Buckeye Local Football - your thoughts?????????????

[Jello Man]

It's to the point now where to talk about Buckeye Local would be like the captain of the football team beating up a handicapped kid. It's just a total joke.

I mean, 7 points scored against first string defenses through four games. That's all you need to know.

[gjalways]

There's a saying: "he's an a-hole, but he's not wrong."

That applies to rookie. He's 100% correct. This is pathetic. The kids deserve better.

[Rookie]

Rookie, I am just curious if you attend all the BL games? Please answer, i am seriously just curious.

4 this year, 8 last year and 8-9 years prior

[sonofsam]

Lets discuss pathetic, coaches, negativity, team, selfish, fans, bandwagon fans, win or lose, confidence, trashing, what the boys deserve, false statements and most of all the KIDS based on last night's performance.

Epic fail - 49-0 mercy rule running clock with 10 plus minutes in the 2nd quarter. Is that what the boys deserve? Do you think they bust their butts everyday only to be embarrassed and trashed by the opponents' team, opponents’ fans, opponents’ student body and their own . . . I think not. They deserve someone that can lead them, prepare them and provide them with the best opportunity to compete (win or lose) each and every time they step on the field. Is that happening?

Come Friday, it will be 1470 days (4 yrs, 9 days) since Buckeye has beat Bellaire. Bellaire has outscored Buckeye 149-22 in last three games.
2014 lost 61-0
2013 lost 43-6
2012 lost 45-16

Stats:

2015 - (0-4) - Outscored 173-33 – All scores against 2nd and 3rd teams

Lost to MF 60-7 – mercy rule - running clock with 1 min left in the 2nd quarter
Lost to UL 26-7
Lost to Edison 34-6 – mercy rule
Lost to IC 53-13 - mercy rule - running clock with 10 min left in the 2nd quarter

Team Info: Returning Offensive Players: 11 Returning Defensive Players: 15 Returning Lettermen: 22
Coaching Staff: Current HC, assistants: Anthony Barsch, Chris Heaton, AJ Barsch, Greg Ring Dillon Stickler, and Craig Kornetti.
Current HC Record 31-6; eight assistant coaches lost in 2 years.

Mercy ruled 9 out of 13 games since the rule began in 2014
Current Buckeye 8 losing streak 6 games - beat 1-9 EL end of 2014
Prior Buckeye 8 losing streak 16 games 2012-2014
3-25 against Buckeye 8 opponents since 2013
7-39 against Buckeye 8 opponents since 2010
Last win against team with winning record 2009 – diff coach

FOLKS THE REALITY IS THERE HAS BEEN NO IMPROVEMENT AND THE KIDS ARE NOT TO BLAME. The coaches will blame the BOE, parents, negative fans, and kids, the BOE will blame the Union, ORC, and Athletic Committee, the parents will blame the coaches, BOE, etc. When when will the hemorrhaging stop for the benefit of the ones that matter - the kids?

Wow... I think he just closed this thread. No one can say any more or say it more honest.

[Wooster87]

Phil Pest is a great guy, but I think it's going to take someone young and energetic to rebuild the program. Problem is though, with the BS and politics in the district, what young coach is really going to want the job?

Pest is a great guy, and has been successful everywhere he has been as an assistant coach. He has mentored under Ron Pobolish, Mike Young, and Jim Thomas. But to your point about needing a young coach, I will take you back to 2005 when Mike Groves was stepping down due to health reasons.

Buckeye had a young, energetic DC named Jason Kernahan who was a Buckeye Local graduate (Buckeye North), and had ties to Steubenville in that he is Reno's son-in-law. He wanted the job, was being groomed by Groves to take over the reins when Groves was ready to step down. It came sooner than Groves expected, but Kernahan was ready. He had everything in place that he knew needed to be done to sustain a program. The kids LOVED him, he had all of the assistants he wanted already in place, and had the offseason program mapped out. Really a no brainer except for one thing.....there wasn't any way short of a shotgun and compromising photos that 3 of the 5 BOE members at the time we're going to vote for him. He wasn't a puppet and wasn't going to be told how to run his program and who he could have as assistants. He was matter of factly told by the puppet master that he would not be given any serious consideration for the job. He was promptly snapped up by Dave Bruney at MF, went there to teach and coach, and along the way got a $10,000 raise. After 2 or 3 years left for a teaching and varsity football coaching position at Steubenville and remains there today.

