DON McCORMACK
Paying another visit to the variety store...
Trivia question
Ashtabula County had four high school football teams finish with at least a .500 record this season.
Geneva (8-2), Edgewood (7-3), Grand Valley (6-4) and Lakeside (5-5) all finished at the break-even mark or better this fall.
When was the last season that happened?
Answer below.
Progress made
With the 2009 high school football season nothing but a memory for the 10 area teams, let’s take one final look at how Ashtabula County’s programs fared when compared to recent history.
The current group of active programs — Conneaut, Edgewood, Geneva, Grand Valley, Jefferson and Pymatuning Valley — came to fruition when ancient rivals Ashtabula and Harbor were consolidated to form Lakeside, starting with the fall of 2001. SS. John and Paul did not field a football team this fall because of a lack of players.
For the active seven programs, the 2009 season was the best since they became this group back in 2001.
Ashtabula County teams finished 32-38 (.457). On the surface, that record is anything but spectacular.
However, when you consider that just two seasons ago the same seven programs compiled only 20 victories between them, it means progress is being made.
Well before the 2009 season kicked off, one of the county head coaches spoke to be about how he and his colleagues are attempting to change the culture of the football programs in the county.
With the progression from 20 wins two years ago to 25 in 2008 to 32 this fall, indications are their efforts are beginning to bear some fruit.
Here’s a breakdown on how the current seven active programs have fared collectively since they became a unit of sorts in the 2001 season:
n 2001 — 28-41 (.406).
n 2002 — 29-42 (.409).
n 2003 — 26-44 (.371).
n 2004 — 29-41 (.414).
n 2005 — 29-41 (.414).
n 2006 — 25-45 (.357).
n 2007 — 20-50 (.286).
n 2008 — 25-45 (.357).
n 2009 — 32-38 (.457).
As a reminder, lest anyone believe those 32 wins this season came against fellow county squads, think again — county teams squared off against each other only 12 times this season.
Meaning county teams went20-26 (.435) against teams from outside of the county this fall.
Trivia answer
It was back in the fall of 2000 the last time Ashtabula County had four football teams finish at .500 or better — Conneaut, Edgewood and Jefferson all went 6-4 and Grand Valley finished 5-5.
McCormack is the sports editor of the Star Beacon. Reach him at donmac@suite224.net.
