It is time for teams to open conference play, for at least for four of the five teams in the Heart of Ohio Sports coverage area.
Columbian will make the 90-plus minute drive to Columbus to take on Bishop Watterson, but it's Sandusky Bay Conference River Division and Northern 10 Athletic Conference action for Hopewell-Loudon, Calvert, Mohawk and Seneca East.
Columbian and Calvert suffered tough losses last week while H-L beat Edison in a tremendous game in Milan. Mohawk kept things rolling and Seneca East's defense shut down a potent Monroeville offense.
A kind reminder that just the top 12 teams in each region make the playoffs this year, as opposed to 16 the last few years. If you're one of the top 4 seeds, you'll get a bye in Week 11 and host a playoff game in Week 12.
Want to know more? Keep reading!
Here's a look at the five Heart of Ohio Sports teams, starting with Columbian.
The Tornadoes trailed 28-3 at one point against Medina Buckeye before making a furious rally. Columbian needed one more stop, but didn't get it in a 35-30 loss to the Division III No. 3 Bucks. Logan Gooding completed 21 of 38 passes for 318 yards and four touchdowns against Medina Buckeye. The four touchdowns equaled Gooding's total in the first two games combined. Daelan Brandeberry caught six passes for 171 yards and two scores while Dashawn Russell hauled in five receptions for 44 yards and two touchdowns. For the season, Gooding has completed 47 of 76 passes for 670 yards, eight touchdowns and one interception. Masen Seitz has rushed 53 times for 235 yards and three scores. Russell leads the receivers with 18 catches for 209 yards and four touchdowns while Johnny Bremyer (14-190-2) and Brandeberry (8-188-2) make for a formidable trio on the outside. Last season, Columbian was 2-1 after three weeks before hosting Bishop Watterson. That ended in a 51-7 home loss to the Eagles. Bishop Watterson won the Division III state championship last year and are No. 1 in Division III to begin this season. The Eagles are 45-4 under coach Brian Kennedy since the beginning of the 2022 season.
This week: at Bishop Watterson (3-0)
The Senecas were in control in last week's game against Norwalk St. Paul at Hoernemann Stadium. Calvert led 20-6 with a little over nine minutes to play before the Flyers scored the last 16 points of the game, including a 27-yard field goal with three seconds to play, to stun the Senecas. It is a tough loss for Calvert, one week after beating Monroeville in convincing fashion. Against St. Paul, quarterback Charlie Palm completed 12 of 24 passes for 170 yards and a touchdown while Nolan Lee had 24 rushes for 104 yards and a score. Logan Demoss caught four passes for 114 yards and a touchdown. For the season, Palm is 38 of 68 passing for 490 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions. Lee has run for 211 yards on 56 carries. Demoss leads the receivers with nine receptions for 233 yards and three touchdowns while topping the defense with 38 tackles. Things do not get any easier for the Senecas with the short trip down to Bascom to take on Hopewell-Loudon (3-0). The Sandusky Bay Conference River Division's eight teams went a combined 18-6 in non-league play.
This week: at Hopewell-Loudon (3-0)
Talk about a huge win and you have to mention the Chieftains' 22-14 road win against Edison last week. Hopewell-Loudon led 14-0 at halftime before the Chargers (2-1) tied the game at 14 in a 14-second span on two touchdown passes by Edison quarterback Cole Leimeister. Tied after three quarters, Kellen Frankart scored on a rushing touchdown to win the game for Hopewell-Loudon. Jacoby Ellis completed 11 of 18 passes for 118 yards and a touchdown against Edison while Frankart ran 24 times for 91 yards and two touchdowns. Jack Colatruglio caught four passes for 69 yards and a score in his season debut for Hopewell-Loudon. Edison's top running back Bryson Wittmer was hurt early in the game and didn't return. That certainly forced the Chargers to throw the ball and aided the Chieftains along the way. For the season, Ellis is 28 of 46 for 317 yards and six touchdowns. Frankart has 60 rushes for 323 yards and six scores with Brody Brickman pacing the receivers with 14 receptions for 204 yards and four touchdowns. Brickman has two of the Chieftains' three interceptions on defense. The Chieftains are home to take on rival Calvert this week, a game Hopewell-Loudon won 26-0 last year and 19-7 in 2023.
This week: vs. Calvert (1-2)
The Warriors were a little slow out of the gate in a road contest against Ayersville. Mohawk trailed 8-6 after one quarter and led just 14-8 at halftime. The Warriors then dominated the second half 26-7 to pull away and pick up a 40-15 win. Like I said last week, Mohawk needed to focus on the Pilots and take care of business before a huge Northern 10 Athletic Conference game this Friday. More on that in a second. Andon Clouse continues to run the Warriors' offense well, completing 25 of 39 passes for 442 yards and six touchdowns. He has rushed 48 times for 371 yards and four touchdowns. Kaden Bish isn't far behind Clouse in the ground game, picking up 363 yards on 36 attempts with five touchdowns. Brant Kirian has caught eight passes for 107 yards and three touchdowns while Levi Tiell (6-184-2) and Owen Patrizi (8-104) have been viable options for Clouse. As good ol' J.R. (former WWE announcer Jim Ross) would say, business is about to pick up for the Warriors. This week, they host Colonel Crawford. The Eagles are led by its ground game and Connor McMichael, who has 61 rushes for 290 yards and five touchdowns. Roen Thew has 17 attempts for 159 yards and five scores. Whoever wins this will have a major step up towards winning a league title. Mohawk won last year, 35-7, in a game that established the Warriors as big-time players.
