Coaches and fans of Western Buckeye League teams kept looking at the scores from Western Buckeye League teams. Kept looking for one those names to come up first.

The WBL football programs were 0-10 after Week One of the 2007 season and any chances of a league team with three losses making the playoffs were dashed.

“I think it was a combination of a few things,” St. Marys coach Doug Frye said.” “I don’t think Week One reflected on the weakness or strength of our league. I think people went to extremes. First, it was the people the WBL picked up. Piqua, Coldwater, DeSales...you’ve got some pretty good football teams there.

“Second,  there were some circumstances there,” Frye said. “There were a lot of close losses. It did hurt our league and was a disappointing factor when we and a few other teams were just nipped out of the playoffs.”

St. Marys found out how damaging Week One can really be. The Riders were on the outside looking in on the playoffs with a 7-3 mark — even after entering Week 10 in the eighth and final playoff spot.

The league did get one team into the playoffs, with Ottawa-Glandorf winning a game in the postseason.
WBL coaches are hoping 2008 is the season that the league gets back to three or four bids in the playoffs.

“I don’t have a crystal ball, but I do hope the WBL fares a little better this year,” Frye said. “I do think the league is becoming a little more athletic this year. We have a Mauk coming on at Kenton and Shawnee is loaded to the hilt with football players.”

“Wapak has talent, O-G is the defending champs and has their running back Logan Kaufman back.” he added. “Kenton has a Mauk behind center and we know what that meant the last time around. There are a lot of good football teams. Van Wert has the best young talent. Celina is talented. As always it will be an interesting year.”