Trotwood Takes 2011 State Football Trophy

At the showdown in Masillon the Trotwood Rams captured the Division II state football title Friday night. The 48-27 hard fought win against the Avon Eagles ended Trotwood's 15-0 season with the elusive holy grail of Ohio football.

This was Trotwood's third visit to the state finals (1982, 2010,2011) and their first ever win.

Senior lineman Mather Cash examines the state trophy.

Senior Mike Simpson (QB) tries to get past Avon's Tyler Lance.

Junior Mike Mccray gets away from Avon's Ryan Rogers with this sideline run.



See related posts:
http://trotwoodsports.blogspot.com/2011/12/trotwoods-green-sets-state-record-for.html

Rams Shake Trotwood On March To State

There is a vibration shaking the Trotwood community this week. You can especially feel it as you drive up Union Road past the high school. But you can also feel it at home, in the stores, and even in the neighboring communities.

For the second straight year the Trotwood-Madison Rams are heading to the state football championship finals.

Now this distinction does not come lightly. Nor is it lost on Coach Maurice Douglass who (as a Trotwood senior) helped lead his 1981 Trotwood team to the state final. And most of all it is treasured by each of the nearly 120 Division II high schools accross Ohio.

But at times during last Fridays game against Columbus' Marion-Franklin the vibrations went a little dim as Trotwood's 20-6 halftime lead was eroded. You could feel the thunder return in the fourth quarter as the Rams seem to come back alive and the seat warmers were empty on the Northmant Stadium bleachers, the fans never sat down again. The Rams won 47-44.

The Trotwood Rams Football Team is on the march to Masillon waving their 14-0 record to face Avon Friday night for the state championship trophy. Busses (seats available for $35) will carry fans, along with many carpools hastily arranged for the 3 and-a-half hour trek across Ohio.

Signs wishing the team good luck appeared in stores around town. The morning talk at the coffee shops is about the Rams offense and defensive tactics.
The vibrations are turning into a rumble. And a win Friday night could result in a magnitude 8 shake. Trotwood has good reason to celebrate either way.

(There will be a welcome back pep rally at the high school Saturday at 4:30pm.)

Rams Now 3-0, 2011 Off To Big Start

It is time to really start paying attention to the Trotwood-Madison 2011 football season.  After this week's win against Beavercreek the Rams stand undefeated 3-0. After Trotwood's runner-up finish at last fall's state championship both coaches and players are have their eyes on getting through the regular season and into the playoffs once again.


Meanwhile Trotwood grad Roy Roundtree is enjoying his senior year at Michigan and found himself in the spot light with the game winning catch last Saturday. Here is an excerpt from the AP story:

For the third straight season, the University of Michigan football team overtook Notre Dame in the final 30 seconds, as junior quarterback Denard Robinson (Deerfield Beach, Fla./Deerfield Beach) completed a 16-yard pass to senior/junior wide receiver Roy Roundtree (Trotwood, Ohio/Trotwood-Madison) with two seconds remaining to give the Wolverines a 35-31 comeback victory in the Under the Lights contest on Saturday (Sept. 10) inside Michigan Stadium. In front of a record crowd of 114,804 fans, the Wolverines clawed their way back into the game from a 14-0 deficit in the first quarter, tallying 28 fourth-quarter points.

full story

2010 Trotwood Madison Rams Football Team Photo

The 2010 Trotwood High School football team has already made the history books and the season still has one game left. This week they will play Maple Height for the state Division II title. Tickets are on sale at the high school. The game is being played at Massillon Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, 1 Paul E Brown Dr SE,
Massillon, OH (click here for google map) Game starts at 7pm Friday night December 3.
 
Check back here after the game for full photo coverage.

SAY Soccer Registration June 19

The Trotwood Soccer Association for Youth (SAY) will kick off their fall league registration drive on June 5th and 19th from 2-4pm at the Madison Park Pavilion. The league is arranged in teams by age group. Children between the ages of 4 to 18 years of age are welcome.

Madison Park is located at 301 S Broadway in Trotwood. For more information visit TrotwoodSoccer.org or call 854-5388. Local businesses interested in sponsoring a team this season may call the same number.

Gems Hockey Will Be Back Next Season

By Bruce Kettelle
Muskegon will be the only International Hockey League team missing from the 2010 fall schedule. That was the loud and clear message Monday from IHL commissioner Dennis Hextall in Trotwood’s Hara Arena, home of the Dayton Gems.

Hextall and Dayton Gems ownership partner Rob Garfield assured about 100 fans attending the press conference the Gems will return to the ice this fall.

The 2010-11 season schedule will reflect a few changes that include an earlier playoff schedule in April with the regular season ending in March. The 70 game schedule, down from last year’s 76, will be released around the 2nd week of June.

As for the Gems, Garfield has his work cut out for him. “My immediate priorities are to get our new sales team in place by May 15 and a new coach by June 1.”

Garfield said they wouldn’t have a short list of coach candidates until all the playoffs are complete. “We are absolutely not going the cheap route when it comes to our coach.” “We are looking for a young and aggressive coach that holds the players accountable.”

“Fans don’t want to just watch the team skate up and down the ice.” “If a player doesn’t want to check, then he is out of here.”

Garfield visions rebuilding the team from the back to the front. “We’ll start with goaltending, then defense, then forwards.” “We’re going to produce a product people have just not seen in Dayton before.”

“We are definitely not taking fighting out of the league,” acknowledged Hextall. Any changes to the rules will be designed to be closer to the NFL rules. Hextall likes that style of play and it should make it easier for the players if the get called up.

The other big change for Dayton fans is the new ticket prices. Season ticket prices will reflect a $200 discount over the individual game tickets. All individual game tickets will cost $10 for adults and $7 for students and seniors. That is far less than last season’s staggered prices of $18, $15, and $13.

“There really isn’t any other sports venue this economical for a family outing,” said Warren Back the Gems director of business affairs. Last year’s season ticket package was over $500, this year it is $367.

Garfield admits the partners would like to add a few more investors to the team. “We don’t need a lot of help, but we do need a little.” For that effort they have enlisted the help of The Sports Advisory Group.

With the Gems still in play Hextall is putting his attention on growing the league. Some cost changes are being considered such as lowering each team’s weekly payroll cap from $13,000 and shaving the team roster size a little. The idea is to make it more affordable for the team owners.

He hopes the league will have 8 or 10 teams in 2011. Hextall said he likes even numbers, that way no one has to sit out on weekends.

Rumors Surround Dayton Gems Press Confrence Coming Friday

The Press confrence is rescheduled to Monday May 3rd at 2pm due to schedule conflicts.

Something is brewing in the Dayton Gems Hockey front office over at Hara in Trotwood. A press conference is scheduled for Friday April 30 (rescheduled for May3rd) has local fans wondering.

The Gems recently ended their inaugural 25-46-4-1season looking for a new coach. Veteran coach John Marks gave the franchise his all but it was not enough as he couldn’t seem to skate just the right combination of players.

He did manage to give fans a pretty good show each week which led to better turnouts in the late season which is no small feat considering the last place finish in the IHL standings.

Rumors of some players already looking elsewhere for next season and even more rumors concerning the teams viability for a second season may have led to this week’s press conference. Tickets for next season are already on sale but changes in the front office staff have ticket holders wondering what is going on. IHL (International Hockey League) commissioner Dennis Hextall is scheduled to speak at the confrence.

An informed source said the announcements should be exciting for Gems fans.  Let’s hope this week’s announcement will put everyone at ease as the team recharges the zamboni this summer in preparation for bigger and better hockey at Hara this fall.