THE 10 BEST GAMES TO SEE IN OHIO - WEEK EIGHT
By Kyle Holsinger
Welcome back, readers! I opened up the selection of games to a wider range than an eight-point spread. This week, I tried to consider the top 100 closest point spreads on Drew Pasteur’s Fantastic 50 website. I hope that can make it so I’m picking better matchups that end up closer in score.
Also, I think I've found a way to rank and compare out-of-state opponents for the time being so those were added this week.
When: Fri. Oct. 9 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: The Panthers defeated Sylvania Northview at home, 56-7; and the Trojans lost to Perrysburg at home, 31-6.
Previous Meeting: Oct. 10, 2025; Whitmer beat Findlay at home, 35-33.
Intrigue: Northern Lakes League Buckeye division matchup.
Whitmer’s Carter Born went 11-for-16 passing for 210 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception while also rushing for 60 yards and another TD last week. Born’s top targets were Cy’ara Johnson (56 yards, one TD) and Levi Bacon (39 yards) with three receptions each. Senior Jamon Holmes rushed for 97 yards and two TDs on six carries.
Defensively, Garric Rodebaugh wrapped up five tackles, 1.5 sacks, and 1.5 tackles-for-loss last week. Vince Hollstein made five tackles, and Timothy Pettaway had four tackles, 2.5 TFL, and 1.5 sacks. Jermaine Johnson had four tackles, a sack, a TFL, and a forced fumble.
Findlay’s Riley Korkos completed 17-of-30 passes for 161 yards while rushing for 52 yards and a TD on 14 touches last week. Carter Imke caught seven balls for 41 yards, and Marshall Rader made four receptions for 50 yards. Ramier Williams rushed for 41 yards on 10 carries.
The Trojan defense gave up 21 first downs, 319 rushing yards, and 71 passing yards for 390 total offensive yards.
When: Fri. Oct. 9 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: The Warriors won at Willard, 44-0; and the Eagles were victorious at Bucyrus Wynford, 33-27.
Previous Meeting: Sept. 12, 2025; Colonel Crawford won at Mohawk, 24-21.
Intrigue: Two of the top Northern 10 Athletic Conference teams pitted against each other.
Mohawk’s Andon Clouse has thrown 77-for-114 passes for 1,442 yards, 20 TDs, and three picks this season. Levi Tiell has caught 37 passes for 729 yards and 12 TDs while Jagger Ekleberry has made 15 receptions for 426 yards and six TDs. Kaden Bish has 520 yards and seven TDs on 59 rushes.
On defense, the Warriors’ Aden Patrizi has 13.5 TFL this year. Connor Eader has 3.5 sacks, and Chance Collene has made two interceptions.
Colonel Crawford’s Roen Thew has thrown 57-of-108 completed passes for 833 yards, nine TDs, and two INTs. Parker Weithman has made 35 receptions for 499 yards and five TDs. Avery Powers has carried the ball 92 times for 625 rushing yards and five TDs.
Defensively, Patrick Troiano has made 54 tackles this season. Weithman has three interceptions.
When: Fri. Oct. 9 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: The Blue Devils beat Seneca East at home, 8-7; and the Chieftains won at Tiffin Calvert, 42-0.
Previous Meeting: Nov. 21, 2025; H-L defeated Carey, 35-0, in the Region 22 finals at Findlay Donnell Stadium.
Intrigue: Winner remains undefeated in Northern 10 play.
Carey’s Tripp Phoenix is 23-for-56 passing for 355 yards, four TDs, and three picks while also rushing for 1,003 yards and 12 TDs on 67 runs. Mace Puckett has 713 rushing yards and six TDs on 131 attempts.
The Blue Devils’ Puckett has 84 tackles, 14 TFL, and three forced fumbles on defense this year. Louis Watkins has wrapped up 71 tackles, 27.5 TFL, and 13 sacks. Joe Reinhart has 69 tackles, 21 TFL, and 6.5 sacks. Lane Baldridge has two fumble recoveries.
Hopewell-Loudon's Jacoby Ellis is 70-for-111 passing for 973 yards, 11 TDs, and three picks. Chase Rogier has made 22 receptions for 322 yards and four TDs.
When: Fri. Oct. 9 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: The Warriors defeated Marion Harding at home, 27-12; and the Whippets were victorious at Bellville Clear Fork, 28-21.
Previous Meeting: Oct. 10, 2025; Shelby won at Ontario, 42-0.
