical.  They just do a great job of form tackling.  They get a lot of guys to the ball.  You have to give them some credit.  I think offensively they run the ball really, really well.  They are very similar to us in a lot of ways where it is straight downhill football.  If we can match their physicality, it should be a fun night,” he said.

          Bellevue likes to feature quarterback Jax Lapata, who their leading rusher with 1,098 yards and 13 TD’s.

          Dick says Bellevue is very good at giving the ball to Lapata in different ways.  “You know he is going to run it.  It is kind of like Gabe Ivy, you know he his going to get the ball about 40 times.  It is very similar with their quarterback, you know he is going to get the ball.  They do a wide variety of fakes to the running back, follow the running back, all of those things.  They just keep pounding it and good things happen and that kid is heck of a runner.  He is a tough kid.  He plays linebacker as well, one of those two way guys that are just really, really tough,” said Dick.

Published 10/27/22

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Galion Has to Keep Scoring

          Galion finishes up the regular season on the road at River Valley in a Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference game on Friday night.

          Last Friday, they secured a playoff spot in division IV with a (42-21) win over Marion Pleasant in conference play.

          Coach Matt Dick says they were good enough.  “It wasn’t quite as clean as I like.  Anytime us get a win in the “MOAC” it’s a good thing.  Now, we are moving on to River Valley,” he said.

          Galion (5-4,4-2) is at River Valley (5-4,3-3) in “MOAC” action.

          Dick says the Vikings have a very explosive offense led by Cayden Shidone, their outstanding quarterback.  “They first 3-5 drives they are scoring on almost every team and scrimmages and stuff like that.  They just look like a million bucks on offense.  It all starts with their quarterback.  They have two or three receivers that make big time plays.  When you throw as much as they do, as long as you don’t have interceptions, you are going to score a lot of points,” he told Swankonsports.com on Tuesday evening, “Their quarterback does a great job with the ball.  I can’t say enough about him or what their offense looks like.  Because their offense puts so much pressure to score points, I think it makes defense much better because if they get one or two stops a half they are going to be in the lead because their offense scores at such a high rate.”

          Dick says you can score points on River Valley, but you have to keep scoring them.  “If you get momentum and get up.  I think the thing that is interesting about their offense is they just score in spurts.  You could be up 21 points and blink and about three minutes across the clock, they have tied it back up.  I think you have seen that with everybody in the “MOAC.”   I know the last couple of weeks they have struggled a little bit, but before that they just put point and point up.  That is the challenge, the offense has to keep up with them and on defense we have make some timely stops,” said Dick.

Published 10/19/22

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Galion Can’t Allow Highland to do Everything

          Galion, a winner of four of its last five, will be at Highland, a co-leader in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference, on Friday night for a conference game.

          The Tigers (4-3,3-1) trail Highland and Clear Fork by a game,

          They beat Ontario (46-36) last week in “MOAC” play.

          Coach Matt Dick says their offense was spectacular.  “I really felt like Braxton Prosser had a career night.  Elijah Chafin probably had a career night. Those two guys really made our offense explosive.  Gabe Ivy did what he always does along with the “O-line” played great.  Defensively, we had the right amount of stops to find a way to win,” he said.

          Dick says they need to play well against a good team, which they haven’t done this year, and they have another chance against the Scots.  “We have played some tough teams, but we haven’t played well versus good teams yet.  This week versus Highland they are a physical football team and they are a good football team.  It is one those last chances of the year in the regular season where you get to play a physical team and see if you can match up.  Against Carey we kind of got off to slow start, but against McComb and Clear Fork, they really out physicaled us and got momentum on their side and we battled that all night.  Hopefully, against Highland we can match their physicalness and get some momentum and beat another good football team,” said Dick.

          Highland (5-2,4-0) belted Shelby (44-20) last week in their “MOAC” game.

          Dick says they are tough and physical.  He says they have to force the conference’s leading rusher Dane Naumann to have a great game to beat them.  “Their fullback is a nasty human being.  He blocks really, really well on iso, sweep, and stretch and all of that stuff.  So, they have a really good fullback and a solid “O-line”.  With Nauman it usually takes three or four guys to bring him down.  He is going to get his five or six long runs a game.  The key is to try to take away their play action and the trap, all of the other stuff,” he told Swankonsports.com on Tuesday evening, “He is kind of like Gabe Ivy.  He is going to start the game with 100 yards, at least that is what it feels like most weeks.  The goal is to keep him under 200.  He is going to get over 100 yards rushing almost every week.  The key is to take away everybody else and some ball control on offense.”

Published 10/05/22

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Galion Must Avoid Mistakes

          Galion entertains the Ontario Warriors in a Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference game on Friday night.

          The Tigers (3-3,2-1) trail Clear Fork and Highland by a game in the “MOAC” standings.

          They held off defending conference champion Shelby (34-27) last Friday.

          Coach Matt Dick was close to the vest, but pleased with the win.  “I felt like we had some stuff clicking offensively.  Our defense was able to take away #13 all night.  It was definitely our most complete game,” he said.

          Dick says they are doing some good things and have shown improvement, but there is still a long way to go.  “We are trying to find ways to get more disciplined and more focused and really working those little details.  At this point in the season you are tough enough and physical enough.  How can we train where our eyes are?  And take the right step and fix some really small details, but it makes a huge difference.  I think are kids are a little smarter.  It is allowing both of our coordinators to add some different wrinkles in.  It makes it fun to be a coach.  It’s fun to watch our offense and defense right now.  Hopefully, we can have another good week and take another step,” said Dick.

          Ontario (3-3,0-3) lost (48-28) to Clear Fork last week in game that was (34-7) early in the third before Ontario put some things together. 

          Dick says they the Warriors have the ability to hurt you in a number of ways on offense.  “I think they can really be a smash mouth football team.  If they get behind the sticks, they get in a spread and throw the ball around a little bit.  They have some nice athletes out wide as well.  I think you have to stop the run.  I think they are similar to us in a lot of ways.  If you don’t stop the run that is all they are going to do.  When we put then in a second and 10 or a first and 15, I think their offense struggles.  I think that is a real key to this game,” he told Swankonsports.com on Monday, “Whichever offense can play a little cleaner and avoid flags and fumbles and those kinds of things is going to have a big chance to win.  Obviously, momentum, if they get momentum and we are playing from behind, they are going to be a hard team to beat.  If we can jump out and play clean early on, it should be a fun night.”

Published 9/27/22

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Galion Takes on Old Rival Shelby

          Galion entertains Shelby in a rivalry that dates back to the 1890’s on Friday night in a game in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference.

          Shelby shares the conference lead with Clear Fork and Highland, Galion is a game back.

          Last Friday, the Tigers were handled (36-10) by Clear Fork in an “MOAC” game.

          However, coach Matt Dick says they did a lot of good things.  “We did some really positive things.  Offensively, we drove the field.  There were lots of positives, we just could quite punch it in.  When we reviewed the film there were like three plays if we had executed a little cleaner, whether it was a running back hitting the hole, a lineman picking up a gap block, a receiver blocking for one second more, so there were definitely some more positives offensively,” he told Swankonsports.com on Thursday evening, “Then Cooper Kent came in and threw the ball and did a nice job moving the offense through the air a little bit late in the game.  So, lots of positives.  I thought our “O-line” played well except inside the 20’s.  We have to fix that and we worked really hard this week on that.  Defensively, I think it starts with really taking on kick out blocks. It was a struggle and I think #30 got loose for way too many yards.  Not being gap sound on offense or defense really comes back to haunt you.”

          Galion (2-3,1-1) host Shelby (4-1,2-0) on Friday night.  The Whippets hammered Marion Harding (33-3) in conference game last Friday.