This week: vs. Colonel Crawford (3-0)
The Tigers have had the oddest of scores this year. Seneca East topped Ashland Crestview (2-0), lost to Galion Northmor in overtime (27-21) and now defeated Monroeville, 14-2. The Tigers' defense was stout against a Monroeville team that scored 46 points in a Week 1 win over McComb. Seneca East led the whole game with the Eagles only getting on the scoreboard with less than two minutes to play on a safety. Nicholas Parks has completed 31 of 58 passes for 339 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions for the Tigers. He has 70 carries for 311 yards and two scores while Jackson Gayheart has 42 rushes for 187 yards and a touchdown. Ethan Shultz leads the receivers with 14 catches for 117 yards and a score. The Tigers hit the road to take on Wynford this week. The Royals are coming off of a 46-0 road loss to Western Reserve (a team Seneca East beat in the playoffs last year). Wynford is led by Bryce Locker, who has 49 rushes for 407 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. The Royals have thrown 45 passes across three games with quarterback Braden Campbell completing 22 of 44 passes for 208 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions. Seneca East faces Wynford, Carey (0-3) and Upper Sandusky (1-2) the next three weeks before traveling to Colonel Crawford on Oct. 3.
This week: at Wynford (1-2)
This Friday, join us on the Adrenaline Stream as the 3-0 Hopewell-Loudon Chieftains host the 1-2 Calvert Senecas in an SBC River clash LIVE from Chieftains Field in Bascom. Nate Mullins will be on the call with Tommy Hall alongside Greg ‘The Wizard’ Kinn, with Donnie Hannam on camera and Eric Hall on the sidelines bringing you every pulse-pounding moment LIVE on the pulse of the buckeye state!
Meanwhile, on the X Stream, Dominic Helmstetter, Jacob Ellis, Brendon Blott, and Connor Roush deliver another thrilling week 4 matchup as the (3-0) Mohawk Warriors host the (3-0) Colonel Crawford Eagles at Warriors Stadium in Sycamore!
To catch all the action, head over to HeartOfOhioSports.com, click on the ‘WATCH LIVE’ tab, and enjoy both games paywall-free from the comfort of your home on your smart TV. Of course, you can always take the games with you wherever you go on your smartphone or tablet. Your home for live sports in the Buckeye State is HeartOfOhioSports.com!
THE 10 BEST GAMES TO SEE IN OHIO - WEEK FOUR
By Kyle Holsinger - TWITTER (X): @mcnewkleus
My apologies for getting this article out a few hours later than usual. The first three weeks of the season, I use some metrics from last season’s teams until enough data has built up to properly judge this year’s version of each respective school’s team. Starting this week, that switches and there’s a lot of work that goes into that switch. That being said, next week may come out on Tuesday as well, but then it will be back to the regular Monday publishing.
The Five Best Games in the Area
#5 Pleasant (1-2) @ Caledonia River Valley (1-2)
When: Friday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Pleasant was defeated at Whitehall-Yearling, 36-7; and River Valley lost at home to Buckeye Valley, 38-15.
Previous Meeting: Sept. 20, 2024; River Valley won at Pleasant, 35-0.
Intrigue: A cross-county and Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference rivalry that goes back decades.
Pleasant plays one of the toughest schedules in Division V this season.
Offensively, they Spartans have struggled—averaging 10 points per game. Defensively, they played well in their first two games before giving up 36 points last week to Whitehall-Yearling.
River Valley scored 42 points in week one before being stifled the next two weeks at home against Mansfield Madison and Buckeye Valley.
This game is must needed for each team if they’d like to earn a playoff berth.
#4 Calvert (1-2) @ Hopewell-Loudon (3-0)
When: Friday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Calvert lost to St. Paul at home, 22-20; H-L won at Milan Edison, 22-14.
Previous Meeting: Oct. 25, 2024; Hopewell-Loudon defeated Calvert on the road, 26-0.
Intrigue: Sandusky Bay Conference River Division matchup that will be a Northern 10 matchup next season.
Calvert plays one of the toughest schedules in Division VII.
After getting waxed by the Warriors of Mohawk, the Senecas upset Monroeville only to lose a close one to St. Paul last Friday.
Hopewell averages 22 points a game offensively while having a rock solid defense—giving up only 9.3 ppg.
The Chieftains dominated Carey in week one before beating their next two opponents, Pleasant and Milan Edison, by a touchdown.
Hopewell-Loudon also plays one of the toughest schedules in their division.
#3 Whitmer (2-1) @ Fremont Ross (2-1)
When: Friday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Whitmer defeated Southview at home, 48-0; Fremont Ross lost at Perrysburg, 31-0.
