Heart of Ohio Sports Observer Vol 3.8 is here!
Written by: Joshua Morgret
Twitter (x): @Joshuamorgret
Welcome back to the weekly Observer here on Heart of Ohio Sports.
Did someone order this cold weather?
I'm one that enjoys that 90 degrees outside, but recently it sure has been a little chilly outside. I guess that means we're almost to end of the regular season and headed toward the middle of October.
Things are heating up on the field though as teams are jousting for playoff positioning and league titles. We had a couple surprising results in the area last week, but I'll tell you this, we've got some nice teams in the area.
Remember, the top 16 teams in each region make the playoffs and the top 8 host in the first round. If you're one of the top four teams in a region, you can host two playoff games if you win in Week 11.
Without any further babbling, here's a look at our local teams:
Things continue to be slippery for the Tornadoes as Columbian has lost four games in a row since a 2-1 start. Even after falling to Bishop Watterson and dropping to 2-2, the Tornadoes led Huron 14-3 in the second half on the road (I would know. I was there), but gave up 35 points in the second half to Huron and lost to Sandusky and Clyde the last two weeks since. You could definitely argue that Columbian is still a favorite this week against Bellevue and Norwalk next week as both of those teams are 2-5. But, TC will be a massive underdog against Perkins in Week 10. Is 4-6 enough to get Columbian into the playoffs? What if they lose one more and go 3-7? It'll be close, that's for sure. Against Clyde in a 33-14 loss, quarterback Zach Shawberry was 12-of-31 for 114 yards with two interceptions. He is just 75-of-147 passing this season with 780 yards, eight touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Masen Seitz leads the rushing game with 89 carries for 455 yards and three scores. The good news for the Tornadoes is they are facing a Bellevue squad that has struggled just as much this season, if not more. Ike Brown is just 55-of-123 passing for 590 yards with two scores and eight interceptions. The Redmen have faced three straight state-ranked teams in Perkins, Edison, and Huron, and lost all three. Both teams desperately need this win to improve playoff chances. It is odd seeing two powerhouse, tradition-rich schools like these two in must-win mode as Week 8 approaches. The winner could make the playoffs while the loser could be out. Time will tell. It is also odd seeing this as a non-league game after so many years of league matchups between the two.
Current playoff positioning: 17th in Division III, Region 10
Up next: at Bellevue (2-5)
In what is easily one of the more surprising results of the season, the Senecas were shut out by Margaretta, 10-0, one week after thumping Lucas, 35-0. There seems to be a bit of inconsistency for Calvert, who shut out Lakota in Week 4 before being shut out the next week by Gibsonburg. It's almost like there is an odd letdown for the Senecas after a nice, convincing win. You can't do that in the Sandusky Bay Conference River Division because you'll be sent back home with a loss like Calvert was against the Polar Bears. I will say, Margaretta is an odd team to figure out too. It is just 2-5, but the wins have come over Woodmore and Calvert, two teams with a winning record. Against Margaretta, quarterback Tucker Coleman was just 9-of-20 for 107 yards with two interceptions while Cal Warnament was limited to just eight carries for 18 yards. For the season, Coleman is 57-of-108 for 761 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions. Warnament has normally been pretty good the Senecas with 140 carries for 669 yards and seven TDs. Things certainly don't get any easier for the Senecas as they host Woodmore this week. Again, Woodmore lost to Margaretta, but also hosted and beat state-ranked Cincinnati College Prep this past Saturday. The Wildcats are under a first-year head coach, so the buzz in the area has elevated for Woodmore. This is an interesting contest. Calvert is in a position right now to host two playoff games, but needs a couple wins to maintain that spot. After this, the Senecas travel to Willard before hosting Hopewell-Loudon in the final game of the regular season.
