News
Bowling Green expects stiff test vs. Holy Name
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.
Tinora and Columbus Grove set for physical battle
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.
Central looking to continue dominance over St. Francis
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.
Liberty Center gearing up for big Colonel Crawford team
Liberty Center will face a “big” challenge when it travels to North Robinson on Saturday against Colonel Crawford in the D-VI, Region 22 quarterfinals.
The 7-0 Eagles sport major size going into the dustup with the 6-2 Tigers, which have won six straight after opening the season 0-2.
“On film they look really good,” said LC headman Casey Mohler. “They’re big, they’re strong, they’re athletic. They seem to have a lot of weapons and it’s really hard to find a weak spot on that team. The initial look for us is it’s going to be a challenge for us to put points on the board and try to stop them.”
Colonel Crawford runs a Wing-T offense but mixes in some spread concepts. Junior tailback Tristan Cross is a load coming out of the backfield. The 6-1, 215-pounder is just 29 yards shy of 1,000 yards for the season on 114 carries while adding 15 touchdowns. Cade Hamilton (6-3, 200, 58 carries, 478 yards, 9 TDs) also handles totes out of the Eagles’ backfield.
Big-play Northwood vs. explosive Fairview in D-VI skirmish
Fairview will see a major uptick in competition when the 7-0 and third-seeded Apaches play host to 7-0 and No. 6 seed Northwood on Saturday night in the D-VI, Region 22 playoffs.
The regional quarterfinal will be played at Defiance’s Fred J. Brown Stadium to accomodate more fans than what Fairview’s home stadium would be able to.
Saturday’s winner will advance to the regional semifinals against the victor from Liberty Center at Colonel Crawford.
The 7-0 Rangers will be the first team Fairview has played all year that has more than four wins. Northwood has won 17 straight games since losing in the opening round of the 2018 playoffs to Hillsdale. The Rangers went 10-0 last year but did not qualify for the Division V, Region 18 playoffs with finishing ninth in the computer ratings.
Archbold facing big and physical Carey squad
Division VI, Region 22 top seed Archbold returns to the gridiron on Saturday looking to continue its winning ways. The unbeaten 7-0 Streaks will host 7-1 Carey with a regional semifinal appearance at stake next week against the victor from Tinora at Columbus Grove.
Carey heads into Saturday’s contest on a 7-game winning streak. The Blue Devils fell 16-7 in their season opener to Region 22 No. 2 seed Colonel Crawford.
“Winning the turnover battle will be critical this week,” said Archbold coach David Dominique. “Both teams do not turn the ball over much so I feel that this is even more important than ever this week. Secondly, I feel that special teams will play an integral role in the winner of this game.”
Black Swamp Football Podcast Week 3 Playoff Edition
Tony Haynes and Lynn Groll look back at week 2 of the high school football playoffs while looking ahead to the regional semifinals this week.
Comparing Remaining Playoff Field vs. Traditional Computer Rating Playoffs (Divisions IV, V and VI)
Comparing Remaining Playoff Field vs. Traditional Computer Rating Playoffs (Divisions IV, V and VI)
LC holds off Western Reserve rally
LIBERTY CENTER – A 28-0 halftime Liberty Center halftime lead shrunk to nearly one possession early in the fourth quarter before the Tigers tallied two late scores to post a 42-18 victory over Collins Western Reserve on Saturday night in D-VI, Region 22 playoff action.
The seventh-seeded 6-2 Tigers will face No. 2 seed Colonel Crawford (7-0) next Saturday night in the regional quarterfinals.
Already with a commanding lead, LC was looking to buck the Roughriders on the first possession of the second half.
However, LC fumbled the kick return and Western Reserve recovered at the Tigers’ 30.
“To start off that second half like that was about the worst-case scenario,” explained Liberty coach Casey Mohler. “We talked at halftime about coming out and setting the tone. We just didn’t set the right tone. We kind of got our backs against the wall. I thought we stepped up in the fourth quarter and sealed the deal.”
Comparing remaining playoff field vs. traditional computer rating playoffs
Now that some divisions are down to 8 teams left, it’s interesting comparing what regions look like with all teams making playoffs compared to a
St. Francis wins defensive slugfest at Anthony Wayne
WHITEHOUSE – A slobberknocker broke out between D-II, Region 6 combatants St. Francis and Anthony Wayne on Friday night, with the Knights coming out on top, 10-7.
“I wasn’t expecting that,” said Chipka of the low-scoring affair. “I was expecting kind of an AFC North throwdown or an NFC North throwdown. Just a great defensive effort by both teams. Both stout defenses and we both like to run the ball. I felt like both of us took away the run game. It was a matter of making plays down field.”
AW entered the game averaging 41.3 ppg and St. Francis was averaging 30.9 ppg.
St. Francis earns a rematch at Central Catholic with the win in the Region 6 quarterfinals next Friday.