          Dick says the Whippets are improved on defense.  “I think the first thing I notices when I turned on the film is I really like the way they play defense, they fly around.  I remember last year’s defense compared to this year’s defense and I think they are very much improved on that side of the ball.  They show a couple of different looks up front.  They put five of six guys down, I like that.  They just really seem to fly around on that side of the ball,” he said.

          Shelby has had a tremendous offense the last several years and that is the case again this year.

          Dick says wide out Issaiah Ramsey gives defenses problems they can’t handle.  “Offensively, they have a freshman quarterback that plays great for a freshman kid, he plays great period, but he’s a freshman.  He has made some fumbles, interceptions, that kind of stuff.  When you are throwing to Ramsey it is pretty easy to play quarterback.  That kid is special.  He makes all types of plays.  The truth is you can put three guys on him and he is always open.  Any good spread offense has that kid.  We have been lucky to have some pretty special receivers over here at Galion that we throw the ball to and they make us really, really smart, and I think Ramsey does that for their offense.  They are running the ball a little more this year.  Their running back does a nice job of pounding it.  They look like a good team and we are excited for them to come over,” said Dick.

Published 9/23/22

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Galion Must Make Big Strides This Week

          Galion takes its act to Clear Fork to face the Colts in a Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference game on Friday night.

          They have won their last two games, including a (35-7) win over Marion Harding in “MOAC” action last week.

          Coach Matt Dick says a real key was their ability to get their running game going.  “We are starting to run the ball a little better.  The “O-line” has taken a step each week.  I think after our first two opponents we kind of got our footing against Upper Sandusky and played a little better against Marion Harding.  Now, we are playing a tougher opponent again and we will see how hat “O-line” holds up.  Running the ball was huge and then the “D-line” and I think our db’s have been playing better as of late,” he said.

          Dick says they want to have some balance on offense and they are working towards that end.  “Offensively, I think we are working on balance with some play action pass and quick passing.  We take some shots downfield, but we have a sophomore quarterback that is really, really dynamic as a runner.  He can still run the ball better, but it’s a lot for a sophomore to learn how to do all of that stuff.  We do have a junior that comes in, but he is not quite the runner that the sophomore gives to our running offense.  So, we are still developing him.  We are starting to really key on what he does well and we are going to get paid on that eventually on offense.  On defense, I think we are starting to play good defense.  We need to take another step.  This is a way tougher opponent, but they are ready for this next challenge,” said Dick.

          Galion (2-2,1-0) is at Clear Fork (3-1,1-0) on Friday night.  The Colts outscored River Valley (44-42) in a conference game last week.

          Dick says Clear Fork is really good up front and they have skilled kids that can break the big one at any time.  “I really like their line, the Riddle kid is probably the best lineman in the “MOAC”.  He has been that way for a while now.  We talk about him a lot and our kids need to play like him.  He plays both ways, he plays with energy and he is a pretty athletic kid for a big guy.  He has two or three buddies on that “O-line” and “D-line” that are very talented.  The quarterback on offense is super elusive.  He throws the ball on time.  The running back, #1, is a very, very special running back, especially when he gets in space.  #21 is probably my favorite offensive weapon that they have,” he told Swankonsports.com, “It just seems like he is a guy that anytime he touches the ball he can score a touchdown.  He gets it in a lot of slot counters or quick passing and he just makes a lot of plays.  He is a pretty special kid.  Defensively, they just play sound football.  They are a physical football team.  They are not going to let you run the same play over and over again.  You are going to have to have some balance.  They just play solid football and they make you make plays.  If you don’t make plays against them you are going to be in trouble.”

Published 9/16/22

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Galion Trying to Get Back to Normal

          Galion plays host to Marion Harding in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference opener for both schools on Friday night as the Tigers continue to try and recover from last week’s tragedy.

          Cooper McCade, a player on the team, passed away unexpectedly last Tuesday.

          The Tigers (1-2) beat Upper Sandusky last Friday (24-7) in a non-conference game.

          Coach Matt Dick says they were able to get on the field and be together.  “Our team really pulled together.  There were points in the week where I didn’t know if some kids were going to be able to play or how they would play.  The fact that they were all out there fighting together that was a win and to come away with the victory was the bonus,” he said.

          Dick says this week they want to concentrate on football and become a better team.  “We have had a lot of different drama.  We have an assistant coach that his mother passed away about two weeks ago.  We had Cooper McCade pass away last week.  The getting everybody, the staff, the kids, back full go all of the way locked in on football,” he told Swankonsports.com on Tuesday evening, “I think we still have some kids that are hurting.  The practices the last two days have been great, probably the best we have had all year.  Hopefully, that we translate into a little bit cleaner football game on Friday.”

          Marion Harding (0-3) lost last week (28-21) to Newark in a non-league game.  The Presidents have been involved in chaos including the resignation of their head coach the week before the regular season and the continued search for a consistent starting lineup.

          Dick says they provide the same kind of problems that they normally do.  “They are big and athletic like always.  They do some nice things on offense.  They spread the ball around well.  Defensively, they have 11 guys that fly to the ball really fast.  It’s the “MOAC” there are no buy weeks.  They are as good as any team in our league.  If we want to be as good as any team in our league, there is step one.  We are just trying to go 1-0 at the end of this week and I am sure they are trying to do the same,” said Dick.

Published 9/07/22

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Galion has to Have Better Focus

          Galion needs a win pretty badly as they travel to Upper Sandusky for a non-conference game on Friday night.

          They got themselves behind by four scores early in the game and lost (41-21) to Carey last Friday.

          Coach Matt Dick says they didn’t get it done.  “We kind of gave them all of the momentum in the world.  Carey is riding off of a state championship and they still think they are the state champs.  They really put it to us.  We really gave them the game in the first half.  In the second half we calmed down and played a little bit of football.  We still struggled to catch the ball on offense a little bit.  On defense we just weren’t gap sound all of the time.  I think there were some positives there in the second half.  We have played two really good football teams and Upper Sandusky is very much improved.  We are going to have to continue to play better if want to compete with these teams,” said Dick.

          Upper Sandusky (1-1) downed Mt. Gilead (28-6) last week.

          Dick says this is a team that is a lot better than they have been.  “I really like their quarterback and the “RPO” pop passes they do.  They have receivers that are quick athletic kids that I’m sure are going to test us vertically.  Defensively, they are more of a 5-2, they are flying around, lots of pressure that is kind of suffocating on the offense.  They like to bring those outside linebackers basically every play,” he told Swankonsports.com on Monday evening, “Our message to us, to our team, is we have to get more physical and get good at something, that’s offense and defense, we have to hang our hat on something.  We have been trying to focus that in some of our practice scripts and we have had good response in practice so far and hopefully we will have another good one (Tuesday).  This Friday we hope to take a step in the right direction.”

          Out of the gate with two losses makes this game very important to the Tigers, according to Dick.  “You start 0-3 and pretty soon you are starting to talk about 0-10.  I told the kids that you stack one win at a time.  We have to go 1-0 at the end of this week.  With that mindset our schedule is set up where we can get better.  We are going to play some good teams to the middle and end of our season, but we have plenty of time to grow and get better.  There is lots of room for improvement.  I think the kids have seen that on film.  I think they had way better focus on a Monday.  They are trying to earn the right to win.  I think that is something this junior class especially has to learn.  We only have to five of them and they have been doing a good job.  The juniors are focused and if they pay attention to those little details it’s going to pay off over the course of a good week of practice,” said Dick.

Published 8/30/22

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Galion Dealing With Some Adversity

          Galion is on the bus for Carey, the defending division VI state champion, for a non-conference game on Friday night.

          Last week, they scored four times, but were outscored (54-28) by McComb in their first game of the season.

