Will weather be a factor Saturday????
- Thread starter LakeCtyNewt
- Start date
Try getting the ball to them through snow and wind, plus you then have to catch the wet cold football. Not impossible but very difficult.
I understand a possible slick field. But a howling wind has a huge effect on outdoor contests. Especially when that thing is coming out of the North on a field running North and South.
Expected weather should favor the team with a better kicking game to create the proverbial "longer field." Also, offensive attacks based on a lot of E/W movement and/or more risky exchanges of the football (longer passing, riding meshes, pitches, etc.) historically have suffered some. However, it is amazing what HS teams have done in wintry weather conditions in the playoffs with teenagers.
Weather is a fact of life in the playoffs you have to find away to win regardless of conditions.
Oh man, having visions of the 2015 semis and CG trying to stop Sam Brodner in the tundra. CG's outside speed was ineffective. I'm hoping CG gets the benefit this time with power up the middle and ND's outside game is slowed down.
I do think the conditions benefit running teams, especially power running offenses. I also think weather could be an equalizer in terms of narrowing the talent gap in a given match up. For instance, if I'm a Loyola fan, I want the weather to be as bad as possible. It will limit LWE's offense and possibly lead to a low scoring game where LA can rely on their defense and catching a break or two to win a low scoring game heavily influenced by the weather.
Here's my take on who it benefits (8A to 5A):
-LA....the weather being an equalizer and turning the game into a low-scoring, defensive battle
-Batavia....better running game and great LB-play limiting Naz' running game, while the weather has a greater effect on the Naz' passing offense
-not sure it matters in 6A....C-G's offense can thrive in bad weather conditions....it might help ND's defense somewhat by not having to defend the perimeter as much due to reduced footing (very little impact in 6A IMO....maybe Richards D is that much more dominant?)
-JCA...help negate Hillcrest's speed advantage on O and D....and make the game more of a battle in the trenches
Last edited:
That game was the best HS football game I have ever been at. Snow piled so deep they have to have the yard markers shoveled many times during the game as well as the end zone when the teams got that close. Back and forth moving the ball for both teams. Montini takes the lead in the 4th quarter and then Samson leads his PR team within the Montini ten yard line in the closing seconds of the game. Great stop by Montini on 4th and short during which play I closed my eyes as I didn't want to see PR get the yardage. The packed Montini crowd let me know that PR didn't get it. Talk about a nail biter.
St. Charles North is obviously located further North than MC. That gives them a decisive advantage with this weekend's weather forecast.
Whether the game is on natural grass is relevant along with the surface on which the visiting team usually plays.
Also, you have got to like the idea of having the offensive personnel and scheme to spread the field then aim a running QB largely north-and-south behind a lead blocker after some form of direct snap.
Also, you have got to like the idea of having the offensive personnel and scheme to spread the field then aim a running QB largely north-and-south behind a lead blocker after some form of direct snap.
Monticello. I had to click on the link to find out. Was equally as flummoxed.
Saturday won't come close to the conditions of the semi's back in 2015
Most of those 2015 games were played during the snowstorm, but Crete-Monee at Hinsdale South was that night after the snow had stopped and things froze up as the temperature plunged.
I heard the C-M staff made an intentional effort to get their team to the field without ever getting FB shoes wet, while HS did some trekking through the snow. A feeling was in place that as the night went on, this could have contributed to a significant comfort advantage edge or the visiting Warriors, who did win the game.
I heard the C-M staff made an intentional effort to get their team to the field without ever getting FB shoes wet, while HS did some trekking through the snow. A feeling was in place that as the night went on, this could have contributed to a significant comfort advantage edge or the visiting Warriors, who did win the game.
Last edited:
It was 3 years ago that STL had the semi v NAZ - the St Laurence snow removal equipment broke down so myself and about 25 other volunteers (alum; students, friends, etc..) manually shoveled the field - we started just after 9am and shoveled up until game time - maybe 10 inches that day - it never stopped. I lasted until the 4Q keeping the sidelines clear and some hash marks. First scrimmage play, I was down about 70 yards on the west 20 yard line (Viking Field runs east/west) clearing off the entire line from north to south - I was in the middle of the field when the NAZ RB broke loose at the Viking 10 yard line - I never moved so fast to get out of the way. Despite a 34-0 beating, I will never forget that day!!! Later in the day , we headed to Marist - and their field was spotless for their evening semi vs WbValley. Marist won so not a bad day - a record FitBit day for me in terms of steps!!!
Nazareth has bigger guys who are very athletic who don’t normally play running back that they can get creative with if need be... example was the power run game with a non-traditional running back in the not so nice weather last year in the Semi’s at Providence.
As somone with a vested interest in that game, I think you for that. It looked pretty awful but all things considered you guys did a great job.
Plus, they have the word “ North” right in their name.
An obvious advantage in inclement weather.
About 1 hour prior to game - after a few hours of manual shoveling - the field looked great and the snow stopped. When the teams took the field for pre-game it came down heavy again. We could not keep up with the snow while the teams ran through their warmups. It was very neat to be able to walk through the NAZ pregame drills and huddles and get that pre-game perspective - I was just trying to keep their half of the field clear. Just prior to the game the refs wanted to talk with me - they thought was in an official capacity LOL. Instead of telling them I was just Joe Fan/Alum, I took their direction and stayed with it for most of the game. I was able to watch the game and work the field during play stoppage, timeouts, etc... Good times!
That Naz RB was Julian Love, now playing CB at Notre Dame. Y’all did a great job with the field that day!
Thanks !!- and I was just thinking that was probably Love - the first play of the game, 95 yards after Naz muffed the kick-off. I think if I went low I could have tackled him at about the 15 - if I went high he would have made a snow angel out of me!
Teams that run or pass the ball will have a difficult time this weekend.
And some teams are going to lose.
Similar threads
