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Week 9 VermilionValley football wrapup

Posted by: Fred Kroner

Wednesday, October 28, 2009 4:43 PM

In the six-year existence of the Vermilion Valley Conference, the league has done exactly what administrators hoped for when they dissolved the Illini Central Conference after the 1998-99 school year.
The ICC was traditionally dominated by St. Joseph-Ogden and Unity — or by Unity and St. Joseph-Ogden — and playoff berths for the schools in Vermilion County were sparse.
The schools joined forced with the Sangamon Valley Conference in 1999 for a five-year, multi-division experiment before forming their own seven-school, County-only league prior to the start of the 2004-05 school year.
Two years later, Milford was added to the VVC.
With five playoff qualifies this year from the Vermilion Valley, exactly half of the VVC schools have participated in a playoff game since the league was started: 23 playoff appearances out of a possible 46.
This year’s qualifiers are spread among three classes, including one game in Class 3A which will be played at 7 p.m. on Friday when Oakwood/Armstrong-Potomac travels to St. Joseph-Ogden.
On Saturday, Class 1A Salt Fork will host Hardin-Calhoun at 1:30 p.m. at Catlin while the other VVC schools face contests in Class 2A. Milford/Cissna Park will entertain Knoxville at 1 p.m. on Saturday; Westville will head south to Marshall for a 1:30 p.m. game on Saturday and Bismarck-Henning will travel to Staunton on Saturday for a 2 p.m. game.
A look back at Week 9 games, as well as a season review, for the eight VVC schools:

BISMARCK-HENNING (5-4)

Coach Mark Dodd’s squad takes a three-game winning streak into its playoff opener against an 8-1 opponent which was undefeated until Week 9.
In essence, Dodd said, “we’ve had three weeks of playoff games, facing elimination, and I’m happy the way they were able to respond.”
B-H clinched its first playoff game since 2006 by virtue of last week’s 42-8 triumph over Schlarman.
The Blue Devils scored on their first six possessions, with sophomore Reed Collins finding the end zone four times. In his last two games, Collins has amassed 10 TDs and 462 yards rushing, including 202 on the ground against the Hilltoppers.
“Reed had another nice game,” Dodd said, “but our offensive line was very, very good. It was our best offensive line game.”
The line established themselves and allowed B-H to move the ball so well on the ground it never attempted a pass (except on a two-point conversion) against Schlarman.
Bismarck-Henning grades its linemen after each game and Dodd welcomed a development which had not occurred in his first 26 games at the school.
“Alex Hahne (right guard) and Cody Longest (center) both graded at 100 percent, which had never happened while I’ve been here,” Dodd said.
Hahne, in particular, has been a pleasant surprise. He stepped in as a starter when Branden Smith suffered a season-ending injury in the second game.
“Alex has improved so much,” Dodd said.
This week, B-H will face another run-oriented team. Staunton has three players with at least 500 yards rushing, including one over 1,000.
“It will be a good experience to see how we can handle the change in routine, the Saturday game, the long travel,” Dodd said. “The competition is going to be very stiff and we’ll have to rise to the challenge.”
Defensively among the Hilltoppers, Josh Kessler had seven tackles. Teammates with five stops apiece were Kevin Allen, Collins, Ross Darby and Sam Shoaf.
The kickoff at Staunton is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Saturday.

B-H REGULAR-SEASON SEASON REVIEW
Varsity record: 5-4
Junior varsity record: 7-1
Freshmen record: 3-2
Seniors, and number of starters on offense: 7/4
Seniors, and number of starters on defense: 7/5
Steadiest offensive lineman: Luke Thornsbrough, senior guard
Most consistent defensive players: Reed Collins, sophomore linebacker; Ross Darby, junior linebacker; and Dakota Patton, junior defensive end
Rushing yardage returning in 2010: 92.2 percent
Passing yardage returning in 2010: 7.2 percent
Receiving yardage returning in 2010: 100 percent
Scoring returning in 2010: 76.8 percent
Tidbits: When B-H goes to its power game, Thornsbrough shifts from the line to fullback. “He’s able to do anything we need,” Dodd said. In those situations, freshman Morgan Supergan goes in at guard and Dan Golden is inserted at tackle. Thornsbrough has scored TDs on two of his 10 carries. ... Collins needs 32 yards rushing at Staunton to reach 1,000. ... As a team, B-H has gained 79 percent of its yards (2,133 of 2,715) on the ground.
Coach Mark Dodd’s evaluation: “We lost two games (Milford/Cissna Park and Oakwood/Armstrong-Potomac) in the last minute. We real pretty close to having a real good record. Michael Grant (quarterback) will be a huge loss, but Krystian Ingram has been waiting his turn and he’ll be very good the next two years.”

