Steve Ruman: Schedule prepared Ursuline

The 2015 high school football season offered plenty of unexpected results.

Salem, which had won just four games in the three previous years leading up to 2015, turned things around in historic fashion.

Warren John F. Kennedy, 2-8 just a year ago, went 11-2 and advanced to a regional title game before falling to Mogadore. Jackson-Milton made its own history when it played in Week 11 for the first time.

Among all of the eye-opening events, one predictable result continues to play out.

On Saturday, Ursuline will represent the Mahoning Valley in the state semifinals when the Irish play Steubenville at Boardman’s New Spartan Stadium. The winner will advance to the Division IV state title game.

Given its regular-season schedule, it was a pleasant surprise that Ursuline even made the playoffs.

By the same token, given its regular-season schedule, it is no surprise at all that the Irish advanced further into the playoffs than any other area school.

Ursuline’s schedule this year included six opponents which qualified for the playoffs. Four of those teams advanced to regional final games, including two which will be playing this weekend.

The Irish’s schedule also featured perennial state powers Cardinal Mooney, Massillon and Mentor Lake Catholic.

For various reasons — some of which deserve a column of their own — area schools which could benefit from playing the likes of Ursuline avoid doing so. Oddly enough, the mindset has made Ursuline a better team in November. Oh sure, athletic director Sean Durkin would love to schedule more local opponents, and coach Larry Kempe would appreciate less travel. But because of such a meat-grinder of a schedule, not much fazes the Irish once the playoff pairings are released.

There used to be a time when area schools would band together with the goal of forming conferences which were considered among Ohio’s most elite. Leagues such as the Steel Valley Conference and the Mahoning Valley Conference not only gave area residents some great entertainment, but they produced quality football teams which battled for state supremacy.

Coincidentally, schools such as Ursuline, Mooney and JFK were part of the mix.

The original All-American Conference was lauded as the best high school football league in the nation when Niles McKinley and Warren G. Harding joined Massillon, Canton McKinley, Alliance and Steubenville.

The Red Dragons and Panthers ruled the area football landscape. But rather than rest on their local laurels, the two schools reached for even greener pastures.

In recent years, constant expansion and realignment among area leagues has taken on a different tone. The more trophies that can be passed out, the better. The more teams in a conference, the less effort it takes to fill a schedule. In the case of the current AAC, crossover games virtually eliminate the need to schedule out-of-conference games. In fact, Niles currently plays 10 AAC opponents, while Poland plays nine league foes. Other leagues are following suit.

If compiling an impressive regular-season record and possibly reaching the playoffs is the ultimate goal, it’s a great setup.

If setting the bar higher is the target, well, pay attention to what Ursuline has had to endure to get to where it’s at. Better yet, consider putting the Ursulines of the world on your schedule.

When Thom McDaniels was at Harding, the Raiders’ slate was dotted with some of the best Division I programs in the state. McDaniels didn’t put those teams on the schedule after Harding began achieving success. He put them on the schedule beforehand to help the Raiders reach new levels.

The late Frank Bubba was a longtime assistant basketball coach at Warren Western Reserve and Harding, then later guided the Raiders’ program. His teams would often face one of the toughest schedules statewide.

“It’s not about winning games, it’s about winning championships,” Bubba would say.

Bubba believed that being tested in the regular season made his teams better come tournament time.

Ursuline went just 5-5 in the regular season. While 21 area schools posted a better record, the Irish are the only Mahoning Valley team which will spend part of their Thanksgiving practicing for Week 14.

At Ursuline, it’s all about winning championships — an achievement accomplished last week when the Irish won a regional title.

Indeed, the struggle to get to late November was a tough one. But the bumpy road in September and October helped pave the way.

Perhaps if this bumpy road is a little more traveled in the future, more Mahoning Valley teams will find the postseason fruitful.

Write Vindicator correspondent Steve Ruman at sports@vindy.com.