Intrigue: Winner takes sole possession of first place in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference.
Ontario’s Sean Tanner is 48-for-84 passing for 942 yards, nine TDs, and two INTs this year. Max Ciroli has 805 yards and nine TDs on 100 rushes.
Defensively, Zane Curry has wrapped up 71 tackles, and Carson Moritz has made 66 tackles this season. Cardae Brown has made five interceptions, Maddix Smith has eight sacks, and Liam Smith has made six sacks.
Shelby’s Brady Bowman has 35 receptions for 478 yards and eight yards this season. Michael Shepherd has thrown 14 TD passes on the year.
On defense, the Whippets’ Casyn Koch, Branson Reed, Brady McQuillen, and Bowman have two interceptions each on the year. Luke Blevins has wrapped up six sacks.
When: Fri. Oct. 9 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: The Comets beat Rossford at home, 55-13; and the Eagles won at Oak Harbor, 27-13.
Previous Meeting: Oct. 10, 2025; Genoa defeated Eastwood at home, 42-27.
Intrigue: Eastwood is undefeated in Northern Buckeye Conference play, Genoa Area sits one game back just waiting for this opportunity to get back into the NBC race.
Genoa’s Myles Mollenhauer threw for four TDs and ran two scores last week. Tommy Braun caught three TD receptions, and Jaxon Magnone caught a 70-yard TD pass. Alex Materni scored on a 14-yard TD run, and Dominic Cappelletty had a 35-yard rushing TD.
Defensively, the Comets’ Gus Buffington had a one-yard scoop-and-score a week ago.
Eastwood’s Brayden Luidhardt threw 21-for-24 completed passes for 195 yards, two TDs, and an INT while also rushing for a TD last week. Cam Schumaker caught nine passes for 57 yards while also rushing for 38 yards. Brayden Brown had 67 rushing yards and a TD on 10 attempts.
On defense, the Eagles’ Logan Brown made 13 tackles, an INT, and a TFL last week. Brady Ramlow wrapped up 12 tackles, and one TFL. Landen Simon and Andy Lautzenheiser had five tackles, two TFL, and one sack each. Luidhardt had seven tackles and an interception.
Oak Harbor (3-4) @ Millbury Lake (4-3); Marion Pleasant (2-5) @ Marion Harding (4-3); and Port Clinton (6-1) @ Milan Edison (2-5).
When: Fri. Oct. 9 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: The Knights were victorious at Dayton Archbishop Carroll, 50-7; and the Rockets won at Dayton Chaminade-Julienne, 37-0.
Previous Meeting: Oct. 10, 2025; Alter beat McNicholas at home, 12-0.
Intrigue: Winner takes possession of first place outright in the Greater Catholic League Co-ed division.
Alter’s Renner Vongsy went 6-for-7 passing for 93 yards and two passing TDs and a rushing TD last week. Chimdi Eze (27 yards, one TD) and Parker Flanders (25 yards) each had two catches. Drew Cripps had seven carries for 86 yards and two TDs.
Defensively, the Knights’ Jake Botti had 10 tackles and five TFL in their last game. Isaac Manfre made seven tackles and four TFL, and Dash Koelker made four tackles and two TFL.
When: Fri. Oct. 9 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Girard defeated Canfield South Range at home, 46-42; and the Bulldogs beat Niles McKinley at home, 41-0.
Previous Meeting: Nov. 14, 2025; Girard beat Poland, 28-27, in the Region 17 semifinals.
Intrigue: Poland, along with South Range and Hubbard, sit one game back from Girard in the Northeast 8 Athletic Conference.
Girard’s A.J. Pearson was 18-of-35 passing for 466 yards, three TDs, and a pick while rushing for 59 yards and two TDs last week. Amire Brown (eight receptions, 245 yards, one TD) and Braxton Sloan (six receptions, 129 yards, two TDs) were Pearson’s primary receivers.
Defensively, Brown made 14 tackles, two pass deflections, and an interception; and Sloan made 13 tackles and two deflections last week. A.J. Pearson made six tackles and an interception. William Sanders and Ian Pearson each had six tackles and a TFL—with Sanders also making a fumble recovery in the game.
Poland’s David Xipolitas completed 3-of-6 passes for 86 yards, one TD, and one pick while also rushing for 82 yards and a TD in last week’s win. Nick Nittoli made three catches for 86 yards and a TD. Chase Jones had 104 rushing yards and three TDs on eight touches.