SALT FORK (8-1)

The Storm are in the playoffs for the ninth consecutive year. In eight of those seasons, Salt Fork has won at least seven games.
This year’s eighth win, 36-13 over Oakwood/Armstrong-Potomac last week, enabled coach Brian Plotner’s team to salvage a share of the VVC championship with Milford/Cissna Park. Both schools were 6-1 in league play.
“After losing early in the conference (Week 2 of league play), it was nice to find a way to come back and get a share of the conference title,” Plotner said. “It’s a great reward for the kids.”
Salt Fork is going into its playoff opener — against a traditional powerhouse in Hardin-Calhoun which has two football state championships on its resume — on a positive note.
“We played some of our best football of the entire year in the second half against Oakwood,” Plotner said. “The kids came out with good intensity and focus.
“Offensively, we moved the ball. Defensively, we got better as the game progressed and we had big special teams play.”
Versatile Lance Hubbard returned the second-half kickoff 65 yards to the Comets’ 20, where Cody Davis scored a TD on the next play, expanding what had been a tenuous 8-7 halftime lead for the Storm.
“We were struggling in the first half and had costly turnovers,” Plotner said.
For the first time this season, Salt Fork had two athletes eclipse the 100-yard rushing mark in the same game. Hubbard totaled 138 yards and Davis ran for a season-high 122.
Through nine games, Hubbard is the Storm’s top rusher (878 yards) and also the top receiver (306 yards).
Salt Fork’s top tacklers last week were Jordan Hallett (14), Tony Marrow (13) and Jeremy Homan (11).
Hubbard also caught two of the three passes quarterback Joe Pratt completed.
Salt Fork’s playoff opener, Hardin-Calhoun, had a streak of 17 consecutive playoff appearances snapped in 2007, but returned to the postseason last fall.
“They are a tradition-rich program,” Plotner said. “They have excellent offensive and defensive line play and are a hard-nosed team.”
Like Salt Fork, Hardin-Calhoun (6-3) emphasizes the running attack. The Warriors enter Saturday’s 1:30 playoff game following a loss in week 9.

SALT FORK REGULAR-SEASON SEASON REVIEW
Varsity record: 8-1
Junior varsity record: 7-1
Freshmen record: 5-3
Seniors, and number of starters on offense: 10/5
Seniors, and number of starters on defense: 10/6
Steadiest offensive linemen: Senior tackles Jordan Hallett and Jake Manning
Most consistent defensive players: Senior tackles Jordan Hallett and Jake Manning
Rushing yardage returning in 2010: 56.1 percent
Passing yardage returning in 2010: 0 percent
Receiving yardage returning in 2010: 19 percent
Scoring returning in 2010: 35.2 percent
Tidbits: The Storm have gained 71 percent of their yards on the ground (1,967 of 2,776). ... Jake Manning and Brandon Dixon, who’ve been sidelined with ankle injuries, should return to practice this week and could see limited time in Saturday’s game. ... Luke Delbridge, who played sparingly last week due to a shoulder injury, will likely see increased time against Hardin-Calhoun. ... Lineman Aaron Taylor returned to practice on Monday. ... Salt Fork’s record in Plotner’s eight years as head coach is 65-22, a 74.7 winning percentage.
Coach Brian Plotner’s evaluation: “We lost so many great players from last year’s (12-1) group and had so many unknowns. This has been a challenging year for the kids and the program to do and maintain some of the things they have accomplished. Each week has been a challenge. There have been no off-weeks with this group. The conference, as a whole, has done a very good job, and we’ve been pleased by our performance.”

