Well, here we are. Week 9 is in the books and it all comes to down to Week 10 for area teams to stake their claim for a shot at post-season play or a chance to host a first round playoff game. A number of teams have already clinched a playoff spot, including Mentor, Chagrin Falls, Lake Catholic, University School, Willoughby South, Kirtland, and Ledgemont. Madison has all but clinched it and should be in. Other teams including Mayfield, VASJ, Hawken, Perry, Kenston, and West Geauga are all on the bubble and need some interesting things to happen in order for their playoff dreams to become reality. This leads us to the Eastlake North Rangers. The Rangers are currently 9th in the Division I - Region computer rankings. With a win tonight over rival Willoughby South and some help with losses from 7th place - Cleveland JFK at East Tech (unlikely) and 8th place - Youngstown Boardman and Austintown Fitch (maybe), the Rangers might sneak in for their first playoff berth in school history. According to standout News-Herald prep writer Bill Tilton, teams North fans should be rooting for to win in Week 10 to boost their secondary points include Brush, Midpark, and Cuyahoga Falls. Let's take a closer look at one of the best rivalry games in all of Northeastern Ohio by heading out to Harry E. Winters Stadium in Willoughby, where the Rangers need the biggest win in their school history to happen Thursday night against the South Rebels.
It truly doesn't get any bigger than this for North coach George Burich and his Rangers. South is the four-time defending Premier Athletic Conference champion, including this year's title. They have beaten North the last seven times they've played. South has won a staggering 21 PAC games in a row and have already clinched a playoff berth with an outside shot at hosting a first round game. Both teams come into Thursday night's game, which will be televised live on Fox Sports Network Ohio, with explosive offenses and sometimes suspect defenses. Even with the wet and sloppy playing conditions, I expect these teams be involved in a shoot-out. South features junior workhorse running back Kareem Hunt (1804 yards, 31 Touchdowns). Meanwhile North boasts talented, fourth-year starting quarterback George Gresko (2020 yards, 20 TD passes) and senior breakout running back Jordan Morris(1156 yards, 13 TD's). Gresko has turned into one of the area's best signal callers in recent memory and has racked up some impressive career numbers, but is lacking a win over South. It invokes memories of former Michigan Wolverines quarterback Chad Henne, who was one of the best quarterbacks in Big Ten history, but was never able to beat rival Ohio State. Gresko and company will do everything possible to take advantage of this opportunity. In the end, I think the South Rebels come away with win. Rebel coach Matt Duffy is one of the area's best game day and overall coaches and is a master motivator. That is not to say Burich isn't, but Week 8's 41 - 7 loss, to University School, where the Rangers gave up 335 rushing yards, was alarming. And don't sleep on South junior quarterback Casey Klicman. The first year starter has had some turnover issues with 10 interceptions, but has also thrown for 1685 yards and rang up another 385 yards on the ground. Without trying to be too impatient, Klicman and Hunt should be the talk of the area heading into the 2012 season.
Madison is No. 2 in the Division II - Region 5 computer rankings after blowing out Lakeside, 59 - 8. Although the Blue Streaks haven't officially clinched a playoff berth, with a win at home against Riverside in Week 10, Madison should be fine with a chance to host a first round game.
University School hung on to beat a scrappy Chardon team, 38 - 35. US is ranked 3rd in the Division III - Region 9 computer rankings. The Preppers need a win in Week 10 at Geneva and then they will host a first round playoff game.
The Kirtland Hornets destroyed Fairport, 54 - 6 and are currently ranked as the No. 1 team in the Division V - Region 17 computer rankings. Kirtland hosts Newbury with a shot at a perfect 10 - 0 regular season and will be hosting a first round playoff game.
Chagrin Falls clawed their way past Orange in Week 9, 27 - 6. The Tigers are the No. 1 ranked team in the Division III - Region 9 computer rankings and will be hosting a first round playoff game. Chagrin has a shot at a perfect 10 - 0 season if they can get past Perry at home in Week 10.
The Lake Catholic Cougars beat Akron Hoban, 28 - 6 in Week 9 and are currently ranked 2nd in the Division III - Region 9 computer rankings. Lake has a tough road match up in week 10 against the No. 1 ranked team in the Division II state poll, Avon. Win or lose, the Cougars should be hosting a first round playoff game.
The Mentor Cardinals flew past Strongsville in Week 9, 38 - 7. Mentor is the No. 1 ranked team in the Division I state poll and is 1st in the Region I computer rankings. The Cardinals have also moved up in some national publications to as high as the 22nd ranked team in the country. Mentor is looking for a perfect 10 - 0 regular season and travels to Twinsburg, who is having a better than talked about year. Mentor will be hosting a first round playoff game at the J.T.O.
The Ledgemont Redskins rallied past a fired up and feisty Grand Valley team, 24 - 18 to remain unbeaten and hold on to their spot as the 3rd ranked team in the Division VI - Region 21 computer rankings. If Ledgemont can tally a win in Week 10 over Southington, the Redskins should be hosting a first round playoff game and owners of a perfect 10 - 0 season.
That wraps up the latest edition of the "Prep Lowdown with Lou." In next week's segment, we will take a look at all the area playoff match ups as well as predictions on each game. Be sure to follow me on Twitter @SweetLou_21 for scores, updates and pics from Thursday night's game at South and Friday's action.
Also, don't miss my radio show "The Breakdown" that airs on Monday nights on clevelandsportsforums.com from 8pm - 10pm. It's a football related talk show featuring the Cleveland Browns, the Ohio State Buckeyes and Northeast Ohio area high school football teams. I am joined with former Willoughby South, Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Gladiator quarterback Dan Whalen as we break down all the X's and O's from Friday, Saturday and Sunday's football action.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Week 8 Recap and Week 9 Look Ahead
Welcome back to the latest edition of the "Prep Lowdown with Lou." In this week's segment we will take an inside look at what the final two weeks of the regular season has to offer as area teams figure out if the computer rankings and team's playoff positioning are going to reflect a portion of all the hard work that the players and coaches have put into the 2011 season. Conference races are winding down and it appears that as many as 11 teams from the News-Herald coverage area could make the playoffs. One team that has unofficially clinched their spot in post-season play are the Division I - No. 1 state ranked, Mentor Cardinals. Let's start by heading out to Center St. to check in on Cardinal Country.
Mentor blew out Medina in Week 8, 45 - 7. Quarterback and Mr. Football hopeful, Mitch Trubisky, led the way by going 19 - 27 passing for 334 yards and four touchdowns through the air. The win, coupled with Cinncinnatti Moeller's loss, propelled the Cardinals to the top spot in the Division I state poll, as well as, the top spot in Division I - Region I computer rankings. Trubisky is having one of the more talked about seasons in recent memory especially when you take into account the level of competition he has played against and the manner in which he has performed. Trubisky has completed 165 of 249 passes for 2554 yards with 25 TD tosses against 10 interceptions. The standout junior has also contributed 353 yards and nine TD's on the ground for the 8 - 0 Cardinals. The game that has stood out is the 470 yard passing game against long time Ohio powerhouse St. Ignatius, where Trubisky threw for four TD's and ran for two more on the ground. St. Ignatius is the No. 6 ranked team in the Division I state poll.
Next up: Mentor travels to take on Strongsville.
The Premier Athletic Conference continues to be the most compelling conference race in the area, as University School absolutely crushed Eastlake North, 41 - 7. The Preppers moved to 7 - 1 overall and 4 - 1 in the PAC, where they trail undefeated Willoughby South at 5 - 0 in the PAC and 6 - 2 overall. The Preppers dominated the Rangers from the start and forced five turnovers in the route. US was led by running back Kevin Smith, who steamrolled his way 220 yards rushing and four short TD runs. Quarterback Tyler Eden threw two TD passes to Jordan Barham and the defense only yielded a late fourth quarter TD pass from George Gresko for the Rangers. US now sits at 3rd place in the Division III - Region 9 computer rankings while North is on the outside looking in at 9th place in the Division I - Region 1 computer rankings. Willoughby South sits at 5th place in Division I - Region 1 after their 58 - 18, win over Lakeside. Kareem Hunt had 213 yards rushing on just 13 carries for the Rebels and now has an area leading 1684 yards rushing and 31 total TD's on the year. South now controls its own destiny with two games to play having already beat US. Madison blanked Geneva, 27 - 0 and is now in 5th place in the Division II - Region 5 computer rankings. The Blue Streaks are 6 - 2 overall and 3- 2 in the PAC.
Next up: US hosts Chardon. South travels to Riverside. North hosts Geneva. Madison travels to Lakeside.
