POLL: Bishop Heelan vs. Washington
- Thread starter LukeFeddersen
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Hmmmmm.... this is a hard one. Every time I think Washington has finally met their match, they surprise everyone and WIN!!!!
Hellan is an elite program in our state (As is Washington) but they are not going to ROLL the Demons up and score 40 or more points. The Washington defense is just too good. (Just ask Pella, Solon, and Williamsburg) Washington is the one team in class 3A that probably has as many "playmakers" as Bishop Heelan has. The difference is going to be in the trenches. I think Heelan has the advantage there and will be able to get a little more pressure on the Washington Quarterback and a little more push at the line of scrimmage.
I do lean towards Heelan in this game but it will not be an easy win for them. I'm thinking it's going to be a 14-7 type of win. Both teams are going to struggle to score.
Can't wait to see this one unfold...... GO DEMONS!!!!!
Hellan is an elite program in our state (As is Washington) but they are not going to ROLL the Demons up and score 40 or more points. The Washington defense is just too good. (Just ask Pella, Solon, and Williamsburg) Washington is the one team in class 3A that probably has as many "playmakers" as Bishop Heelan has. The difference is going to be in the trenches. I think Heelan has the advantage there and will be able to get a little more pressure on the Washington Quarterback and a little more push at the line of scrimmage.
I do lean towards Heelan in this game but it will not be an easy win for them. I'm thinking it's going to be a 14-7 type of win. Both teams are going to struggle to score.
Can't wait to see this one unfold...... GO DEMONS!!!!!
I would like to see Washington win but I see Heelan pulling this one out by a few scores. The good teams that Wash has beaten were "run" teams.
I will add this - it has been proven in the past that when Heelan plays a very physical team (Solon 2010 and Decorah 2012) that they do not play well. Good luck Wash!
This post was edited on 11/15 12:09 PM by OtherWiseGinger
I will add this - it has been proven in the past that when Heelan plays a very physical team (Solon 2010 and Decorah 2012) that they do not play well. Good luck Wash!
This post was edited on 11/15 12:09 PM by OtherWiseGinger
I got to the end of the Heelan Game and my goodness they looked good. Washington will have to play their best game that is for sure.
Heelan is #1 in class 3A in total offense
Washington is #3 in class 3A in total offense
Heelan is #2 in passing in 3A
Washington is #33 in passing in 3A (definately a one dimensional offense that likes to run)
Heelan is #22 in rushing in class 3A (definately a one dimensional offense that likes to throw)
Washington is #1 in rushing in class 3A
Washington is #4 in punt return yardage and Heelan is #5
Washington is #6 in KO return yardage and Heelan is #11
Stats came from www.quikstatsiowa.com
Statistically these 2 teams are right there together in the fold. I think this comes down to who wants it more. I will say.... I think Washington played a much tougher opponent last night then Heelan did. I don't mean to take anything away from Clear Lake but I don't think anyone will disagree that Solon is much stronger in the trenches.
I will say that Washington has only given up 1 touchdown through the air in the past 16-18 quarters of play. They are very good defensively against the pass. But then again, they have not played a team like Heelan and they could get schooled next week for sure.
I think Heelan wins but I also thing Washington is a much, much stronger and tougher opponent then Clear lake and I will be surprised if Heelan wins by 40 or more points. Not saying it won't happen, but I think people are definately underestimating this Washington team. I can't wait to see how it all plays out.
**Very neat. We'll have a throwing team versus a running team, who will prevail***
On the defensive side, Washington is #3 in tackles and Heelan is #24
It's hard to say when teams from across the state play. There is rarely a common opponent. I thought Solon winning at Decorah was the most impressive q-final outcome (as was Heelan's 31-0 victory over Harlan; when was the last time Harlan got shut out & by > 4 TD's?). So for Washington to beat Solon and Pella (albeit a crippled Pella team), is saying something. My sense is that Heelan's schedule was tougher, though Washington has cranked it up a notch or two in the post-season. A possible difference-maker is that Heelan really isn't one-dimensional. They may rank only 22 in rushing, but that's not because they can't run it. They just have so many weapons in the passing game that they choose not to very much. When the situation has called for it, they have been able slug it out. I don't know that Washington can say the same thing about their passing game as Heelan can about their running game. BTW, I thought Spencer was the #1 rushing team in the state.