MILFORD/CISSNA PARK (8-1)

The Bearcats built a 34-0 halftime win last week in their 48-14 triumph over Hoopeston Area.
“We minimized mistakes and looked very good offensively and defensively,” head coach Nate Albaugh said. “When you don’t turn the ball over, good things will happen.”
The defensive highlight was the play of the front seven.
“Our defensive line and linebackers got pressure on the quarterback and made it difficult for them to get accurate passes off,” Albaugh said. “Alex Kaeb looked good and Andrew Kelnhofer is a force to be dealt with.”
Kaeb and Kelnhofer each had nine tackles last week. MCP’s other defensive leaders were Bryan Yergler and Anthony Stebbins, with five tackles apiece. Reed Anderson intercepted two passes.
Kelnhofer is one player who can line up where ever Albaugh needs him to be most helpful for the team.
“He’s a strong kid, and aggressive,” Albaugh said. “He doesn’t stop chasing the football.”
Besides linebacker, Kelnhofer has been used as a defensive tackle, nose guard and defensive end this season. He’ll likely play on the line this week, Albaugh said, “to give us some strength. They are a power football team, and we need that up front.”
Against Hoopeston, Kyle Popham had his third 100-yard rushing performance in a row (112 yards). Quarterback Kristopher Evans passed for 79 yards, leaving him seven yards shy of 1,000 for the season.
The playoff home opener — the first postseason game in Milford in more than a decade — is “a big boost for our community,” Albaugh said.
MCP is unbeaten in five home games this season. Knoxville, which won its first six games this season, brings a 7-2 record into Saturday’s 1 p.m. game. The Blue Bullets have not beaten a team with a winning record in 2009.

MILFORD/CISSNA PARK REGULAR-SEASON SEASON REVIEW
Varsity record: 6-3
Junior varsity record: 3-5
Freshmen record: 5-1
Seniors, and number of starters on offense: 15/8
Seniors, and number of starters on defense: 15/10
Steadiest offensive lineman: Bryan Yergler, senior tackle
Most consistent defensive player: Andrew Kelnhofer, senior linebacker
Rushing yardage returning in 2010: .05 percent
Passing yardage returning in 2010: 0 percent
Receiving yardage returning in 2010: 6.4 percent
Scoring returning in 2010: 6.4 percent
Tidbits: Last year, Milford had the first winning season (5-4) in 11 years. This year, the first for a co-op with Cissna Park, the Bearcats have their most wins since back-to-back 10-win seasons in 1993 and 1994. ... MCP’s first five wins this year included four by margins of four, two, nine and eight points. ... Twelve different ball carriers have gained yards rushing this season. ... The Bearcats have gained 65.7 percent of their yards on the ground (1,899 of 2,892).
Coach Nate Albaugh’s evaluation: “I feel very good about how we’ve progressed. We’ve gotten much better the last three or four weeks. This is a product we can do something with. The kids are learning every single day and an 8-1 record is nothing to complain about. I did see that type of potential, but with so many question marks, we weren’t banking on it. It has turned into one of those special seasons.”

OAKWOOD/ARMSTRONG-POTOMAC (6-3)

The Comets carry a two-game losing streak into the playoffs. The losses came to the teams which finished in a first-place tie in the VVC, Milford/Cissna Park and Salt Fork.
O/A-P dropped a 36-13 decision to Salt Fork last week in a game which was within one point at halftime.
It wasn’t all gloom and doom for the Comets against the Storm.
“Offensively, I was very impressed with the first quarter,” head coach Gary Denhart said. “Salt Fork jumped into a defense we hadn’t seen and our kids handled it well. We went down the field and scored.
“The first half was our best defensive half of the year.”
Injuries sidelined rushing leader Ryan Strange and John Garrett, a two-way lineman who is also the team’s punter.
Strange, a sophomore, needed 118 yards to break the Comets’ single-season rushing record, but suffered an ankle injury after gaining 60 yards on 11 first-half carries.
He is regarded as doubtful for the playoff opener which will send the Comets to a former rival from the Illini Central Conference, St. Joseph-Ogden.
Garrett will be sidelined with a broken fibula.
Clay Smith, the starting I-back the first two weeks, will take over for Strange. Smith is also the backup punter, but Denhart was uncertain which route to take on special teams. Smith is the No. 1 long-snapper.
With Smith, a senior, in the lineup, Denhart will remain optimistic.
“He has played the position for four years and did some things to put himself there to begin (the season),” Denhart said.
Instead of using a three-back set, Denhart indicated he’ll go with two backs (Smith and fullback Arlen Kerst) and use a third wide receiver.
He has plenty of choices at the pass-catching positions. He uses those athletes as messengers with the plays. Austin Buckley, Zack Grubb, Doug Pierce and Drew Simpson and are among those in the receiving corps.
The biggest void, Denhart said, is that “Garrett was a good blocking tight end.”
Against Salt Fork, Kerst had 16 tackles, Joseph Garrett had eight and Grubb had eight.
O/A-P will be the underdog against the Spartans, but Denhart won’t concede anything.
“Things didn’t go well (last week), but we’re still in position to play another game,” he said. “Our kids want to be there. They want to play. They want to win.”