The Chagrin Falls Tigers shut out Chagrin Valley Conference - Chagrin Division foe West Geauga, 17 - 0. The win has the 8 - 0 Tigers sitting at atop the Division III - Region 9 computer rankings. The Tiger defense held the Wolverines to 114 total yards. Quarterback Tommy Immarino completed 11 of 12 passes for 118 yards and chipped in a three yard TD run. Jack Campbell carried the ball 15 times for 86 yards for Chagrin Falls and the defense did the rest. West G is the 9th ranked team in the Division II - Region 5 computer rankings and needs to win out and most likely receive some help to get in the playoffs. Aurora cruised past Perry, 54 - 25 and is 4th in the Division II - Region 5 computer rankings. The Greenmen are 7 - 1 on the year with their lone loss coming at the hands of the Tigers and they check in as the 9th ranked team in the Division II state poll. Kenston drilled Harvey, 55 - 6 and is 4 - 1 in the CVC - Chagrin Division, but has tough games remaining against West G and Aurora.
Next up: Chagrin Falls travels to Orange. Kenston hosts West G before ending the year at Aurora in Week 10.
The Kirtland Hornets are rolling right along after a 33 - 0, victory over Beachwood. The 8 - 0 Hornets are ranked 1st in the Division V - Region 17 computer rankings. They have unofficially clinched a playoff birth and are ranked 2nd in the Division V state poll. Wideout Zach Santo hauled in a 60 yard TD pass to open the scoring and Damon Washington added a 30 yard TD run, a 14 yard TD run, and had a 45 yard interception return for a TD. Christian Hauber tallied 119 yards rushing on 16 carries including a 3 yard TD run of his own. Kirtland's defense held Beachwood to 139 total yards and nine first downs.
Next Up: Kirtland travels to Fairport.
The Lake Catholic Cougars used a familiar season long game plan by rolling up 235 rushing yards on their way to a 48 - 26, win against Padua. Evan Gormley led the way with 113 yards on 13 carries including three TD runs. Defensively, Richie Miller helped the cause with a 59 yard interception return for a touchdown in the first quarter for the Cougars. Quarterback Mark Baniewicz added 91 rushing yards on 18 attempts, but was only 3 of 6 passing with an interception. Lake Catholic is now 7 - 1 on the year and 3 - 1 in the North Coast league. The Cougars are 2nd in the Division III - Region 9 computer rankings and are ranked 5th in the Division III state poll. The Cougars are definitely capable of running their way deep into the playoffs with their strong running game and overachieving defense, but one has to wonder if they happen to get down big along the way, will the Cougars unpolished passing game come into play.
Next up: Lake hosts Akron Hoban.
That wraps up the latest edition of the "Prep Lowdon with Lou." Be sure to follow me on Twitter @SweetLou_21 for scores, pics and updates on some of the action on Friday night. Also, tune into "The Breakdown," a two hour sports talk show featuring former Willoughby South All-Ohio and Case Western Reserve University All-American quarterback Dan Whalen and myself every Monday night from 8pm - 10pm on Clevelandsportsforums.com Radio. "The Breakdown" is a football related talk show focusing on the Cleveland Browns, other NFL action, the Ohio State Buckeyes, The Big Ten and the upcoming High School Football Playoffs. We will also check in on the World Series and stay tuned for updates on upcoming guests.
Below are the unofficial, but pretty darn close, current Ohio High School Football Computer Rankings.
Mentor blew out Medina in Week 8, 45 - 7. Quarterback and Mr. Football hopeful, Mitch Trubisky, led the way by going 19 - 27 passing for 334 yards and four touchdowns through the air. The win, coupled with Cinncinnatti Moeller's loss, propelled the Cardinals to the top spot in the Division I state poll, as well as, the top spot in Division I - Region I computer rankings. Trubisky is having one of the more talked about seasons in recent memory especially when you take into account the level of competition he has played against and the manner in which he has performed. Trubisky has completed 165 of 249 passes for 2554 yards with 25 TD tosses against 10 interceptions. The standout junior has also contributed 353 yards and nine TD's on the ground for the 8 - 0 Cardinals. The game that has stood out is the 470 yard passing game against long time Ohio powerhouse St. Ignatius, where Trubisky threw for four TD's and ran for two more on the ground. St. Ignatius is the No. 6 ranked team in the Division I state poll.
Next up: Mentor travels to take on Strongsville.
The Premier Athletic Conference continues to be the most compelling conference race in the area, as University School absolutely crushed Eastlake North, 41 - 7. The Preppers moved to 7 - 1 overall and 4 - 1 in the PAC, where they trail undefeated Willoughby South at 5 - 0 in the PAC and 6 - 2 overall. The Preppers dominated the Rangers from the start and forced five turnovers in the route. US was led by running back Kevin Smith, who steamrolled his way 220 yards rushing and four short TD runs. Quarterback Tyler Eden threw two TD passes to Jordan Barham and the defense only yielded a late fourth quarter TD pass from George Gresko for the Rangers. US now sits at 3rd place in the Division III - Region 9 computer rankings while North is on the outside looking in at 9th place in the Division I - Region 1 computer rankings. Willoughby South sits at 5th place in Division I - Region 1 after their 58 - 18, win over Lakeside. Kareem Hunt had 213 yards rushing on just 13 carries for the Rebels and now has an area leading 1684 yards rushing and 31 total TD's on the year. South now controls its own destiny with two games to play having already beat US. Madison blanked Geneva, 27 - 0 and is now in 5th place in the Division II - Region 5 computer rankings. The Blue Streaks are 6 - 2 overall and 3- 2 in the PAC.
Next up: US hosts Chardon. South travels to Riverside. North hosts Geneva. Madison travels to Lakeside.
The Chagrin Falls Tigers shut out Chagrin Valley Conference - Chagrin Division foe West Geauga, 17 - 0. The win has the 8 - 0 Tigers sitting at atop the Division III - Region 9 computer rankings. The Tiger defense held the Wolverines to 114 total yards. Quarterback Tommy Immarino completed 11 of 12 passes for 118 yards and chipped in a three yard TD run. Jack Campbell carried the ball 15 times for 86 yards for Chagrin Falls and the defense did the rest. West G is the 9th ranked team in the Division II - Region 5 computer rankings and needs to win out and most likely receive some help to get in the playoffs. Aurora cruised past Perry, 54 - 25 and is 4th in the Division II - Region 5 computer rankings. The Greenmen are 7 - 1 on the year with their lone loss coming at the hands of the Tigers and they check in as the 9th ranked team in the Division II state poll. Kenston drilled Harvey, 55 - 6 and is 4 - 1 in the CVC - Chagrin Division, but has tough games remaining against West G and Aurora.
Next up: Chagrin Falls travels to Orange. Kenston hosts West G before ending the year at Aurora in Week 10.
The Kirtland Hornets are rolling right along after a 33 - 0, victory over Beachwood. The 8 - 0 Hornets are ranked 1st in the Division V - Region 17 computer rankings. They have unofficially clinched a playoff birth and are ranked 2nd in the Division V state poll. Wideout Zach Santo hauled in a 60 yard TD pass to open the scoring and Damon Washington added a 30 yard TD run, a 14 yard TD run, and had a 45 yard interception return for a TD. Christian Hauber tallied 119 yards rushing on 16 carries including a 3 yard TD run of his own. Kirtland's defense held Beachwood to 139 total yards and nine first downs.
Next Up: Kirtland travels to Fairport.
The Lake Catholic Cougars used a familiar season long game plan by rolling up 235 rushing yards on their way to a 48 - 26, win against Padua. Evan Gormley led the way with 113 yards on 13 carries including three TD runs. Defensively, Richie Miller helped the cause with a 59 yard interception return for a touchdown in the first quarter for the Cougars. Quarterback Mark Baniewicz added 91 rushing yards on 18 attempts, but was only 3 of 6 passing with an interception. Lake Catholic is now 7 - 1 on the year and 3 - 1 in the North Coast league. The Cougars are 2nd in the Division III - Region 9 computer rankings and are ranked 5th in the Division III state poll. The Cougars are definitely capable of running their way deep into the playoffs with their strong running game and overachieving defense, but one has to wonder if they happen to get down big along the way, will the Cougars unpolished passing game come into play.
Next up: Lake hosts Akron Hoban.
That wraps up the latest edition of the "Prep Lowdon with Lou." Be sure to follow me on Twitter @SweetLou_21 for scores, pics and updates on some of the action on Friday night. Also, tune into "The Breakdown," a two hour sports talk show featuring former Willoughby South All-Ohio and Case Western Reserve University All-American quarterback Dan Whalen and myself every Monday night from 8pm - 10pm on Clevelandsportsforums.com Radio. "The Breakdown" is a football related talk show focusing on the Cleveland Browns, other NFL action, the Ohio State Buckeyes, The Big Ten and the upcoming High School Football Playoffs. We will also check in on the World Series and stay tuned for updates on upcoming guests.
