Weir, Creek set to battle
Redskins, Red Riders look to bounce back from first losses
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WINTERSVILLE -- Indian Creek and Weir High both enter Friday's meeting at Kettlewell Stadium coming off of tough first losses of the season last week. Those losses, however, came in very different ways.
The Redskins went to Union Local in an early season battle of unbeatens, fell behind, battled through delays and rallied to within a point late.
They went for two to take the lead, but did not convert and dropped a tough 27-26 nail-biter to the Jets to fall to 2-1.
"The kids are playing hard," veteran Creek head coach Andrew Connor said. "That was the thing we wanted to do first and foremost this season was play with more enthusiasm and aggression and I think we've done that.
"I was proud of our kids (Friday), we fell behind at Union Local and through all the reasons we could have gave up and not gotten back in that football game, our kids showed mental toughness and believed in themselves.
"I feel like the kids are really pushing themselves and working hard. Obviously we want to win the football game, and that didn't happen, but that doesn't take away from the effort of our kids."
Weir High, on the flip side, had just about everything that could go wrong go wrong early and often in a 50-0 defeat at home to Toronto. It was a game delayed for more than hour by the weather. The Red Riders are 1-1 having defeated Oak Glen in the opener.
"The process (of bouncing back) started Saturday morning when we had the kids come in and watch film," Red Riders coach Frank Sisinni said. "We went through our standard week ... we're back to business and working on the things we need to correct."
Connor knows despite the loss to Toronto, who are 3-0 and ranked No. 9 in the Ohio Associated Press Division VI High School Football poll, the Red Riders have plenty of ability and will be extra motivated to bounce back.
"They're well-coached and their kids play hard," he said. "The Weir High game has always been a a physical game and has been a hard-fought game over the years. It's a great rivalry. I would expect that same kind of thing again. We know we're going to get their best and we're going to do our best to give them our best.
"All teams have games where things don't go the way you want, but that doesn't take away from the fact they're well-coached and they play hard. They have some good athletes and can make plays, we saw that when they played Oak Glen, which is a very improved team. They have a really good quarterback in (Lucas) McAllister and good running backs. They're an opportunistic defense that can create turnovers. They provide a lot of challenges.
"Any times these teams play, it takes your best to win the game."
Likewise, going against a long-tenured coach like Connor and a staple on the schedule, Sisinni knows his Red Riders are in a challenge from the much-improved Redskins.
"I know they have a veteran line and experience back," Sisinni said. "They're a team that's been improving for a couple years. Them being 2-1 and losing to a team like UL by a point shows you how talented they are and that they are battle tested with a few games under their belt. It's homecoming for them so they're going to be excited. When you play a veteran team like this you know it's going to be a tall task.
"The constant with Indian Creek football is their identity. You've seen that this year with the way they run the ball. They're a team that is going to come right at you with their experienced line and running backs. That has been the staple of Indian Creek for a lot of years, and you know when you play them you have to be prepared for a battle in the trenches."
Those challenges start first and foremost with trying to slow down Creek running back Zion McGee, who is averaging 120 yards and two rushing touchdowns per game so far with a seventh TD receiving.
"I don't think you can slow him down too much, he's proven by now he's going to do what he does," Sisinni said of McGee. "You have to try and contain him the best you can. We have to limit his big runs and do a better job of tackling this week. We've been working on that in practice all week."
The opening kick is set for 7 p.m. in Wintersville.