Ohio: The Race is On

By Dean Eversole

MaxPreps.com

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Let the Race Begin

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Ohio prep football is heading into the last weekend of the regular season. All eyes are now turning to the playoffs with still a number of tickets unclaimed and many questions unanswered.ÿ

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Here's what we do know; Division I powerhouses St. Xavier, Colerain, Mentor, Canton McKinley, and Hilliard Davidson are in. They have all clinched a playoff berth. What we don't know is will preseason favorite Lakewood St. Edward hold on to the seventh spot and the playoffs, or will two teams jump over them and bump the Eagles?

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It seems unlikely that this will happen, but if everything broke against St. Edward, one of the nation's best teams could be sitting at home in week 11.

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There are two defending champions that might be left out in the cold, Patrick Henry (D-V) and Delphos St. Johns (D-VI). Ironically, it was Sidney Lehman who created havoc for both teams.

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Lehman stunned Patrick Henry in overtime, 20-17. With the loss, the Pats now must win their final game of the season and hope for some help in Region 18. Lehman has now leaped over St. Johns in Region 24, putting Delphos in the win and hope category.

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Cincinnati 1 Cleveland 1

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Cincinnati and Cleveland paired off this weekend in two crucial D-I games with Lakewood St. Edward facing off against Cincinnati Moeller and Cleveland St. Ignatius taking on Cincinnati St. Xavier.

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Garnering the win for Cleveland was Lakewood St. Edward, who downed visiting Cincinnati Moeller, 17-7. It was a must win for the Eagles' playoff hopes. Frank Edmonds paced the St. Edward attack with two touchdown runs, and the defense did the rest.

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In the other matchup, Cleveland St. Ignatius traveled to Cincinnati to tackle defending state champion St. Xavier.

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Doing what they have done all season, the Bombers scored just enough and the defense swarmed and swallowed up the Wildcats offense for a 17-0 victory.

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The Bombers defense allowed 239 yards passing, but held Ignatius to a mere eight yards rushing in shutting out the Wildcats. Darius Ashley was all the X offense needed piling up 103 yards and one score.

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Individual Performances

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Columbus Grove's Jeremy Harnisfeger ran over, through, around, and back over the Crestview Knights' defense, rolling up over 300 yards rushing and scoring on runs of 51, 14, 26, 64, and 48 yards. Harnisfeger's performance paced his team to a wild, 41-32 victory. After starting the season 0-3, Grove sits at 5-4 and with a win over rival Bluffton will earn a trip to the Division VI playoffs.

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Jonathan Alder loves to throw the ball deep and with quarterback Austin Schosser doing the tossing, Alder looks poised to make another long playoff run in Division IV. Friday night Schosser completed 24 of 28 passes for 336 yards and 5 touchdowns as his team rolled over Greenfield 48-0, improving to 8-1 on the year.

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There may not be a more electrifying player than Trotwood's Dominik Britt. The junior quarterback has done it all this season and he did little to hurt his reputation Friday night. Britt put up 363 yards passing, 168 rushing and four touchdowns in a season where has become the Michael Vick of Ohio high school football.

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