Salem at PH (Roanoke)

[Shabutie]

I'm really looking forward to this one. PH has gotten some key players back that missed a lot of the season and are looking like the team I thought they might be coming into the season... a team that can make some noise in the class 5 playoffs. Coach Fiddler always has some great offensive gameplans for Salem and they usually hit on several well-designed trick/gadget plays every time the teams meet. They are loaded with ability at the skill positions as well.

If there are any college recruiters that happen to be reading this I would STRONGLY recommend checking out this game as there is major D-1 talent on both teams. It will be fun watching senior PH WR/CB Carmelo Taylor (Penn State commit) and Salem JR RB/LB Peyton Lewis on the field at the same time. Taylor is the fastest player in all of class 5 and Lewis is the fastest in all of class 4. They have a nice little rivalry going as well since middle school days. PH also has Senior WR/RB/LB/S Jahzae Kimbrough who is a TREMENDOUS player on both sides of the ball and has made some crazy plays against Salem both his sophomore and junior years. Also, Senior transfer Sidney Webb from Northside has been one of the best players in the Roanoke valley for four years now.

If I get more time I will try to talk about the matchup more... just wanted to put this big game on everyone's radar.

 

[BoKnowsSports]

@Shabutie You do an excellent job of promoting and acknowledging the kids you work with and train. A lot of people are in it to beat their own chest as a look at me moment, but you do this for the kids. Those young men are lucky to have you in their lives.

 

[MaroonDude]

What is the atmosphere at Gillette going to be like tonight?

 

[Shabutie]

@Shabutie You do an excellent job of promoting and acknowledging the kids you work with and train. A lot of people are in it to beat their own chest as a look at me moment, but you do this for the kids. Those young men are lucky to have you in their lives.

Thank you Bo, I really appreciate that.

 

[southbottomU]

Thank you Bo, I really appreciate that.

I know you are following the tried and true rule that if you don't have anything good to say don't say anything at all but is Salem trying to pound a square peg into a round hole on offense? I would think Salem would run some plays that got Lewis in the open field such as short passes and screens. I know the pitch has been good but there has got to be other ways to get our athletes into the open field and not always pounding between the tackles.

 

[BleedingNavy]

The Spartans already have the recipe. See 2017 and Salem's use of Ramsey. I don't know if Lewis is on Ramsey's level, but they used sweeps, swing passes, traps and screens to get him involved. I know, because even in a loss he gave us fits in all phases of the game.

 

[southbottomU]

The Spartans already have the recipe. See 2017 and Salem's use of Ramsey. I don't know if Lewis is on Ramsey's level, but they used sweeps, swing passes, traps and screens to get him involved. I know, because even in a loss he gave us fits in all phases of the game.

Great waste of a great talent. I'm not sure people understood just how good Ramsy was. Speed, agility, athletic ability, size, strength, and vision. Unfortunately, couldn't get his life together.

 

[southbottomU]

The Spartans already have the recipe. See 2017 and Salem's use of Ramsey. I don't know if Lewis is on Ramsey's level, but they used sweeps, swing passes, traps and screens to get him involved. I know, because even in a loss he gave us fits in all phases of the game.

Lewis not as big or strong, but faster

 

[RKE Fan]

I honestly think the PH game was a really good thing for Salem. If we are being honest, talent in the area was really down this year (and really the last few as well). Outside of Martinsburg and Franklin County, there just wasn't going to be any real competition for Salem until the PH game. When you have a younger team, as they do, you need some big tests against top tier teams to grow enough to make a deep playoff run. There is no question that Salem is a much better team than they were those first few games, but without a test against an athletic team that could match them with size and speed, it's not really surprising that the game ended up like it did.
I absolutely think its what those younger starters (especially the two sophomores) needed to see in terms of how much faster the game is played against a good team like PH. I wasn't at the game, but have watched it on NHFS. The quality of that stream isn't the best, but here's a few things I noticed:
1- I don't think Salem's game plan was as bad as some have noted. On paper, PH is one of the few teams to match Salem's speed as Shabutie noted before. Yes, Salem opened up the field against Pulaski with the pass and it worked, but PH's secondary is light years ahead of the Cougars. It was going to be pretty close to a draw between PH's secondary and Salem's wideouts. I'm guessing Salem stuck to the dive, off tackle runs, and toss sweeps thinking eventually they would spring Lewis. From what I could tell, they almost did...multiple times. It seemed like they were a step or missed read away from him getting loose. I expect with that added experience against a team like PH and work at practice this week, the OL won't miss as many of those in the next game and beyond (if they make it that far).
2- PH knew that Salem had a young secondary, especially the sophomore Persinger. They absolutely went after his inexperience. I really like him and think he's going to be an incredible player both at DB and RB for Salem, but he just hasn't had enough reps yet against elite wideouts to make the needed adjustments in his field vision and footwork. They hit a couple long passes against him in the first half, but by the second half he was already playing much better and seemed more settled into the speed of the game.
3- This was not Martinsburg part 2. There weren't three or four players in Salem's backfield before you could snap your fingers. The OL did well enough to allow Salem to move the ball some, but penalties and a few missed blocks cost them points for sure. Defensively, other than a couple blown coverages, Salem played well and didn't give up a whole lot of yards.
4-Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that the play calling was perfect, or that Salem can't give a little more thought to getting their athletes in space (as many have mentioned). However, IMO, the best thing they can do is work with the OL this week on those steps and reads and know that this game probably did them a world of good if they win Friday and end up playing against a team like Louisa. With a player like Lewis, it just takes a fraction of improvement with those blocks to get him the seam he needs to take to the house.

