The opposition may be good, but the home team’s not too bad, either.

Tuesday, October 30, 2001

The opposition may be good, but the home team’s not too bad, either.

Portsmouth West is 9-1 this season and claimed the Southern Ohio Conference Division II championship. The Crooksville Ceramics are 7-3 with the three losses coming to three playoff teams – New Lexington, Sheridan, and John Glenn - who are in bigger divisions.

But a quick glance at the Ironton Fighting Tigers and Chesapeake Panthers shows they played well, too.

Ironton hosts West at 7 p.m. Saturday in the Division IV playoffs while Chesapeake is at home against Crooksville at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the Division V playoffs.

Ironton is 10-0 against a grueling schedule. Ironton’s opponents had a combined 63-36 record.

Chesapeake is 7-3 this season and finished third in Region 19. Last season, the Panthers were 8-2 and did not make the top eight qualifying teams.

"When you go 7-3 and and still make the playoffs, you have to be beating some good teams to get you that many points," Panthers coach Phil Davis said.

Chesapeake’s opponents have a combined 56-43 record. The three teams to beat the Panthers had a 26-4 mark.