Previous Meeting: Sept. 13, 2024; Whitmer won at Ross, 38-14.
Intrigue: Northern Lakes League battle between two of Northwest Ohio’s most storied programs.
Whitmer has outscored Ohio opponents in two games this season, 78-0. They did suffer a week two defeat to top-tier Detroit (MI) King, 32-7.
After beating Tiffin Columbian and Sandusky, Fremont Ross’ winning streak came to an end last week at Perrysburg.
#2 Colonel Crawford (3-0) @ Mohawk (3-0)
When: Friday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Colonel Crawford beat East Knox at home, 42-18; Mohawk won at Ayersville, 40-15
Previous Meeting: Sept. 13, 2024; Mohawk won at Colonel Crawford, 35-7.
Intrigue: Matchup between last season’s Northern 10 Conference winner, Mohawk, and my ‘way too early’ pick to win the N10 this season, Colonel Crawford.
Colonel Crawford hasn’t had any close games this season, but they’ve faced three opponents with a combined record of 2-7.
Mohawk has done the same, but against opponents with a combined record of 3-6. This will be each team’s toughest opponent to date.
#1 Galion (3-0) @ Shelby (3-0)
When: Friday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Galion won at Norwalk, 41-0; Shelby won at Bellevue, 49-6.
Previous Meeting: Sept. 20, 2024; Shelby won at Galion, 35-6.
Intrigue: Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference matchup with tons of computer points on the line.
Galion has mowed through St. Marys Memorial, Carey, and Norwalk to a combined score of 117-20. Their opponents have compiled a 2-7 record.
Shelby has done similar; going 142-33, but against opponents with a 5-5 combined records.
Honorable Mention - Woodmore (3-0) @ Lakota (3-0) and Norwalk (1-2) @ Bellevue (2-1).
The Five Best Games in the State
#5 Trotwood-Madison (3-0) @ Archbishop Alter (2-1)
When: Friday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: T-M beat Springfield at home, 16-13; Alter won at Linton-Stockton (IN), 35-0.
Previous Meeting: Sept. 12, 2024; Alter won at Trotwood-Madison, 10-7.
Intrigue: Trotwood-Madison tuned up Cleveland Heights, 42-7, before two close calls with Fairmont and Springfield.
Alter also had a close game with Fairmont. In week two, the Knights lost to Taft in overtime, then beat an Indiana team, Linton-Stockton, 35-0 last week.
#4 Princeton (2-1) @ Lakota West (2-1)
When: Friday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Princeton won at Sycamore, 47-0; Lakota West won at Hamilton, 38-6.
Previous Meeting: Sept. 6, 2024; Princeton beat Lakota West at home, 14-6.
Intrigue: After their week one loss to Moeller, Princeton has blownout Colerain and Sycamore by a combined score of 79-2.
Lakota West lost a close game at St. Xavier, 14-7, in week one. Then, the Firebirds beat Mason and Hamilton by comfortable margins.
#3 Canfield (3-0) @ Poland Seminary (3-0)
When: Friday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Canfield defeated Cardinal Mooney at home, 24-14; Poland beat Mogadore Field at home, 50-6.
Previous Meeting: Sept. 13, 2024; Canfield defeated Poland at home, 17-10.
Intrigue: Canfield has won against stiff competition to start: beating West Branch in a five-point game; beating Walnut Ridge by a couple scores; then a ten-point win against Mooney.
Poland Seminary has beat their three opponents by a combined score of 140-38. Those three teams have had a 3-6 combined record though.
#2 Elder (3-0) @ La Salle (3-0)
When: Friday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Elder won at Springboro, 21-7; La Salle beat Fairmont at home, 24-23.
Previous Meeting: Oct. 25, 2024; La Salle won at Elder, 35-24.
Intrigue: Elder hosted two out-of-state opponents, Mt. Zion Prep of Maryland and Covington Catholic of Kentucky, winning by a combined score of 62-20. Last week, they went on the road for the first time this season, beating Springboro 21-7.
La Salle blew out Colerain and Northmont before winning a thriller with Fairmont.
#1 Glenville (2-1) @ St. Edward (3-0)
When: Friday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Glenville lost at Avon, 28-16; St. Ed beat Huber Heights Wayne at home, 63-27.
Previous Meeting: Sept. 26, 2024; Glenville won at St. Ed, 28-27.
Intrigue: This is likely the best game to see of the entire regular season. These are also possibly the two best teams in the state this season. Lots of stars and computer points flying around this Friday in this one.
Glenville had two tight games at Massillon Washington and Olentangy Liberty before they lost last week at Avon. The Tarblooders will be looking to get back in the win column this weekend.
St. Edward has handled all three of their opponents: Pickerington North, Delbarton (NJ), and Wayne. This will be their toughest competition to date.
Honorable Mention - Hillsboro (3-0) @ Williamsburg (3-0); Fairmont (0-3) @ Centerville (0-3); and Walsh Jesuit (3-0) @ St. Ignatius (0-3).
