Off to the Lodi-Tokay Game

[SuperHornet]

This is our rivalry game, though it's NOTHING like it was back in my day. While it's still important, the modern students don't value it as much since the league split about ten years or so ago.

The big news about this game is that Tokay's kicker is a girl. She's a senior who won the job in open battle during fall camp. After a blocked FG and a missed PAT in Week 1, she has been perfect since, even tying the school record for most PATs in one game. Yes, smelly ol' Tokay has a potent offense, though I'm unsure just what they run.

I'm scared to death that they're going to use the excuse of the rivalry game to find a way to get her a touchdown. We'll see. Even without that though, my Flames are likely to get spanked. Tokay is 3-0, and Lodi is 0-3, and the games haven't been close. We lost to regional power Buhach Colony last week something like 57-0. This game isn't going to be pretty, and it will be even worse if THIS is the week they decide to get the girl a touchdown....

[dbackjon]

Did you paint your face?

[93henfan]

blocked FG and a missed PAT in Week 1

Wow, that's fucking stellar. Hopefully she gave the QB head to make up for it.

[SuperHornet]

Usually, a blocked placement can be traced to a screw-up by the O-Line, 93. Sheesh!

Anyways, the game turned out to be a tale of two halves. Lodi got on the board first due to three unexpected Tokay fumbles and led at the half 13-7. Unfortunately, the Tigers quit having the dropsies after the break, and the Flames' clear inability to move the ball (except on the two scoring drives) was telling. The biggest factors in Tokay's win, however, were a blatant mismatch along the lines and Lodi's inability to play assignment football in defending Tokay's explosive option attack from a spread set. The kicking game was an important secondary factor as Tokay was perfect in all phases of the game (including the girl kicker's 5-for-5 on PATs), while Lodi blew an early chip shot FG, a PAT, and had a punt blocked that set up an easy 1-play post-route TD from 20 yards out.

While the talent mismatch was apparent, the scheduling mentality was clear, too. Tokay has run up the score on patsies all season long in opening 5-0 (they somehow got to start in Week 0), while Lodi has been playing the best teams in the section, opening 0-4. Last week was a 57-0 shellacking at the hands of powerhouse Buhach Colony. I think the idea is that we want to be tested before league starts. As I've mentioned before here, I don't mind one or two "up" games, but making the ENTIRE non-league schedule bodybag games essentially schedules oneself out of the playoffs, and NOBODY wants to see that. I think Weber has experienced that recently. It's a shame to see it at the HS level, particularly at one's own alma mater, and at a time when great talent has left due to graduation, leaving not very much. That was seen in the play of our QB, which did not impress me in the least. I may be thinking too "adult" here, but I did not like his penchant for handing off and just standing there instead of carrying out a fake, and I REALLY did not like walking to the line with no thought of a hurry-up offense at six minutes left and down three TDs. Anyone hear about miracle comebacks? Not going to happen walking to the line. THEN the fool tried to be a hero at the two minute mark by diving for the goal line, only to lose the ball. I am NOT a happy camper....

[kalm]

Lodi are the Flames too?

[dbackjon]

Lodi are the Flames too?

[Ibanez]

I'm so excited. I'm so excited. I'm so…scared.

[SuperHornet]

Lodi are the Flames too?

Yes, kalm. Only we dispense with Liberty's blue. We are red and white. Tokay is purple and gold.

[SuperHornet]

The article in our local fishwrap.

http://www.lodinews.com/sports/article_ ... 1a7dc.html

Tokay running away from us with the spread option:

[93henfan]

Wow. Bunch of honkies.

[SuperHornet]

Not really, 93. Our teams reflect the local population, which means a generous proportion of Latinos and a few African-Americans. Occasionally, an Asian comes out for football, but that's more common at the Stockton schools in our leagues.

[93henfan]

Not really, 93. Our teams reflect the local population, which means a generous proportion of Latinos and a few African-Americans. Occasionally, an Asian comes out for football, but that's more common at the Stockton schools in our leagues.

Sorry man, I was just trying to stay in my role of providing a snide remark to every one of your posts.

[Ibanez]

Not really, 93. Our teams reflect the local population, which means a generous proportion of Latinos and a few African-Americans. Occasionally, an Asian comes out for football, but that's more common at the Stockton schools in our leagues.

Asians in football? All they do is record the stats.

[SuperHornet]

Not really, 93. Our teams reflect the local population, which means a generous proportion of Latinos and a few African-Americans. Occasionally, an Asian comes out for football, but that's more common at the Stockton schools in our leagues.

Asians in football? All they do is record the stats.

Tell that to Dat Nguyen.