Current playoff positioning: 7th in Division VII, Region 26
Up next: vs. Woodmore (4-2)
Chieftains' coach Brian Colatruglio picked up win No. 200 in his career Friday when Hopewell-Loudon thrashed Willard, 56-0. I was told it could have been significantly worse, but the running clock was started in the second quarter and obviously H-L took its foot off the gas to prevent from this being even bigger of a margin of win. Jacoby Ellis completed 10-of-11 passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns while Kellen Frankart was 3-of-3 for 53 yards and two more scores for the Chieftains. On the ground, Braylon Martinez scored a pair of touchdowns while Frankart and Jaysin Cramer each added a TD for Hopewell-Loudon. Something we don't talk about enough is the H-L defense. The Chieftains have only allowed more than 15 points once this season and that came in a 27-22 Week 1 win at Carey. Hopewell-Loudon has allowed a total of seven points the past three weeks combined and that came in the first half against Margaretta two weeks ago. For the season, Ellis is 75-of-114 passing for 897 yards with 12 TDs. Martinez adds 92 attempts for 628 yards and 11 scores on the ground, and Jack Colatruglio leads the receivers with 31 receptions for 430 yards and two TDs. Hopewell-Loudon is in an unique position as the Chieftains have an open date — better known as a bye – this week after not being able to lock down an opponent after Fremont St. Joseph moved to 8-man football. Hopewell-Loudon tried to schedule Ottawa Hills — who has a bye after Cardinal Stritch cancelled its season completely — as far as back as July, but Ottawa Hills declined. Even when coach Colatruglio offered to make the hour-plus drive north of Toledo, he was denied. Wack. See you in Week 9, Hopewell-Loudon.
Current playoff positioning: 1st in Division VI, Region 22
Up next: OPEN DATE
So close, yet so far. The Tigers were just a few plays away from a massive home win over Colonel Crawford, but the Eagles slipped by Seneca East, 21-20. That is a tough pill to swallow if you're coach Ed Phillips and the Tigers. I would tend to think a win over the Eagles would have really given Seneca East the chance to finish in the top-8 of Region 22 and host a playoff game. Heck, a win over CC and another win over Mohawk in the last week of the season could've propelled Seneca East into the top-4 and two home playoff games. Alas, it's a tough loss that drops the Tigers to just 4-3. Nicholas Parks continues to play extremely well for Seneca East, completing 108-of-179 passes for 1,700 yards and 19 touchdowns. Taylor Young has caught 47 passes for 795 yards and 10 TDs while Bryler Beamer has 36 receptions for 581 yards and five scores. Seneca East will likely get to take some frustration out this week as it faces Buckeye Central (2-5) before traveling to Bucyrus (0-7). If the Tigers win both, they will be able to play in a big game in Week 10 when they host Mohawk. Seneca East still has a shot at the league title or at least a piece of it, but they have to keep winning. Hosting a playoff game in Week 11 certainly isn't out of the realm of possibilities either. This could certainly be a dangerous team come playoff time.
Current playoff positioning: 11th in Division VI, Region 22
Up next: at Buckeye Central (2-5)
Oh Mohawk, oh. The Warriors continue to play well, but appear as though as they will have to do it not at full strength as Kahne Hayman and Kaleb Bish both missed last week due to injuries. Can either return before the end of the season? What a tough break for Mohawk. I'm certainly not saying the season is doom and gloom from here on out for the Warriors because they very well might have the Northern 10 Athletic Conference Player of the Year in Ben Bogner, but losing your top two receivers including a big playmaker like Hayman is going to leave a void. Can someone step up in his place? We'll see. Mohawk did push past a tough Wynford squad last week, 31-13. For the season, Bogner is 78-of-123 for 1,321 yards with 20 touchdowns and just one interception. He also paces the Warriors on the ground with 86 rushes for 611 yards and five TDs. Mohawk doesn't have an easy one this week either as it hosts Upper Sandusky. The Rams have won two of their last three games with a close loss to Seneca East in there too. Justin Heilman has completed 86-of-145 yards for 1,024 yards and nine touchdowns for Upper Sandusky. Mohawk has played phenomenally since a Week 1 loss to Calvert. Can the Warriors keep it up without Hayman and Bish? After the game against Upper Sandusky, Mohawk hosts Carey and Seneca East to wrap up the regular season. It certainly will be a tough gauntlet for the Warriors down the stretch before the playoffs begin.
