Marietta High needs a football win.
And, the Tigers (1-3 overall, 0-0 ECOL) are hoping to notch one on the road in Warsaw when they play River View High (1-3, 0-2) in their East Central Ohio League opener at 7 p.m. Friday at Don Rushing Stadium.
Last season, MHS celebrated its homecoming game against the Black Bears with a 14-9 triumph at Don Drumm Stadium. That 2011 victory also halted a three-game slide.
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JORDAN HOLLAND The Marietta Times
Marietta High’s Ethan Strauss (5) warms up during pregame drills at Don Drumm Stadium last Friday night. The Tigers dropped a 63-13 decision to the Gallia Academy Blue Devils. This Friday night, MHS kicks off East Central Ohio League play at River View in Warsaw.
A 2012 win in Coshocton County will do the same.
"It's crucial for us not look back on last year's game and make any assumptions," said MHS first-year head football coach Adam Eichhorn.
Since defeating Morgan in its season opener, Marietta has fallen to Warren, Parkersburg High, and Gallia Academy, respectively.
Last Friday night, the Tigers took it on the chin with a 63-13 setback to the visiting Blue Devils of Gallipolis. The MHS defense gave up 524 yards (338 rushing, 156 passing) in that contest.
At the intermission, Marietta trailed Gallia, 49-13.
After first-half touchdown tosses by quarterback Anthony Kimbrough to Quinton Coffield and Chance Wright, respectively, the Tigers went scoreless after the break.
Kimbrough ended up completing 24 of 44 pass attempts for 248 yards. Wright had 14 receptions for 124 yards while Coffield caught four throws for 87 yards.
Marietta rushed for only 26 yards on 10 attempts.
Meanwhile, over in Uhrichsville on that same evening, River View, an Ohio Division III, Region 11 school, was getting blanked 14-0 by the host Claymont Mustangs (3-1). The Josh Lahmers-coached Black Bears were inside the red zone four times during the contest but were unable to reach paydirt.
Since winning its season opener against winless West Muskingum (0-4), River View has dropped consecutive decisions to West Holmes, Cambridge and Claymont.
Against the Bobcats, the Black Bears did put up 50 points on the scoreboard, but at the same time their defense gave up 70.
"This year River View has put up some big numbers on offense and played some pretty tough defense." Eichhorn said.
Against CHS, River View's Clay Holsclaw gained 142 yards and had two scores.
Defensively, the Black Bears are led by senior defensive back Josh Knight, linebacker Brandon Adams, and linemen Nate Smith and M.J. Carey.
Right now, it's a new season for Marietta, and the Tigers would like nothing better than to be 1-0 in the ECOL after Friday night.
"This is a crucial week for us in that we need to get back to the basics of finishing blocks on offense, sound tackling on defense, and 100 percent effort on special teams," Eichhorn said. "We need to treat this game like it is the Super Bowl. Our attitude has to be that we refuse to lose."