Also interviewed at that time was a young energetic coach who was at Edison named Steve Daley. He had been a successful HC at St Johns, and had what he knew he needed in place staff wise, had a strong offseason program and if Kernahan wasn't going to get the job, it was again a no brainer to hire Daley. Fact is, on the Friday prior to the Monday BOE meeting, Daley was contacted by the BL Superintendant and was told to be at the BOE meeting on Monday because he was being named the new head football coach. That same Superintendant then had to call him on Sunday and tell him that he wasn't going to be hired as HC, but that "they" wanted him to stay on as the DC, and be the "head coach in waiting" because "they" (2 specific BOE members) were bringing back a coach that was there before, he was only going to stay 4 years or so, and that several assistants at the time were quitting (which was due to Kernahan not being considered). Daley was at Buckeye for 1 season and left because he was a DC who was not allowed to run the defense he wanted and was really just a figure head. He is went back to SCC, and is now the HC.

It was then that the second stint for Ron Pobolish began at BL. To clarify a lot of misinformation and out and out untruths, Coach Pob and I never had a falling out, remained friends, and remain friends to this day. He supported my move to WL, was a positive reference, and we spoke frequently while he was at Buckeye about how things were going at WL. He explained in DETAIL to me how and why things transpired they way they did, and why "they" had to have "their" way. We can now put that to rest. Had he remained at BL to coach, I would have voted to renew him, and he knew that. PERIOD.

So, the current situation was actually set in motion 11 years ago prior to the 2005 season. Not one, but two young energetic coaches with detailed, proven methods to run a successful program were passed over. One being told that he would NEVER be the HC at Buckeye, one being told that he was the "head coach in waiting" and then not allowed to make any decisions as the DC. Both have went on to be successful and will continue to be successful. Instead, "they" brought back a former highly successful HC at Buckeye who "they" stated would never be hired back at BL as long as "they" around.

The chance for a "young energetic coach" was there not once but twice, and were disregarded. There aren't any kids walking the hallways not playing football that would make a difference on the team. No one can name one player who has left Buckeye and is now playing on another varsity squad anywhere in the OVAC. JUST HASNT HAPPENED.

[Rookie]

Pest is a great guy, and has been successful everywhere he has been as an assistant coach. He has mentored under Ron Pobolish, Mike Young, and Jim Thomas. But to your point about needing a young coach, I will take you back to 2005 when Mike Groves was stepping down due to health reasons.

Buckeye had a young, energetic DC named Jason Kernahan who was a Buckeye Local graduate (Buckeye North), and had ties to Steubenville in that he is Reno's son-in-law. He wanted the job, was being groomed by Groves to take over the reins when Groves was ready to step down. It came sooner than Groves expected, but Kernahan was ready. He had everything in place that he knew needed to be done to sustain a program. The kids LOVED him, he had all of the assistants he wanted already in place, and had the offseason program mapped out. Really a no brainer except for one thing.....there wasn't any way short of a shotgun and compromising photos that 3 of the 5 BOE members at the time we're going to vote for him. He wasn't a puppet and wasn't going to be told how to run his program and who he could have as assistants. He was matter of factly told by the puppet master that he would not be given any serious consideration for the job. He was promptly snapped up by Dave Bruney at MF, went there to teach and coach, and along the way got a $10,000 raise. After 2 or 3 years left for a teaching and varsity football coaching position at Steubenville and remains there today.

Also interviewed at that time was a young energetic coach who was at Edison named Steve Daley. He had been a successful HC at St Johns, and had what he knew he needed in place staff wise, had a strong offseason program and if Kernahan wasn't going to get the job, it was again a no brainer to hire Daley. Fact is, on the Friday prior to the Monday BOE meeting, Daley was contacted by the BL Superintendant and was told to be at the BOE meeting on Monday because he was being named the new head football coach. That same Superintendant then had to call him on Sunday and tell him that he wasn't going to be hired as HC, but that "they" wanted him to stay on as the DC, and be the "head coach in waiting" because "they" (2 specific BOE members) were bringing back a coach that was there before, he was only going to stay 4 years or so, and that several assistants at the time were quitting (which was due to Kernahan not being considered). Daley was at Buckeye for 1 season and left because he was a DC who was not allowed to run the defense he wanted and was really just a figure head. He is went back to SCC, and is now the HC.