I had some family that went to the Heelan game, then watched Solon/Washington afterwards. Though they're knowledgeable about the game, they're pretty impartial here; they're new to the state and are not familiar with Iowa hs football. Their impression was that, while both Solon & Washington played physically in this game, they really didn't play that well, and neither team had the speed or playmakers Heelan had. It will probably boil down to mistakes. Heelan probably won't play push-and-shove with Washington (though they could if they had to); conversely, I don't think anyone wants to get into a track meet with Heelan. Heelan has had a history--at least in 3A--of coming out really flat in title games. So you never know.
This post was edited on 11/15 5:01 PM by cruhawk
I will agree with that assessment - Heelan took advantage of a weak CL pass defense that was really exposed in the Grinnell game the week before. Like any good team, Heelan made their pre game adjustments and used a blueprint to almost perfection. As a Lion fan, it was difficult to watch as the only passing team we faced was Mason City in the first game of the season. I would love to tell you how we played poorly and shoulda, coulda, woulda, ....... That was just a well-oiled machine that didn't need any breaks but got a few and they rolled.
Lions had another great season and the cupboard isn't bare for next year.
Lions had another great season and the cupboard isn't bare for next year.
Key in this game will be if Washington can maintain ball contol. Plug away at their ground game. The longer they hold on to it the less time that Heelan passing sits on the bench. I am partial here but I think Washington is going to surprise some people out there.
This post was edited on 11/16 1:05 PM by wscbaseball21
This post was edited on 11/16 1:05 PM by wscbaseball21
I agree to a point, but I believe Washington's defense is not intimidated by Heelan's passing game. I'm not going to say Washington's pass defense is the key, but I will say the pressure put on by Washington's pass rush is key.
What I took from the Washington/Solon game: Solon was inside the 10 yd line three times and could not put it in. Definition of "bend, don't break defense".
Washington gave up 4 passing TD's all season. Gave up over 80 yards passing only 4 times and in those games, only 1 team had a passing TD and that was Marion (2 TDs). The most passing yards they gave up all season: 160 yards to Marion.
What I took from Heelan/Clear Lake 376 yards passing by Solsma and 5 TDs. Clear Lake had given up 100+ yds passing in at least 6 games this season and 3 times they gave up over 200.
But it will be anybody's guess what will really happen.
How many years has heelan come with "play makers, vaunted passing, etc" only to be beaten - soundly?
No doubt heelan has athletes, dont discount Washingtons athletes and that they only have one lineman that goes both ways.
Best of luck to both, may the officialsnplay no part in the outcome.
No doubt heelan has athletes, dont discount Washingtons athletes and that they only have one lineman that goes both ways.
Best of luck to both, may the officialsnplay no part in the outcome.
Clear Lake is 5th in yards per play with Washington 4th. Not a huge difference. Clear Lake also had about 500 more passing yards than Washington, Wash had about 1000 yards more rushing. There's no huge difference between them statistically.
Not to mock you but listing tackles as any sort of meaningful statistic in high school football is a joke. You can only have one solo tackle or two assists on any given play. Grinnell lists about 250 more tackles than anyone else in the class. If all things were correctly calculated that means they had anywhere from 125-250 more plays run against them than anyone in the state or they gave up that many more touchdowns.
Couldn't playing "a much stronger team in the trenches" just as easily hurt them as help? It's good experience but it could also mean they are more beat up.
This is the first really "veteran" Heelan team in the finals since the '08 champs. '07, '10, and '12 saw teams that were junior-dominated but made it to the finals anyway. The more experienced '09 & '11 teams--ones that many people expected to make it & win it all--came up short. Each team lost to Harlan in a pre-semifinal round game. '09 (McCabe was a senior QB) lost on a blown officiating call at the goal line that took away a likely game-winning TD; for all practical purposes, that was the title game. '11 was Malloy's senior year but he was injured in his second game back from a suspension. That was a very talented senior class which included Paul Jacobson and Jeremy Nelson.
