Written by: Joshua Morgret
Twitter (x): @Joshuamorgret
And just like that, we’re halfway through the regular season.
Knock on wood, we’ve had some pretty good weather so far this football season and that has bought the best out in our teams.
I was thrilled to finally see Columbian this past Friday, but things didn’t go its way. I’ll get into some more thoughts about the Tornadoes in just a minute.
As September winds down, the playoff picture is clearing up just a little bit. Starting next week, we’ll give you an idea of where each team is in the playoff region they’re in. I think there’s a good chance all five of our teams get in.
Without any more babbling, here’s some chatter on each of our five teams.
The Tornadoes were up 14-3 in the third quarter at Huron last Friday, but the Tigers exploded for 35 second-half points, mostly due to Huron quarterback Landon Hohler. He had four rushing touchdowns in the second half and Columbian had no answer. Masen Seitz was a stud against Huron, racking up 26 times for 203 yards and three touchdowns. Huron was able to slow him down in the second half as he tallied just 10 carries for 47 yards in the second half. I keep hearing a lot about the quality of Columbian’s team. Some make them out to be one of the worst teams in Ohio and they are miles away from that. Huron is 4-1, will probably win eight or nine games, and make the playoffs. The Tornadoes have also faced two of the best teams in Division III in Bishop Watterson and Chardon. Columbian is just fine. Is it the same team from last year? Absolutely not, but the Tornadoes have set a standard of excellence that has some fans a bit disillusioned over what they're seeing. For the season, Zach Shawberry is 55-of-101 passing for 604 yards while Seitz now has 64 rushes for 363 yards and three touchdowns. Columbian starts Sandusky Bay Conference Lake Division play this week at home against Sandusky. The Blue Streaks started 0-3, including a loss to Fremont Ross – a team Columbian beat. However, Sandusky has won its last two games over Padua and unbeaten Vermilion. Jason Henlon is back in the lineup for the Blue Streaks and was 13-of-17 for 102 yards and two scores against Vermilion. Sandusky is getting touchdowns from a little bit of everywhere. Amir Aaron has returned a kickoff for a touchdown in each of the last two games, but also ran one in on the ground against Vermilion. Dante Shipp returned a fumble for a TD against Padua and Keelan Lockhart had a pick-6 against Padua. This should be a great game.
Up next: vs. Sandusky (2-3)
There was no points scored by the Senecas in a 10-0 loss to Gibsonburg last week. That’s the third time this year Calvert has scored 10 points or less. Thankfully for the Senecas they squeaked out a win in one of those games. Tucker Coleman completed just 5-of-15 passes for 44 yards against Gibsonburg while Cal Warnament ran 10 times for 67 yards. On the other side, Gibsonburg ran 47 times for 243 yards with Grant Smith leading the way with 29 attempts for 196 yards. At the midway point, Coleman is 36-of-72 for 470 yards while Warnament has 115 rushes for 583 yards and six touchdowns. Calvert will have to figure out the offensive side of the ball if the Senecas want to win games and make a playoff run. Up next will be an extremely tough Lucas team on Saturday night at Frost-Kalnow. The Cubs started the season with a four-hour bus ride and 48-12 win over a school in Pennsylvania. Lucas then lost its next two games to teams that are a combined 9-1 right now before consecutive wins. The Cubs beat Warrensville Heights before dismantling Willard, 49-19. Willard is a team Calvert will play in the Sandusky Bay Conference River Division in a few weeks. After Lucas, the Senecas should be favorites against Margaretta, Woodmore, and Willard. Getting a win over the Cubs could really propel Calvert the second half of the regular season.
Up next: vs. Lucas (3-2) on Saturday
The Chieftains made quick work of Lakota, 30-0 last week. H-L was up by that score just a few minutes into the second quarter before putting it in cruise control the rest of the way. Kellen Frankart ran for two touchdowns, Braylon Martinez scored on a rushing TD, and Jacoby Ellis threw a touchdown pass to Chase Rogier. The Chieftains did what they needed to against Lakota to get the win and move on. For the season, Ellis is 63-of-95 for 734 yards and five touchdowns while Martinez has 66 rushes for 443 yards and seven scored. Frankart has become another great option for the Chieftains on the ground as he has accumulated 54 attempts for 258 yards, and four TDs. Jack Colatruglio is H-L’s top receiver, catching 26 passes for 343 yards. Up next for the Chieftains is a trip to the Duck Pond to take on Margaretta, a team that has had five different players attempt a pass. Jake Bouy has completed 24-of-36 passes for 191 yards through four games while Trip Limberios is the top rusher with 65 rushes for 230 yards. The Polar Bears were 0-4 heading into last week’s game at Woodmore, but stunned the Wildcats, 26-7. Tyson Bailey had a couple of touchdown passes for Margaretta in the win. Hopewell-Loudon faces Margaretta and hosts Willard next week before an impending bye week Oct. 11.
