By Joshua Morgret
On Twitter: @joshuamorgret
On Instagram: @joshuamorgret

Again, it’s hard to believe we are seven full weeks into this high school football journey. This week,
I’m going back to where I was Week 1 for the first time and it seems like it was a couple days ago, but
instead, it has been seven weeks.

We have some teams that have unofficially clinched playoff spots per Joe Eitel. Two of them are in our
area. While both have clinched, they both have high expectations of finishing as the No. 1 seed in their
region and winning said region.
Which two are they? Read on…

High school football

Tiffin Columbian (6-1) – The Tornadoes started their gauntlet of three straight road games against
Clyde, Bellevue, and Perkins in fine fashion, topping Clyde, 35-7. That’s three straight wins for
Columbian by at least 28 points after. In fact, five of six Columbian wins have come by at least that
margin. Brayden Roggow continues to play superb for the Tornadoes, completing 97-of-155 passes for
1,212 yards and 15 touchdowns. On the ground, Damien Brockington has been a force for Columbian
with 127 rushes for 1,067 yards and 19 touchdowns. The Tornadoes have just under 3,000 yards of
offense in seven games. Columbian travels again this week to take on Bellevue… I mean, the B-team if
you’re a fan of that. The Redmen are coming off a 21-6 loss to Perkins. Bellevue has scored at least 24
points in each of its five wins, but a total of just 18 points in two losses. Jax LaPata has completed 62-
of-101 passes for 923 yards while running 152 times for 710 yards. A win by the Tornadoes would set
up a colossal showdown with Perkins next week. Columbian is the only team in Region 10 that has
unofficially clinched a playoff berth.
Current playoff look: 1st in Division III, Region 10 (unofficially clinched playoff berth)

Tiffin Calvert (4-3) – The Senecas continued altering wins and losses with a big 40-7 win over Berne
Union last week. The Rockets entered the game with a 5-1 record, so it’s a nice win for Calvert. The
Senecas hit the road this week with a trip to Buckeye Local. Calvert is 4-0 at home this year, but 0-3 on
the road. The Senecas will try to buck that trend before hosting Hopewell-Loudon in Week 9. Harry
Shultz has completed 80-of-167 passes for 1,163 yards and nine touchdowns for Calvert while Jacob
Rombach has rushed 79 times for 465 yards and five scores for the Senecas. The win over Berne Union
paid dividends for the Senecas, who are certainly trending towards a playoff berth.
Current playoff look: 11th in Division VII, Region 26

Carey (7-0) – After tough 7-3 win over Colonel Crawford two weeks ago, the Blue Devils got back to
their usual ways, obliterating Mohawk last week, 48-0. Carey will make its third straight road trip this
week when they travel to Bucyrus to take on the Redmen. The Blue Devils’ running game continues to
prove to be the determining factor in most games Carey plays in this year. The Blue Devils have racked
up 1,714 yards on 303 carries with 27 touchdowns this year. Quarterback Lance Rickle leads the way
with 71 carries for 457 yards and eight touchdowns while Conner Norden adds 61 rushes for 345 yards
and five scores. Other viable options for Carey include Eli Steen (67-325-4), Austin Niederkohr (23-
204-5), Nathan Brodman (27-196-1), and Landen Kemerly (23-109-3). The Blue Devils will be heavy
favorites to make it 23 straight wins when they take on Bucyrus. Carey is the only team in Region 22
that has unofficially clinched a playoff berth.
Current playoff look: 1st in Division VI, Region 22 (unofficially clinched a playoff berth)

Seneca East (5-2) – The Tigers made it two wins in a row when they took care of Bucyrus. Seneca East is quietly making its way toward a Week 10 showdown with Carey for at least a share of the league
title. If they were able to do it, it would be just a split between the two after Colonel Crawford lost a
second league game. The offense for the Tigers continues to go through Blake Foos, who is making a
strong case for league player of the year. The senior has thrown for 1,338 yards, completing 95-of-166
passes with 15 touchdowns. On the ground, he has racked up 141 carries for 757 yards and eight
touchdowns. Foos has completed passes to 11 different receivers with Austin Perry’s 28 receptions for
389 yards and four TDs leading the way. After two weeks away, the Tigers come home for games with
Mohawk and Wynford – two contests Seneca East should be favored in – before the trip to Carey. The
Tigers could nab a home playoff game in the first round if they can get into the top-8 of the region.
They sit just outside right now.
Current playoff look: 9th in Division VI, Region 22

Mohawk (3-4) – I was afraid the Warriors would be brought back down to earth by Carey and that’s
exactly what happened. Mohawk got nice wins over Buckeye Central, Wynford, and Upper Sandusky
before the shellacking the Warriors took last week. The gauntlet continues for Mohawk with trips to
Seneca East and Colonel Crawford over the next two weeks. To be safely in the playoffs for the sixth
straight year, the Warriors have to win one of those two games. A Week 10 win over Bucyrus might not
be enough. Ben Bogner has completed 78-of-153 passes for 947 yards and six touchdowns this year
while running 65 times for 268 yards. Zaiden Fry leads Mohawk with 43 carries for 290 yards and five
touchdowns while Jace Margraf adds 44 attempts for 281 yards. Fry also has 39 receptions for 497
yards and four TDs for Mohawk. It will be interesting to see if the Warriors can get the offense going
like it did in the three-game wining streak, or if Seneca East can keep Mohawk in check.
Current playoff look: 14th in Division VII, Region 26

