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Division switch means tougher games for Monroe

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By Skip Weaver, Staff Writer 7:26 PM Wednesday, November 18, 2009

For the last four years, Monroe has dominated the Southwestern Buckeye League’s Buckeye Division, particularly in football.

Beginning next season, the Hornets will have the opportunity to see what they can do against the bigger schools in the Southwestern Division.

Monroe, which has won or shared the Buckeye Division title in three of the last four years, will switch divisions with Milton-Union for the 2010 season.

“We’re excited about the move,” Monroe’s second-year football coach Ken Meibers said. “It’s definitely going to be a challenge for our program.”

In the last four years of playing its two annual SWBL crossover games against Valley View and Bellbrook, the Hornets are 3-1 against the Golden Eagles and 1-3 against the Spartans. Overall since joining the SWBL, Monroe is 26-6 against league foes.

“There’s definitely going to be a step up in competition,” Meibers said. “We’ll have to be prepared week in and week out.”

The switch also renews a yearly rivalry with Franklin, which was a longtime member of the former Mid-Miami League with Monroe.

“I’m not familiar with the rivalry,” Meibers said. “But I do know through research that it was always a big game, and we’re excited to be bringing that back to our schedule. It will definitely be a good game for us and for the region.”

The Hornets will open the season by hosting Meadowdale on Aug. 27 and Ross on Sept. 3. Then they have three straight road games at Talawanda (Sept. 10), Franklin (Sept. 17) and Valley View (Sept. 24). On Oct. 1 and 8, respectively, Eaton and Brookville will travel to Monroe, before the Hornets go to Oakwood on Oct. 15. Monroe closes out its regular season with two homes games against Northridge (Oct. 22) and Bellbrook (Oct. 29).

“It’s going to be a big challenge to step up to this level of play,” Meibers said. “The kids know the challenge ahead of them. We’ll take the allotted 28 days off and get back in the weight room on Dec. 14 with lifting four days a week.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2852 or sweaver@coxohio.com.

Southwestern Division

Bellbrook

Brookville

Eaton

Franklin

Monroe

Oakwood

Valley View

Buckeye Division

Carlisle

Dixie

Madison

Milton-Union

Northridge

Preble Shawnee

Waynesville

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Samson, Carlisle fans whine. Middie fans whine. VV fans whine. You whine. Middie Majik whines. Shoot the whole world whines. If you ain't used to it now then get out a little more. And please respect the fans that actually care about the teams. Which is all of them that whine. They're just showing heart of a fan.

CowboyD
7:31 PM, 11/23/2009

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oh really, samson if i do recall you carlisle fans were whining all summer on yappi about if you got the playoffs how you could beat Alter and look what happened. You guys had a good season so enjoy it, and quit mouthing off about Monroe. I'm tired of it.

Hornet10
3:24 PM, 11/23/2009

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Well cowboyD,
Middie majik has definitely been around area sporting events, such as myself. The whole monroe community are a group of whiners. The players, coaches, parents, etc... They whine if they win, they really whine when they lose. The hornets will never have dominant runs in their new division like Bellbrook, Eaton and VV has had. VV had a coach that left and went to monroe(mid 80's), and he regrets it today!!! Everyone there is rude and obnoxious, like yourself! monroe s--ks!!!

samson
9:03 AM, 11/23/2009

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Hornet10, all I am trying to say is "enjoy" the season that your team had and not be so down on the coaches. Monroe had a great year under a fairly new coach and all people wanted to do was be an armchair quarterback. Middies had a good year and hopefully will continue. Just sad when it seems like some fans want to whine over every little thing. Boycotting the journal over player of week awards is one example....Overzelous fans or whiners? You be the judge.

Middie Majik
2:55 PM, 11/22/2009

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middie majik, I listened to announcers after the anderson game and they are just so hilarious. They talked like middletown won the super bowl but after they got embarrassed by Anderson they acted it was they end of the world.

Hornet10
1:13 PM, 11/22/2009

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