Below are the unofficial, but pretty darn close, current Ohio High School Football Computer Rankings.
| Rank | W-L | ID # | City | School | Average | Level 1 | Level 2 | L2 divisor | Playoff Status (unofficial) | max Avg (win out) | min Avg (win out) | max Avg (lose out) | min Avg (lose out) | L2 divisor (final) |
| 1 | 8-0 | 1016 | Mentor | Mentor | 26.7000 | 46.0 | 209.5 | 100 | clinched playoff spot | 38.5000 | 32.7500 | 33.7000 | 26.7500 | 100 |
| 2 | 7-1 | 1354 | Cleveland | St Ignatius | 21.6089 | 40.5 | 160.5 | 97 | control own destiny | 37.5417 | 29.7812 | 27.9042 | 21.3938 | 96 |
| 3 | 7-1 | 1428 | Solon | Solon | 18.3000 | 40.0 | 133.0 | 100 | control own destiny | 30.7500 | 23.8000 | 24.8500 | 17.9000 | 100 |
| 4 | 7-0 | 385 | Cleveland Heights | Cleveland Heights | 18.1862 | 40.0 | 111.0 | 89 | control own destiny | 31.1768 | 25.9495 | 24.1035 | 18.9331 | 88 |
| 5 | 6-2 | 1440 | Willoughby | South | 17.0750 | 33.0 | 129.5 | 100 | control own destiny | 27.2000 | 25.8000 | 20.8500 | 18.3500 | 100 |
| 6 | 6-2 | 1346 | Lakewood | St Edward | 15.4293 | 33.0 | 104.0 | 92 | control own destiny | 32.8152 | 25.2065 | 21.3435 | 15.0391 | 92 |
| 7 | 6-2 | 238 | Youngstown | Boardman | 15.2721 | 34.5 | 108.5 | 99 | control own destiny | 27.2258 | 25.0540 | 18.9551 | 16.8338 | 99 |
| 8 | 7-1 | 784 | Cleveland | John F Kennedy | 15.0676 | 38.5 | 100.5 | 98 | . | 21.9398 | 18.6235 | 19.7684 | 16.4520 | 98 |
| 9 | 6-2 | 1122 | Eastlake | North | 11.6750 | 35.0 | 73.0 | 100 | . | 23.5500 | 17.9000 | 17.1000 | 11.3500 | 100 |
| 10 | 4-4 | 980 | Mayfield | Mayfield | 10.5500 | 24.0 | 75.5 | 100 | . | 20.5500 | 16.9500 | 14.1500 | 10.5500 | 100 |
| Rank | W-L | ID # | City | School | Average | Level 1 | Level 2 | L2 divisor | Playoff Status (unofficial) | max Avg (win out) | min Avg (win out) | max Avg (lose out) | min Avg (lose out) | L2 divisor (final) |
| 1 | 6-1 | 1614 | Cuyahoga Falls | Walsh Jesuit | 18.6573 | 31.5 | 126.0 | 89 | control own destiny | 29.1055 | 24.2179 | 24.2303 | 18.2191 | 89 |
| 2 | 8-0 | 736 | Warren | Howland | 17.0057 | 41.5 | 117.0 | 99 | . | 26.4032 | 19.9426 | 25.3976 | 19.4426 | 89 |
| 3 | 6-2 | 1106 | New Philadelphia | New Philadelphia | 16.4242 | 32.0 | 123.0 | 99 | . | 27.5333 | 22.3818 | 21.3818 | 16.1798 | 99 |
| 4 | 7-1 | 146 | Aurora | Aurora | 16.2000 | 36.0 | 117.0 | 100 | . | 26.1000 | 20.8000 | 22.1000 | 15.7500 | 100 |
| 5 | 6-2 | 922 | Madison | Madison | 16.1000 | 32.0 | 121.0 | 100 | . | 25.1000 | 19.6500 | 21.2500 | 15.8500 | 100 |
| 6 | 6-2 | 304 | Canfield | Canfield | 15.8875 | 31.5 | 119.5 | 100 | . | 27.4833 | 21.3217 | 21.3823 | 15.2207 | 99 |
| 7 | 6-2 | 1522 | Tallmadge | Tallmadge | 14.7500 | 34.0 | 105.0 | 100 | control own destiny | 25.1500 | 23.9000 | 18.5000 | 16.1500 | 100 |
| 8 | 7-1 | 1326 | Kent | Roosevelt | 14.5375 | 37.5 | 98.5 | 100 | . | 23.7500 | 22.2500 | 18.5500 | 16.1500 | 100 |
| 9 | 6-2 | 1678 | Chesterland | West Geauga | 14.1625 | 32.5 | 101.0 | 100 | . | 25.6000 | 20.4000 | 18.7000 | 14.4500 | 100 |
| Rank | W-L | ID # | City | School | Average | Level 1 | Level 2 | L2 divisor | Playoff Status (unofficial) | max Avg (win out) | min Avg (win out) | max Avg (lose out) | min Avg (lose out) | L2 divisor (final) |
| 1 | 8-0 | 346 | Chagrin Falls | Chagrin Falls | 21.0500 | 42.0 | 158.0 | 100 | clinched playoff spot | 30.9000 | 26.6500 | 26.8000 | 21.6500 | 100 |
| 2 | 7-1 | 824 | Mentor | Lake Catholic | 19.2730 | 35.0 | 146.0 | 98 | control own destiny | 31.2847 | 25.6724 | 24.8776 | 19.3163 | 98 |
| 3 | 7-1 | 1571 | Hunting Valley | University School | 17.8250 | 37.0 | 132.0 | 100 | control own destiny | 27.6000 | 23.4000 | 23.2500 | 18.0000 | 100 |
| 4 | 7-1 | 1384 | Akron | St Vincent-St Mary | 16.0683 | 37.0 | 111.0 | 97 | . | 28.3500 | 20.1729 | 22.3458 | 15.2625 | 96 |
| 5 | 7-1 | 1281 | Ravenna | Ravenna | 15.6750 | 37.0 | 110.5 | 100 | control own destiny | 27.4000 | 24.9500 | 20.1000 | 16.7500 | |
| 6 | 6-2 | 196 | Cleveland | Benedictine | 15.1881 | 31.0 | 112.0 | 99 | control own destiny | 27.0592 | 21.6000 | 19.7837 | 15.4980 | 98 |
| 7 | 8-0 | 1448 | Ravenna | Southeast | 13.4500 | 34.0 | 92.0 | 100 | . | 23.1000 | 19.9000 | 18.0000 | 14.1000 | 100 |
| 8 | 6-2 | 448 | Cuyahoga Falls | Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy | 12.5250 | 27.0 | 91.5 | 100 | . | 20.4000 | 19.5000 | 15.4500 | 13.6500 | 100 |
| 9 | 6-2 | 774 | Jefferson | Jefferson Area | 11.9250 | 29.0 | 83.0 | 100 | . | 21.3258 | 15.8207 | 16.7889 | 11.2838 | 99 |
| 10 | 8-0 | 590 | Oberlin | Firelands | 10.6000 | 36.0 | 61.0 | 100 | . | 21.1000 | 18.3000 | 15.1500 | 11.4500 | 100 |
| 11 | 5-3 | 1180 | Chardon | Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin | 10.5875 | 27.5 | 71.5 | 100 | . | 23.3960 | 17.8404 | 15.5278 | 9.9722 | 99 |
| Rank | W-L | ID # | City | School | Average | Level 1 | Level 2 | L2 divisor | Playoff Status (unofficial) | max Avg (win out) | min Avg (win out) | max Avg (lose out) | min Avg (lose out) | L2 divisor (final) |
| 1 | 7-1 | 644 | Girard | Girard | 16.9000 | 32.0 | 129.0 | 100 | control own destiny | 25.5000 | 20.2000 | 21.5000 | 17.1000 | 100 |
| 2 | 8-0 | 1174 | Creston | Norwayne | 14.4000 | 34.0 | 101.5 | 100 | control own destiny | 25.2500 | 22.2500 | 18.8000 | 15.0500 | 100 |
| 3 | 5-3 | 1210 | Orrville | Orrville | 14.2875 | 25.5 | 111.0 | 100 | . | 23.0500 | 18.8000 | 18.8000 | 13.6500 | 100 |
| 4 | 7-1 | 226 | Sullivan | Black River | 13.6000 | 32.0 | 96.0 | 100 | . | 22.9500 | 18.7500 | 18.3500 | 13.2500 | 100 |
| 5 | 7-1 | 256 | Brookfield | Brookfield | 11.9053 | 31.0 | 79.5 | 99 | . | 19.0500 | 14.9684 | 15.6510 | 12.5388 | 98 |
| 6 | 7-1 | 340 | Canton | Canton Central Catholic | 11.8763 | 34.0 | 75.5 | 99 | . | 21.7000 | 14.8122 | 17.1245 | 11.1041 | 98 |
| 7 | 5-3 | 818 | Leavittsburg | LaBrae | 11.6500 | 22.0 | 89.0 | 100 | . | 21.4500 | 16.7000 | 15.3000 | 11.5000 | 100 |
| 8 | 5-3 | 936 | Akron | Manchester | 9.9000 | 24.0 | 69.0 | 100 | . | 17.6500 | 15.7500 | 13.0000 | 10.2000 | 100 |
| Rank | W-L | ID # | City | School | Average | Level 1 | Level 2 | L2 divisor | Playoff Status (unofficial) | max Avg (win out) | min Avg (win out) | max Avg (lose out) | min Avg (lose out) | L2 divisor (final) |
| 1 | 8-0 | 812 | Kirtland | Kirtland | 17.1250 | 37.0 | 125.0 | 100 | clinched playoff spot | 25.3000 | 21.3000 | 21.9000 | 17.9500 | 100 |
| 2 | 7-1 | 1063 | Woodsfield | Monroe Central | 15.5347 | 26.5 | 121.0 | 99 | control own destiny | 19.8141 | 18.1980 | 18.7106 | 16.3874 | 99 |
| 3 | 7-1 | 436 | Columbiana | Crestview | 11.8875 | 29.5 | 82.0 | 100 | . | 18.3500 | 16.2000 | 15.6000 | 12.6500 | 100 |
| 4 | 6-2 | 1010 | Campbell | Memorial | 11.2875 | 25.5 | 81.0 | 100 | . | 20.2500 | 14.9000 | 15.6000 | 11.1000 | 100 |
