Central Catholic rolling to another TRAC title
You need to be logged in to view this content. Please Log In. Not a Member? Join Us
St. Francis De Sales
HS
Episode 59 of the Black Swamp Football Podcast: Week 3 recap and lookahead to week 4
Lynn Groll, Tony Haynes and Andrew Mickey look back at week 3, hand out Offensive Player of the Week to Otsego’s Trent Leiter and co-Blockhead of the Week to Leiter and Columbus Grove’s AJ Schafer.
Podcast episode No. 56: Week 1 recap and week 2 predictions
Lynn Groll, Tony Haynes and Andrew Mickey recap week 1 from the area while handing out Offensive Player of the Week to Jonas Tester of Wauseon and Blockhead of the Week to Liberty Center’s Owen Box! They also predict week 2 of the area high school football scene!
2021 Black Swamp Football Preseason Magazine (PDF)
PDF of 2021 Black Swamp Football Preseason Magazine
Gradkowski takes over at St. Francis
TOLEDO – Former University of Toledo standout Bruce Gradkowski has been named the interim St. Francis head coach.
“I’m fired up,” said Gradkowski in a press release. “It’s such a great opportunity to be part of St. Francis. Football is life. I was fortunate enough to play professionally. To be able to give back and help student-athletes, not just on the field, that’s what I’m excited about. We’re going to be a group that focuses on what we can control. That’s our attitude, our effort, and our preparation.”
Black Swamp Football Podcast Episode No. 42
Tony Haynes and Lynn Groll look back at last week’s playoffs and look ahead to the regional semifinals in their coverage area this week.
Central Catholic romps over St. Francis
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.
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.
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.
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.