Five things about Sheridan football B-C fans need to know

For Bloom-Carroll fans, Friday can't arrive soon enough.

The Bulldogs will meet one of the state's most consistent programs when Sheridan comes calling in a Division III, Region 11 semifinal at Lancaster's storied Fulton Field. The winner plays either Columbus Watterson or Jackson for a berth in the state semifinals.

Here is a look at the Generals, who won the Muskingum Valley League's Big School Division and enter with an 11-1 record. Paul Culver III has led the Generals to five straight playoff appearances in his six years as head coach.

1. 'RMA' reigns supreme

The Right Mental Attitude is more than just a saying in the Sheridan program — it's the cornerstone.

It was Culver's father, Hall of Famer Paul Culver Jr., who introduced it during the early 1980s and remains its hallmark. Culver, who died earlier this year, once coached with the father of former B-C coach Wade Bartholomew.

The essence of RMA? Whether it's everyday life or winning football, nothing is possible without the a good frame of mind. That's what the elder Culver preached daily.

B-C fans roaming the stadium on Friday night will see plenty of fans of all ages clad in red and gray RMA hats and shirts, some as old as the teenage boys playing the games. That's how much impact those three simple letters have had on a community for decades.

The on-field impact speaks for itself — 22 playoff appearances since 1985. The 1987 and 1996 squads reached the state semifinals.

2. 'Mirror images'

Sheridan senior lineman Reece Hale said following the team's practice on Tuesday that the Generals and Bulldogs are "mirror images," when it comes to their style of play.

Both want to inflict their size and physicality on opponents with strength in the trenches on both sides of the ball. Both lean on strong defense and powerful running games.

But they're far from one-trick operations.

While Sheridan rides running backs Alex Poirier and Justin Munyan, who combined for 1,316 yards and 18 TDs in the regular season, dual threat quarterbacks Reid Packer and Caden Sheridan have proven effective through the air.

Packer ran for 621 yards and passed for 651 with 13 total TDs in the regular season; Caden Sheridan passed for 559 and 4 TDs. Receivers Andrew Holden, A.J. Winders and Spencer Showalter average more than 15 yards per catch.

Packer and Sheridan combined for 312 yards and 5 TDs in a second-round playoff win against Washington Court House — the Generals had 527 rushing yards in all.

3. Plenty of 'options'

B-C fans who followed last year's team during the postseason have memories of old-school Clarksville Clinton-Massie. Massie leaned almost exclusively on inside running with the triple-option, but it did so mostly under center.

Like Massie, the Generals love the option — it has been the staple of their offense since the current players' fathers were playing for the elder Culver. Unlike the old days, now the Generals are mostly in the shotgun.

Yet, the Generals' approach hasn't been much different. The 6-2, 190-pound Packer is deft at reading the option, but his passing is effective enough to keep opponents honest. Caden Sheridan, a star catcher for coach Doug Fisher in his spare time, is a strong-armed passer with deceptive running skills.

It has added up to an offense that produced 390 yards per game in the regular season and scored 86 points in the postseason.

4. Sheridan 'D' is all about the 'P'

Packer and Poirier lead an improved unit that hasn't allowed more than 20 points since a 27-24 home loss to Pataskala Watkins Memorial in Week 2. That followed a 35-28 road win at Hanover Licking Valley.

Packer's rangy play at free safety and the 6-1, 195-pound Poirier's balanced play at middle linebacker are the centrifugal forces on a 3-3-5 alignment that rarely leaves its base front.

Poirier made two key pass breakups during the final drive of the fourth quarter in a 14-13 win at Tri-Valley that secured the outright MVL-Big School Division title, while Packer intercepted five passes.

Sheridan had interceptions from three players and also recovered a fumble in a 60-34 win against Washington Court House in the quarterfinals, a game when the teams combined to run 130 plays and total 963 yards.

5. Generals have been tested

Culver's group faced six playoff teams in the regular season in Valley, Watkins, McConnelsville Morgan, Philo, Tri-Valley and New Lexington, and it almost played B-C instead of Watkins in Week 2 had the Bulldogs not had John Glenn previously scheduled. Three of those teams won at least eight games.

Playoff success has been mixed under Culver's tenure.

The 2021 team, which finished 8-2, fell 21-14 at Columbus DeSales after failing to score inside the Stallions' 10-yard line in the final minute.

The 2020 squad, with a senior-dominated team, won two playoff games before falling to Columbus Hartley, 10-6, in the regional semifinals.

The 2018 squad reached the regional finals after wins against Bellbrook (27-19) and Granville (20-7) before falling to Columbus Eastmook (20-14) — at Fulton Field.

sblackbu@gannett.com; Twitter: @SamBlackburnTR

This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: High School Football: 5 things about Sheridan Generals football team