Current playoff positioning: 6th in Division VII, Region 26
Up next: vs. Upper Sandusky (3-4)
This Friday, join us on the Adrenaline Stream as the 6-1 (4-0) Mohawk Warriors host the 3-4 (2-2) Upper Sandusky Rams in a battle of N10 Rivals LIVE from the Warriors Field in Sycamore. Nate Mullins will be on the call with Tommy Hall alongside Greg ‘The Wizard’ Kinn, with Austin Rodriguez 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, Zack Dillon, Jacob Ellis, and Connor Roush deliver another thrilling week 8 matchup as the Tiffin Calvert Senecas host the Woodmore Wildcats with both teams vying for positioning in the BRUTAL SBC River! The X-Stream gang will bring you that one live from Frost-Kalnow Stadium in Tiffin on Homecoming night for the Senecas!
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!
WEEK 8 OHSAA AP POLL RANKINGS
These rankings are compiled from the voting tabulations of the sports writers in Ohio who cover these teams to determine a top 10 for each division. The OHSAA computer rankings, which are broken down by region, are used to determine playoff seeding.
This week's computer rankings can be found here: OHSAA COMPUTER RANKINGS
Here is the full breakdown of the OHSAA AP Poll rankings going into week 8 of the Ohio high school football season:
| Rank | School | Total Points | Previous |
| 1. | Mentor (10) (7-0) | 133 | 1 |
| 2. | Cincinnati Winton Woods (7-0) | 114 | T2 |
| 3. | Cincinnati Moeller (3) (6-1) | 105 | T2 |
| 4. | West Chester Lakota West (1) (6-1) | 69 | 4 |
| 5. | Columbus Upper Arlington (6-1) | 60 | NR |
| 6. | Perrysburg (6-1) | 59 | 6 |
| 7. | Lewis Center Olentangy Orange (6-1) | 45 | 9 |
| 8. | Galloway Westland (6-1) | 42 | 10 |
| 9. | Powell Olentangy Liberty (5-2) | 41 | 5 |
| 10. | Lakewood St. Edward (4-3) | 26 | 7 |
Others receiving votes: 11, Grove City 13. 12, Hamilton 11. 13, Springboro 10. 14, Pickerington North 9. 15, Lorain 8. 16, Canton McKinley 5. 17, Cincinnati St. Xavier 5. 18, Cincinnati Princeton 4. 19, Lewis Center Olentangy 4. 20, Toledo Whitmer 3. 21, Pickerington Central 2. 22, Centerville 1. 23, Cincinnati Elder 1.
| Rank | School | Total Points | Previous |
| 1. | Avon (8) (7-0) | 124 | 1 |
| 2. | Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit (2) (7-0) | 103 | 3 |
| 3. | Cincinnati Anderson (3) (7-0) | 101 | 2 |
| 4. | Medina Highland (7-0) | 67 | 4 |
| 5. | Whitehouse Anthony Wayne (7-0) | 64 | 6 |
| 6. | Wadsworth (7-0) | 62 | 10 |
| 7. | Xenia (1) (7-0) | 55 | 8 |
| 8. | Sunbury Big Walnut (6-1) | 26 | NR |
| 9. | Massillon Washington (5-2) | 23 | 9 |
| (tie) | Columbus Walnut Ridge (7-0) | 23 | NR |
Others receiving votes: 11, Akron Hoban 21. 12, Macedonia Nordonia 19. 13, Harrison 19. 14, Lima Senior 17. 15, North Ridgeville 15. 16, Ashland 9. 17, Cincinnati La Salle 7. 18, Columbus St. Francis DeSales 6. 19, Columbus Franklin Heights 6. 20, Austintown-Fitch 2. 21, Hamilton Badin 1.
| Rank | School | Total Points | Previous |
| 1. | Columbus Bishop Watterson (5) (7-0) | 114 | 1 |
| 2. | Steubenville (2) (7-0) | 101 | 2 |
| 3. | Toledo Central Catholic (3) (6-1 ) | 89 | 3 |
| 4. | Tipp City Tippecanoe (2) (7-0) | 78 | 5 |
| 5. | Aurora (1) (7-0) | 72 | 7 |
| 6. | Wapakoneta (7-0) | 60 | 6 |
| 7. | Gates Mills Gilmour Academy (1) (7-0) | 51 | 8 |
| 8. | Youngstown Ursuline (6-1) | 47 | 4 |
| (tie) | Dresden Tri-Valley (7-0 ) | 47 | 9 |
| 10. | Athens (7-0) | 32 | NR |
Others receiving votes: 11, Granville 21. 12, Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph 18. 13, London 12. 14, Bellbrook 11. 15, Cleveland Benedictine 5. 16, Rocky River 4. 17, Gates Mills Hawken 4. 18, Medina Buckeye 2. 19, Wintersville Indian Creek 2.