          Coach Matt Dick says there were some bright spots, but also some things they didn’t do well.  “Our db’s and linebackers had a little trouble lining up against certain formations.  Week one stuff.  They got a couple of big ones on us.  A couple too many big ones.  So, we have to sure up our coverage in the secondary.  We have done some things to change that around,” he told Swankonsports.com on Wednesday evening, “Offensively, Braxton Prosser looked very explosive whether it was at receiver, running the ball, or at quarterback.  I have to let him throw the ball a little more.  I really think it’s those little details that we have to get better at.  We are fighting the injury bug a little bit this week, but hopefully we will have some guys step up, play a tough Carey team and have a great game.”

          Dick believes that injuries to key players are difficult to deal with at the high school level, but they will do their best.  “I just think it makes it hard when play a tough opponent week one and then you come out banged up.  We have a couple of kids that are going to be out for a little bit.  It’s just hard to take that next step when you have to sub someone else in.  I do like some of the changes we made.  I’m excited to see how it looks this Friday.  As always you get to go play the game and that’s what it is all about.  We are going to have some fun up at Carey and see if we can find a way to win,” said Dick.

          Carey (1-0) rallied to beat Hopewell-Loudon (37-8) with a big fourth quarter last week.

          Dick says again they are physical and aggressive.  “They are big, physical Maryland “I” type pound the ball offensively.  Then defensively they have a lot of skill guys that fly around and really make it a little bit suffocating on defense,” he said.

Published 8/25/22

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Galion Looking for Consistency

          Galion opens up the season on Friday night by hosting McComb in a non-conference game at their place.

          Coach Matt Dick says they are still looking for that consistency that good teams have.  “We have been pretty hot and cold offensively.  We just have got to work on our execution.  We have had some really big explosive plays that I have liked to see, but really haven’t been consistent and I think that begins with out “O-line”.  Defensively, we had a really good scrimmage and then we had a pretty tough opponent in Tiffin Columbian and they showed us some of our weaknesses that we had to work on,” he told Swankonsports.com on Thursday, “I love how our kids respond and we are really focused on our execution and really being locked in every play.  I think that’s what’s going to lead to a win or taking the next step as a football team.”

          Dick believes they are ready to break out on Friday night.  “I think every team is different, but as a coach you just want to keep getting better.  That’s what it is all about.  If you lose, you have to learn and if you win you have to learn.  That’s what it is all about.  The group of guys we have got, we have worked them out hard, we have pushed them hard, and they have responded well.  Every day practice got a little better.  So, I’m hoping to see somethings special on Friday,” he said.

          McComb, a team that went three weeks deep into the division VII playoffs last year, comes to Galion on Friday.

          Dick says they aren’t deep, but they have tremendous talent.  “They just have 11 kids that are really, really great football players.  I don’t think their depth is like a division IV team like us, but their 11 guys are as good as any 11 guys we are going to see all year.  They run to the football on defense, they are fast, they are athletic, they are big up front, then offensively they spread it around.  They have a great coach.  I really like what they do.  Their weakness is they have 11 guys, but their 11 guys are good football players,” said Dick.

Published 8/19/22

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Galion Figuring Things Out

          Galion is continuing to get better as a football team as the Tigers prepare of for the regular season, which for them begins on August 19, at home, against McComb in non-conference play.

          Coach Matt Dick says they did some good things in their first scrimmage against Lexington on Saturday.  “We are continuing to grow every day.  Offensively, we have two quarterbacks in Braxton Prosser and Cooper Kent battling it out and they have both been doing a nice job and our offense is slowly starting to click.  We have grown a lot since our first scrimmage with Lexington.  I am excited to see us Friday against Tiffin.  Then defensively, we played pretty well versus Lexington on Saturday and I hope we continue to play great defense,” said Dick.

          Dick says they made some mistakes on Saturday that they have to clean up and they are working on developing more depth as a football team.  “Offensively, I think it was about too many mental mistakes, knowing your assignment, or knowing some simple adjustments, that type of stuff.  We have to have a little more chalk talk, I think is the key.  Then developing depth.  I think everybody is looking for ways to get their studs off the field, to rest up, so you can win games in the fourth quarter,” he said.

          The Tigers scrimmage always good Tiffin Columbian on Friday. Dick says those scrimmages are big learning tools for them.  “Actually, getting to play against somebody that is similar size, similar speed, I think that is hard at small school like Galion.  We don’t have 30 guys that are varsity caliper players.  We have 15 to 16, maybe 20 on a good year.  So, it is hard to get that great look against out scout “D”.  Our guys have been doing a nice job, but it still different,” he told Swankonsports.com on Monday afternoon, “Those live bullets make quarterbacks play differently, lineman’s steps start to matter a little more.  It was really a good film session (Monday).  I know after Tiffin on Friday we are going to have another good film session.  We need to keep growing.  That is what it is about early in the season, just getting better every day.”

Published 8/09/22

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Galion Plays Fundamental Clyde

          Galion, of the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference, travels to Clyde, the co-champion of the Lake Division of the Sandusky Bay Conference, in a division IV first playoff game on Friday night.

          The regular season ended on a down note for the Tigers as they were beaten (26-12) by Marion Pleasant in a Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference game.

          Coach Matt Dick says they were beaten at the point of attack.  “They ran the ball well and really pounded us up front on offense.  Defensively, they made some big stops down at the goal line.  We got to a fourth and one and they stopped us on the one yard line.  We got down there again and we threw and interception on a trick play.  It was a tough night.  We lost our starting quarterback to an injury.  I felt like our kids battled hard.  It was two evenly matched teams and they just took it from us,” he said.

          Galion (4-6) is at Clyde (8-2), #2 in the final Swankonsports.com football coaches poll in the large school division, on Friday night.  Clyde got a share of the title in the Lake Division of the Sandusky Bay Conference by beating Bellevue (14-6) last week.

          Dick says Clyde isn’t fancy, but they are darn good.  “They have done a great job up at Clyde for many years now.  We are going to have to mix our offense to catch them off guard a little bit.  Defensively, I think the same thing.  If you just try and line up and play football toe to toe with them they are pretty impressive.  They have fast, strong kids.  We are going to try and mix it up on offense and defense and exploit some things and see how it goes.  I know our kids will battle hard.  Hopefully, we can get some 50/50 balls and make some plays and be in the game,” said Dick.

          Dick says the Fliers aren’t going to be overly aggressive.  They are just going to line up and come after you.  “I think the thing that sticks out about their offense and defense is they do something very basic, but they do it so well that it is impressive.  What I mean by that is that if you are in an even formation, they are going to line up in a 4-4 defense, one high and just do their cover three really well.  They don’t blitz a ton, they don’t slant a lot.  They just play base defense and they do it well,” he told Swankonsports.com on Tuesday, “They play a lot of great teams in their league. We scrimmage Tiffin Columbian every year, so we see a little bit of their league, we played Bellevue last year.  I know some of the teams they play are really, really well coached and good teams and the fact that Clyde can sit there in a base offense or defense and have success and win games is impressive.  It is not necessarily what they do, but how they do it that makes them so special.”

Published 10/27/21

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Ground and Pound for Galion-Pleasant

          Galion is in position to claim a playoff spot in division IV.  Their biggest problem is they are playing a one win team in Marion Pleasant in Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference action and there are not many second level points available.

          They could be passed by schools like Huron, Edison, Oberlin Firelands or Bryan.

          They lost to one of the better small school teams in the state in Lima Central Catholic (35-7) last week.

          Coach Matt Dick says it was more of the same for them.  Solid defense, not enough offense.  “I love how our defense played.  We had a couple of special teams touchdowns that put them in bad spots, but our defense played pretty solid all night,” he told Swankonsports.com on Thursday, “Offense, we still had some bright spots, but still trying to get it to click and get our of our own way.  It has still been a struggle.  Excited to see Pleasant this week.  Another week and a chance to grow.”

