THE 10 BEST GAMES TO SEE IN OHIO - WEEK THREE
By Kyle Holsinger
We’re already to week three of the season, and we’ve seen some great football so far. I wanted to let the reader know that over the last couple seasons that I’ve wrestled with how to properly rank out-of-state opponents for matchups. I’ve also wrestled with ranking them in the top five of the state or just keeping them as honorable mention.
The article is titled The 10 Best Games to See in Ohio for each week so I’ve made a decision to include games with out-of-state opponents in the top five rankings if I feel that the game is truly one of the five best games in the state. Anytime that I do this, one extra game between two Ohio opponents will be added to the honorable mention so that we will always have 10 or more Ohio teams listed in that section.
The Five Best Games in the Area
#5 Monroeville (1-1) @ Seneca East (1-1)
When: Fri. Sept 5, at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Monroeville lost to Calvert at home, 35-21; Seneca East lost at Northmor in overtime, 27-21.
Previous Meeting: Sept. 6, 2024; Monroeville beat Seneca East at home, 36-13.
Intrigue: After a convincing 26-point home victory over McComb, Monroeville lost by a couple scores to Calvert, 35-21, on the same field. Now, the Eagles take the show on the road for the first time this year to Attica to face the Tigers.
Monroeville coach Tylor Nester was quoted after last week’s game in Angela Hill’s article for The Advertiser-Tribune as saying that mental mistakes and discipline were factors in the Eagles’ loss to Calvert.
After a 2-0 home win in their season opener with Ashland Crestview, Seneca East lost in overtime at Northmor, 27-21 last week.
The Tigers threw for 159 yards and rushed for 235 yards for 394 total yards against Northmor. The Orange & Black defense gave up only 49 rushing yards, but 200 passing yards to the Golden Knights a week ago.
#4 Holland Springfield (2-0) @ Findlay (1-1)
When: Fri. Sept 5, at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Springfield won at Northview, 44-10; Findlay won at Lima Senior, 17-7.
Previous Meeting: Sept. 27, 2024; Findlay won at Springfield, 42-13.
Intrigue: Findlay’s Jacob Gebhardt had two interceptions last game. Trojan running back Lance Miller rushed for 124 yards and a touchdown on 12 attempts. Wideout Carter Imke had six receptions for 41 yards in the I-75 rivalry win.
The Blue & Gold defense gave up just 34 rushing yard and 172 passing yards last Friday.
Springfield won their first two games on the road: 42-14 at Maumee in week one, and then 44-10 at Northview.
Both of those teams currently sit at 0-2 on the season. So it’ll be interesting to see if the Blue Devils can beat a team that’s won a game so far this year.
#3 Ashland (2-0) @ Clyde (0-2)
When: Fri. Sept 5, at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Ashland beat Marion Harding at home, 42-7; Clyde lost at Toledo Start, 30-13;
Previous Meeting: Aug. 27, 2021; Clyde defeated Ashland at home, 34-0.
Intrigue: Ashland heads out on the road for the first time this season. The Arrows won their first game 43-10 against Bay, then beat Marion Harding, 42-7.
Clyde is looking to bounce back from back-to-back losses to Bellevue at home, 33-23, and then last week at Start, 30-13.
#2 Bellevue (2-0) @ Shelby (2-0)
When: Fri. Sept 5, at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Bellevue beat Wauseon at home, 42-14; Shelby defeated Lexington at home, 37-13.
Previous Meeting: Sept. 6, 2024; Shelby beat Bellevue at home, 34-0.
Intrigue: Bellevue’s Ike Brown has completed 9-of-16 passes for 93 yards and three TDs while also rushing for 97 yards and another TD on 10 carries. Brown also has punted four times for 162 yards—good enough for a 40.5 yard average. Evan Bova has 17 rushing attempts for 66 yards and 15 tackles, and a pick-six on defense.
Defensively, the Redmen’s leading tackler is Konner Dauch with 21 tackles so far in 2025; Caden Cramer has 15 tackles; and Nolan Hartman has 12 tackles and a defensive TD also.
Shelby’’s Brayden DeVito was 8-of-9 passing for 156 yards and two TDs while also rushing for 164 yards and two scores on 11 carries in their 37-13 win against Lexington.
The week before Shelby won at Mansfield Madison, 56-14.
#1 Hopewell-Loudon (2-0) @ Milan Edison (2-0)
When: Fri. Sept 5, at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Edison beat St. Paul, 35-10 at home; H-L defeated Pleasant, 14-7, at home.
Previous Meeting: They haven’t met this century, if at all.
Intrigue: Hopewell-Loudon is led offensively by Kellen Frankart, who has 232 yards and a TD on 36 rushing attempts. Frankart also is 2-of-4 passing for 14 yards, and he’s also caught four passes for 31 yards and a TD.
The passing game stars Jacoby Ellis at QB. Ellis has completed 17-of-28 passes for 199 yards, five TDs, and an interception. His top target is Brody Brickman, who has nine receptions for 141 yards and four TDs after two games.