| Rank | School | Total Points | Previous |
| 1. | Mentor Lake Catholic (9) (7-0) | 125 | 2 |
| 2. | Sandusky Perkins (1) (6-1) | 84 | 1 |
| 3. | Cincinnati Wyoming (3) (7-0) | 82 | T3 |
| 4. | Perry (6-1) | 72 | T3 |
| 5. | Gnadenhutten Indian Valley (7-0) | 66 | 6 |
| 6. | Shelby (7-0) | 53 | 9 |
| 7. | Ontario (7-0) | 51 | 7 |
| 8. | Cleveland Glenville (1) (5-2) | 50 | 5 |
| 9. | St. Clairsville (7-0) | 46 | NR |
| 10. | Beloit West Branch (7-0) | 34 | 8 |
Others receiving votes: 11, Clarksville Clinton-Massie 32. 12, Streetsboro 27. 13, Germantown Valley View 19. 14, Lorain Clearview 16. 15, Cincinnati Indian Hill 7. 16, Springfield Kenton Ridge 3. 17, Struthers 1. 18, Urbana 1. 19, Chillicothe Unioto 1.
| Rank | School | Total Points | Previous |
| 1. | Canfield S. Range (5) (7-0) | 122 | 1 |
| 2. | Liberty Center (3) (7-0) | 105 | 2 |
| 3. | Milan Edison (3) (7-0) | 88 | 5 |
| 4. | Oak Harbor (7-0) | 65 | 6 |
| 5. | Ironton (2) (6-1) | 57 | 3 |
| 6. | Jamestown Greeneview (1) (7-0) | 48 | T9 |
| 7. | Proctorville Fairland (7-0) | 41 | NR |
| 7. | Canal Winchester Harvest Prep (5-1) | 41 | 4 |
| 9. | Gahanna Columbus Academy (7-0) | 36 | 8 |
| 10. | Camden Preble Shawnee (7-0) | 35 | T9 |
Others receiving votes: 11, Barnesville 29. 12, Sugarcreek Garaway 28. 13, Belmont Union Local 18. 14, Pemberville Eastwood 16. 15, Akron Manchester 15. 16, Waynesville 7. 17, Versailles 6. 18, Garrettsville Garfield 5. 19, Findlay Liberty-Benton 5. 20, Wooster Triway 1. 21, West Liberty-Salem 1. 22, LaGrange Keystone 1.
| Rank | School | Total Points | Previous |
| 1. | Kirtland (8) (7-0) | 132 | 2 |
| 2. | Coldwater (6) (7-0) | 130 | 1 |
| 3. | Bascom Hopewell-Loudon (7-0) | 95 | 3 |
| 4. | Columbus Grandview Heights (7-0) | 81 | 5 |
| 5. | Bluffton (7-0) | 79 | 4 |
| 6. | Galion Northmor (7-0) | 64 | 6 |
| 7. | West Lafayette Ridgewood (7-0) | 54 | 7 |
| 8. | Newcomerstown (7-0) | 32 | NR |
| 9. | Anna (5-2) | 28 | NR |
| 10. | Huron (6-1) | 19 | 10 |
Others receiving votes: 11, Dalton 13. 12, Andover Pymatuning Valley 10. 13, Woodsfield Monroe Central 9. 14, St. Bernard 8. 15, Hamler Patrick Henry 5. 16, Bainbridge Paint Valley 5. 17, Cincinnati Country Day 3. 18, Leavittsburg Labrae 2. 19, Beverly Fort Frye 1.