          Dick says his kids are ready to play and get their second straight conference win.  They had beaten Ontario (7-6) two weeks ago.  “1-8 verses a 4-5.  This is going to be a great matchup.  This is going to be a great game.  It is at their place.  It is hard to win up there.  They have a big senior class, so it’s going to be a great game on Friday night and our kids are excited for it,” said Dick.

          Although, Galion has had success throwing the football at times this year, Dick predicts a game with a lot of running plays called by both sides.  “It is going to be smash mouth.  It is going to be one of those good old slugfests,” he said.

Published 10/22/21

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Galion Still Fixing Itself

          The Galion Tigers host one of the best small school teams in the state this week as they play the Lima Central Catholic Thunderbirds in non-conference action.

          They broke a three game losing streak last week by beating Ontario (7-6) in a Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference game.  Gabe Ivy’s TD run was the Tigers only score.

          Coach Matt Dick says they are still shooting themselves in the foot on offense.  “We struggled a little bit offensively.  The defense battled.  Sometimes they let them drive a little bit. But we hung tough when it got close down at the goal line, which is kind of what our defense has done all year long.  We just couldn’t get it clicking on offense.  Bad snaps, holding penalties, missed assignments, just need to work on grading that side of the ball up.  There have been some bright spots, but it just hasn’t clicked quite yet,” he said.

          Dick says this season has been a process for the Tigers.  They keep showing glimpses of how good they can be, but they aren’t consistent.  “It seems like for some reason, we fix one thing and something else breaks.  It is frustrating as a coach and frustrating as a team and even the fans, I think, are frustrated, hopefully sooner of later they are going to see what it is like when it all works.  I think we can be something special on that side of the ball and it will really change the whole momentum of the game, but I need all five linemen to play well on the same night, I need the center-QB exchange to be good, and we need make sure we don’t have holding penalties that put us in second and 25.  If we can do that it would really be fun to see a defense stop us because it really hasn’t happened all year.  I think we have enough talent.  It is just execution and we are going to keep working on it, but Lima Central Catholic, they are a different animal,” said Dick.

          LCC (7-1) is coming off a (37-20) win over Licking Valley.

          Dick says they will spread the field with the very good athletes on offense and get a lot people in the box on defense.  “They are good on offense and defense.  They just have a lot of talent.  They are well coached.  Some of the stuff they do when they stretch you is a little like Clear Fork, but on the same note they have some athletes like Shelby.  It is a tall task for our defense this week for sure.  Defensively, I really like how they put a lot of pressure on the offense.  It feels like it is suffocating.  You see some big plays, but it kind of reminds me of the old 5-2 defenses Clear Fork used to play, where it is just all up in your grill.  If you can’t penetrate and get through that initial front wall it makes for a hard night.  Our kids are going to have to play well,” he told Swankonsports.com on Monday, “At the same note, when you play a good team, you get to prove how good you are.  I think our team has been dying to prove how good we are.  For some reason we always seem to play at the level of the team we are playing.  So, hopefully, this week we are going to play at Lima Central Catholic’s level and we are going to have our best game of the year and find a way to win it in the fourth.”

Published 10/12/21

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Galion Wants Fast Start

          Galion, after three straight losses, travels to Ontario to meet the Warriors in a Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference game on Friday night.

          They were only down (22-7) after three quarters but lost (37-7) to conference co-leader Shelby last week.

          Coach Matt Dick says they continue to play well at times in games.  “I thought our kids played with a tremendous amount of heart and effort.  We were in the game the whole way.  I think if we finish two drives, one at the end of the first half and one, I think, it was the second drive of the second half, if we finish both of those, we are up going into the fourth, but we didn’t.  I think that has been a problem of ours all season.  We have struggled to finish stuff and get this offense to click.  I do think we saw a flicker of hope.  We have worked really, really hard to bring that out this week.  We have three more weeks to grow as a team.  I am really excited about where we can get to by the end of the year,” said Dick.

          Dick says Friday night they have to come out and execute right from the opening kick.  “This week we are really stressing a fast start.  Anytime you have an opponent that you think maybe you can jump on, I think that is really important that you jump out and score points early.  It really helps momentum and how you call the game.  So, a really fast start is important.  We have to be ready to play in the fourth quarter.  We have struggled all year,” he told Swankonsports.com on Wednesday, “If it is a game in the fourth quarter, we have got to be ready to finish that game.  All year long, we have gotten into the fourth quarter against some really good teams and just couldn’t quite find a way to win it.  So, this week hopefully we will have a fast start, but we have to expect to play four quarters and find a way to win.”

          Galion (3-4,1-3) plays at Ontario (2-5,0-3) on Friday night.  Ontario was pounded (45-7) by co-leader Clear Fork last week.

          Dick says they must control the Warriors running game.  “They have a nice sophomore running back.  Their offensive line does a nice job.  They are going to pound the ball and shorten the game.  Give your offense less chances to score.  All that stuff they do a nice job of.  They play solid defense.  We just have to make sure we take that running back away.  We have done a good job on defense all year long of taking away what other teams want to do and hopefully we will continue to,” he said.

Published 10/07/21

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Galion Needs Consistency Against Shelby

          Galion plays longtime rival Shelby in a game in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference on Friday night.

          The Tigers (3-3,1-2) will be looking to play spoiler being two games behind both Shelby and Clear Fork.

          They lost (36-21) to Clear Fork last week and coach Matt Dick says they couldn’t run the ball at all and that cost them.  “It was just how the ball bounced.  We got out to a fast start.  Cooper Kent played well all night, but when you can’t do a base run play or get any type of ground game going it makes for a long night.  We got different play action passes, pop passes, like I said, I thought Cooper threw the ball well.  That base run play their stout defensive line gave us problems all night.  I think over the course of all four quarters that became a really big thing.  Hats off to Clear Fork, they played all four quarters and found a way to win,” he said.

          Shelby (5-1,3-0), #3 in the Swankonsports.com football coaches poll in the large school division, dispatched of Marion Harding (38-12) despite four turnovers in the game.

          Dick says Shelby has a high octane offense and they come out and force you to stop what they do.  “They can really throw it.  They have a quarterback, two or three receivers that are just exceptional.  Defensively they play a stout 4-3 defense and it looks like they are adjusting a little more to what you are running.  So, it’s a tough task.  For us, offensively we have taken some steps each week.  Hopefully, this week we can stablish some repeatable plays.  That’s what we really talked about in (Monday’s) scouting report.  Defensively, I thought we played great at times against Clear Fork, especially late.  We gave our offense a chance to win in the fourth quarter.  I think that is all you can ask.  Hopefully, our defense can play a little better early on.  We made some adjustments at halftime that really helped us out.  Some of that is hats off to Clear Fork coming in with the good game plan,” he told Swankonsports.com on Monday, “I’m not sure Shelby is that way.  They just kind of line up with their athletes and they do what they do and they force you to play their guys one on one in space.  I’m excited to see what our defensive coordinator and our defensive players come up with this Friday and hopefully we can take away some of that passing game.”

          Dick says they have to keep Shelby’s offense out of rhythm.  “If you mix up what you are doing on defense, I think that’s important.  Sometimes you will give them this throw and other times you with give them that throw and you make it so the offensive coordinator and the quarterback have to work for it.  If you do that, sooner or later they are going to score some points they are way to explosive to hold them that long, but on the same note if you can make them work and get a few picks and get some momentum, that’s how you beat a team like Shelby.  They are a really, really good football team.  If you want to be a good football team, you have to beat a good football team.  We have played with some good football teams, but to beat one, we haven’t quite pulled that off in the fourth quarter just yet.  This week or the next four or five weeks we have a shot to do that and that is really what we are trying to do,” said Dick.