Defensively, Mason Reinhart leads the squad with 18 tackles. Chase Rogier has 13 tackles and an interception, and Eli Benner has made 12 tackles, a forced fumble, and one sack.
Edison has had two consecutive home wins to start the season; the first was a 42-6 win against Firelands then a 35-10 victory over St. Paul.
Bryson Wittmer has 19 carries for 111 yards and five TDs. Quarterback Cole Leimeister threw 6-of-7 completions for 78 yards and a TD, and rushed for 38 yards as well.
Honorable Mention - St. Paul (0-2) @ Calvert (1-1); Mansfield Madison (1-1) @ Ontario (1-1); and Port Clinton (2-0) @ Oak Harbor (2-0).
The Five Best Games in the State
#5 Olentangy (2-0) @ Olentangy Orange (2-0)
When: Fri. Sept 5, at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Olentangy beat Perrysburg at home, 28-20; Orange defeated Westerville North at home, 42-0.
Previous Meeting: Nov. 1, 2024; Olentangy lost at Orange, 21-17, in the first round of the Region 3 playoffs.
Intrigue: Olentangy linebacker C.J. Sanna is committed to Ohio State. Defensive back Kaden Gebhardt is committed to play college ball at Clemson; and O-lineman Luke Grover is a Cincinnati commit.
Orange’s Cohen Weaver ran for 221 yards and four TDs on 25 carries. Quarterback Levi Davis rushed 19 times for 95 yards and a TD while also throwing three TD passes in their win against Weterville North.
#4 Detroit (MI) Catholic Central (1-0) @ Toledo Central Catholic (0-2)
When: Fri. Sept 5, at 7 p.m.
Last Week: DCC beat Clinton Township (MI) Chippewa Valley, 41-7; TCC lost at Detroit (MI) Cass Tech, 28-27.
Previous Meeting: Sept. 6, 2024; DCC beat TCC at home, 21-7.
Intrigue: TCC racked up 323 total offensive yards in their nail-biting loss against Cass Tech last week. Prior to that, the Fighting Irish lost 17-14 at home to Walsh Jesuit.
DCC opened their season with an impressive home win against Chippewa Valley.
#3 Rabun Gap - Nacoochee (GA) (0-2) @ Massillon Washington (1-1)
When: Fri. Sept 5, at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Rabun Gap lost at Chattanooga (TN) Baylor, 35-34; Massillon defeated GlenOak at home, 44-10.
Previous Meeting: First meeting.
Intrigue: Rabun Gap has been on the road all season, losing to Grayson (GA) 24-19, and then at Baylor (TN), 35-34. Baylor is the top-ranked team in Tennessee.
Massillon’s Mandwel Patteron was 16-of-21 for 200 yards, and four TDs last week. After rushing for 131 yards the week before, Savior Owens had 57 yards on ten runs with a TD. Deontay Malone caught seven passes for 102 yards and a TD while Giorgio Jackson Jr. had seven receptions for 72 yards and two TDs.
#2 Glenville (2-0) @ Avon (1-1)
When: Fri. Sept 5, at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Glenville won at Olentangy Liberty, 13-7; Avon lost at Port Orange (FL) Spruce Creek, 25-22.
Previous Meeting: Sept. 6, 2024; Avon defeated Glenville at home, 13-12.
Intrigue: Glenville defensive lineman Dion’dre Taylor had three sacks and two forced fumbles in last week’s win against Liberty.
The Tarblooders have won both of their games on the road this year. Week one’s overtime victory at Massillon was followed up by another close one with Liberty.
Like Toledo Central Catholic, Avon ended last game with a missed field goal that could’ve changed the outcome of their game.
Prior to that, Avon beat St. Ignatius at home, 40-14.
Cam Wendell ran for 91 rushing yards, Caden Calpham had 68 receiving yards, and Grant Carr had 69 receiving yards.
#1 Louisville (KY) Trinity (2-0) @ Archbishop Moeller (1-1)
When: Fri. Sept 5, at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Trinity beat Lexington (KY) Frederick Douglass at home, 37-0; Moeller lost to Chicago (IL) Mt. Carmel, 43-42, Tanks Memorial Stadium in Ironton.
Previous Meeting: Aug. 26, 2022; Moeller beat Trinity at home, 28-3.
Intrigue: Trinity goes on the road for the first time this season after two home wins against Louisville (KY) Pleasure Ridge Park and Frederick Douglass by a combined score of 99-0.
Moeller’s Matt Ponatoski was 19-for-30 passing for 287 yards and five TDs last week. Ponatoski also led the Crusaders in rushing with 54 yards. Carson Khayo caught nine passes for 191 yards and three TDs.
Honorable Mention - Union Local (1-1) @ Indian Creek (2-0); Pickerington Central (2-0) @ Pickerington North (1-1); Lehman Catholic (2-0) @ Fort Loramie (0-2); Elder (2-0) @ Springboro (2-0); and Perry (2-0) @ Kirtland (2-0).
