With five games left in Tri-Valley Conference Ohio play, Athens looks as if it will come up short of its preseason goal of winning the conference.
But its not out of reach yet. Athens is two games behind leader Vinton County. The two teams play Tuesday night.
This is the Bulldogs best chance to pick up one of the two games that they are behind in the conference standings. If they can pick up a game Tuesday, they will still need to keep winning.
Vinton County will have to lose a game, or two, and then Athens will have a realistic chance at its goal.
The Bulldogs are in fourth in the TVC Ohio, with games still left against the other the teams between them and Vinton County, Wellston and Alexander.
Athens’ three conference losses have all come against the three teams ahead of them. A six- point loss to Alexander and a one-point loss to Wellston where a few more made free throws could have made the difference gives Athens some promise. Those games are also home games for Athens, which will give the Bulldogs a small advantage.
After a disappointing start to the season, the Bulldogs hope to have turned themselves around.
Athens' last game, a win Friday against Meigs, was when it most resembled last years team — a team that won its sectional and only lost •three conference games all year. Athens was in Meigs’ passing lanes all game, and played on the fastbreak, things that are crucial to successfully running coach Mickey Cozart’s system.
“We’re not a terrible team when we come in here and do our job,” Cozart said. “We need to stay in flow of what we do, and if we do that, we’ll be alright.”
That’s how the team was built, and how it will be successful. It will have to continue to play like it did, and if they do, the Bulldogs’ TVC chances will continue to grow.