OAKWOOD/ARMSTRONG-POTOMAC REGULAR-SEASON SEASON REVIEW
Varsity record: 6-3
Junior varsity record: 3-5
Freshmen record: 1-6
Seniors, and number of starters on offense: 8/5
Seniors, and number of starters on defense: 8/6
Steadiest offensive linemen: Jacob McGlaughlin, senior tackle, and Brad Miller, senior tackle
Most consistent defensive player: Arlen Kerst, junior linebacker
Rushing yardage returning in 2010: 69.9 percent
Passing yardage returning in 2010: 0 percent
Receiving yardage returning in 2010: 40.6 percent
Scoring returning in 2010: 65.4 percent
Tidbits: O/A-P last played St. Joseph-Ogden in the final game of Marty McFarland’s coaching career. SJ-O won the playoff opener in 2000 over a 6-3 Comets team, 66-0. ... Denhart took over as the O/A-P coach in 2001. ... The Comets have gained 91.2 percent of their yards on the ground (2,886 of 3,162). ... O/A-P has completed 20 passes in nine games. Clay Smith has a team-high eight receptions. ... Arlen Kerst needs 2 more yards to become the team’s third back with at least 600 yards rushing. He will join Ryan Strange and Trace McClintock. All three backs have had at least one 100-yard rushing game.
Coach Gary Denhart’s evaluation: “This group of kids followed a good group of kids who had a bad year (3-6). I really thought, as young and inexperienced as we were, that this was going to be a confidence year. The goal was to be positive and pump the kids up. They have progressed great and they built on each other and came together well. Each week, we’ve done things and learned.”

WESTVILLE (6-3)

The importance of the Tigers’ 36-7 Coal Bucket conquest of Georgetown-Ridge Farm/Chrisman was realized when the IHSA announced the playoff qualifiers on Saturday.
Westville was in the playoffs automatically by earning its sixth win. Had it lost, however, its playoff point total (35) would have been under this year’s cutoff (38) and the team’s season would have been over.
The Tigers are heading to the postseason for the sixth straight year with more than a two-game winning streak. They have the confidence provided from playing at a high level.
“By far (Week 9) was our best game of the year, so far,” Goodlove said. “Defensively, we played very well. Georgetown had trouble running the ball.
“It’s something to build on, something to get excited about. It looked really good on film.”
John Hoepner (eight tackles) and Matt Maser (seven) were the team’s defensive leaders against the Buffaloes. Maser and Zach Waclaw each intercepted passes.
Brandon Pratt had his best rushing game of the season, 227 yards, and Brendon Severado scored a touchdown by rushing and one on a pass reception.
The 170-pound senior enters the postseason as the Tigers’ leader in rushing (893 yards), receiving (416 yards), scoring (98 points), tackling (78) and interceptions (three).
“We’re at the point, we’re going to let our offense make plays and rely on what got us here,” Goodlove said.
Westville’s playoff opener is at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday at Marshall, which is led by quarterback Taylor Duncan, who recently committed to Eastern Illinois University. Through eight games, the 6-foot-3, 200-pound Duncan had passed for 1,010 yards and rushed for 526, accounting for 24 TDs between his arm and legs.
“He’s probably the best 2A quarterback in the state,” Goodlove said. “He’s a lefty. Very fast. He reminds me of our quarterback (Matt Maser), except 2 inches taller.”
Maser has passed for 854 yards and rushed for 625, accounting for 18 TDs between his arm and legs.
One of Marshall’s victories is over Class 4A playoff qualifier, Mahomet-Seymour.
“They are battle-tested and probably had a better schedule than ours,” Goodlove said. “Our kids will have to step off the bus ready to play.”