It was then that the second stint for Ron Pobolish began at BL. To clarify a lot of misinformation and out and out untruths, Coach Pob and I never had a falling out, remained friends, and remain friends to this day. He supported my move to WL, was a positive reference, and we spoke frequently while he was at Buckeye about how things were going at WL. He explained in DETAIL to me how and why things transpired they way they did, and why "they" had to have "their" way. We can now put that to rest. Had he remained at BL to coach, I would have voted to renew him, and he knew that. PERIOD.

So, the current situation was actually set in motion 11 years ago prior to the 2005 season. Not one, but two young energetic coaches with detailed, proven methods to run a successful program were passed over. One being told that he would NEVER be the HC at Buckeye, one being told that he was the "head coach in waiting" and then not allowed to make any decisions as the DC. Both have went on to be successful and will continue to be successful. Instead, "they" brought back a former highly successful HC at Buckeye who "they" stated would never be hired back at BL as long as "they" around.

The chance for a "young energetic coach" was there not once but twice, and were disregarded. There aren't any kids walking the hallways not playing football that would make a difference on the team. No one can name one player who has left Buckeye and is now playing on another varsity squad anywhere in the OVAC. JUST HASNT HAPPENED.

Named a bunch of great guys . . . It's not working what don't you get fool? You are wrong and will never own up to it.

[Wooster87]

You are entitled to your opinion. If you want to blame 1 person for something that has been a decade in the making, that is your choice. No problem, I'm not mad at you, just disappointed. It remains a fact that no one can name even 1 kid walking the halls that would make a difference or even 1 kid who transferred somewhere else who is playing varsity football. They don't exist, yet continued posts about "kids not playing" or "kids transferring out".
Coaches are the easy and convenient target. Has Pest done everything perfectly? No, and really no one ever does. Easy to Monday morning quarterback when it isn't your name on the line. Pest, despite everything and all the negativity, still remains for the kids. Why else would he continue to endure this abuse if he didn't care about the kids? Things will not change for the better at Buckeye until whoever is the HC there is given the ability to run his program without the outside interference and restraints by Administration and "other influences" that other HC's don't have to deal with anywhere else.

[ichs92]

It remains a fact that no one can name even 1 kid walking the halls that would make a difference or even 1 kid who transferred somewhere else who is playing varsity football. They don't exist, yet continued posts about "kids not playing" or "kids transferring out".

I believe Harrison Central has benefited from kids leaving Buckeye Local. I believe the Howes boys that started for them were from Buckeye Local. Also good wrestlers. I remember watching them growing up. Also I believe Buckeye Locals 2 best freshmen transferered to Harrison Crntral. The one boy is the Bailey kid who is getting playing time for Harrison this year as a freshmen. He's also a good wrestler.

[norbit]

I believe Harrison Central has benefited from kids leaving Buckeye Local. I believe the Howes boys that started for them were from Buckeye Local. Also good wrestlers. I remember watching them growing up. Also I believe Buckeye Locals 2 best freshmen transferered to Harrison Crntral. The one boy is the Bailey kid who is getting playing time for Harrison this year as a freshmen. He's also a good wrestler.

Well, there's your answer. Guess there are kids leaving and excelling elsewhere.

[Jake]

Well, there's your answer. Guess there are kids leaving and excelling elsewhere.

This is what you are going to continue to see, the better BL athletes going elsewhere. As for the Coach, any person that gives and has given years of his life to coaching and helping to build character in young men, is a good person, regardless of overall success in terms of wins and loses.

[sonofsam]

This is what you are going to continue to see, the better BL athletes going elsewhere. As for the Coach, any person that gives and has given years of his life to coaching and helping to build character in young men, is a good person, regardless of overall success in terms of wins and loses.

I wouldn't say "all" of them. I personally know someone who graduated from BL, played there, and has a son coming up through the system... He is not a "world beater" but comes from a good family and should be a good athlete... He could transfer very easily, but is staying. Some kids/families do have pride and want to follow in the footsteps. The ONLY thing that BL can hope for is that Pest is gone after this year. Heard BL's best athlete quit last week and sat with his Mom in the stands because he was told to get up after being injured. I know another kid who collapsed after a game a few weeks ago and was ignored when he was hit. Its time BL... Get rid of the trash and look for a full replacement from top to bottom.