Lakota (1-6) – Man, it seems like Lakota can’t catch a break. The Raiders had Margaretta on the ropes
in what would have been a huge win for coach Mike Lento, but couldn’t hold on in a 15-9 loss last
week. Lakota’s non-league (at Colonel Crawford, at Northwood, at Edon, and vs. Willard) was nothing
to sneeze at. Getting a confidence-building conference win could have been big for the Raiders, but it
was not to be. Lakota is still struggling offensively, scoring just 16 total points the last two weeks
combined. Things could turn around for the Raiders this week when they host Fremont St. Joseph for
Homecoming. The Crimson Streaks have had a similar season – a Week 1 win followed by six straight
losses. The losses for SJCC have been worse and by bigger margins than Lakota, so I think the Raiders
get things back on track this week before the trip to Edon. CJ Biddle has completed 43-of-89 passes for
509 yards and two touchdowns while running 93 times for 603 yards and four scores. Micah Williams
adds 54 carries for 281 yards while Chase Dussel is the top receiver with 23 catches for 296 yards and
three TDs. I don’t think even winning the last three games of the season will get the Raiders in the
postseason, but doing it would take Lakota into the offseason on a high note.
Current playoff look: 25th in Division VI, Region 22

For other high school football teams in the area:
Hopewell-Loudon (5-2) scored the first 64 points of the game in a 64-14 blasting of Fremont SJCC…
Upper Sandusky (3-4) shocked Colonel Crawford, 30-29 in overtime… Bellevue (5-2) coach Ed
Nasonti fell to pupil Jalen Santoro and Perkins, 21-6… Clyde (4-3) held a lead 7-6 a few minutes into the
third quarter, but Columbian took over from there in a 35-7 win… Buckeye Central (3-4) came up short
against Wynford, 35-15… and Fostoria (0-7) lost to Otsego, 49-13.

Current playoff look for those other teams in the area:
Bellevue – 7th in Division IV, Region 14
Buckeye Central – 14th in Division VII, Region 25 Clyde – 6th in Division III, Region 10
Fostoria – (tied) 21st in Division IV, Region 14
Hopewell-Loudon – 10th in Division VI, Region 22
Upper Sandusky – 13th in Division IV, Region 14

This week's schedule:
Tiffin Columbian at Bellevue
Tiffin Calvert at Buckeye Local
Carey at Bucyrus Margaretta at Gibsonburg LIVE on Heart of Ohio Sports Adrenaline Stream
Mohawk at Seneca East LIVE on Heart of Ohio Sports X-Stream
Fremont SJCC at Lakota
Buckeye Central at Upper Sandusky
Sandusky at Clyde
Northwood at Hopewell-Loudon
Woodmore at Fostoria

College football

It was a good week for the local college football teams. Both had nice, convincing home wins to get
back on track after a couple of tough weeks.

Heidelberg (4-1) – I was at Hoernemann Stadium as the Student Princes found themselves in a battle
with Muskingum at halftime. It was 21-21, but Heidelberg’s defense and rushing attack proved to be
the difference in the second half. The Student Princes were down starting quarterback Drew Sims and
starting running back Montavious Yearby, but TJ Rhamy took over at back for Heidelberg. He ran for a
career-high 166 yards on 27 attempts. That nearly matched his total career output through two-plus
seasons for the Student Princes. Bridger Cline got the start at quarterback for Heidelberg, completing 9-
of-16 passes for 82 yards while Chayne Treharn got opportunities as well, competing 7-of-10 passes for
112 yards while running 11 times for 44 yards. The schedule takes a significant increase in competition
this week as the Student Princes travel to take on No. 3 Mount Union. I was at the last two meetings
between the two. In the spring, 2021 conference championship game, I went to Alliance, but Mount
Union pounded Heidelberg, 64-14. Last year in Tiffin, the Student Princes led early and were tied with
8:30 to go in the second quarter before MU scored the final 35 points of the game. It’s a steep task for
Heidelberg.
Next up: at Mount Union, 1:30 p.m. Saturday

Tiffin (3-2) – After two heartbreaking losses in the final minute, the Dragons bounced back in a big
way in a 52-27 win over Lake Erie. Similar to the Heidelberg game, Tiffin was tied 7-7, 14-14, and 21-
21 with the Storm before scoring 21 points in just over two minutes in the second quarter. The Dragons
did it without running an offensive play. Anthony Lowe returned a kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown,
Jermaine Wimpye had a 32-yard interception return for a TD, and Lowe took a punt back 91 yards for
the score. Tiffin also outscored Lake Erie, 10-0 in the third quarter to put the game away. Christian
Carter completed 25-of-33 passes for 304 yards for the Dragons while Darius Pinnix added 17 rushes
for 95 yards. Lowe hauled in 11 passes for 139 yards and for his special teams play, was named the
conference’s Special Teams Player of the Week. Tiffin has another tough league game this week when
they travel to Hillsdale. After a bye week, the Dragons go to Ashland. Tiffin has just two home games
remaining from now until the end of the regular season Nov. 12.
Next up: at Hillsdale, 4 p.m. Saturday

Volleyball

An interesting thing happened in this week’s volleyball state poll. For the first time this season,
Mohawk (17-0) was voted ahead of Tiffin Calvert (17-2) in Division IV. The Warriors came in at No. 3
while Calvert slipped to No. 4. I think the possibility of them two matching up late in the tournament is
gaining steam. Again, it would be a regional final. They met in the district last year with Calvert
coming out on top.