Up next: at Margaretta (1-4)
Two big wins in a row are what the Tigers are riding after a 34-31 road win at Carey, snapping the Blue Devils’ 27-game league win streak. Not only did Seneca East win, it did it at Carey, and scored in the last couple minutes of the game to pick up a massive win. Nicholas Parks continues to be tremendous for the Tigers. He now leads the Northern 10 Athletic Conference with 15 touchdowns. He has completed 77-of-127 passes for 999 yards. Taylor Young paces the Tigers with 31 catches for 600 yards and eight touchdowns while Bryler Beamer has 29 receptions for 478 yards and four TDs. Seneca East goes for three in a row this week when it hosts Upper Sandusky, a team that enters after a nice win over Wynford. Justin Heilman leads the Rams, completing 60-of-102 passes for 678 yards while Ethan Lewis has rushed 67 times for 328 yards. Kaleb Francis paces the Upper Sandusky receivers with 26 receptions for 286 yards. This would be a nice win for Seneca East to get as the Tigers host Colonel Crawford (4-1) next week.
Up next: vs. Upper Sandusky (2-3)
The best scoring offense in the Northern 10 Athletic Conference resides in Sycamore as the Warriors are averaging 43.0 points per game, helped by a one-sided 63-0 bludgeoning of Bucyrus last week. Mohawk continues to impress and has the second-best defense in the league, allowing just 11.0 points per contest. I don’t think it’s a wild argument to think that Ben Bogner might be the most important player to his team among our group of teams and probably the frontrunner for Player of the Year in the N10 so far. He has completed 62-of-96 passes for 1,061 yards with 14 touchdowns to just one interception while running 58 times for 389 yards. Kaden Bish has scored five touchdowns on the ground. Kahne Hayman has racked up 31 catches for 564 yards and seven TDs while Kaleb Bish has four receiving touchdowns among his 18 receptions for 291 yards. The Warriors travel to Dutchtown to take on Buckeye Central this week. The Bucks lost 62-0 to Colonel Crawford last week, a team Mohawk dominated the week before. The Warriors have scored 27 or more points in each of their five games this season and 35 or more in the last four wins. Things are going well for Mohawk. The Warriors need and want to keep racking up wins while chasing a league title. Mohawk hasn’t won five games in a season since 2021.
Up next: at Buckeye Central (2-3)
This Friday, join us on the Adrenaline Stream as the Tiffin Columbian Tornadoes host the Sandusky Blue Streaks in an SBC Lake rivalry matchup on Homecoming night at Frost-Kalnow Stadium. Nate Mullins will be on the call alongside Greg ‘The Wizard’ Kinn in the press box, Eric Hall on the sidelines, and Austin Rodriguez on camera bringing you every pulse-pounding moment LIVE on the pulse of the buckeye state!
Then on Saturday, join us on the Adrenaline Stream once again as the (3-2) Tiffin Calvert Senecas host the (3-2) Lucas Cubs in a non-conference matchup at Frost-Kalnow Stadium. Nate Mullins will be on the call with Tommy Hall alongside Greg ‘The Wizard’ Kinn in the press box, Eric Hall on the sidelines, and Austin Rodriguez on camera bringing you every pulse-pounding moment LIVE on the pulse of the buckeye state!
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!
By Kyle Holsinger
Get ready for a thrilling Week 6 in Ohio high school football! This weekend, powerhouse teams go head-to-head in competition that will leave you on the edge of your seat. From rivalry bragging rights to top-ranked battles, we've got the inside scoop on the games you won't want to miss.
The following are the five best high school football games played by schools within the Heart of Ohio Sports coverage area and the five best games throughout the state. This will be a weekly article that come out on Mondays.
The games are picked through a combination of analysis, rankings, competitiveness, and statistics. If you’d like us to cover your region, please contact us at heartofohiosports.com. Any recruiting rankings are from 247sports.com.
We’ll start with the local games first…
When: Friday, Sept. 27 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Napoleon beat Holland Springfield at home, 47-26; Fremont Ross lost at Findlay, 21-7.
Previous Meeting: Sept. 22, 2023; Napoleon defeated Fremont Ross at home, 41-21.