 

[Scalvinscaliwag]

Great waste of a great talent. I'm not sure people understood just how good Ramsy was. Speed, agility, athletic ability, size, strength, and vision. Unfortunately, couldn't get his life together.

I never saw a high school RB like him ever in person. He was a amazing athlete

 

[MaroonDude]

I honestly think the PH game was a really good thing for Salem. If we are being honest, talent in the area was really down this year (and really the last few as well). Outside of Martinsburg and Franklin County, there just wasn't going to be any real competition for Salem until the PH game. When you have a younger team, as they do, you need some big tests against top tier teams to grow enough to make a deep playoff run. There is no question that Salem is a much better team than they were those first few games, but without a test against an athletic team that could match them with size and speed, it's not really surprising that the game ended up like it did.
I absolutely think its what those younger starters (especially the two sophomores) needed to see in terms of how much faster the game is played against a good team like PH. I wasn't at the game, but have watched it on NHFS. The quality of that stream isn't the best, but here's a few things I noticed:
1- I don't think Salem's game plan was as bad as some have noted. On paper, PH is one of the few teams to match Salem's speed as Shabutie noted before. Yes, Salem opened up the field against Pulaski with the pass and it worked, but PH's secondary is light years ahead of the Cougars. It was going to be pretty close to a draw between PH's secondary and Salem's wideouts. I'm guessing Salem stuck to the dive, off tackle runs, and toss sweeps thinking eventually they would spring Lewis. From what I could tell, they almost did...multiple times. It seemed like they were a step or missed read away from him getting loose. I expect with that added experience against a team like PH and work at practice this week, the OL won't miss as many of those in the next game and beyond (if they make it that far).
2- PH knew that Salem had a young secondary, especially the sophomore Persinger. They absolutely went after his inexperience. I really like him and think he's going to be an incredible player both at DB and RB for Salem, but he just hasn't had enough reps yet against elite wideouts to make the needed adjustments in his field vision and footwork. They hit a couple long passes against him in the first half, but by the second half he was already playing much better and seemed more settled into the speed of the game.
3- This was not Martinsburg part 2. There weren't three or four players in Salem's backfield before you could snap your fingers. The OL did well enough to allow Salem to move the ball some, but penalties and a few missed blocks cost them points for sure. Defensively, other than a couple blown coverages, Salem played well and didn't give up a whole lot of yards.
4-Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that the play calling was perfect, or that Salem can't give a little more thought to getting their athletes in space (as many have mentioned). However, IMO, the best thing they can do is work with the OL this week on those steps and reads and know that this game probably did them a world of good if they win Friday and end up playing against a team like Louisa. With a player like Lewis, it just takes a fraction of improvement with those blocks to get him the seam he needs to take to the house.

3 sophomores start. which 2 are you talking about?

 

[lyhsports]

Maybe they didn't want to show a lot before the playoffs 🤷‍♂️

 

[Shabutie]

I honestly think the PH game was a really good thing for Salem. If we are being honest, talent in the area was really down this year (and really the last few as well). Outside of Martinsburg and Franklin County, there just wasn't going to be any real competition for Salem until the PH game. When you have a younger team, as they do, you need some big tests against top tier teams to grow enough to make a deep playoff run. There is no question that Salem is a much better team than they were those first few games, but without a test against an athletic team that could match them with size and speed, it's not really surprising that the game ended up like it did.
I absolutely think its what those younger starters (especially the two sophomores) needed to see in terms of how much faster the game is played against a good team like PH. I wasn't at the game, but have watched it on NHFS. The quality of that stream isn't the best, but here's a few things I noticed:
1- I don't think Salem's game plan was as bad as some have noted. On paper, PH is one of the few teams to match Salem's speed as Shabutie noted before. Yes, Salem opened up the field against Pulaski with the pass and it worked, but PH's secondary is light years ahead of the Cougars. It was going to be pretty close to a draw between PH's secondary and Salem's wideouts. I'm guessing Salem stuck to the dive, off tackle runs, and toss sweeps thinking eventually they would spring Lewis. From what I could tell, they almost did...multiple times. It seemed like they were a step or missed read away from him getting loose. I expect with that added experience against a team like PH and work at practice this week, the OL won't miss as many of those in the next game and beyond (if they make it that far).
2- PH knew that Salem had a young secondary, especially the sophomore Persinger. They absolutely went after his inexperience. I really like him and think he's going to be an incredible player both at DB and RB for Salem, but he just hasn't had enough reps yet against elite wideouts to make the needed adjustments in his field vision and footwork. They hit a couple long passes against him in the first half, but by the second half he was already playing much better and seemed more settled into the speed of the game.
3- This was not Martinsburg part 2. There weren't three or four players in Salem's backfield before you could snap your fingers. The OL did well enough to allow Salem to move the ball some, but penalties and a few missed blocks cost them points for sure. Defensively, other than a couple blown coverages, Salem played well and didn't give up a whole lot of yards.
4-Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that the play calling was perfect, or that Salem can't give a little more thought to getting their athletes in space (as many have mentioned). However, IMO, the best thing they can do is work with the OL this week on those steps and reads and know that this game probably did them a world of good if they win Friday and end up playing against a team like Louisa. With a player like Lewis, it just takes a fraction of improvement with those blocks to get him the seam he needs to take to the house.

Very good post here.

 

[SFUWO]

Maybe they didn't want to show a lot before the playoffs 🤷‍♂️

We all know what Salem is going to do. They just got beat by a good PH team.