Mohawk has been on fire lately, winning their last five matches all in straight sets. That included a
sweep of Wynford on Tuesday – a team that pushed the Warriors to five sets the first time around.
Mohawk still has huge matches yet this week, hosting Seneca East tonight with a chance to clinch the
Northern 10 Athletic Conference outright, and Monroeville on Saturday morning. I’ll be in Sycamore
for that one. Next week, Mohawk hosts Colonel Crawford on Tuesday and travels to Carey on
Thursday. Emily Klopp has racked up almost 270 kills this year already while Mia Miller and Elizabeth
Klopp are right around the 100 kills mark.

Calvert continues to impress. The Senecas will be major contenders in the Division IV state tournament
along with Mohawk. Calvert won state championships in 2018 and 2020, so if they enjoy even-
numbered years… The Senecas did fall in four sets to Division I Toledo St. Ursula at Bowling Green
State University last night. I was at the Stroh Center and was impressed by Calvert’s fight despite the
loss. It was a significant step up in competition for the Senecas, as St. Ursula entered the night No. 9 in
Division I. A lot of stuff Calvert usually puts away was returned by the Arrows and a lot of stuff the
Senecas usually are able to get to, was zipped by outstretched hands. It was quite the learning
experience for Calvert. The Senecas are right back in action tonight at Sandusky St. Mary for their third
match in as many nights. Then, they will get five days to prepare for a trip to Division II, No. 7
Liberty-Benton, which should be an absolute dandy of a match.

In the N10, Seneca East was on a roll only to fall to Colonel Crawford in five sets Tuesday. What made
things worse for the Tigers were they were up 2-0 only for CC to come from behind and win. Seneca
East could have had a crack at the league title if it won, topped Mohawk, and had someone else beat
Mohawk. Remember, Mohawk still has to face Colonel Crawford and Carey yet next week. Speaking
of Carey, I was in New Washington on Tuesday when Buckeye Central played really well in a 3-1 win
over the Blue Devils. I really thought Carey wouldn’t struggle, especially considering it had swept BC
about a month ago. The league certainly belongs to Mohawk, but don’t be surprised if Seneca East,
Colonel Crawford, and Carey all make noise in the tournament.

In the SBC River, Calvert has clinched the title, but the battle for second behind them remains hot.
Danbury, Fremont SJCC, Lakota, and Old Fort are all within a game of each other and each has beaten
up on each other. The only constant in the league is Calvert is by far the best team in the league while
Gibsonburg, Sandusky SMCC, and New Riegel are at the bottom. Calvert, Danbury, SJCC, Lakota, Old
Fort, and Gibsonburg are all in the same district at Fremont Ross. Then, Carey, Hopewell-Loudon,
McComb, Mohawk, and New Riegel are all in the same district at Riverdale.

In the SBC Lake, Columbian continues to ride the rollercoaster of a season it is on. The Tornadoes beat
Clyde, Oak Harbor, and Findlay in a five-day stretch, but then turned around and got swept by Norwalk
and Vermilion. Columbian hosts Perkins tonight before road matches against Lexington and Bellevue.
Vermilion has pretty much locked up the conference title with just a week or so to go.

SBC Lake Team – conference record – overall record
Vermilion – 9-0 – 14-2
Perkins – 7-2 – 12-6
Bellevue – 6-3 – 9-8
Clyde – 5-5 – 10-8
Columbian – 3-6 – 7-11
Norwalk – 2-7 – 5-14
Sandusky – 0-9 – 4-16

SBC River
Team – conference record – overall record
Calvert – 14-0 – 17-1
Danbury – 9-4 – 13-4
Fremont SJCC – 9-5 – 12-8
Lakota – 8-5 – 10-7
Old Fort – 8-5 – 10-8
Hopewell-Loudon – 7-6 – 9-10
Gibsonburg – 2-11 – 2-18
Sandusky SMCC – 2-12 – 3-15
New Riegel – 1-12 – 2-16

Northern 10 Athletic Conference

Team – conference record – overall record
Mohawk – 11-0 – 17-0
Seneca East – 8-3 – 16-3
Carey – 7-4 – 12-5
Colonel Crawford – 7-4 – 14-4
Buckeye Central – 5-6 – 8-9
Wynford – 4-7 – 7-9
Upper Sandusky – 1-10 – 6-12
Bucyrus – 1-10 – 9-10