| Rank | School | Total Points | Previous |
| 1. | Maria Stein Marion Local (14) (7-0) | 140 | 1 |
| 2. | Columbus Grove (7-0) | 114 | 2 |
| 3. | Jeromesville Hillsdale (7-0) | 85 | 3 |
| 4. | Minster (6-1) | 76 | 4 |
| 5. | Monroeville (7-0) | 71 | 6 |
| 6. | Edon (7-0) | 70 | 7 |
| 7. | Berlin Center Western Reserve (6-1) | 59 | 5 |
| 8. | Beaver Eastern (7-0) | 39 | 9 |
| 9. | Steubenville Catholic Central (6-1) | 19 | T10 |
| (tie) | Warren John F. Kennedy (6-1) | 19 | NR |
Others receiving votes: 11, Malvern 18. 12, Gibsonburg 12. 13, Ansonia 11. 14, Windham 10. 15, Sycamore Mohawk 8. 16, Lima Central Catholic 6. 17, Sidney Lehman 6. 18, Ada 4. 19, Glouster Trimble 3.
Bookmark Heartofohiosports.com to stay up to date on everything sports related in the buckeye state!
By Kyle Holsinger
Get ready for a thrilling Week 8 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, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Carey beat Buckeye Central at home, 56-7; Colonel Crawford won at Seneca East, 21-20.
Previous Meeting: Sept. 22, 2023; Carey beat Colonel Crawford at home, 27-7.
Intrigue: Carey is led offensively by RB Eli Steen, who has 138 carries for 897 rushing yards and 13 total TDs in 2024. Kyler Boes has passed for 420 yards and four TDs, and he’s rushed for an additional 228 and two TDs. Tripp Phoenix leads the team with 12 receptions for 284 yards and three TDs along with 92 rushing yards and two TDs.
The Blue Devils are led defensively by Mace Puckett, who has 70 tackles with 12 TFL. Logan Summit has made 68 tackles, 13 TFL, four sacks, and two forced fumbles. Dash Puckett has 62 tackles, 9.5 TFL, three sacks, and a fumble recovery. Carter Bame has 49 tackles, 12.5 TFL, one sack, two interceptions, and a fumble recovery. Phoenix also has 15 tackles and four interceptions.
Colonel Crawford’s offense runs through RB Conner McMichael, 937 yards rushing with 14 TDs and 258 receiving yards with three TDs on the year. Peyton Baker is 33-of-56 for 602 yards with six TDs and two INTs. Brayden Holt is 27-of-52 for 512 yards with four TDs and three INTs while also rushing for 186 yards and four TDs. Dominic Dean has 368 rushing yards and seven TDs and 106 receiving yards.
The Eagles defense is led by Kaden Bruner and Payne DeGray. Brune has 35 tackles, 5.5 TFL, two sacks, and a forced fumble on the season. DeGray has 34 tackles, 13.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks, and a forced fumble.
When: Friday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Genoa Area lost at Maumee, 33-13; Oak Harbor won at Otsego, 31-0.
Previous Meeting: Oct. 6, 2023; Oak Harbor won at Genoa, 21-0.
Intrigue: Genoa and Oak Harbor control their own destiny in the Northern Buckeye Conference title hunt. The only other team currently in the hunt is Eastwood, and both Genoa and Oak Harbor face them in the final two weeks. Either team better not look ahead though or they’re destiny will be controlled by somebody else.
Genoa’s Myles Mollenhauer was 14-for-25 passing for 213 yards and a TD last week. Alex Spencer had five receptions for 90 yards and a TD.
The Comets appeared to be a lock for postseason play, but if they’d like a shot at a home game then they’re going to need a win this week.
Oak Harbor gained 422 total yards last week on offense. Quarterback Michael LaLonde threw for 197 yards, and top target Tyler Thompson had seven receptions for 127 yards.
Defensively, the Rockets held Otsego to 111 offensive yards. Eighty of those yards were on the ground, and they only gave up 31 yards passing in the game.
When: Friday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Pleasant lost at home to Ontario, 45-14; Galion lost at Marengo Highland, 24-21.
Previous Meeting: Pleasant won at home, 14-13.