Published 9/28/21

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Galion Tangles With Clear Fork

          Galion, if they are to have a chance to win the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference, will need a win on Friday night at home against Clear Fork in an “MOAC” game.

          Last week, they lost to Marion Harding (24-15) when the Presidents scored three times late, including taking the lead on a blocked punt, which led to a safety.

          Coach Matt Dick says they were their own worst enemy.  “Turnovers will kill us.  We are definitely a running team, so when we fumble the ball, get stopped on fourth and short, it makes for a long night for us.  I thought our kids battled hard.  We took the lead going into the fourth, just couldn’t keep it.  I think the turnovers really hurt our momentum,” he said.

          Galion has the leading rusher in the conference in Hanif Donaldson, who has 829 yards and nine touchdowns, and Dick says they are starting to run the ball very well.  “That is something we are definitely developing.  Our young offensive line is getting better every week.  We are going to keep working on some more compliments to spread the ball around a little bit.  We have some new ideas this week and we are exited to try them out against a good Clear Fork team,” said Dick.

          Galion (3-2,1-1) plays host to Clear Fork (3-2,1-0) on Friday night.  The Colts belted River Valley (41-19) last Friday in conference play.

          Dick says they show a lot of things on defense.  “Coach (Dave) Carroll always does a great job down there in the valley,” he told Swankonsports.com on Tuesday, “Their kids play hard.  Offensively, they spread you out.  Everything is off of that jet motion, but a bunch of different stuff to keep you honest so you just can’t play the jet sweep.  I almost think the stuff they do off of it, the play action, is more dangerous than the actual sweep itself.  #62, big offensive lineman, plays both ways, really nasty kid.”

          Dick feels the Colts are going to load the box and try stop their running game.  “Defensively, they do some different stuff, but I do like how they adjust to different formations and they are going to take away what you want to do.  So, I expect to a lot of nine man fronts and they play tough defense,” he said.

Published 9/22/21

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Galion Coming Along

          Galion entertains the River Valley Vikings in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference opener for both on Friday night.

          They likely played their best game of the season last week in beating Upper Sandusky (31-0) in a non-conference game.

          Coach Matt Dick says their defense has been consistent and their offense showed improvement last week.  “We are still trying to figure out some stuff offensively, but it started to click and we made some big plays on special teams and really put us over the top on Friday in the third quarter,” he told Swankonsports.com on Labor Day, “Our defense has played great pretty much all three games.  They are a little young, they get worn out a little bit.  It just about getting the offense to go and we took some steps last week.”

          Galion (2-1,0-0) plays at home against River Valley (3-0,0-0) on Friday night.

          The Vikings dispatched of Highland (35-21) last week.

          Dick says they do a lot things to stress your defense.  “Their offense is very, very dynamic.  They do a lot of good things offensively.  I think defensively it has been a little bit of a struggle for them.  They have some tough kids on that side of the ball.  I just think they are young and haven’t played enough games,” said Dick.

          In order to slow down River Valley, Dick says they have to keep the ball out of the hands of wide receiver Carson Lang.  “We have to take away #17, he is probably the best receiver in the “MOAC”, if not he is the second best or third best.  He is a heck of a weapon.  Taking him away and making the other guys beat you is the first thing we have to do.  Then taking the ball offensively and keeping it a while.  The more you keep it away from their offense the better,” said Dick.

Published 9/07/21

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Galion Gaining Experience

          Galion continues to try and learn and become a better team as they host Upper Sandusky in a non-conference game on Friday night.

          They are coming off a (35-21) setback at the hands of the Carey Blue Devils last week.

          Coach Matt Dick says their youth showed in certain situations.  “I thought we had a great first half, but in second half I think their big senior class, the grit of their team, really shined through, and some of our younger guys had some growing up to do.  So, I think it was a good game for us, but we have got to get better not just as players, but as coaches.  Keep finding ways to put kids in different positions to be successful.  I think we learned a lot from last week’s loss and hopefully we are going to grow and look better this Friday,” said Dick.

          Right now, Galion is playing some younger kids and Dick says they just have to gain experience in game situations.  “You can’t really replace game experience.  The kids just have to do it.  Some kids catch on a little faster than others.  We have a lot of sophomores rolling around out there and there is definitely a learning curve.  If we get some small things fixed it’s going to back a big difference,” he told Swankonsports.com on Monday, “I keep saying that and you can see it on film.  The kids are saying, yeah, we are one block away.  A lot of it is not that hard, but to get that done on a Friday night is probably a hard task.  Hopefully, we are going to take a step each week and keep getting better.”

          Galion (1-1) plays host to Upper Sandusky (1-1) on Friday night.  The Rams are coming off a (48-14) win at Mt. Gilead last week.

          Dick says they are a team that got a whole lot better on week two and even stretching back to last season.  “I thought they looked much improved.  I really, really liked their quarterback and some of their skilled athletes at receiver on offense.  They can throw the ball.  I like some of the schemes they are running.  I think they are very much improved Upper Sandusky team.  I think it a good week hopefully for us to get back, take a step with of our younger guys, and grow,” he said.

Published 8/31/21

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Galion Needs to Step up

          Galion takes a step up in competition when they host the Carey Blue Devils in a non-conference football game on Friday night.

          They beat Mario Elgin (15-12) last week to win their first game.

          Coach Matt Dick says they were not very good on offense, but were able to make up for it in other areas.  “We played pretty ugly offensively.  We played good defense and special teams all night long.  Our offensive line just struggled to get off on linebackers and struggled with penalties and it just made for a really bad momentum game.  I have to give our kids credit for hanging in there and finding a way to win,” said Dick.

          This week in practice for the Tigers was pretty intense and Dick says the players reacted well.  “We were pretty hard on the boys and they responded well and hopefully they are going to get paid on Friday and play a lot better,” he said.

          Carey, a preseason choice by many to win the Northern 10 Athletic Conference, lost its opener last week (30-15) to Hopewell-Loudon, of the River Division of the Sandusky Bay Conference.

          Dick says they do a lot of good things beginning in the trenches and they have experience.  “They are really, really big up front, good quarterback that has been playing for multiple years.  I love what their coach does offensively and defensively where he throws you off balance,” he told Swankonsports.com on Thursday, “They are a good football team and they are going to test us.  We are going to have to play better than last week if we are going to compete with a team like that.”

Published 8/27/21

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Galion Finding Rhythm

          Galion, coming off a (6-4) campaign a year ago, begins this season on Friday night at Marion Elgin against the Comets in non-conference play.

          The Tigers have some athletes again this year, but coach Matt Dick says they have to be much better at just executing the fundamentals of the game.  “We just have a lot of growth and a lot of room for improvement.  We have been working hard at knowing who will are supposed to block, how we are supposed to block, fundamentals.  We have a lot of room for growth and that is what the scrimmages told us,” he told Swankonsports.com on Monday, “I think our kids bough into that (Monday).  It was a great first day of practice and we just have to get better every day.  If we continue to do that, we can be an okay football team.  It is going to be day by day with these guys.  We are just trying to understand what do we have to do, what is our responsibility.”

          With the shorter preseason camp Dick says they players need to understand it’s game week and they have to execute like that is the case.  “It just seems like it happens so much faster when we lose a week of two a days.  Everything came quicker.  Getting used to that and adjusting my expectations.  What plays can we make week one and what plays can’t we.  Some plays just need more time.  We are really trying to develop that game plan this week.  At the same time, you always have to get tougher.  That is definitely the name of the game.  We pushed our boys hard (Monday) and they responded well,” said Dick.

