This season’s football playoffs started last week, and there were six local schools in the competition in three divisions/regions. This week, there are still three schools standing (one in each division/region) for the semifinals: Highland, Northmor and East Knox.
This week’s games:
Friday. Nov. 5
Division IV, Region 15 semifinal
No. 8 Highland (9-3) at No. 1 Bloom-Carroll (11-0), 7 p.m.
After defeating No. 9 Columbus Linden McKinley, 41-6, No. 8 Highland (8-3) moved on to face No. 1 Bloom-Carroll on the road in the regional semifinals last night. Bloom-Carroll (11-0), the top seed in Region 16, defeated Warren, 49-0, for its third straight shutout. Highland and Bloom-Carroll met on Week 1, with the Bulldogs getting a 49-17 victory. But that was 11 weeks ago.
“It’s never easy when facing Bloom-Carroll,” Highland coach Ty Stover said. “We’re fortunate to have another shot at them. Our kids know we have a huge challenge facing them down there. We’ll do our best to get prepared. Let it all hang out and see what happens.”
Highland has outscored its opponents 337-199 and has a plus-11 turnover edge.
Scots running back Dane Nauman is the player to watch. He has already set the school single-season rushing record with 2,412 yards on only 239 carries. QB Cooper Merckling has completed 46 of 96 for 610 yards. On defense for Highland, Eli Grandstaff has 40 solo tackles and 30 assists, Jon Jensen has 37 and 26, Chandler Stevens has made 34 solos and 27 assists and Caden Holtrey has 20 solos with 39 assists.
The winner of the Highland Fighting Scots-Bloom-Carroll Bulldogs matchup gets the winner of the No. 4 Heath Bulldogs-No. 12 Philo Electrics game.
Saturday, Nov. 6
Division VI, Region 23 semifinal
No. 6 Northmor (9-2) at No. 3 West Jefferson (10-1) , 7 p.m.
Northmor (9-2), fresh from its 28-14 win over Fredericktown, advances to take on West Jefferson (10-1), who beat Lucasville Valley 43-14.The Golden Knights are 9-2 and have outscored opponents 284-173. Quarterback Marcus Cortez has completed 58 of 103 passes for 773 yards and 11 TDs and has gained 841 yards rushing. The top receiving target is Trenton Ramos with 32 catches for 277 yards. Running back Max Lower has rushed for 1,496 yards and 16 TDs on 248 carries, and on defense, Garett Corwin has made 88 solo tackles and has 18 assists, Niko Christo has made 81 solo tackles, Charles Naylor has 60 solos, Gavin Miller has 54, Gavin Whited has 47 solos with a team-leading six sacks, CJ Stoney has 47 solo tackles and Lower has 44. For the Roughriders, Tyler Buescher has completed 228 of 319 for 3,131 yards and 33 TDs, and Hayden Salyer is the top rusher with 997 yards on 165 carries. Top receiving targets are Adam Fry with 56 receptions for 750 yards and MJ Book with 52 for 966 and 19 TDs.
The winner plays the winner of No. 2 Fairland Dragons vs. No. 10 Worthington Christian.
Division VII, Region 27 semifinal
No. 4 East Knox (9-2) vs. No. 5 Glouster Trimble (8-2) at East Knox 7 p.m.
East Knox defeated No. 13 Eastern 41-13 and stays at home to face Glouster Trimble (8-2). The Tomcats got there after a 38-0 drubbing of Fisher Catholic. The Bulldogs take a five-game winning streak into the matchup and have outscored opponents 412 to 202 this season. QB Peyton Lester has completed 128 of 196 passes for 2033 yards and 24 TDs, Shane Knepp has caught 39 passes for 691 yards and nine TDs and has made 45 solo tackles on defense, and Cole Delaughder has rushed for 1,036 yards on 198 carries for 17 TDs and has caught 20 passes for 324 yards and five TDs. Trimble is also on a five-game winning streak and has outscored its opponents 359-100. The Tomcats needed 39 plays last week to amass 427 yards and were led by QB Tabor Lackey with 205 yards and three TDs, ad running back Bryce Downs ran for 109 yards on nine carries.
The winner faces the winner of No. 2 Berne Union Rockets vs. the No. 7 River Pilots.