WESTVILLE REGULAR-SEASON SEASON REVIEW
Varsity record: 6-3
Junior varsity record: 3-5
Freshmen record: 4-2
Seniors, and number of starters on offense: 8/4
Seniors, and number of starters on defense: 8/4
Steadiest offensive lineman: Jeremy Ottino, senior guard
Most consistent defensive player: Brendon Severado, senior linebacker
Rushing yardage returning in 2010: 64.8 percent
Passing yardage returning in 2010: 98.9 percent
Receiving yardage returning in 2010: 27.2 percent
Scoring returning in 2010: 56.9 percent
Tidbits: The Tigers have gained 72.3 percent of their yards on the ground (2,542 of 3,505). Maser needs 146 yards to reach 1,000 passing. ... Severado needs 107 to reach 1,000 rushing.
Coach Guy Goodlove’s evaluation: “When we beat Momence (Week 2), I thought we had set the table to possibly go undefeated. I had that much confidence in our team. That didn’t happen due to other circumstances (several five-game disciplinary suspensions, during which time the Tigers were 2-3). We could have easily felt sorry for ourselves and not made the playoffs, but we battled back when our backs were against the wall. We got wins when we needed to get them.”

GEORGETOWN-RIDGE FARM/CHRISMAN (3-6)

The Buffaloes lost in the Coal Bucket game against rival Westville for the seventh consecutive season, dropping a 36-7 decision in a game they were shutout in until the final quarter.
“They’re an excellent team, but we made some mistakes and they took advantage,” G-RF/C coach Jason Baccadutre said. “It was the way the season has gone. There were some good things, but there were some lows.”
Sophomore quarterback Ryan Dieu threw TD passes in six of his last seven games and finished 60 yards shy of reaching 1,000 for the season. Dieu passed for more than twice as many yards as a sophomore than either of the school’s top two career passers did at the same grade level. All-time leader Andrew Pratt passed for 418 yards as a sophomore and Dwight George threw for 444 as a 10th-grader.
“Ryan did some good things but, at times, he looked like the sophomore he is,” Baccadutre said. “When you have young kids, you have situations that might not go your way.”
Some underclassmen were quick to put the school’s third successive 3-6 season behind them.
“They are talking about next year and some of the kids have been in the weight room already,” Baccadutre said.
Alex Pratt, who rushed for a team-high 136 yards in his final prep game, had a team-high 14 tackles in the finale. Finishing with seven stops apiece were Kyle Greene and Korie Vire.

GEORGETOWN-RIDGE FARM/CHRISMAN REGULAR-SEASON SEASON REVIEW
Varsity record: 3-6
Junior varsity record: none
Freshmen record: 0-6
Seniors, and number of starters on offense: 8/5
Seniors, and number of starters on defense: 8/5
Steadiest offensive lineman: James Dailey, sophomore tackle
Most consistent defensive player: Alex Pratt, senior linebacker
Rushing yardage returning in 2010: 18.4 percent
Passing yardage returning in 2010: 92.2 percent
Receiving yardage returning in 2010: 73.4 percent
Scoring returning in 2010: 37.6 percent
Tidbits: G-RF/C’s third-week 27-13 victory over Hoopeston Area was the 500th in school history. The school’s all-time football record is 501-339-50. ... Of the Buffaloes’ nine opponents, seven had winning records, including each of the last five. ... Alex Pratt finished 17 yards away from reaching 1,000 in rushing as a senior.
Coach Jason Baccadutre’s evaluation: “They see the potential we had and they see the light at the end of the tunnel. There wasn’t an easy game on our schedule. The conference was as solid as it has been since I’ve been coaching (five years). We were young and they will get better and better.”

HOOPESTON AREA (1-8)

The Cornjerkers dropped a 48-14 decision to Milford/Cissna Park in their final game though quarterback Tate Compton passed for a season-high 228 yards.
His completions were spread between four receivers, each of whom had at least 50 yards. Cody Eells had 64 yards on receptions, Jason Leigh had 58, Robbie Irvin had 55 and Andrew Vaughn had 51.
“We put ourselves behind the 8-ball early and had to throw more than we’d like to,” coach Jeff Ohlemeyer said. “It was tough to throw with a 25 mph wind, but Tate played well.”
In his final three prep games, Compton completed 67.1 percent of his passes (47 of 70) and threw for 490 yards. For the season, he led all VVC quarterbacks in passing with 1,156 yards.
Eells was the Cornjerkers’ top rusher against MCP, gaining 82 yards.
Defensively, the team leaders were Vaughn (nine tackles) an Kyle Ramos (six).