          Elgin was (6-4) last year and Dick says the Comets have a kid at quarterback who can make big plays and they have to contain him.  “We have to stop their quarterback number two he is a really special athlete.  They do a lot of different things with him.  They overload a side.  We just have to stop him first in the running game and then in the passing game.  He is a special player,” he said.

Published 8/17/21

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Galion Trying to Get Reps

          Galion won four its last five games last season and this year again they are going to have some athletes on their roster.

          After a scrimmage against Tiffin Columbian on Friday, they open the season at Marion Elgin on August 20.

          Coach Matt Dick says with preseason camp being a week shorter he is concerned about the level of execution his team will be able to produce early in the year.  “I just think it has taken away the amount of times we can rep plays.  Different kids need four, five, 10, 15 reps before they really feel comfortable with a certain play.  So, I think week one is going to come really, really fast and you are going to see some ugly football, but once we get past week two, three, four it will get back to normal,” he told Swankonsports.com on Thursday, “That one week off though, that was a lot of reps we lost.  I’m not sure I really care about the conditioning or all of the time, but the number of reps we get running plays worries me a little bit.”

          After Elgin, the Tigers will host a couple of Northern 10 Athletic Conference teams in Carey and Upper Sandusky before starting Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference play with River Valley on week four.

          Dick thinks they can move the ball on the ground this year, but they have got find a passing game and get better on defense.  “Hanif Donaldson is an exceptional athlete.  He has a big ole’ line anchored seniors by Clayton Yost and Caden Roberts.  We really did a nice job of running the ball in our first scrimmage, but we really need to develop a passing game offensively.  Defensively we just have a lot of young guys out there that are playing hard, just need some reps,” said Dick.

          Back to the reps, Dick says kids need to experience football.  He says you can only teach them so much.  “Every kid is different.  I have been at three or four schools now.  Different schemes with different kids it may take them really quick or really long.  I mean every year is a little different.  We had COVID last year, so this year is going a lot better, but still with all the changes it’s just different,” he said.

Published 8/13/21

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Clear Fork Earns Big Win over Galion

          Clear Fork took the early lead and then put up a big three spot in the fifth and went on to beat Galion (6-2) on Tuesday and stay right there in the early season race in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference.

          They trail Ontario by a game in the conference standings.

          Clear Fork scored twice in the first inning on a single by pitcher Jared Scott, he moved up on a couple of wild pitches and scored on a RBI single by catcher David Ballinger.  The Colts then loaded the bases on walks to Luke Schlosser and Kaden Riddle.  Aaron Brown was hit by a pitch, forcing in Ballinger.

          In the third, second basemen, and leadoff hitter, Kaleb Hollar doubled down the leftfield line, stole third, and score when the Tigers misplayed the throw to third, making it (3-0) Colts.

          Clear Fork coach Joe Staab says his players were there to compete, especially when things got tighter later in the game.  “This was a great job of resilience by our players that we haven’t seen a lot of this year, but no better time to come out.  We put up a couple of runs on offense, but the biggest thing is we put up a zero in defense,” he told Swankonsports.com after the win, “When the game got close, we started tightening it up and playing even better baseball.  Our boys had a lot of energy and that is what it is going to take to win is everybody coming together.”

          Scott started and went the distance for the Colts.  He scattered six hits, walked three and struck out six, three of those strikeouts ended three of the last four innings, including Spencer Keller with two on in the seventh to end the game.

          Staab says Scott did what he was supposed to do.  “One thing we discussed with Jared is he is good enough to strike kids out, but that is not his job.  His job is to pitch to contact and throw the ball across the plate and strikeouts can be a byproduct of that.  He did a great job of pitching to contact and letting the defense play and when he did get behind, he came back and threw strikes,” said Staab.

          With Clear Fork leading (3-0) after three, Galion scored their only two runs of the game in the fourth on an RBI double by Troy Manring and RBI single by Luke Prosser.

          Galion stranded runners in both the sixth and seventh innings.

          Coach Neil Schafner says they had their chances.  “We didn’t get that key hit.  I thought we had good at bats and opportunities.  Defensively they made some good plays at the right time.  We were swinging at the right pitches and attacking the ball I thought.  It’s how baseball works they were stopping momentum when they needed to,” said Schafner.

          Staab believes one of those key plays came in the third when Hollar fielded a ball hit by Carter Keinath and tagged out Landon Campbell and threw Keinath at first for a double play to end the third.  “It was huge to get that tag and get that ball to first and anytime you can get two outs with one ball it is going to be a great day for your pitcher and your defense,” he said.

          Leading (3-2) going to the bottom of the fifth, the Colts would score three times.  DH Brock Talbott doubled off the rightfield fence with one out, Ethan Staley pinch ran for Talbott and he scored on a single by Schlosser, who advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a balk.  After two Galion errors and a couple more wild pitches, Ben Blubaugh, the Colts leading hitter on the season, plated the final run with an RBI single.

          Clear Fork (4-4,2-1) plays at Galion (6-3,3-2) on Wednesday in the rematch.           Staab hopes they can gain some needed confidence from the Tuesday’s win.  “Hopefully, one thing it does is it gives us confidence and it gives us a little energy to want to come out and play together as a team and win as a team.  Anything we want to accomplish this year is going to be by a join in by everybody we have in the dugout and everybody we have on the team.  I thought they did a great job (on Tuesday) and hopefully the next step is going forward,” said Staab.

Published 4/14/21

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Clear Fork Smothers Galion

          Clear Fork shot just 33 percent from the field and got the free throw line only five times, but they beat Galion for the second time this season (46-34) Saturday afternoon in a Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference game at Les Hauenstein Gym.

          Carter Keinath’s three-point basket gave the Tigers a (3-2) lead with 5:39 to play in the first quarter, but Jared Scott’s three on the next Clear Fork possession regained the lead for the Colts (5-3) and they never trailed again.

          Clear Fork (5-8,3-5) held the Tigers scoreless for the rest of the quarter, leading (12-3) after one. 

          In scoring the first five points of the second quarter, Galion cut its deficit to four (12-8) after another Keinath three with 5:25 to play in the half.  However, Clear Fork would outscore them (6-3) in final five and half minutes to lead (18-11) at the break.

          A Scott goal with :50 left in the third quarter gave Clear Fork a 13-point lead (33-20) after three quarters.

          Galion would not go away as they cut it to seven (35-28) with 5:51 to play on a Andy Sparks field goal.  Clear Fork built it back up to a 10-point advantage (38-28) on a Brady Tedrow three at the 4:59 mark.

          “I think they cut it to maybe seven.  We hit a big three that pushed it back up to 10.  So, we hit the shots when we needed to.  Did we shoot it as well as we could?  No, but I give them a lot of credit.  They are a gritty team, they just keep coming at you at both ends of the floor.  (Saturday) 17 of 51 was just good enough,” said Clear Fork coach Steven Bechtel.

          Galion (0-10,0-7) has not scored more than 35 points in a game since their first game of the season.

          Coach Bobby Gossom says they have been ineffective on the offensive end all year.  He says they can not put a run together it seems.  “We tell the kids all of the time that basketball in a game of runs and you have to stop theirs short and get on one of your own.  We do one of the other.  We either don’t stop their run or we don’t go on one of our own.  That is kind of what we have been doing all year.  We haven’t gotten any rhythm or flow in the game,” he told Swankonsports.com after the game, “Starting and stopping and having some kids out with injuries makes it tough, but everybody is in the same situation, so we tell them all of the time we can’t use that as an excuse.”

          Galion was playing just its second game since December 29, they lost (51-31) to Marion Harding in a conference game on Thursday night.

          They did not get many second chance opportunities as the Colts dominated the glass.  “That is one thing they we said, we wanted to get to the glass in what ever they were playing.  I thought Ben Blubaugh did a great job of really stepping up,” said Bechtel.

