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High-school football reaches another milestone as the regular season enters its second half. Week 8 is headlined by conference races tightening up, rivalries renewing and playoff résumés being built. Here’s a look at what’s on tap tonight and tomorrow for Bucyrus-area programs.
Bucyrus at Wynford (Away – Friday, Oct. 10 at 7 PM)
Both teams are searching for a spark after difficult seasons. Bucyrus (1-6, 0-4 Northern 10) has been hamstrung by injuries — star running back Demaris Munn-Page has missed most of the year — and the Redmen rely heavily on freshman quarterback Isaac Makeever and sophomore running back Wyatt Makeever. They fell 49-14 to Upper Sandusky last week and have lost six straight since a Week-2 win over Triad. Defensively they must limit big plays and avoid the early deficits that have plagued them.
Wynford (1-6, 0-4) also comes in off a lopsided loss, having been tied 14-14 at halftime before being outscored 36-0 in the second half by Mohawk. The Royals have won an unbelievable 28 straight meetings with Bucyrus and will again look to senior quarterback Brayden Campbell and bruising running back Bryce Locker — who has rushed for more than 400 yards this season — to set the tone. Wide receiver Jake Stover is a deep threat, and sophomore Deegan Lutz adds another rushing option. For Bucyrus to break the streak, the Redmen must protect the football and find balance on offense.
Colonel Crawford at Carey (Away – Friday, Oct. 10 at 7 PM)
One of Ohio’s marquee games pits Northern 10 unbeatens. Colonel Crawford (7-0, 4-0 N10) enters ranked in the top 10 of Division VI and owns dominant wins over Buckeye Central, Bucyrus and Seneca East. The Eagles average nearly 200 rushing yards per game; their backfield features senior Connor McMichael (81 carries for 537 yards and 8 TDs) and junior Roen Thew (28 carries for 265 yards and 6 TDs). Quarterback Peyton Baker has completed 29 of 43 passes for 632 yards with six touchdowns and adds 242 yards on the ground. When Baker sits, sophomore Brayden Holt steps in and has thrown for 334 yards and five touchdowns in limited work. Receiver Parker Weithman is the big-play weapon (22 catches, 488 yards and 7 TDs), and the defense is anchored by Gabe Stratton (43 tackles, 3 TFL, 1½ sacks) and Payne DeGray (6½ sacks, 19 tackles for loss).
Carey (4-3, 4-0) looks like a different team than the one that started 0-3. Since mid-September the Blue Devils have beaten Upper Sandusky (33-7), Seneca East (20-14), Wynford (58-7) and Buckeye Central (56-0) to seize a share of first place. Junior quarterback Tripp Phoenix — also a cornerback — directs the offense, and senior running back Rylan Burgei gives the ground game bite. Phoenix’s dual-threat ability showed in the Upper Sandusky win, where he threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, and Burgei provides a physical presence between the tackles. Carey’s defense has surrendered just seven points over the last three weeks. This matchup will determine sole possession of first place in the N10; whichever team wins will take a big step toward a conference title and a high playoff seed.
Buckeye Central at Seneca East (Away – Friday, Oct. 10 at 7 PM)
Buckeye Central (3-4, 1-3 N10) remains the conference wild card. The Bucks’ offense is led by senior quarterback Jack Phillips, a dual-threat who has thrown for 350 yards with four touchdown passes and rushed for 247 yards and four scores early in the season. His brother Alec Phillips provides a reliable target with 14 catches for 177 yards, and running back Owen Hatten helps balance the attack. However, after being shut out 56-0 by Carey last week, the Bucks must generate sustained drives and clean up a defense allowing 31 points per game.
Seneca East (4-3, 2-2) had its three-game winning streak snapped by Colonel Crawford, 31-0, in Week 7. The Tigers are still explosive on offense. Dual-threat quarterback Nicholas Parks has completed 70 of 127 passes for 868 yards and nine touchdowns and rushed for 467 yards and six scores. Running back Jackson Gayheart adds 339 yards and two touchdowns, and receiver Ethan Shultz leads with 19 catches for 159 yards and a score. Parks accounted for four touchdowns in the win over Upper Sandusky two weeks ago and will test a Buckeye Central defense that surrendered 56 points to Carey. The Bucks will need to force turnovers and finish drives to keep pace with the Tigers.
Conotton Valley at Crestline (Home – Friday, Oct. 10 at 7 PM)
Crestline (5-2) is quietly putting together a playoff résumé. Since an opening loss to Buckeye Central, the Bulldogs have reeled off wins over Vanlue, St. John, Richmond Heights, Manchester and St. Thomas Aquinas. In a 28-21 victory over St. John on Sept. 13, Quentin Kapp rushed for 130 yards and two touchdowns and scored again in the second half; quarterback Kody Lawhorn threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Weston Clark and then connected with Jayden Lozier on a 29-yard strike in the final minute to seal the win. Crestline’s defense also posted a 48-0 shutout of Aquinas last week. The Bulldogs’ offensive line, anchored by massive senior Brett Cheney (6-6, 320 lbs), will need another strong performance against a high-flying Conotton Valley attack.
Conotton Valley (5-2) is coming off a third-round playoff appearance a year ago and has already scored at least 40 points in four games this season. The Rockets lost All-Ohio quarterback Zach Putnam and top receiver Brooks Bower to graduation, but they return senior All-Ohio wide receiver/safety Kamden Wright — who caught 79 passes for nearly 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns last year — and fellow senior Gavin Haney. Junior Kaden Leggett takes over at quarterback and will look to exploit Crestline’s secondary by throwing to Wright and Haney. Coach Derek O’Hara notes that underclassmen such as Garrett Reiter and Isaac Smith will also play key roles this fall. This non-conference contest could be a high-scoring affair, and Crestline needs to control the ball to limit the Rockets’ possessions.
River Valley at Galion (Home – Friday, Oct. 10 at 7 PM)
Galion (5-2, 3-1 Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference) boasts one of the league’s most balanced attacks. Senior quarterback Ayden Schmidt ranks third in the MOAC with 1,234 yards and 12 touchdown passes (68 completions in 115 attempts). Sophomore running back Will Shaffer and wide receiver Adam Hamper provide ground-and-air complements, and the Tigers’ defense has recorded multiple shutouts. Defensive end Zach Sallee leads the conference with nine sacks, while Kale Early and Dominic Capretta each have six. After a 41-34 loss at Shelby on Sept. 12, Galion has responded with wins over Ontario, Highland and Pleasant by a combined 84-0 margin and seeks to stay one game behind league-leading Shelby.
River Valley (3-4, 2-2 MOAC) snapped a two-game skid last week by grinding out a 14-6 victory over Highland, thanks to a defense that held the Fighting Scots to under 100 yards. Quarterback Chase Smith is second in the conference with 1,302 passing yards and 13 touchdowns, though he has also thrown 13 interceptions. His favorite targets are Eli Snyder (36 catches, 401 yards), Carter Myers (23 catches, 394 yards and 8 TDs) and Kolton Lang (23 catches, 230 yards). River Valley needs Smith to limit turnovers and rely on a short-passing game to keep Galion’s pass rush from taking over. Galion must continue to capitalize on extra possessions and avoid looking ahead to matchups with Marion Harding and Clear Fork.
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