Intrigue: Pleasant’s Drew Niederhouser had 22 attempts for 139 yards and two TDs in last week’s loss. Owen Lowry completed 9-of-22 passes for 159 yards while adding 39 yards rushing to his total as well. Jackson Kitts had two receptions for 71 yards, and Dillon Burns garnered 51 receiving yards on three catches.
Although Galion has won their first four games and lost their last three, I wouldn’t call them a streaky team. They’ve faced some stiff competition all season long. That being said, the Tigers are going to have to go on a three-game win streak themselves if a home playoff game is in their forecast.
When: Friday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Perrysburg lost at home to Whitmer, 27-13; Findlay lost at Anthony Wayne, 34-25.
Previous Meeting: Oct. 6, 2023; Findlay won at Perrysburg, 42-35.
Intrigue: Despite the loss to Whitmer, Perrysburg still controls their own destiny in their hunt for a Northern Lakes League - Buckeye Division title.
Josh Takats threw 15-of-28 completions for 157 yards and a TD and also rushed for 84 yards and a TD for the Yellow Jackets
Perrysburg gave up 306 yards defensively. Whitmer was able to rush for 202 and 104 yards were through the air.
Findlay’s Landon Echelberry was 24-of-30 for 313 yards and two TDs as well as 78 rushing yards. His main targets were Jacob Ragland, who had seven receptions for 165 yards and a TD; Israel Moore, who had nine catches for 81 yards and a TD; and Carter Imke, who grabbed seven balls for 54 yards.
The Trojans defense gave up 213 rushing yards and 215 passing yards to Anthony Wayne last week for 428 yards given up.
When: Friday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Clyde defeated Tiffin Columbian at home, 33-14; Sandusky beat Norwalk at home, 42-0.
Previous Meeting: Oct. 6, 2023; Huron won at Clyde, 28-6.
Intrigue: Clyde’s Jonathan Lantz was 10-of-11 passing for 120 yards and a TD. Zander Burroughs had three catches for 60 yards and a TD. Brayden Olson snagged six receptions for 88 yards.
The Fliers defense held Columbian to 46 rushing yards and 107 yards passing for 153 yards given up in total defensively.
Sandusky’s offensive attack is led by Jason Henlon and Maky’Veon Lately. Henlon is 46-for-65 for 745 passing yards, seven TDs, four INTs, and two rushing TDs also. Lately has 407 rushing yards with five TDs and 155 receiving yards and a TD.
The Blue Streaks’ Dennarius Walk has 67 tackles and a fumble recovery; Aa’Zoryion Bonner has 45 tackles, two INTs, a force fumble and recovery; and Rocco D’Amico has 46 tackles.
Honorable Mention - Upper Sandusky (6-1) @ Mohawk (6-1) and Woodmore (4-2) @ Calvert (4-3)
When: Friday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: St. Xavier lost at Louisville [KY] Trinity, 7-3; La Salle won at Indianapolis [IN] Roncalli, 28-17.
Previous Meeting: Oct. 6, 2023; St. Xavier beat La Salle at home, 24-13.
Intrigue: St. Xavier’s Chase Herbstreit leads the offense, going 76-of-147 for 871 yards, eight TDs, three INTs, and 438 rushing yards with six TDs. Jake Britt has 322 yards rushing with two TDs and 221 yards receiving and a TD. Daniel Vollmer has 296 rushing yards and 189 receiving yards for 9 TDs plus a nine-yard passing TD to boot. Matthew Haerst has 13 catches for 145 yards and a TD.
The Bombers are led by Kobe Clapper on defense. Clapper has 55 tackles, six TFL, a forced fumble, and half-a-sack. Aden Reeder has 35 tackles, eight TFL, one sack, and a forced fumble. Lucas Bishop has 30 tackles, three INTs, three TFL, and a sack. Brayden Reilly has 36 tackles, four pass deflections, two INTs, two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble, and half-a-sack.
LaSalle’s only loss is to arguably the best team in the entire state, Archbishop Moeller. Other than that, La Salle has not given up more than 19 points all year with four of their seven opponents being held to seven points or less.
The Lancers play one of the toughest schedules in the state, and appeared to have already clinched a home playoff game, but if they want to guarantee two home games and the second place position in the Greater Catholic League - South Division then they’ll need a win on Friday.