Intrigue: Napoleon rushed for 299 yards and gained 376 total last week. Their defense was able to force a fumble and interception, but did give up 329 yards and gave up 9-of-12 third down conversions.
The Wildcats are working towards a home playoff game, and if they can run the table then potentially two of them.
Fremont Ross QB Karson Kayden completed 20-of-40 passes for 175 yards in last week’s defeat. They could only muster 63 rushing yards in the game.
The Little Giants are a good team with a tough schedule, and they need every win that they can get if they want to make the postseason.
When: Friday, Sept. 27 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Otsego defeated Fostoria at home, 34-7; Genoa beat Millbury Lake at home, 55-28.
Previous Meeting: Sept. 22, 2023; Genoa Area won at Otsego, 48-19.
Intrigue: The winner will continue to control their destiny in the Northern Buckeye Conference title race.
Both teams will need this win if they’d like a home game in the postseason.
Otsego started off the season with a couple blowout wins, a couple close games, and one blowout loss to the defending Division V runner-ups, Liberty Center.
Since their loss in Week 1 to Archbold, Genoa has performed at a high level against their competition, outscoring opponents 157-50. This includes a 17-7 win over a really good Huron team.
When: Friday, Sept. 27 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Sandusky beat Vermilion at home, 36-20; Tiffin Columbian lost at Huron, 38-20.
Previous Meeting: Sept. 22, 2023; Tiffin Columbian won at Sandusky, 42-35.
Intrigue: Sandusky is led offensively by Mary’Veon Lately, who has 48 rushes for 234 yards with five catches for 108 yards and a TD this season.
The Blue Streak defense is packed with playmakers. Dennarius Walk has 53 tackles and a fumble recovery. Rocco D’Amico has 43 tackles, and Aa’ Zoryion Bonner has 35 tackles with two INTs, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Dante Shipp Jr. has 29 tackles, two fumble recoveries, and a defensive TD.
On special teams, Amir Aaron has returned two of the five kickoff returns that he’s had for a TD as well as one punt return for a TD this year also.
Tiffin Columbian QB Zach Shawberry has passed for 604 yards with six TDs while rushing for an additional 43 yards through five weeks. Shawberry gets some assistance from Masen Seitz, who has 363 rushing yards with three TDs; and Brady Bonnell, who has rushed for 212 yards and four TDs.
The Tornado defense is anchored by Neven Newman. Neuman has 30 tackles and two sacks on the year.
When: Friday, Sept. 27 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Clyde defeated Port Clinton at home, 56-21; Perkins won at Bellevue, 43-0.
Previous Meeting: Sept. 22, 2023; Perkins beat Tiffin Columbian on the road, 31-7.
Intrigue: Clyde QB Brennan Wilson has completed 44-of-64 passes for 730 yards, nine passing TDs, two picks, 123 yards rushing, a rushing TD, and two receptions on the season. Adam Young has 254 yards rushing with four TDs to help with the offensive workload.
Defensively, the Fliers are led by Hector Garza, who has 30.5 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.
Wilson also leads the SBC Lake with a 48.7 yard punting average.
Perkins was dominant last week. Sam Schweinfurth was near perfect, completing 12-of-13 passes for 249 yards with four TDs. Braylon Collier caught eight passes for 177 yards with three TDs. Isaac Bunts rushed for 166 yards on 22 attempts and two TDs.
The Pirates play one of the toughest schedules in Division IV and still are favorites in all of their remaining games. They truly control their own destiny.
When: Friday, Sept. 27 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Ontario defeated Clear Fork at home, 31-14; Galion lost at home to Shelby, 35-6.
Previous Meeting: Sept. 22, 2023; Ontario beat Galion at home, 59-35.
Intrigue: Ontario racked up 319 rushing yards in last week’s win. Quarterback Bodpegn Miller, an Ohio State commit, had 10 rushes for 155 yards and two TDs. Mason Vantilburg had 16 rushes for 127 yards and two TDs.
Galion’s Braxton Prosser threw 12-of-22 completed passes for 126 yards and a TD in last week’s defeat. Galion is a lock to make the playoffs, but if they want to guarantee a home game in Week 11 then they’re going to need to win Friday.
Honorable Mention - Milan Edison (5-0) @ Bellevue (2-3) and Lucas (3-2) @ Calvert (3-2).
When: Thursday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Glenville beat East Technical at home, 48-0; St. Edward lost at home to Massillon Washington, 31-21.
Previous Meeting: Sept. 2, 2017; St. Edward defeated Glenville at home, 41-6.