| 5 | 7-1 | 408 | Columbiana | Columbiana | 11.2500 | 28.0 | 77.5 | 100 | . | 19.6500 | 16.6000 | 15.1000 | 11.3500 | 100 |
| 6 | 7-1 | 1456 | Salineville | Southern | 10.3875 | 25.5 | 72.0 | 100 | . | 16.2000 | 14.0000 | 13.7500 | 10.8500 | 100 |
| 7 | 6-2 | 624 | Sugarcreek | Garaway | 10.2625 | 24.5 | 72.0 | 100 | . | 17.8000 | 14.4500 | 14.0500 | 10.0000 | 100 |
| 8 | 7-1 | 162 | Barnesville | Barnesville | 9.8876 | 29.0 | 62.0 | 99 | . | 19.6194 | 13.3949 | 15.0429 | 9.5837 | 98 |
| Rank | W-L | ID # | City | School | Average | Level 1 | Level 2 | L2 divisor | Playoff Status (unofficial) | max Avg (win out) | min Avg (win out) | max Avg (lose out) | min Avg (lose out) | L2 divisor (final) |
| 1 | 8-0 | 1668 | Berlin Center | Western Reserve | 12.8375 | 29.5 | 91.5 | 100 | control own destiny | 19.9500 | 17.5000 | 16.6500 | 13.5000 | 100 |
| 2 | 7-1 | 1751 | Youngstown | Youngstown Christian | 11.4162 | 27.0 | 78.0 | 97 | control own destiny | 20.1495 | 15.3557 | 15.4835 | 11.4629 | 97 |
| 3 | 5-3 | 1406 | Shadyside | Shadyside | 10.6711 | 18.0 | 80.0 | 95 | control own destiny | 19.8132 | 15.1816 | 14.0632 | 10.2211 | 95 |
| 4 | 7-1 | 934 | Malvern | Malvern | 10.5500 | 26.0 | 73.0 | 100 | . | 16.8000 | 13.6000 | 14.5500 | 10.6500 | 100 |
| 5 | 6-2 | 1058 | Mogadore | Mogadore | 10.4875 | 25.5 | 73.0 | 100 | control own destiny | 18.9500 | 15.9500 | 13.8000 | 11.0000 | 100 |
| 6 | 8-0 | 848 | Thompson | Ledgemont | 10.4750 | 33.0 | 63.5 | 100 | control own destiny | 18.8475 | 15.1606 | 15.2697 | 10.8758 | 99 |
| 7 | 5-3 | 786 | Warren | John F Kennedy | 7.8406 | 21.5 | 50.5 | 98 | . | 15.2396 | 12.8438 | 11.1083 | 7.8271 | 96 |
| 8 | 5-3 | 1494 | Strasburg | Strasburg-Franklin | 7.3750 | 19.0 | 50.0 | 100 | . | 15.5500 | 14.0500 | 9.9000 | 7.6000 | 100 |
| 9 | 5-3 | 1364 | Cleveland | Villa Angela-St Joseph | 7.1610 | 18.5 | 48.0 | 99 | . | 14.2806 | 11.2194 | 9.6561 | 7.5133 | 98 |
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Week 7 Recap and Week 8 Look Ahead
Welcome back to the latest edition of the "Prep Lowdown with Lou." Conference races and computer points are beginning to dominate area chatter as we head in to Week 8 of another exciting, fast-paced season of high school football in northeast Ohio. In this week's segment, we will take a look at two schools who represent two of the smaller divisions in Ohio, but wow are they representing them well. Let's start in Thompson where the Ledgemont Redskins are the No. 2 ranked team in Division VI and are led by standout senior running back Dan LaRosa.
The Redskins have picked up where they left off from last year's 10 - 0 finish to the regular season and regional semifinal loss, by starting out 7 - 0 during the 2011 campaign. Ledgemont has a beast of a running back in LaRosa, who is coming off a 244 yard rushing performance last week in a win against Pymutuming Valley, 47 - 7. LaRosa now has 1470 rushing yards on the season and is averaging 9.7 yards per carry. LaRosa caught a 12 yard touchdown pass and rushed for four other TD's in the route. That gives him 25 total TD's on the year. The Redskins have a legitimate shot to the run the table in the regular season again this year with three games remaining. While Dan LaRosa grabs most of the headlines offensively for the Redskins, it's younger brother and tackling machine Kyle LaRosa who has been the mainstay of the defense at his linebacker position. Couple that with the fact their father is the head coach and you have the makings of a real, feel good story if the Redskins can bring a state championship back to Thompson.
Next Up: Ledgemont hosts Lutheran East in a game they won last year, 46 - 0.
The Kirtland Hornets moved to 7 - 0 overall and 4 - 0 in the Chagrin Valley Conference - Valley Division after crushing Cardinal, 45 - 0. The Hornets raced out to 42 - 0 halftime lead with the help of Air Force recruit Christian Huaber who finished with 157 yards rushing on 16 carries. Hauber found the end zone twice in the first half and teammate Damon Washington capped off the first half blitz with an 82 yard TD scamper of his own. Hauber and Washington have combined for 1486 yards rushing and 23 total TD's. Kirtland is ranked 2nd in the Division V state poll and they look well on their way to another undefeated regular season and their 7th straight CVC - Valley division championship. The Hornets have a nice blend of juniors and seniors this year and head coach Tiger LaVerde and company look poised to try and bring a state championship to RT. 306.
Next Up: Kirtland travels to Beachwood (6 -1 overall, 4 - 0 CVC - Metro) to take on a team they shut out 29 - 0, last year.
Willoughby South stayed perfect in the Premier Athletic Conference by holding off Madison in a wild game, 42 - 28. The Rebels now sit at 5 - 2 overall and 4 - 0 in the PAC and are in the drivers seat with games remaining at Lakeside and Riverside before hosting the highly anticipated match up against neighborhood rival Eastlake North Thursday, October 27th on Fox Sports Network. Kareem Hunt ran the ball as well as anyone in the area the last four weeks and the Blue Streaks found out just how impressive Hunt has been as the Rebel junior cruised his way to 308 yards on the ground. Hunt scored four TD's including two runs to the house totalling 67 and 60 yards respectively. Hunt leads the area with 1471 yards rushing and has 26 total TD's on the year. The Rebel defense has had its share of problems this year, but South found a way to shut out the Blue Streaks in the fourth quarter and preserved the win when it mattered most. Rebel coach Matt Duffy has done a solid job with first year starter and junior quarterback Casey Klicman, who has overcome some early season turnover issues and has really settled down as the Rebel signal caller.
Next up: South travels to Lakeside while Madison looks to regroup at home against Geneva during their Homecoming.
The Lake Catholic Cougars beat rival Notre Dame Cathedral Latin in a defensive affair, 24 - 10. The upstart Lions came in with high hopes of notching their first win against Lake in years, but the Cougar's defense held firm and Lake came away with a North Coast League - Blue Division win. Leading 17 - 10 in the fourth quarter, Lake's Evan Gormley took a screen pass from Mark Baniewicz and raced 67 yards for the knockout punch. Gormley also had a 55 yard interception return for a TD in the first half. The Lions only gave up 78 rushing yards to the Cougars, which has been their strength, but were only able to manage 52 rushing yards of their own. The Cougars are 6 - 1 on the year and are ranked 6th in the Division III state poll, one spot behind Chagrin Falls, who is now 7 - 0 on the year and 4 - 0 in the CVC - Chagrin Division after crushing Harvey, 42 - 13.
