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.

AP Ohio High School Football Poll

Updated: 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

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)