[iwishiwasdougbutts]

I wouldn't say "all" of them. I personally know someone who graduated from BL, played there, and has a son coming up through the system... He is not a "world beater" but comes from a good family and should be a good athlete... He could transfer very easily, but is staying. Some kids/families do have pride and want to follow in the footsteps. The ONLY thing that BL can hope for is that Pest is gone after this year. Heard BL's best athlete quit last week and sat with his Mom in the stands because he was told to get up after being injured. I know another kid who collapsed after a game a few weeks ago and was ignored when he was hit. Its time BL... Get rid of the trash and look for a full replacement from top to bottom.

Sam....you get the job and I'll be a coordinator for you

[football7]

When a parent who works for this district still sends her child elsewhere for athletic reasons, it's bad. And this was a female, so can't blame the football program but rather athletics as a whole. It's unfortunate but I hope it improves soon. The 7th & 8th grade classes now aren't bad. Not great, but much better than the last few years. Now is the time to get a new coach and build a new system with 2 decent classes coming up.

[Rookie]

HERE IS WHERE IT ALL STARTED:

Wooster post 02/19/15:
"I don't know where you got that over 20 candidates applied for the football job in 2010. As someone who was there, there was a grand total of 3 applications for the job. 1 in house and 2 outside the district. One of the outside applicants didn't meet the minimum qualifications for the job. WHERE DID YOU GET "20" applicants????? That is just like the wrestling parent who asked me how we could pass on hiring Sean Doyle (was at WP at the time and now WJU head coach) as the wrestling coach when the job was open. I asked him who told him that Doyle applied, and he said he saw the list. I just laughed and told him that not only did Doyle NOT EVEN SEND IN AN APPLICATION, but that the "list" he referred to had one name on it, the ONLY name that applied. It is hilarious that peoe in BL think there are coaches climbing over each other to coach in the district.
As far as the post about the state law, it clearly states that the in house certificated employee HAS to be given first opportunity for the job, which means that they must be either voted on as to qualifications or voted on for hire.
My question regarding the complaints about the HC is this.....if he is such a bad coach, how is it he has 3 state title rings with Wheeling Central?? If you talk to any HC in the valley (to include the ones you refer to above - remember I talk to them all the time), they will tell you the same thing about Pest...quality guy, quality coach, and they would take him on any of their staffs. They consistently comment that it is a shame that he doesn't have more to work with. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to simply compare body types (height, weight, muscle mass) of our kids to those at other schools. We look like a Jr. high team compared to the other schools on the schedule. When no one shows up to the weight room to get stronger, how do you expect to compete? When parents complain to board members and administration that their kids shouldn't have to lift in the summer or after school in the off season, how do you expect to compete? Football isn't an August to November sport if you expect to compete."

Buckeye tabs Barsch as grid coach
February 9, 2010
By RICK DELUCA, T-L Sports Writer
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"Buckeye Local finally has a new football coach.
After countless interviews and weeks of debating, the Buckeye Local Board of Education hired former Panther football assistant Anthony Barsch to the head coaching position during Monday night's session before a large turnout in the high school library in Connorville.
More than 20 candidates had applied for the position, so after much debate and a 3-2 vote, Barsch was hired to replace highly-successful Ron Pobolish as the school's fifth football coach since the inaugural 1992 season.
Barsch becomes the first head football coach at Buckeye Local who was a graduate of one of the original Buckeye consolidations. He is a 1985 graduate of Buckeye West High School where he was a starter at defensive tackle. Pobolish was a Dillonvale High grad.
After graduating from West, Barsch went on to a very successful grid career at Bethany College. He was a four-year starter at offensive tackle for the Bison, graduating in 1989.
No longer a player, Barsch graduated from Bethany and received his first coaching opportunity at Berea, Kentucky Community School. Incidentally, that was the same school where former Barnesville High standout and Division I coach Larry Marmie got his start.
Coming to Berea, Barsch had to build a program that had dwindled in the previous years to the point that Barsch coached in his first year with just 16 players.
"I had to practically go knock on doors those first few years just to get players out," Barsch said looking back. "It was a major rebuilding project."
Barsch coached for nine years in Berea. His last two teams qualified for the Kentucky state playoffs.
Upon leaving Berea, Barsch returned to the Ohio Valley where he worked with the OSU Extension office as an extension agent. From 1998 to 2000, he served as a agent in 4-H Youth Development.
"(Former Buckeye Local coach) Mike Groves gave me my first break in coaching when he ask me to join his staff here at Buckeye," Barsch pointed out. "I'm really appreciative of Mike for giving me my first opportunity to coach here."
Barsch joined the coaching staff and the Buckeye Local teaching staff in 2001. He taught his first year at the Buckeye North Middle School before moving to the high school where he currently teaches. Barsch has been a mainstay on the grid staff at Buckeye Local under coaches Groves and Pobolish, being a part of three playoff teams.
"I'm really happy that this process is finally over and I can get started with putting things together here," the new coach said. "The first thing I will be doing is meeting with the players and assembling my staff."
"I will start getting the boys together, get them started in the weight room and start laying out plans for next season."
Barsch mentioned that he plans to retain some of the Panther staff from a year ago and bring in a couple new faces to the coaching staff.
"It was certainly worth the wait," he added. "And it was great having the support of the superintendent and the staff. We have some really great kids here with some really great parents."
"I'm looking forward to keeping our program going in the right direction," he said. "I'm ready to move forward. It's early February and it's time get some plans in action. We will be fine."
Barsch lives in Mt. Pleasant with his wife Lisa and three sons, AJ, Logan and Mathew."