HOOPESTON AREA REGULAR-SEASON SEASON REVIEW
Varsity record: 1-8
Junior varsity record: 5-1
Freshmen record: 3-1
Seniors, and number of starters on offense: 7/5
Seniors, and number of starters on defense: 7/3
Steadiest offensive lineman: Kyle Ramos, junior center
Most consistent defensive player: Andrew Vaughn, senior linebacker
Rushing yardage returning in 2010: 66.7 percent
Passing yardage returning in 2010: 0 percent
Receiving yardage returning in 2010: 22 percent
Scoring returning in 2010: 18 percent
Tidbits: The Cornjerkers have endured 16 consecutive losing seasons, including the last eight where they haven’t won more than twice in a season. ... The team gained 66.7 percent of its yards through the air (1,153 of 1,733). ... Quarterback Tate Compton’s final completion was his 100th of the year. ... Since football was started at the school in 1897, the all-time record is 345-497-35. ... Between rushing and receiving, Cody Eells totaled 804 yards. He led the team in both categories.
Coach Jeff Ohlemeyer’s evaluation: “We had good leadership from our seniors, for the most part. We showed good fight, without exception, even when we got down big. We didn’t have any quit in us. We’re not quite where we want to be mentally. We can’t seem to overcome the slightest mistake. Hopefully, with the success the younger kids had at the lower levels, if we can keep them participating, we can get things turned around.”

SCHLARMAN (0-9)

The Hilltoppers didn’t complete a pass in their 42-8 season-ending loss to Bismarck-Henning, the fourth straight playoff school Schlarman faced during the final four weeks.
“The schedule wasn’t real kind to us, especially having only three home games,” first-year coach Mike High said. “It hasn’t been very rosy, but the kids played hard and in their hearts, they see the hope. If they do the things they’re doing, things will turn around for them.”
High is looking forward to establishing stability within the coaching staff.
“You have to keep people in place to build every year on what they’ve done the year before,” he said.
In the finale, Skylar Dodge rushed for 63 yards and scored a touchdown for the third game in a row. Defensively, Dodge and Tyler Mangum each had seven tackles.
Anthony Drake and Jordan Sheahan finished with six tackles apiece.
High was appreciative of the attitude he saw in his players as he started his third stint as the school’s head coach.
“Our kids stayed positive,” he said. “With so many kids coming back (30 of 33), they knew the work they did this year would lay the foundation for next year. Our kids played pretty hard.”
High emphasized that point from the outset.
“The No. 1 thing I said was to play hard or you won’t play at all,” he said. “I was pleased with our attitude.”

SCHLARMAN REGULAR-SEASON SEASON REVIEW
Varsity record: 0-9
Junior varsity record: 1-6
Freshmen record: none
Seniors, and number of starters on offense: 3/2
Seniors, and number of starters on defense: 3/2
Steadiest offensive linemen: Tyler Mangum, freshman tackle, and Anthony Drake, senior tackle
Most consistent defensive player: Anthony Drake, senior linebacker
Rushing yardage returning in 2010: 97.4 percent
Passing yardage returning in 2010: 100 percent
Receiving yardage returning in 2010: 79.1 percent
Scoring returning in 2010: 89.9 percent
Tidbits: The Hilltoppers have totaled two wins in the past five seasons and endured three 0-9 seasons, one of which (2007) was due to forfeiting every game when the varsity program was dropped in mid-August for one season. ... Schlarman gained 77.5 percent of its yards on the ground (1,284 of 1,657). ... Quarterback Heath Goodwin was the team’s top rusher (778 yards) as well as the top passer (373 yards) and scorer (42 points). ... Senior Michael Bateman made 10 of 12 extra points and also kicked a field goal.
Coach Mike High’s evaluation: “It’s hard for me to judge where we were with where we are now because I didn’t see any games last year. We had a split season. Early, we executed pretty well offensively and scored points, but our defense was not very good. At midseason, we started emphasizing the defensive side. The defense got better, but offensively, we slid. Overall, we made a lot of improvement and competed better.”