Intrigue: Don’t be fooled by these teams 3-2 records. Only the best of the best have beaten these teams, and these two teams are defending state champions.
Glenville has struggled to score against their toughest competition, but have outscored their Senate League opponents over the last two weeks, 82-0.
The Tarblooders are a lock for the playoffs and have a good shot at playing a home playoff in the first round of the postseason. If they want to guarantee two home games (top four in a region) in the Region 13 playoffs, they’re going to have to win at least four of their remaining five.
St. Edward’s Thomas Csanyi was 18-of-30 for 252 yards with three TDs last week. Zach Hackleman caught nine of those passes for 161 yards and a TD. The Eagles couldn’t get the run game going with 51 rushing yards.
St. Edward play the toughest schedule in Division I so they’re a similar boat as Glenville as far as playoff scenarios go in Region 1.
When: Friday, Sept. 27 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Moeller won at St. Xavier, 45-37; La Salle won at Withrow, 43-19.
Previous Meeting: Sept. 22, 2023; Moeller defeated La Salle at home, 28-20.
Intrigue: Moeller QB Matt Ponatoski completed 18-of-25 passes for 321 yards, six TDs, and 17 yards rushing last week. Matthew Folger caught three passes for 99 yards and two TDs; and Jovan Love had six receptions for 74 yards and a couple TDs.
The Crusaders got a lift from DL Will Adkins, who had four tackles, 2.5 TFLs, and 0.5 sacks. Linebacker Jonah Hayes had six tackles, a fumble recovery, and 0.5 sack last week.
La Salle had 317 total offensive yards last week. Most of those yards, 289, to be exact, were on the ground.
The Lancers’s defense forced two fumbles and an INT last week while holding Withrow to just 23 rushing yards.
When: Friday, Sept. 27 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Davidson won at Marysville, 43-0; Olentangy Orange defeated Olentangy Berlin at home, 35-7.
Previous Meeting: Sept. 22, 2023; Olentangy Orange beat Davidson on the road, 17-14.
Intrigue: Since losing their opening game, Davidson has outscored their opponents 167-36. The Wildcat defense held Marysville to just 101 yards last week.
They appear to be a lock for the postseason. However, their schedule is brutal throughout and they’ll have to take their wins where they can get them in the Ohio Capital Conference.
Orange was able to gain 346 yards of offense last week with 208 of it on the ground, and 138 through the air.
The Pioneer defense had three INTs and a fumble recovery while holding their crosstown rival to only 166 total yards (87 passing, 79 rushing).
When: Friday, Sept. 27 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Austintown-Fitch won at Buchtel, 44-7; Ursuline won at Warren Harding, 35-0.
Previous Meeting: Sept. 22, 2023; Ursuline beat Austintown-Fitch on the road, 32-14.
Intrigue: Austintown-Fitch threw for 91 yards last week. Deon’Dray Richard rushed for 110 yards on 10 carries with two TDs.
The Falcon defense is led by Rocco DiFlorio, who had eight tackles, two TFLs, a pass breakup, and 0.5 sack.
Ursuline senior Joe Balog rushed for 117 yards on 18 attempts. The Irish defense had five turnovers last week.
When: Friday, Sept. 27 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: St. Xavier lost at home to Archbishop Moeller, 45-37; Elder won at home against Louisville [KY] St. Xavier, 17-15.
Previous Meeting: Sept. 22, 2023; Elder defeated St. Xavier on the road in overtime, 32-31.
Intrigue: St. Xavier QB Chase Herbstreit threw 11-of-29 completed passes for 165 yards and a TD to go along with 171 rushing yards and a TD. Jake Britt caught 5 catches for 73 yards. Daniel Vollmer had 15 yards rushing with two TDs and four receptions for 38 yards in last week’s loss.
The Bomber defense was led by CaRon Seymore last week. Seymore had 10 tackles with 0.5 TFL. Kobe Clapper had 9 tackles, a forced fumble, and a TFL. Aden Reeder had three tackles and two TFLs in last week’s game.
Elder QB Kaden Estep completed 11-of-16 passes for 161 yards and a TD last week. Joey Thamann had 22 carries for 100 yards. Christopher Paff had five receptions for 101 yards
The Panther defense was led by Cooper Sanders, who had 10 tackles and one TFL. Derek Uran had seven tackles, three TFLs, and two sacks.
Honorable Mention - DeMatha Catholic [Hyattsville, MD] (2-1) @ Massillon Washington (4-1) and Whitmer (4-1) @ Anthony Wayne (5-0).
Thank you for reading, and we’ll see you next week.