Next up: Lake Catholic hits the road to play Padua and NDCL hosts Akron Hoban on Homecoming. Chagrin Falls travel to take on West Geauga (6 - 1 overall, 3 - 1 CVC - Chagrin Division) in a game with conference title implications heavily intact.
It what was thought to be one of the better games of week turned out to be one-sided as the No. 3 ranked Mentor Cardinals rolled over then No. 10 ranked Solon, 44 - 20. It was all Mentor early as the high-flying Cardinals jumped out to a 24 - 6, first quarter lead. The stunned Comets had some turnover issues early and never fully recovered as the Mentor offense had their way with Mitch Trubisky at the helm. The junior quarterback racked up 349 yards passing with two TD's and added three rushing TD's. Mentor is now ranked No. 2 in the Division I state poll and in the top 40 of some national ranking publications. Mentor's kicker Tomislav Derezic can't get lost in the discussion of one of the area's most impactful players. Derezic booted a 50 yard field goal along with two other field goals. He continuously helped out the defense by reaching the end zone on multiple kickoffs, forcing the speedy Comets to start at their 20 yard line all night.
Next up: Mentor hosts Medina.
That wraps up the latest edition of the "Prep Lowdown with Lou." For scores and updates every Friday night, be sure to follow me on Twitter @SweetLou_21. Also, go to Clevelandsportsforums.com every Monday night from 8pm - 10pm to tune into "The Breakdown" a two hour sports talk show with me and former Willoughby South, Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Gladiator quarterback Dan Whalen. "The Breakdown" is a predominately football related talk show focusing on the Cleveland Browns, Ohio State Buckeyes and Cleveland area high school football teams. This week, former NFL and Michigan State University quarterback Tony Banks will join us to talk about the development of Colt McCoy and his time with the Baltimore Ravens, where he won a Super Bowl as the backup to Trent Dilfer. We are also going to briefly check in on the Major League Baseball Playoffs with MLB.COM writer Anthony Castrovince.
Below are the current state ranking for high school football teams in the state of Ohio according the the Associated Press. The full list of computer rankings will be posted next week as we wind down the regular season and look to the computer points that decide the fate of our favorite local teams as well as teams from across the state.
Associated Press Rankings
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — How a state panel of sports writers and broadcasters rates Ohio high school football teams in the fifth weekly Associated Press poll of 2011, by OHSAA divisions, with won-lost record and total points (first-place votes in parentheses):
Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Cin. Sycamore 32. 12, Troy 15. 13, Solon 14.
Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Sunbury Big Walnut 21. 12, Dresden Tri-Valley 17. 13, Zanesville 12.
Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Spring. Shawnee (2) 41. 12, Dover 21. 13, Ravenna SE 17. 14, Circleville Logan Elm 16. 15, Day. Thurgood Marshall 14. 15, Jackson 14. 17, Alliance Marlington 13.
Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Creston Norwayne 37. 12, Coshocton 20. 13, Brookfield 14.
Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Barnesville 19. 12, Frankfort Adena (1) 17. 12, Lucasville Valley 17. 14, Jeromesville Hillsdale 14. 14, W. Liberty-Salem 14.
Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Leipsic 41. 12, Youngs. Christian 38. 13, Spring. Cath. Cent. 25. 14, Danville 14. 15, Mogadore 12. 15, Willow Wood Symmes Valley 12. 15, Edgerton 12.
The Redskins have picked up where they left off from last year's 10 - 0 finish to the regular season and regional semifinal loss, by starting out 7 - 0 during the 2011 campaign. Ledgemont has a beast of a running back in LaRosa, who is coming off a 244 yard rushing performance last week in a win against Pymutuming Valley, 47 - 7. LaRosa now has 1470 rushing yards on the season and is averaging 9.7 yards per carry. LaRosa caught a 12 yard touchdown pass and rushed for four other TD's in the route. That gives him 25 total TD's on the year. The Redskins have a legitimate shot to the run the table in the regular season again this year with three games remaining. While Dan LaRosa grabs most of the headlines offensively for the Redskins, it's younger brother and tackling machine Kyle LaRosa who has been the mainstay of the defense at his linebacker position. Couple that with the fact their father is the head coach and you have the makings of a real, feel good story if the Redskins can bring a state championship back to Thompson.
Next Up: Ledgemont hosts Lutheran East in a game they won last year, 46 - 0.
The Kirtland Hornets moved to 7 - 0 overall and 4 - 0 in the Chagrin Valley Conference - Valley Division after crushing Cardinal, 45 - 0. The Hornets raced out to 42 - 0 halftime lead with the help of Air Force recruit Christian Huaber who finished with 157 yards rushing on 16 carries. Hauber found the end zone twice in the first half and teammate Damon Washington capped off the first half blitz with an 82 yard TD scamper of his own. Hauber and Washington have combined for 1486 yards rushing and 23 total TD's. Kirtland is ranked 2nd in the Division V state poll and they look well on their way to another undefeated regular season and their 7th straight CVC - Valley division championship. The Hornets have a nice blend of juniors and seniors this year and head coach Tiger LaVerde and company look poised to try and bring a state championship to RT. 306.
Next Up: Kirtland travels to Beachwood (6 -1 overall, 4 - 0 CVC - Metro) to take on a team they shut out 29 - 0, last year.
Willoughby South stayed perfect in the Premier Athletic Conference by holding off Madison in a wild game, 42 - 28. The Rebels now sit at 5 - 2 overall and 4 - 0 in the PAC and are in the drivers seat with games remaining at Lakeside and Riverside before hosting the highly anticipated match up against neighborhood rival Eastlake North Thursday, October 27th on Fox Sports Network. Kareem Hunt ran the ball as well as anyone in the area the last four weeks and the Blue Streaks found out just how impressive Hunt has been as the Rebel junior cruised his way to 308 yards on the ground. Hunt scored four TD's including two runs to the house totalling 67 and 60 yards respectively. Hunt leads the area with 1471 yards rushing and has 26 total TD's on the year. The Rebel defense has had its share of problems this year, but South found a way to shut out the Blue Streaks in the fourth quarter and preserved the win when it mattered most. Rebel coach Matt Duffy has done a solid job with first year starter and junior quarterback Casey Klicman, who has overcome some early season turnover issues and has really settled down as the Rebel signal caller.
Next up: South travels to Lakeside while Madison looks to regroup at home against Geneva during their Homecoming.
The Lake Catholic Cougars beat rival Notre Dame Cathedral Latin in a defensive affair, 24 - 10. The upstart Lions came in with high hopes of notching their first win against Lake in years, but the Cougar's defense held firm and Lake came away with a North Coast League - Blue Division win. Leading 17 - 10 in the fourth quarter, Lake's Evan Gormley took a screen pass from Mark Baniewicz and raced 67 yards for the knockout punch. Gormley also had a 55 yard interception return for a TD in the first half. The Lions only gave up 78 rushing yards to the Cougars, which has been their strength, but were only able to manage 52 rushing yards of their own. The Cougars are 6 - 1 on the year and are ranked 6th in the Division III state poll, one spot behind Chagrin Falls, who is now 7 - 0 on the year and 4 - 0 in the CVC - Chagrin Division after crushing Harvey, 42 - 13.
Next up: Lake Catholic hits the road to play Padua and NDCL hosts Akron Hoban on Homecoming. Chagrin Falls travel to take on West Geauga (6 - 1 overall, 3 - 1 CVC - Chagrin Division) in a game with conference title implications heavily intact.
It what was thought to be one of the better games of week turned out to be one-sided as the No. 3 ranked Mentor Cardinals rolled over then No. 10 ranked Solon, 44 - 20. It was all Mentor early as the high-flying Cardinals jumped out to a 24 - 6, first quarter lead. The stunned Comets had some turnover issues early and never fully recovered as the Mentor offense had their way with Mitch Trubisky at the helm. The junior quarterback racked up 349 yards passing with two TD's and added three rushing TD's. Mentor is now ranked No. 2 in the Division I state poll and in the top 40 of some national ranking publications. Mentor's kicker Tomislav Derezic can't get lost in the discussion of one of the area's most impactful players. Derezic booted a 50 yard field goal along with two other field goals. He continuously helped out the defense by reaching the end zone on multiple kickoffs, forcing the speedy Comets to start at their 20 yard line all night.
Next up: Mentor hosts Medina.
