DOZER189

We have needed some secondary help on defense. Our best defensive backs are graduating and they were both very short so our secondary has struggled. Looks like Jake can help us there. On offense we are returning our starting QB and the O-line is returning all starters but 1. Looks to be another good season for the Rangers. Hopefully make a deep run in the playoffs next season. Our boosters have built quite a complex for the athletes. Playing on the same type turf that the Buckeyes have on their fields makes for a fast track. Click here to see an aerial of the football stadium. We are quite proud of what the district has put together and built in recent years. I have talked to some players and they speak very highly of Mr. Long already. He is obviously talented but very humble and is making friends quickly on the team. He is in good hands. Families move, kids change districts, he obviously has a lot of love for Ashland. Luckily I think Hamilton Township will be a very good fit for him too.

I came to this forum because of this thread. My son plays for Hamilton Township and when I heard we had a transfer who was a pretty good football player I had to do some research. I was pleasantly surprised to watch Jake Long's highlight films. A friend of mine sent me a link to this thread so I wanted to pop in and comment. Yes, Jake Long did transfer and move to Hamilton Township. I hear he is hitting the weight room pretty hard and has been fully utilizing the facilities we have to run sprints and work on every aspect of his game on his own even after most of his new team mates have called it a day. He is putting in the work to be an impact player in our revitalized program. The Hamilton Township Rangers do not have a storied history. We have over the years had splashes of success but there was no consistency in the program. In recent years the district hired a young coach named Nate Hillerich who has been building a solid program from the ground up and has gotten the whole community involved from the pee wee leagues on up. Coach Hillerich has led the Rangers to back to back Mid State League Titles and took the Rangers to their first playoff appearance since 2002, prior to that the Rangers had not made the playoffs since 1989. Jake is coming into an ideal situation. We have some D1 talent graduating this year in Seniors Deric Phoutavong(WR) & Aaron Williams(RB). They have both been recruited by Big Ten schools among others and last I heard Williams was going to West Virginia. We do have a Junior running back who was slated to be the starter as a Senior next year but we don't yet have a star WR returning. There are some holes being left behind that Hamilton will be thankful Long has come to help fill. I am really looking forward to seeing him play next season. Ashland will miss him by what I am reading but he is coming to a good program with excellent facilities in a fantastic school district. The community is very supportive so we will do our best to make him feel at home and welcome.