The Bulldogs’ defense was led last week by Ashton Sattarelle—who had eight tackles and three TFL. Dominic Delluomo wrapped up six tackles. Caleb Scott had four tackles and a TFL, and Jones had four tackles.
When: Fri. Oct. 9 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: The Braves defeated Zoarville Tuscarawas Valley, 41-7; and the Pirates were victorious at Magnolia Sandy Valley, 55-21.
Previous Meeting: Oct. 3, 2025; Indian Valley beat Garaway, 40-12.
Intrigue: Two teams undefeated in Inter-Valley Conference South division play slugging it out.
Indian Valley’s Ryker Williams went 6-for-6 passing for 155 yards and two TDs last game. Colt James made three receptions for 19 yards and two TDs. Carsen Hostetler rushed for 95 yards and a TD on two touches.
The Braves’ defense gave up 102 passing yards and 69 rushing yards for 171 total defensive yards last week.
Garaway has one of the toughest schedules in all of Division VI according to Drew Pasteur’s Fantastic 50 website. The Pirates have handled every team in their way this year—aside from their Week 5 loss to Girard. Indian Valley is the toughest team they’ll face in the regular season.
When: Fri. Oct. 9 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: The Warriors won at Washington (DC) St. John’s College, 35-28; and the Tigers defeated Farrell (PA) by forfeit, 1-0.
Previous Meeting: Oct. 10, 2025; Massillon beat Cornerstone Christian at home, 45-20.
Intrigue: Premier Texas squad comes into Tiger Town.
Cornerstone’s Seth Shuler went 12-of-22 passing for 146 yards, one TD, and a pick last week. Chauncey Moon was their primary receiver with six catches for 77 yards and two TDs. Jaylen McKane had 90 yards and a TD on 16 rushes.
On defense, Jonah Paquette had 15 tackles and a TFL last week. Ahzan Bacote wrapped up six tackles, two TFL, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and a sack. Elijah Fayall made five tackles, two forced fumbles, and an interception.
Massillon’s Rasmus Haines went 11-for-19 passing for 227 yards and two TDs last game. Giorgio Jackson Jr. caught five balls for 103 yards. Savior Owens rushed for 121 yards and two TDs on 20 carries while also catching two passes for 108 yards and a TD.
The Feister brothers—Brayton (13 tackles, two TFL) and Brydon (10 tackles, three TFL, 1.5 sacks) led the way defensively last week for the Tigers. Isaac Maxheimer made seven tackles, three TFL, and 1.5 sacks. Braylon Gamble made seven tackles.
When: Fri. Oct. 9 at 7 p.m.
Last Week: The Explorers beat Medina at home, 41-7; and the Grizzlies won at Stow-Munroe Falls, 35-14.
Previous Meeting: Oct. 3, 2025; Wadsworth won at Hudson, 35-17.
Intrigue: Two of the top teams in the Suburban League National division that are both gunning for the title.
Hudson’s Benny Hegedish threw 7-of-19 passes for 63 yards while rushing for 65 yards on nine attempts last week. Anthony Paolucci caught three balls for 29 yards. Reno Ferri ran the ball 15 times for 138 yards and three TDs.
Wadsworth has scored 10-plus points in 51 straight games—the eight-longest active streak in the state. The Grizzlies have only had one close game this season when they beat Massillon Jackson, 19-17, in Week 3. The final three opponents for Wadsworth are their three toughest—making it an absolute brutal finish to the year with a road game at Medina Highland and a home game with Nordonia after this week’s tough matchup.
CENTRAL - Hilliard Bradley (5-2) @ Powell Olentangy Liberty (4-3)
EAST - Barnesville (7-0) @ Martins Ferry (7-0)
NORTHEAST INLAND - Cleveland Glenville (5-2) @ Akron Archbishop Hoban (3-4)
NORTHEAST LAKE - La Grange Keystone (6-0) @ Columbia Station Columbia (7-0)
NORTHWEST - Bloomfield Hills (MI) Birmingham Brother Rice (5-1) @ Toledo Central Catholic (5-2)
SOUTHEAST - Duncan Falls Philo (5-2) @ Thornville Sheridan (6-1)
SOUTHWEST - Cincinnati Hughes (7-0) @ Cincinnati College Prep (7-0)
Let’s hope everyone has a healthy, competitive, and sportsmanlike weekend!