          Blubaugh has two stick backs in the first quarter for Clear Fork as the Colts took control of the game.

          Tedrow and Scott combined to score 31 of the Colts 46 points on the night, Tedrow had 16 and Scott added 15.

          Clear Fork was the more physical team and Bechtel says that was a goal and they need to see more of that.  “They have been off for a while.  This is only their second game back.  It’s like starting the year all over for them.  I thought we were a little more aggressive at the beginning.  That’s what we wanted to do, come out and attack a little more and be more aggressive.  Whether it is Galion, whether it is Willard or Madison, same thing we have to look to be a little more aggressive offensively,” said Bechtel.

          The Colts host Willard (10-5) on Friday and Madison (0-9) on Saturday in non-conference games. 

          Galion had no one in double figures and only once scored more than 10 in a quarter, they had 14 in the final stanza.  Keinath was their leading scorer with eight.

          Gossom says they are not very confident on the offensive end.  He says they aren’t very aggressive with the ball.  “That has kind of been our issue this year is we are not real aggressive on the offensive end and we struggle putting the ball in the hoop and it’s hurting us.  At times when we do play well defensively and we come down and we don’t get anything out of it on the other end,” said Gossom.

          Galion returns to action on Tuesday night when they host Pleasant (4-9,1-5) in a “MOAC” contest.

Published 1/23/21

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Galion Looks for a Win at Lucas

          Galion plays a non-conference game at Lucas on Tuesday night.

          This was supposed to be the last meeting between Galion coach Bobby Gossom and his son Riley Gossom, a senior at Lucas, but Riley was involved in a serious auto accident this fall and its out for the season with a broken leg.

          Riley would have been one of the better basketball players in the area this year.

          Coach Gossom says a number of factors have helped to contribute to Galion’s slow start to the season, including COVID-19.  “It has really effected everybody, but for us it has kind of hit us hard.  I was out at the beginning of the year with my son being in a car accident and I was back two days and the entire JV and varsity team got quarantined.  So, I no sooner get back after being out a week and a half, two weeks with my son and everybody gets shut down for two weeks,” he told Swankonsports.com on Monday night, “We kind of get everybody back and we get hit with the injury bug.  We have three starters roll an ankle and they have been out seven, ten days.  We just found out (Monday) that another kid is out.  He doesn’t have COVID, but is exposed, so we are kind of going back through the cycle again.”

          When you have time like that off, you can’t be in basketball shape.  Gossom says there is no replacement for basketball practice.  “We have guys coming out of football and everybody thinks they are going to be in shape, but basketball shape and football shape are two different things.  Then when you factor in that they have been out two weeks, I don’t care what kid it is, what school district, they aren’t going to do much for two weeks, they are not going to get out and stay in shape, and run, they may do a little bit.  There is no way they can possibly simulate what they can do in a basketball practice,” he said.

          Galion (0-4), coming off a (46-34) loss to Clear Fork in a Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference game on Saturday afternoon, travels to Lucas (0-1), who lost its opener to Crestline (52-42) in Mid-Buckeye Conference action on Friday night.

          Gossom says both teams are trying to find themselves, but they are both going to give it all they have.  “With my son being out, they are kind of in the same boat that we are a little bit.  They are having trouble putting the ball in the hoop.  The one thing they do though is they play hard and they press and they are going to get after it.  Even though they are young, their young kids are going to play hard.  So, we have to be able to handle their pressure and take care of the basketball.  This last game against Clear Fork we finally didn’t let people push us around and played a little tougher ourselves.  So, I’m hoping it will be a good game (Tuesday).  I think it is two teams that are playing a lot of kids with very little varsity experience, but I think we are both going to play hard,” said Gossom.

Published 12/15/20

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Galion Has to be More Fundamental

          Galion returns to regular season football this week as they play at Lexington in a non-conference game on Friday night.

          Last Saturday, they trailed only (12-9) at halftime, but lost (34-9) to unbeaten Bellevue in the second round game in the division IV playoffs.

          Coach Matt Dick says mistakes derailed them.  “You have to give them credit.  They came out and played a way better second half.  We came out and really struggled with the center-quarterback exchange and it really hurt the whole momentum of the game.  They got a blocked punt and boom it was over just like that,” said Dick.

          Lexington (1-7) on the other hand had a (24-0) lead over Clear Fork at the half only to lose (29-27) when the Colts scored with one second to play to win the regular season game.

          Dick says the Minutemen have some weapons.  “They look explosive at times.  They have a lot of speed.  They look a little young up front, very similar to us.  That Clear Fork game could have gone either way, it was a coin flip,” he said.

          When it comes to Friday night, Dick says they have to clean up their mistakes and be the more physical team.  “Number one, we have to get the snap taken care of.  We are doing some stuff there trying to build some depth on the O-line.  It has been something we have been working on all year long,” he told Swankonsports.com on Tuesday, “After we take care that, play well on special teams, make sure we don’t give up and touchdowns on special teams.  Then be the more physical team.  I think that is something we can do.  We just have to make sure we have that right mindset come Friday.”

Published 10/21/20

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Galion Plays Number One Seed Bellevue

          After a blow out win in week one of the playoffs, things get quite a bit tougher for the Galion Tigers this week travel to Bellevue to play the top seed in the region in a second round game in division IV on Saturday night.

          Last week, they scored 27 points in the first quarter and went on to pound Lutheran West (55-7) in the first round.

          Coach Matt Dick says they were able to take advantage of the blitzes.  “Yeah, it worked out on the positive side.  Their pressure definitely took up the fight, but we executed well and put up some big points,” he said.

          Bellevue (6-0), #1 in the Swankonsports.com football coaches poll in the large school division, is the outright champion of the very good Lake Division of the Sandusky Bay Conference.

          Dick says they are just very sound and don’t make a lot of mistakes.  “They are just really, really solid in all facets of the game.  They are just tough and nasty, they want to hit you.  Their quarterback is running behind a big fullback and running downhill.  On defense, they make you earn every yard.  They are definitely a tough, fundamental football team.  Basically, they make you beat yourself,” he told Swankonsports.com on Monday, “They are going to allow you to dink and dunk them.  They are going to prevent you from going over the top for the most part and they are going to make you earn everything.  Every game they have had this year has been a seven or 14 point win, so come the fourth quarter they find a way to get it done.”

          Bellevue quarterback Keegan Ray is leading rusher in the Lake Division this year.  He has rushed for 10 TD’s and thrown another seven.  Dick says he is physical and so is the rest of the team.  “The fullback in front of him plays linebacker as well and is a big, nasty kid, you have a 200 pound blocker right there who enjoys hitting you.  Our defense is going to have to match that physicality on the offensive side of the ball.  Their D-line has physical, athletic ends and we are going to have to match that.  If we get beat up at the line of scrimmage it is going to be a rough night on offense and defense.  That’s where the whole game plan starts,” said Dick.

          Bellevue likes to shorten the game by eating up the clock.  Dick says they would like to get some early scores and get the Redmen out of their game plan.  “If you watch their games there are lots of punts on both sides of the ball and then it seems like in the fourth quarter they make some kind of a long drive to win the game, that’s their recipe.  So, if you can score some points, which is a lot easier said than done.  They don’t score that many points,” he said.

Published 10/13/20

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Galion Must Handle the Blitz

          Galion has a division IV first round playoff game on Saturday night at home against Lutheran West.

          They are coming off one of their better performances of the season in beating Lucas (24-13) last Friday, according to coach Matt Dick.  “Yeah, we played well.  We got a couple of guys back and our offense started to mature a little bit, which was good to see,” he said.

