Fairview’s Caleb Frank joins the Black Swamp Football Show after kicking the game-winning 39-yard field goal as time expired in Saturday’s 38-36 triumph over Northwood in the D-VI, Region 22 quarterfinals.
A handful of teams from the Black Swamp Football coverage area remain alive going into the regional semifinal round of the very different 2020 playoffs.
Along with Toledo Central Catholic in D-II, Ottawa-Glandorf (D-V) joins Archbold, Columbus Grove and Fairview – all D-VI representatives – as the remaining quintet playing playoff football from the Black Swamp area.
A grand total of 104 Buckeye State teams are prepping for playoff action this weekend. Division I is down to eight teams total while Divisions II-VII all have 16 teams remaining – four from each region.
Here are some observations as we head into the regional championship round for D-I and regional semifinals for the other six divisions.
COLUMBUS GROVE – Columbus Grove threw the final punches in a back-and-forth Division VI, Region 22 quarterfinal on Saturday night at Clymer Stadium. The Bulldogs finished off Tinora with a go-ahead touchdown with 2:56 left before the defense capped a 41-35 battle with the Rams.
“I was impressed with our offense,” said Grove coach Andy Schafer. “It didn’t really matter what Tinora threw at us, we just kept going. We needed it.
“I didn’t expect it to be a track meet,” added Schafer. “Especially when you’re playing a Wing-T team, you usually don’t see track meets like it was.”
Tinora outgained the Bulldogs, 390-355, including piling up 315 rushing yards on 38 attempts. The Rams scored touchdowns on two long runs, one of 96 yards by quarterback Nolan Schafer and an 80-yard KP Delarber burst with 6:59 left.
TOLEDO – Central Catholic continued its mastery over rival St. Francis, extending its winning streak over the Knights to 19 straight with a 50-6 thrashing of the visitors on Friday night at Gallagher Stadium in the D-II, Region 6 regional quarterfinals.
The Irish will host Avon Lake next Friday in the regional semifinals. The Shoremen hammered North Royalton, 54-7, on Friday night.
Central has now made the round of 16 eight straight years.
The Irish were ruthless against the St. Francis offense for the second time this year, holding the Knights to 132 yards of offense. Last month, St. Francis managed just 92 rushing yards on 30 attempts and the sledding was even tougher on Friday night. Led by a dominating front and linebacker Gio DeSantis, Central limited St. Francis to 43 yards rushing on 35 attempts.
A talented Parma Heights Holy Name program will stroll into Bowling Green on Friday night for a Division III, Region 10 showdown of regional quarterfinalists.
“They’re a good football team and it’s what you’d expect at this point in the playoffs,” said Bowling Green leadman Dirk Conner.
The Green Wave has been impressive in their five triumphs, outscoring foes, 192-13. Holy Names’ lone loss was a season opening defeat to Walsh Jesuit, 24-7. Walsh Jesuit’s lone loss came at the hands of D-II state championship contender Archbishop Hoban, 27-14.
BG (6-1) blasted Defiance last week in playoff action, 56-13.
“We played pretty well and they made some mistakes that helped us out a little and got the score out of hand a little bit,” said Conner.
A physical confrontation awaits when Division VI, Region 22 unbeatens Tinora and Columbus Grove collide in Putnam County on Saturday night in a regional final at Clymer Stadium.
The victor moves on to the regional semifinals next Saturday against the winner from Carey at Archbold.
Both teams are coming off playoff victories last week after a bye the previous week.
The Rams (6-0) pulled away from a feisty Hicksville squad for a 34-13 triumph after hammering the Aces 41-0 earlier in the season.
“I was disappointed with our start,” said Tinora coach Kenny Krouse. “We made mistakes. We established (running back) KP (Delarber) and he had another big ballgame for us. Defensively, if you look at the whole thing, we held them to 51 yards rushing and gave up a kickoff return and the touchdown was on me. It’s basically a shutout. It’s disappointing we left all those points off the board with all those turnovers – couple fumbles, couple blocked kicks and couple interceptions.”
Columbus Grove handled Ottawa Hills easily last Saturday, 59-0.
The bye week was huge for the Bulldogs, according to leadman Andy Schafer. The Bulldogs had played close games against Crestview (38-31) and Allen East (27-24) the previous two weeks in the NWC playoffs.
St. Francis and Central Catholic will tee up the pigskin for the second time this season when the Knights invade Gallagher Stadium on Friday night for a Division II, Region 6 quarterfinal.
“Whether you are playing these guys once a season or twice in a season, it is always very difficult to beat them,” remarked St. Francis headman Dan Chipka. “Their track-record speaks for itself … only a handful of teams have beaten them in this area over the last decade. But we know that – and realize that both the TRAC championship and OHSAA playoff march goes through them. We will not back down.”
The Knights are looking to end nearly two decades of dominance by the Irish in the Toledo rivalry, with St. Francis losing 18 straight to the Irish dating back to 2003.
Your #1 Source for everything happening in the Black Swamp area! Lynn Groll speaks with coaches, players, and other special guests to discuss local football. Check it out on iTunes today!
Your #1 Source for everything happening in the Black Swamp area! Lynn Groll speaks with coaches, players, and other special guests to discuss local football. Check it out on iTunes today!
Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, our annual Pre-Season Magazine will now be a Post-Season Magazine! For more details on what we’re providing this year, click the link below.
Lynn Groll has been covering football in “The Black Swamp” area since 2002 and his enthusiasm for football in the area is second to none.