Pest tabbed as Buckeye grid coach
January 12, 2012
By RICK DeLUCA - Times Leader Sports Writer , Times Leader
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"When head coach Anthony Barsch decided to step aside as Buckeye Local's head football coach just after the holidays, the school board and administrators were fearing a long interviewing and hiring process.
It's amazing how easy the process becomes when the best candidate to fill those shoes is right in your building.
Buckeye Local's Board of Education took just one week to find a replacement for Barsch and by unanimous vote hired veteran coach Phil Pest as the Panthers' new head football coach.
Pest becomes the sixth head football coach at Buckeye Local, but he certainly be no stranger to the program or the school.
"This was the best case scenario for us," a relieved Board President Chuck Haggerty said after the meeting. "We were able to post the job in house as required by the state and were able to find a very good replacement, hire him and complete the process in a week."
"It's great that we were able to find someone that has been a part of the program for a long time and worked with Coach Barsch the last two years," Haggerty added. "It will be a very smooth transition for our kids."
Pest is a Wheeling Central graduate who then went on to play at Bethany College. A 1977 Bethany grad, Pest played on a Bison team that captured a conference championship in 1975. He was selected all-conference two years at Bethany.
"I first taught in Ohio County when I left Bethany and taught at Bridge Street for 11 years," Pest said looking back on his start. "I was coaching junior high football there until Jim Thomas asked me to join his staff when he took the job at Wheeling Park."
Pest coached with Thomas at Wheeling Park until he returned to Bridge Street. His first taste of Buckeye Local football came in 1988 when he joined Ron Pobolish's staff at Buckeye SouthWest. In 1990, he started teaching at Buckeye Local and stayed within the Buckeye School District as a teacher.
With the Buckeye Local consolidation, Pest remained on Pobolish's staff and was an integral part of a very successful stretch of Panther teams. One of those teams was the 1994 squad that won 13 straight and advanced to the Ohio State finals in Massillon.
Pest coached at Buckeye Local until 1996. When Pobolish left coaching, Pest coached at St. Clairsville with then-head coach Mike Young for one season.
He took a two-year break from coaching before joining Thomas, but this time at Wheeling Central. During his time at Central, the Maroon Knights won numerous titles.
He returned to Buckeye Local in 2006 and has remained on the staff since.
"I was a little surprised when Anthony decided not to re-apply for the job this year," Pest said. "As for taking the job, well, I'm not getting any younger, but it was an easy move for me."
"I think it will be easy on our kids as well," he pointed out. "They won't have to get acquainted with another coach. The transition will be easy for them."
"I'm really looking forward to it. We have a good bunch of seniors coming back next year, and we have good skilled players coming back," he pointed out.
"I think we will be competitive, but of course, we would like to get our numbers up".
Pest started out as an offensive line coach and special teams coach with Pobolish then became the defensive coordinator. He filled the spot as the assistant head coach when Pobolish returned to Buckeye in 2006 and continued in the same role with Barsch.
During the 2010 season, Pest filled in for Barsch over the last three games of the season, when Barsch was sideline with health issues.
"I'm really looking forward to it," Pest added. "I've been coaching for over 20 years and look forward to the opportunity."

END OF STORY!

[WILTS42]

Rookie ,

Are you a former player, coach, or graduate from Buckeye? You post all these news stories and information about the last 10 years, you might of been reading these stories through the years however, I lived it. Wooster is right on target about Jason, kids loved him! They also loved the cookouts in the back of the shop. Those were the days!