Cruhawk,
Your mentioning of all of the years in the finals or winning them is awesome. (not being sarcastic or trying to come off as a prick) It really speaks for itself the type of football program Heelan has year in and year out. Washington's previous best finish in its school history was the semifinals vs Decorah in 1997 (its only other appearance at the dome). It just really struck me as I read your post to think about and compare the two programs and how dominant Heelan is year in and year out. I think this will be a great game and totally agree with your post. I do hope that things don't get out of hand and it doesn't become a blowout. Last finals game I was at was '07 Keokuk/Heelan and while there were many top tier players (Vandenberg, Hurt, Wegher, McCabe, etc.) it was not fun to watch because of the blowout factor. Hope for all watchers sake it is a good game!
Your mentioning of all of the years in the finals or winning them is awesome. (not being sarcastic or trying to come off as a prick) It really speaks for itself the type of football program Heelan has year in and year out. Washington's previous best finish in its school history was the semifinals vs Decorah in 1997 (its only other appearance at the dome). It just really struck me as I read your post to think about and compare the two programs and how dominant Heelan is year in and year out. I think this will be a great game and totally agree with your post. I do hope that things don't get out of hand and it doesn't become a blowout. Last finals game I was at was '07 Keokuk/Heelan and while there were many top tier players (Vandenberg, Hurt, Wegher, McCabe, etc.) it was not fun to watch because of the blowout factor. Hope for all watchers sake it is a good game!
I'm to lazy to look but I thought I read on this board before last years finals that Heelan had some of the top Sr. in the state and people couldn't figure out why Iowa or Iowa St. wasn't offering.
Does it show how dominant Heelan is in the West or how weak the West is? Not trying to be prickish, just saying that nearly every year the East has someone different in the 3A championship (maybe showing more balance vs West).
I hope for a good game as well, I think Wash's fresh bodies on the line will help keep them in it and that group of kids are very football savy.
I hope for a good game as well, I think Wash's fresh bodies on the line will help keep them in it and that group of kids are very football savy.
I'll be suprised if Wash. can keep this to a 14 pt spread. Heelans quick,hurry up offense is very hard to stop. Even with a good pass rush, the Heelan qb has a 2 or 3 step drop and quick release. Also a good scambler.Very hard to stop at the high school level. Heelans D has pretty much shut down all comers also,I just don't see the challenge from Washington. Besides S.C East, I still think Spencer was best suited to beat Heelan,if anyone could. They just needed a solid passing game to go with a very good ground game.
Sounds awfully similar to what was said when vs Solon 2010 and Decorah 2012.
Surprised no one has mentioned that out of 12 games, 7 finalists are private schools (and two championships are all privates, 4A and 1A).
I see Heelan winning this big. Seems to me the 3a teams from east view the pass as a foreign concept...offensively and defensively. That's not a shot at anyone but in watching Solon and Washington last week neither team could throw the ball very well and it appeared defending it was a problem. Heelan will throw it all over the place to multiple receivers and Tobin is a very effective back. I think the kid in Ames is the best QB in Iowa....Solsma would be a very close second.
Washington just isn't diverse enough to beat Heelan. crusaders 42-14
Washington just isn't diverse enough to beat Heelan. crusaders 42-14
Solon picked off Wash twice and Wash picked off Solon once - pass defense was actually not all that bad but then again these teams are run oriented teams. Keep the ball out of Heelan's hands and their passing is nullifed.
To say the East is foreign to passing, Grinnel was on the East (actually ahead of Heelan for Passing stats on quikstats) - heard of Eli Dunne? Go to quick stats - it looks like this for top 10 "passing" teams:
Grinnell (East)
Heelan (West)
Centerville (East)
ADM (West)
Norwalk (East bracket - really dead center)
Lewis Central (West)
Lemars (West)
Fairfiled (East)
Harlan (West)
Maquoketa (East)
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