That wraps up the latest edition of the "Prep Lowdown with Lou." For scores and updates every Friday night, be sure to follow me on Twitter @SweetLou_21. Also, go to Clevelandsportsforums.com every Monday night from 8pm - 10pm to tune into "The Breakdown" a two hour sports talk show with me and former Willoughby South, Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Gladiator quarterback Dan Whalen. "The Breakdown" is a predominately football related talk show focusing on the Cleveland Browns, Ohio State Buckeyes and Cleveland area high school football teams. This week, former NFL and Michigan State University quarterback Tony Banks will join us to talk about the development of Colt McCoy and his time with the Baltimore Ravens, where he won a Super Bowl as the backup to Trent Dilfer. We are also going to briefly check in on the Major League Baseball Playoffs with MLB.COM writer Anthony Castrovince.
Below are the current state ranking for high school football teams in the state of Ohio according the the Associated Press. The full list of computer rankings will be posted next week as we wind down the regular season and look to the computer points that decide the fate of our favorite local teams as well as teams from across the state.
Associated Press Rankings
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — How a state panel of sports writers and broadcasters rates Ohio high school football teams in the fifth weekly Associated Press poll of 2011, by OHSAA divisions, with won-lost record and total points (first-place votes in parentheses):
| DIVISION I | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1, Cin. Moeller (18) | 7-0 | 287 |
| 2, Mentor (8) | 7-0 | 285 |
| T3, Tol. Whitmer (1) | 7-0 | 199 |
| T3, Lakewood St. Edward (3) | 6-1 | 199 |
| 5, Hilliard Davidson | 6-0 | 181 |
| 6, Can. GlenOak (1) | 7-0 | 168 |
| 7, Cin. Colerain | 6-1 | 117 |
| 8, Dublin Coffman | 7-0 | 106 |
| 9, Middletown | 6-1 | 62 |
| 10, Cle. St. Ignatius | 6-1 | 45 |
Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Cin. Sycamore 32. 12, Troy 15. 13, Solon 14.
| DIVISION II | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1, Maple Hts. (17) | 7-0 | 268 |
| 2, Avon (3) | 7-0 | 256 |
| 3, Trotwood-Madison (4) | 7-0 | 240 |
| 4, Kings Mills Kings (3) | 7-0 | 216 |
| 5, Warren Howland (5) | 7-0 | 203 |
| 6, Cols. Marion-Franklin | 7-0 | 155 |
| 7, Wapakoneta | 7-0 | 106 |
| 8, Canfield | 6-1 | 105 |
| 9, Tipp City Tippecanoe | 7-0 | 63 |
| 10, Aurora | 6-1 | 40 |
Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Sunbury Big Walnut 21. 12, Dresden Tri-Valley 17. 13, Zanesville 12.
| DIVISION III | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1, Steubenville (21) | 7-0 | 281 |
| 2, Kettering Alter (3) | 7-0 | 234 |
| 3, Akr. SVSM (1) | 7-0 | 223 |
| 4, Plain City Jonathan Alder (4) | 7-0 | 210 |
| 5, Chagrin Falls | 7-0 | 186 |
| 6, Mentor Lake Cath. | 6-1 | 157 |
| 7, Thornville Sheridan | 7-0 | 110 |
| 8, Youngs. Mooney | 4-2 | 59 |
| 9, Minerva (1) | 7-0 | 50 |
| 10, Cle. Benedictine | 6-1 | 49 |
Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Spring. Shawnee (2) 41. 12, Dover 21. 13, Ravenna SE 17. 14, Circleville Logan Elm 16. 15, Day. Thurgood Marshall 14. 15, Jackson 14. 17, Alliance Marlington 13.
| DIVISION IV | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1, Kenton (23) | 7-0 | 298 |
| 2, Cols. Hartley (3) | 7-0 | 250 |
| 3, Genoa Area (1) | 7-0 | 244 |
| 4, Girard (3) | 7-0 | 182 |
| 5, Waynesville | 7-0 | 173 |
| 6, Cin. Madeira | 7-0 | 159 |
| 7, St. Clairsville (1) | 7-0 | 119 |
| 8, Pemberville Eastwood | 7-0 | 99 |
| 9, Johnstown-Monroe | 7-0 | 63 |
| 10, Middletown Fenwick (1) | 6-1 | 43 |
Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Creston Norwayne 37. 12, Coshocton 20. 13, Brookfield 14.
| DIVISION V | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1, Lima Cent. Cath. (16) | 7-0 | 273 |
| 2, Kirtland (6) | 7-0 | 243 |
| 3, Coldwater (3) | 6-1 | 218 |
| 4, Marion Pleasant (2) | 7-0 | 195 |
| 5, Bascom Hopewell-Loudon | 7-0 | 162 |
| T6, Bucyrus Wynford (2) | 7-0 | 135 |
| T6, Liberty Center (1) | 7-0 | 135 |
| 8, Findlay Liberty-Benton | 7-0 | 120 |
| 9, Nelsonville-York (1) | 7-0 | 59 |
| 10, W. Lafayette Ridgewood | 26 |
Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Barnesville 19. 12, Frankfort Adena (1) 17. 12, Lucasville Valley 17. 14, Jeromesville Hillsdale 14. 14, W. Liberty-Salem 14.
| DIVISION VI | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1, Berlin Center Western Reserve (8) | 7-0 | 274 |
| 2, Thompson Ledgemont (18) | 7-0 | 267 |
| 3, Maria Stein Marion Local (6) | 6-1 | 254 |
| 4, Ada | 6-1 | 193 |
| 5, Malvern | 6-1 | 157 |
| 6, Tiffin Calvert | 6-1 | 111 |
| 7, New Washington Buckeye Cent. | 6-1 | 107 |
| 8, Delphos St. John's | 4-3 | 88 |
| 9, Ft. Loramie | 6-1 | 64 |
| 10, Lockland | 6-1 | 58 |
Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Leipsic 41. 12, Youngs. Christian 38. 13, Spring. Cath. Cent. 25. 14, Danville 14. 15, Mogadore 12. 15, Willow Wood Symmes Valley 12. 15, Edgerton 12.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Week 5 and 6 Recap and Week 7 Look Ahead
Welcome back to this week's edition of the "Prep Lowdown with Lou." After taking last week off to deal with a personal matter ( Dad is doing great and feeling better ), we will take an inside look at some previous match ups, as well as, a look ahead to some great contests that are looming as area teams try to round into shape with the playoffs right around the corner. It's hard to believe that we are already heading into Week 7. This is the time of year to start checking out the all-important computer rankings and conference standings that decide the fate of all the hard working team's out there. Let's start by dropping in on the Premier Athletic Conference. The PAC appears to be a wide open race to the finish line and one of the teams making a push to keep its perch atop the conference is none other than the three-time defending PAC champion Willoughby South Rebels.
After some early season growing pains, South looks to be turning the corner as the Rebels beat University School, 36 - 21 in Week 5 and followed that up with a 49 - 35, win over Chardon which featured a stellar performance from running back Kareem Hunt. A week after rushing for 206 yards against US, Hunt sprinted his way through wet conditions to the tune of 415 yards on the ground. The speedy junior also scored a head-shaking seven rushing touchdowns and the 415 yards is a News-Herald coverage area single-game rushing record. South now finds themselves at 4 - 2 overall and 3- 0 in the PAC and right in the thick of a tight conference race with a ton a moving and shaking still to come. The offense looks to be on track like past Rebel teams, but the defense is still a work in progress and will probably be the deciding factor on how far this South team goes.
Next up: The Rebels host Madison on Homecoming with PAC implications weighing heavily on the line. Chardon is at Geneva.
Madison responded nicely coming off a tough loss to US in Week 4 by rolling over Chardon, 28 - 3 in Week 5. They rode that momentum into Week 6 and notched an impressive home win over previously unbeaten PAC foe North, 27 - 20. North was forced to play without breakout running back Jordan Morris, who has suffered a knee injury, but Madison had to replace running backs Jesse DeJesus and Mark Murray, who also were out with injuries. Billy Skerkavich stepped in and rung up 218 yards on the ground including three touchdown runs to pace the Blue Streaks. Madison and North are now both 5 - 1 overall and joined with Riverside at 2 - 1 in the PAC. With four weeks to go and University School also at 5 - 1 on the season, scoreboard watching these schools down the stretch is going to be quite a sight to see.
Next Up: Madison has a tough road contest at South that should fill up the bleachers at Harry E. Winters Stadium. North hosts Lakeside while US travels to play Riverside.