          Hanif Donaldson was a big difference maker last week.  He leads the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference in receiving yards and Dick says getting some guys back was a big plus.  “Having some guys out and having some young guys in there held us back at times, but we are starting click now.  We are looking to play our best football the next couple of weeks,” said Dick.

          Lutheran West (2-4) lost last week (28-23) to Western Reserve Academy.

          Dick says this a team with some athletes on offense and an unorthodox approach on defense.  “Offensively, they have a really good running back.  He breaks a lot of tackles, runs for a lot of yards.  They haven’t scored a lot of points, but if you watch the film this kid probably runs for 10 touchdowns in three games, but about five of them are called back.  He is a special kid, we are going to have to tackle him, gang tackle him, that is going to be important on defense,” he told Swankonsports.com on Thursday, “Offensive for us, they put so much pressure on the quarterback.  They love to play man to man defense and put a lot of pressure on the quarterback.  If you can run the ball it leads to long runs and leads to long passes, but if you don’t do that well it leads to sacks and interceptions.  The defense definitely tries to put you in bad situations, but if you can handle the pressure good things can happen.”

          With all of that pressure, Dick feels a real key will be their ability to run the football.  “Their defense puts way more pressure on an offensive line than anybody maybe I have ever played.  They are all about bringing seven, eight, nine guys and you don’t see that done a lot.  “A” they are playing man to man and “B” they are leaving someone wide open.  There are not many high school teams that play one on two.  They really, really pressure you.  I don’t think I have ever seen anything like that.  Offensively, they are like a Marion Harding, especially since they have had some good backs the last couple of years.  They are similar to that,” said Dick.

Published 10/09/20

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Galion Must Play Well Early

          Galion is he next Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference team to take a crack at the Lucas Cubs as they host them on Friday night.

          The Tigers (2-3) played well the first three weeks, but some internal problems help lead to losses to Shelby (42-6) and Ontario (28-0) over the last two weeks.

          Coach Matt Dick says they have to sort of reshuffle the deck and try to come out with a good hand going into this week.  “We are getting some guys back off suspension and I think that helps.  When we start mixing them in, how can we take what we were doing well maybe before the suspensions and take what were doing well during the suspensions and mix those together and come out the other side a little better team.  That’s the goal.  We have two guaranteed weeks, I guess with Pleasant it is three, to really try and reach our potential.  That’s the goal to keep growing.  Our kids are bought in and they are working hard and hopefully this Friday we will play the best football game we have played all year,” said Dick.

          Lucas (4-1), #3 in the Swankonsports.com football coaches poll in the small school division, lost for the first time all year when Shelby spurted in the third quarter and beat the Cubs (37-7) last week.

          Of course, they run that double wing, double tight offense, and Dick says you can not let them get a lead on you or they become very hard to beat.  “Our defense has played really, really well all year long, but it is really hard to simulate this type of offense, but I have played it before.  I think we played them at Fredericktown when they had two 1,000 yard backs.  The bottom line is in my experience with it the first two series are just eye opening.  You just can’t believe how low they play and nasty they play and then after about two series you calm down and realize it is still football, you still have to tackle the running back and get off blocks, that type of stuff,” he told Swankosports.com on Tuesday afternoon, “Also, I think it is important that they offense does something early because if they get rolling, let’s say up 14 points, it’s over.  Their offense is perfect for that.  The flip side, if you can hit some passes over the top or score some points in some fashion and they are down 14, it becomes a totally different ballgame.  So, having a fast start is important again this week.”

          Dick says you must attack the ball carrier because their backs have the ability to either pound or squirt through the mass of humanity at the point of attack.  “Their kids are good at slipping through those little cracks.  They have had a lot experience with it and a lot of games doing it, so there is a complete buy in there.  So, it is definitely a tall challenge.  Like I said, our defense has played well all year and hopefully they rise to the challenge,” he said.

Published 9/30/20

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Galion Has to Start Fast

          Galion has to respond this week after a pounding from Shelby last Friday as they host the Ontario Warriors in a Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference game on Friday night.

          Last week, they gave up a couple of scores early and were throttled by first place Shelby (42-6) in a conference game.

          Coach Matt Dick says got behind too much early.  “You have to give them credit.  They made a heck of a catch in the end zone with his feet tip toeing the line.  Then they come out and do a double bounce on side kick over our heads that I’ll be honest was basically a perfect kick.  You have to give their kicker a lot of credit.  It was a great start for them.  We needed a little momentum, we had some kids out, and we trying to start with some momentum and it just didn’t happen,” said Dick.

          There were four starters that didn’t see action last week.

          Dick says they are searching this week.  “Find a little flicker of hope hopefully, so that’s our focus and we will find something that works this week,” he said.

          It was Ontario’s best effort of the season last week, especially the second half, when they hammered Clear Fork (41-14) in an “MOAC” game.

          Dick says the Ontario offense is much improved from last year.  “Ontario is much improved.  They have some basketball players out that are really, really good athletes.  Thy have a nice running back and a nice quarterback.  They really do some scary stuff offensively.  Ontario has played good defense for about as long as I have been at Galion,” he told Swankonsports.com on Monday evening, “I have always felt their defense battles hard.  Their coach does a good job of putting guys in the right positions.  I have always felt like score a couple of touchdowns and get some momentum going and that is how you beat Ontario.  Now, they have an explosive offense to match their defense.  They are definitely a very good team this year.”

          On Friday night, Dick says they have a good start, much better than last week.  “We can’t play the momentum game.  If we are going to give up some touchdowns and have some special teams breakdowns then we are going to get beat really, really bad.  We have to start fast, that’s important.  Offense, defense and even special teams have to start fast.  If we can weather that initial storm and relax and play come good Galion football, I think some of those young guys that are out there can calm down and have a chance to grow up.  If we are in the game in the fourth quarter, we’ll see who the best team is.  The key is starting fast,” said Dick.

Published 9/22/20

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Galion Can Move into First Place

          Galion is one of four teams to trail the Shelby Whippets by a game in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference standings, but the only one that controls its own destiny as far moving into a share of the lead.

          That’s because they host Shelby on Friday night.

          Last week, their railed from 10 down in the fourth quarter to beat Clear Fork (20-17) in double overtime on a field goal by Dominic Pittman.

          Coach Matt Dick says the found a way to get it done.  “I give them credit for fighting for the whole game.  Clear Fork had a good game plan that was hard to stop at times.  Offensively, we had no rhythm all night.  Some of that was our doing, some of that was their doing.  We found a way to win,” said Dick.

          Shelby (3-0,3-0) beat Marion Harding (49-17) last week in a conference game.

          Dick says they can score from anywhere, but their defense has also given up some plays.  “They have a nice balanced offense.  They may be a little bit better this year on offense than they were last year.  Defense maybe took a step back.  They are still solid on both sides of the ball and they are a big challenge for us,” he said.

          Shelby has never allowed more than four scores in a game, but they have also never kept an opponent to less than two.

          Dick says they can score, but they are going to have too.  “There are definitely some schemes, some formations, some plays, that other teams have used that have moved the ball up the field.  When it counts their defense has come through for them and their offense is explosive,” he told Swankonsports.com on Tuesday, “They have a lot of good receivers and running backs that just make big time plays.  So, it’s definitely a tough challenge, but the key is stay in the game until the fourth an find a way to win.”

          The first time Shelby and Galion High Schools played football one of biggest difficulties for fans might have been to avoid the horse manure because there weren’t cars it was 1894.

          Dick says it is a good rivalry that people like to talk about wherever they gather.  “I love hearing old time Galion people talk about Shelby and old time Shelby people talk about Galion.  There seems to be a ton of respect.  It’s a real nice rivalry.  Both communities get up for this game,” he said.

Published 9/16/20

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