It's Official: Powell regains job at Dunbar; Did Committee get it right?

After one of the most high profile high school situations in OHSAA history,  Dunbar coach Darran Powell was approved on Tuesday night to be re-hired as the head coach of the Dunbar Wolverines.

Powell and staff will be back for 2017 

The Dayton Public School Committee finally got it right.

Finally.
Better late than never right?

  Powell, who lost his job due to lack of votes in the re-hiring process recently, was awarded his job back in a voting process that favored him 6-1.

  Most, if not all, did truly feel that Powell did deserve a his job back.
 The one person who voted no wanted to hear a apology from Powell, which was his reason for voting no, citing a lack of real remorse from Powell and his staff.


In the scandal and hottest topic of the 2016 High School season, Dunbar allegedly tried to throw a game vs Belmont after playing a ineligible player and being called out on it by the Belmont staff.

 It was alleged that the AD (Mark Baker) told the Coaches at Dunbar to let Belmont win, so that both teams would make the playoffs after being caught paying the ineligible player.

 The game was eventually stopped by the officials  briefly after the Wolverines looked to try to the throw the game. Albeit in bad fashion as well.

   After delegation, the Wolverines finished off the Bison, but in effect, would be the final straw for Dunbar as they would forfeit their final 2 games, causing a playoff shift in teams who would and wouldn't make it, and eliminating themselves and watching Belmont go to the playoffs for the 2nd consecutive season.

Will the Bison make it 3 straight years in the playoffs? 

 Once the dust had settled, Baker had denied all reports of him telling the staff to throw the game, while Powell had openly told his teams parents in a meeting the Sunday after the game, that he would never do anything like that knowingly.

 Pete Pullen, the legendary basketball coach, resgined as the AD from Dunbar after the situation, which then left it a Powell-Baker situation.

 Baker, who has denied all accusations, was cleared by Superintendent Rhonda Corr of any wrongdoings but was found at fault by OHSAA, which led to a 3-year Probation settlement on DPS.

As long as Baker is in office, there will be probation, which was the messaged relayed to the District.

Nevertheless, Baker got a 2-year extension.
 And Powell?
 He lost his job, even though he won the majority of the votes.

So when the word got out that someone else would be coaching the Wolverines and how Powell actually lost his job?

The entire organization stood up for Dunbar coach, which set the stage for tonight.

After the results, the Dunbar contingent hugged and celebrated.
 While Darran Powell wasn't at the event,  the Powell family was in full force, and was very relieved in the final results.

Assistant coach Antoine Sain felt like the kids would be the most to benefit, as Powell is like a "Father figure" to a lot of the Wolverines.

   When it was over, Rhonda Corr waved to the Dunbar family and congratulated them on the ruling.
In return, some of the Wolverines waved back and talked.

In a tumultuous year, this was the absolute best move Corr and the committee has made.
 Hands down.

Now when is that Belmont-Dunbar game this year?

Oh yeah, it's the Season Opener.

You can bet that Powell is already at work.
Now he can eat and sleep again.




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Dunbar streaks past Ponitz in 2nd half; Put 56 on the board

For about 20 solid minutes or for most of the 1st half, Ponitz went toe for toe, and actually had the lead vs Dunbar, much like last year;

    The Panthers showed they had the gameplan to play with the favored Wolverines. Star RB Jamil Freeman was doing work, & after a strong TD run by Ponitz late in the 2nd quarter, it looked as if we might have a upset on our hands, as the Panthers led 14-12.  The Panthers crowd was hype, and the sense of a Ponitz win was starting to look like a reality.

After that, Dunbar outscored Ponitz 44-21 in a blistering display of offense as they routed Ponitz 56-35.

Local and Ohio State Legend Keith Byars at the game

With City League legend Keith Byars watching the game, the Wolverines took it up a few notches.

  Jo Jo Scates, Keyshawn Jones & Tavion Thomas all scored, as the Wolverines put it all together in the 2nd half as Michigan committ Antwan Johnson led the Defense to some key stops early in the 3rd to take the game from a nail biter to a rout.

Dunbar moves to 2-0 while Ponitz  falls to 1-1.

If committee is paying attention, Bison will make it to playoffs

   We had the luxury to have Belmont on the TV show of Dayton High School Sports last year. After initially speaking with rising star RB Davion Lankford  you got the sense that the smooth RB with sick moves and a gear few have, hadn't quite understood what he was accomplishing.