It was nice to see the Aurora Greenmen bounce back from a tough overtime loss to Chagrin Falls in Week 4 by dismantling Orange, 52 - 15 in Week 5 and then knocking off previously unbeaten West Geauga, 17 - 7 in Week 6. It was a defensive slug fest in the mud with the Greenmen holding the Wolverines to 87 total yards and Aurora only being able to manage 96 total yards of their own. Zach Quinn had a three yard touchdown run early and also caught a 21 yard TD pass in the second quarter, sandwiched by a 26 yard field goal by Anthony Melchiori to go up 17 - 0, at the break. Joe Ziccardi punched in a six yard TD run in the third quarter for West G, but the rain, mud and staunch Aurora defense turned out to be too much for the Wolverines. Chagrin Falls sits on top of the Chagrin Valley Conference - Chagrin Division standings at 3 - 0 with Aurora, Kenston and West G all tied at 2 - 1. After Week 6, the Chagrin Falls Tigers are now the 5th ranked team in the Division III State Poll.
Next up: Aurora hosts Wickliffe. West G hosts Orange and Chagrin Falls hosts Harvey.
Lake Catholic suffered their first loss of the season in Week 5 at home to Walsh Jesuit, 14 - 12. Two failed extra points proved to be the difference in the game as all the scoring was done in the first half for both teams and the defenses took over in the second half. The Cougars got back on track in Week 6 by going on the road and knocking off rival and undefeated Benedictine, 30 - 6. The Cougar defense continued to be the strength of their team as the Bengals were only able to gain 127 total yards and eight first downs. Lake racked up 282 yards on the ground with Evan Gromely gaining 181 yards on 15 carries to go along with two TD runs. Quarterback Mark Baniewicz ran for 70 yards and also had two TD runs. Lake Catholic is 5 - 1 on year and ranked 6th in the Division III state while Benedictine checks in at 5 - 1 and 10th in the Division III State Poll.
Next up: Lake Catholic hosts rival and upstart NDCL on Homecoming. The Lions are having a great year so far at 5- 1, but the schedule is brutal from here on out with remaining games against the Cougars, Akron Hoban and Benedictine before ending the year at Walsh Jesuit.
The Mentor Cardinals blew out Parma in Week 5, 49 - 0. Mentor's defense held Parma to 65 total yards in a lopsided game. The Cardinals got a stiff test in Week 6 as undefeated Brunswick at 5 - 0 rolled into Jerome T. Osborne III Stadium. Mentor started a bit slower than in weeks past, but went on to beat Brunswick, 38 - 14 on the strength of another standout performance from junior quarterback Mitch Trubisky. Trubisky was 23 of 36 passing for 320 yards and three TD's and contributed 65 yards on the ground, including a 28 yard TD run in the fourth quarter to help seal the win. Mentor is now 6 - 0 on the year and is ranked 3rd in the Division I State Poll.
Next Up: The Cardinals will find out a lot about themselves Thursday night when they travel to Solon to take on the 10th ranked Comets. The game is at 7pm and is televised on Fox Sports Network.
That wraps up the latest edition of the "Prep Lowdown with Lou." In next week's segment, we will take a look at the latest computer rankings involving all of the area teams and we will take a closer look the 2nd ranked team in Division V, Kirtland Hornets and the 1st place team in the Division VI State Poll, Ledgemont Redskins. Both schools are undefeated at 6 - 0 and look ready for deep playoff runs. Below are the current rankings for all divisions and be sure to follow me on Twitter @SweetLou_21 for scores, updates and pics from the Mentor vs Solon game Thursday night and Madison at South on Friday night.
On Monday night, October 10th, I will be a guest on Cleveland Sports Forums radio hosted by former All-Ohio Willoughby South High School, Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Gladiators quarterback Dan Whalen. We will be discussing the Cleveland Browns coming off a bye week with former Browns coach Sam Rutigliano and also the Ohio State Buckeyes game at Nebraska, among other football related topics. Log on to clevelandsportsforums.com and set up a FREE account and you can join the discussion and ask questions directly to Dan and I.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
After some early season growing pains, South looks to be turning the corner as the Rebels beat University School, 36 - 21 in Week 5 and followed that up with a 49 - 35, win over Chardon which featured a stellar performance from running back Kareem Hunt. A week after rushing for 206 yards against US, Hunt sprinted his way through wet conditions to the tune of 415 yards on the ground. The speedy junior also scored a head-shaking seven rushing touchdowns and the 415 yards is a News-Herald coverage area single-game rushing record. South now finds themselves at 4 - 2 overall and 3- 0 in the PAC and right in the thick of a tight conference race with a ton a moving and shaking still to come. The offense looks to be on track like past Rebel teams, but the defense is still a work in progress and will probably be the deciding factor on how far this South team goes.
Next up: The Rebels host Madison on Homecoming with PAC implications weighing heavily on the line. Chardon is at Geneva.
Madison responded nicely coming off a tough loss to US in Week 4 by rolling over Chardon, 28 - 3 in Week 5. They rode that momentum into Week 6 and notched an impressive home win over previously unbeaten PAC foe North, 27 - 20. North was forced to play without breakout running back Jordan Morris, who has suffered a knee injury, but Madison had to replace running backs Jesse DeJesus and Mark Murray, who also were out with injuries. Billy Skerkavich stepped in and rung up 218 yards on the ground including three touchdown runs to pace the Blue Streaks. Madison and North are now both 5 - 1 overall and joined with Riverside at 2 - 1 in the PAC. With four weeks to go and University School also at 5 - 1 on the season, scoreboard watching these schools down the stretch is going to be quite a sight to see.
Next Up: Madison has a tough road contest at South that should fill up the bleachers at Harry E. Winters Stadium. North hosts Lakeside while US travels to play Riverside.
It was nice to see the Aurora Greenmen bounce back from a tough overtime loss to Chagrin Falls in Week 4 by dismantling Orange, 52 - 15 in Week 5 and then knocking off previously unbeaten West Geauga, 17 - 7 in Week 6. It was a defensive slug fest in the mud with the Greenmen holding the Wolverines to 87 total yards and Aurora only being able to manage 96 total yards of their own. Zach Quinn had a three yard touchdown run early and also caught a 21 yard TD pass in the second quarter, sandwiched by a 26 yard field goal by Anthony Melchiori to go up 17 - 0, at the break. Joe Ziccardi punched in a six yard TD run in the third quarter for West G, but the rain, mud and staunch Aurora defense turned out to be too much for the Wolverines. Chagrin Falls sits on top of the Chagrin Valley Conference - Chagrin Division standings at 3 - 0 with Aurora, Kenston and West G all tied at 2 - 1. After Week 6, the Chagrin Falls Tigers are now the 5th ranked team in the Division III State Poll.
Next up: Aurora hosts Wickliffe. West G hosts Orange and Chagrin Falls hosts Harvey.
Lake Catholic suffered their first loss of the season in Week 5 at home to Walsh Jesuit, 14 - 12. Two failed extra points proved to be the difference in the game as all the scoring was done in the first half for both teams and the defenses took over in the second half. The Cougars got back on track in Week 6 by going on the road and knocking off rival and undefeated Benedictine, 30 - 6. The Cougar defense continued to be the strength of their team as the Bengals were only able to gain 127 total yards and eight first downs. Lake racked up 282 yards on the ground with Evan Gromely gaining 181 yards on 15 carries to go along with two TD runs. Quarterback Mark Baniewicz ran for 70 yards and also had two TD runs. Lake Catholic is 5 - 1 on year and ranked 6th in the Division III state while Benedictine checks in at 5 - 1 and 10th in the Division III State Poll.
Next up: Lake Catholic hosts rival and upstart NDCL on Homecoming. The Lions are having a great year so far at 5- 1, but the schedule is brutal from here on out with remaining games against the Cougars, Akron Hoban and Benedictine before ending the year at Walsh Jesuit.
The Mentor Cardinals blew out Parma in Week 5, 49 - 0. Mentor's defense held Parma to 65 total yards in a lopsided game. The Cardinals got a stiff test in Week 6 as undefeated Brunswick at 5 - 0 rolled into Jerome T. Osborne III Stadium. Mentor started a bit slower than in weeks past, but went on to beat Brunswick, 38 - 14 on the strength of another standout performance from junior quarterback Mitch Trubisky. Trubisky was 23 of 36 passing for 320 yards and three TD's and contributed 65 yards on the ground, including a 28 yard TD run in the fourth quarter to help seal the win. Mentor is now 6 - 0 on the year and is ranked 3rd in the Division I State Poll.
Next Up: The Cardinals will find out a lot about themselves Thursday night when they travel to Solon to take on the 10th ranked Comets. The game is at 7pm and is televised on Fox Sports Network.
That wraps up the latest edition of the "Prep Lowdown with Lou." In next week's segment, we will take a look at the latest computer rankings involving all of the area teams and we will take a closer look the 2nd ranked team in Division V, Kirtland Hornets and the 1st place team in the Division VI State Poll, Ledgemont Redskins. Both schools are undefeated at 6 - 0 and look ready for deep playoff runs. Below are the current rankings for all divisions and be sure to follow me on Twitter @SweetLou_21 for scores, updates and pics from the Mentor vs Solon game Thursday night and Madison at South on Friday night.