When: Friday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Brookville beat Oakwood at home, 28-14; Eaton beat Monroe at home, 31-21.
Previous Meeting: Oct. 6, 2023; Brookville won at home, 37-17.
Intrigue: Brookville’s Jake Lenser rushed for 118 yards and two TDs while DJ Moore had 107 rushing yards and two TDs last week. Jayden Resor had 85 rushing yards and 40 receiving yards as well.
Lenser also led the Blue Devils on defense with eight tackles. Sam Corby had four tackles with two TFL. D.J. Moore had six tackles, an INT, and a pass deflection.
Eaton QB Aaron Rogers was 13-of-20 for 182 passing yards and two TDs, and had 83 rushing yards with a TD as well last week. Conner Bach had six receptions for 94 yards and a TD. Cordis Berard ran for 89 yards and had a 22-yard reception.
The Eagles defense soared with Brandon Couch having nine tackles, one INT, one TFL, and a pass deflection in last week’s win. Gavin Winings contributed seven tackles and two pass deflections. Berard had a sack in the game as well.
When: Friday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Glenville won at Rhodes, 35-14; Hoban lost at Walsh Jesuit, 19-14.
Previous Meeting: Oct. 6, 2023; Hoban beat Glenville at home, 28-16.
Intrigue: Glenville amassed 374 yards of offense in last Friday’s win. They ran for 122 yards and threw for 252 yards.
The Tarblooders held Rhodes to 186 yards of total offense with just 11 of those being on the ground. The defense was also able to pick off a couple balls in the game as well.
Hoban QB Trent Hayden was 11-of-17 for 162 passing yards and two TDs. Brayton Feister had four catches for 56 yards and a TD. Elbert Hill had four catch for 56 yards and blocked an extra point on special teams.
The Knights face some of the stiffest competition around, and will need every win they can get to earn two home postseason games.
When: Friday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Upper Arlington defeated Olentangy Liberty at home, 31-28; Olentangy Orange won at Coffman, 27-20.
Previous Meeting: Oct. 6, 2023; Upper Arlington defeated Orange at home, 10-0.
Intrigue: Upper Arlington WR Trent Wolpert had eight receptions for 138 yards last week.
The Golden Bears have been absolutely electric defensively all season, giving up only 61 points after seven games while pitching three shutouts in a row at one point.
Orange’s Levi Davis had 160 yards rushing with a couple TDs and threw for 119 yards and a TD also last week.
The winner of this game controls their own destiny in the Ohio Capital Conference - Central Division title hunt.
When: Friday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Ursuline beat St. Vincent-St. Mary at home, 37-7; VASJ’s home game with Dohn Community was cancelled. The Vikings lost at McDowell [PA] in Week 6, 38-35.
Previous Meeting: Nov. 10, 2023 at Alliance Marlington High School Stadium; Ursuline defeated VASJ, 27-20 in the Region 9 semifinals.
Intrigue: Ursuline QB D.C. Ferrell is 58-for-81 for 904 yards passing with 11 TDs and one pick this season. Ferrell also has 256 rushing yards and two TDs. Joe Balog 432 yards rushing with three total TDs on the year. Junior Devonte Taylor has 19 catches for 330 yards and a couple TDs.
The Fighting Irish defense is led by junior Kevin Boudrey, who has 52 tackles, nine TFL, and two sacks on the year. John Frangos has 49 tackles, eight TFL, and two sacks. Sophomore Amire Brown has 44 tackles and 4 TFL. Drake Campbell has made 37 tackles, five TFL, three sacks, and two fumble recoveries. Da’Shaun Will has 17 tackles, five interceptions, four pass deflections, one TFL, and one sack.
VASJ was able to pass for 330 yards and rush for 144 for a total of 474 yards of offense last week.
Defensively, they gave up 500 yards with 307 of that through the air and 193 on the ground. The Vikings did snag an interception in the game though.
Honorable Mention - Football North Inc. via Clarkson SS [Ontario, Canada] (4-2) @ St. Edward (4-3) and Riverside Baptist [MD] (3-0) @ Elder (4-3)