  He hadn't played ball in years. His grades wasn't on par, and, quite frankly, he wasn't focused on being a student athlete. Or even a student.

However with the coaxing of his family and new staff of Belmont football coaches, Lankford did make changes.
Big changes. Program resurrecting changes.
With stunning results, we might add.

But back to the Interview.
Before the interview Lankford was nervous, excited, and happy to be on the show. He had ran for 200+ with 3 TDs, and his mom, uncles, and support staff was there.He genuinely seemed shocked that he was getting so much attention for playing football. 

He was our first ever DHSS Athlete of the Week. And he beamed for that moment.

But the one thing you also seen was the hunger for more, and the desire to be great. The longer the interview went on, the better he got. Kind of like how he is on the field. And in the books too.

    After a nice start last season,  the Bison fizzled late, and you started to hear the rumors of the "Old Belmont Bison ways", which was losing, losing, and more losing.
    But the one difference between the old Bison and the new Bison is quite simple:

Coach Earl White and his coaching staff.

  Not to mention a rejuvenated Bison fan club (Bison Nation) which tailgates, whoops and hollers and support their Bison with the best of them.

   White took the Colonel White / Thurgood Marshall program and took it to a level very few coaches have reached in City League and Southwest Ohio HS football history.
   Multiple City League Titles, numerous playoff beths, (including a signature victory over the vaunted Alter Knights) and a State Berth, to name a few.
   White was a former player himself, and holds every player, coach, and staff member accountable.

And if you don't like it?  Deal with it.


  And by his results, the players have responded and love his style. Whether u like his style of play or not, it has worked almost 70% of the time, which is a great winning percentage for any coach on any level. He knew it would take a little time, but a Southwest Public City League Championship in their first season and his first City Title after two years?

Ohio HS Football Playoff Committee, are you watching?

  After a gutsy win over Ponitz, we asked some family where Lankford was looking to go.
   Sources close to Davion told us that Coach White told Lankford that, "When the time is right" he'd unveil the list of schools drooling over the two way star for his services.

"Stay focused on books and the season, and the rest will take care of itself." White said.

Well after a 5 TD game last week, it's safe to that Lankford is listening.

Now about that change...
Lankford has become the unquestioned leader of the Bison. He has squared his grades, worked extremely hard on his body, as he takes major punishment every week. He is a captain of the team, become more vocal and holds all the other players accountable while lifting an entire program back to notoriety.

  Lankford has taken a glimpse of hope and turned it into a mountain of opportunities.
D-1 offers, loved by his peers, respected and feared by his opponents.

  But, in his most recent interview, its obvious he is focused on the task at hand. He talked about his team, getting to the playoffs and rising up even with its looks dim, as his boys had just won in OT after he had scored a TD, 2-pt conversion and had a key sack.

  The Bison (6-1) sit 9th in the region for a playoff berth, with 2 games to go. Although they won their league, it's not guaranteed to make the playoffs.  With White's pedigree in previous playoffs, & the a team loaded with talent, quality coaching, and players who have bought into the system?

Never too late.

Just ask Davion Lankford and Earl White.

OHSAA Football playoff Committee, are you paying attention? If not, you should be.

Everyone else sure is.

Salute the Bison.

Dunbar looks to keep high powered offense going tonight vs Princeton

Going into last weeks game vs Ponitz, the Wolverines were angry.
Angry at the way they played in the second half vs Withrow.
Angry at the rain delay that caused them a day to wait to play.
Angry about the upstart football team with the great coaching staff who threatened to turn their possible championship season into a disaster.
So when they finally got to play, the frustrations came roaring out. Too bad for Ponitz.
They never had a chance on that hot Saturday afternoon as Dunbar won 52-30 last week vs the Panthers. Star WR Keyshawn Jones went buckwild on the Panthers.
Afterwards, there were some smiles, dances, and other small celebrations as the Wolverines got their first W of the season.


Now this week, Dunbar will be tested as Cin. Princeton head to Welcome Stadium tonight as the Southwest Ohio Public League starts to heat up.
Will star wideout Terrance Landers Jr. be available tonight? Remains to be seen as he continues to work back into game mode.


Wolverines Coach Darren Powell knows that in order to take the next step towards being a top football team in the Miami Valley? defeating the cincy schools.


Can they rise up with a talented squad brimming with confidence? Or will Princeton come out if the DYT with a W?


Stay tuned (7pm @ Welcome Stadium)