On Monday night, October 10th, I will be a guest on Cleveland Sports Forums radio hosted by former All-Ohio Willoughby South High School, Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Gladiators quarterback Dan Whalen. We will be discussing the Cleveland Browns coming off a bye week with former Browns coach Sam Rutigliano and also the Ohio State Buckeyes game at Nebraska, among other football related topics. Log on to clevelandsportsforums.com and set up a FREE account and you can join the discussion and ask questions directly to Dan and I.
AP Ohio High School Football Poll
Updated: Monday, 03 Oct 2011, 10:48 PM EDT
Published : Monday, 03 Oct 2011, 10:48 PM EDT
Published : Monday, 03 Oct 2011, 10:48 PM EDT
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - How a state panel of sports writers and broadcasters rates Ohio high school football teams in the fourth weekly Associated Press poll of 2011, by OHSAA divisions, with won-lost record and total points (first-place votes in parentheses):
DIVISION I
1, Lakewood St. Edward (20) 6-0 283e
2, Cin. Moeller (7) 6-0 257
3, Mentor (1) 6-0 233
4, Tol. Whitmer (1) 6-0 166
5, Hilliard Davidson 5-0 159
6, Can. GlenOak (1) 6-0 142
T7, Cin. Colerain 5-1 108
T7, Dublin Coffman 6-0 108
9, Middletown 5-1 70
10, Solon 6-0 35
Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Findlay 20. 12, Cle. St. Ignatius 18. 13, Cin. La Salle 15.
DIVISION II
1, Maple Hts. (17) 6-0 255
2, Trotwood-Madison (5) 6-0 235
3, Avon (4) 6-0 232
4, Warren Howland (4) 6-0 206
5, Kings Mills Kings 6-0 191
6, Cols. Marion-Franklin 6-0 139
7, Zanesville 5-1 96
8, Canfield 5-1 75
9, Wapakoneta 6-0 50
10, Tipp City Tippecanoe 6-0 24
Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Chesterland W. Geauga 23. 12, Dresden Tri-Valley 18. 13, Tiffin Columbian 17. 14, Aurora 16. 15, Franklin 15. 16, Cols. Mifflin 14. 16, New Carlisle Tecumseh 14.
DIVISION III
1, Steubenville (19) 6-0 275
2, Kettering Alter (4) 6-0 250
3, Akr. SVSM (1) 6-0 208
4, Plain City Jonathan Alder (4) 6-0 198
5, Chagrin Falls (1) 6-0 170
6, Mentor Lake Cath. 5-1 131
7, Thornville Sheridan 6-0 105
8, Alliance Marlington 5-1 74
9, Youngs. Mooney 3-2 38
10, Cle. Benedictine 5-1 32
Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Minerva (1) 27. 12, Jackson 21. 13, Spring. Shawnee 18. 14, Bryan 17. 15, Day. Thurgood Marshall 14. 16, Spring. Kenton Ridge 13. 17, Circleville Logan Elm 12.
DIVISION IV
1, Kenton (19) 6-0 275
2, Cols. Hartley (3) 6-0 241
3, Genoa Area (1) 6-0 225
4, Middletown Fenwick (2) 6-0 190
5, Cin. Madeira 6-0 156
6, Waynesville (1) 6-0 131
7, Girard (1) 6-0 121
8, St. Clairsville (1) 6-0 47
9, Pemberville Eastwood 6-0 42
10, Johnstown-Monroe (1) 6-0 41
Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Creston Norwayne 31. 11, Ironton 31. 13, Sullivan Black River (1) 30. 14, Coshocton 29. 15, Ottawa-Glandorf 13.
DIVISION V
1, Lima Cent. Cath. (15) 6-0 277
2, Kirtland (6) 6-0 237
3, Coldwater (2) 5-1 195
4, Marion Pleasant (2) 6-0 175
5, Bascom Hopewell-Loudon 6-0 154
6, Findlay Liberty-Benton 6-0 131
7, Bucyrus Wynford (1) 6-0 118
8, Liberty Center (1) 6-0 98
9, W. Lafayette Ridgewood (3) 6-0 82
10, Nelsonville-York 6-0 17
Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Covington 16. 12, Versailles 15. 13, Portsmouth W. 14. 14, Jeromesville Hillsdale 13. 14, Lucasville Valley 13.
DIVISION VI
1, Thompson Ledgemont (17) 6-0 280
2, Berlin Center Western Reserve (7) 6-0 247
3, Maria Stein Marion Local (6) 5-1 239
4, Lockland 6-0 178
5, Ada 5-1 168
6, Malvern 5-1 129
7, Delphos St. John's 4-2 118
8, Tiffin Calvert 5-1 107
9, Arcadia 5-1 70
10, New Washington Buckeye Cent. 5-1 19
Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Spring. Cath. Cent. 13. 11, Ft. Loramie 13. 13, Danville 12
DIVISION I
1, Lakewood St. Edward (20) 6-0 283e
2, Cin. Moeller (7) 6-0 257
3, Mentor (1) 6-0 233
4, Tol. Whitmer (1) 6-0 166
5, Hilliard Davidson 5-0 159
6, Can. GlenOak (1) 6-0 142
T7, Cin. Colerain 5-1 108
T7, Dublin Coffman 6-0 108
9, Middletown 5-1 70
10, Solon 6-0 35
Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Findlay 20. 12, Cle. St. Ignatius 18. 13, Cin. La Salle 15.
DIVISION II
1, Maple Hts. (17) 6-0 255
2, Trotwood-Madison (5) 6-0 235
3, Avon (4) 6-0 232
4, Warren Howland (4) 6-0 206
5, Kings Mills Kings 6-0 191
6, Cols. Marion-Franklin 6-0 139
7, Zanesville 5-1 96
8, Canfield 5-1 75
9, Wapakoneta 6-0 50
10, Tipp City Tippecanoe 6-0 24
Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Chesterland W. Geauga 23. 12, Dresden Tri-Valley 18. 13, Tiffin Columbian 17. 14, Aurora 16. 15, Franklin 15. 16, Cols. Mifflin 14. 16, New Carlisle Tecumseh 14.
DIVISION III
1, Steubenville (19) 6-0 275
2, Kettering Alter (4) 6-0 250
3, Akr. SVSM (1) 6-0 208
4, Plain City Jonathan Alder (4) 6-0 198
5, Chagrin Falls (1) 6-0 170
6, Mentor Lake Cath. 5-1 131
7, Thornville Sheridan 6-0 105
8, Alliance Marlington 5-1 74
9, Youngs. Mooney 3-2 38
10, Cle. Benedictine 5-1 32
Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Minerva (1) 27. 12, Jackson 21. 13, Spring. Shawnee 18. 14, Bryan 17. 15, Day. Thurgood Marshall 14. 16, Spring. Kenton Ridge 13. 17, Circleville Logan Elm 12.
DIVISION IV
1, Kenton (19) 6-0 275
2, Cols. Hartley (3) 6-0 241
3, Genoa Area (1) 6-0 225
4, Middletown Fenwick (2) 6-0 190
5, Cin. Madeira 6-0 156
6, Waynesville (1) 6-0 131
7, Girard (1) 6-0 121
8, St. Clairsville (1) 6-0 47
9, Pemberville Eastwood 6-0 42
10, Johnstown-Monroe (1) 6-0 41
Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Creston Norwayne 31. 11, Ironton 31. 13, Sullivan Black River (1) 30. 14, Coshocton 29. 15, Ottawa-Glandorf 13.
DIVISION V
1, Lima Cent. Cath. (15) 6-0 277
2, Kirtland (6) 6-0 237
3, Coldwater (2) 5-1 195
4, Marion Pleasant (2) 6-0 175
5, Bascom Hopewell-Loudon 6-0 154
6, Findlay Liberty-Benton 6-0 131
7, Bucyrus Wynford (1) 6-0 118
8, Liberty Center (1) 6-0 98
9, W. Lafayette Ridgewood (3) 6-0 82
10, Nelsonville-York 6-0 17
Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Covington 16. 12, Versailles 15. 13, Portsmouth W. 14. 14, Jeromesville Hillsdale 13. 14, Lucasville Valley 13.
DIVISION VI
1, Thompson Ledgemont (17) 6-0 280
2, Berlin Center Western Reserve (7) 6-0 247
3, Maria Stein Marion Local (6) 5-1 239
4, Lockland 6-0 178
5, Ada 5-1 168
6, Malvern 5-1 129
7, Delphos St. John's 4-2 118
8, Tiffin Calvert 5-1 107
9, Arcadia 5-1 70
10, New Washington Buckeye Cent. 5-1 19
Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Spring. Cath. Cent. 13. 11, Ft. Loramie 13. 13, Danville 12
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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