By Dean Eversole
MaxPreps.com
The OHSAA wrapped up a wild weekend of high school football by announcing the Saturday slate of games was being shuffled. The reason, nobody competes with the Ohio State-Michigan game, especially this year.
Notified by a number of potential sites that finding volunteers to work the Saturday night games was at best difficult, games were moved to either Friday night or early Saturday afternoon.
That was just one piece in a weekend full of surprises on the field. The biggest was the elimination of Lakewood St. Edward. The Eagles were stunned by Warren G. Harding, 7-3, in the Regional Semifinal Saturday afternoon. It was the third time since 2001 that Harding has dumped St. Edward from the playoffs, but none more stunning than this one. With their only loss coming to St. Xavier, the Eagles were one of the favorites looking to bring the D-I title back to Northeast Ohio, but their season came to an unexpected end.
The torch is now handed to the Mentor Cardinals and Canton McKinley Bulldogs. The Cards downed Glenville for the second time this season, 29-19, as Bart Tonski connected on 16 of 30 passes and three touchdowns. Canton McKinley rolled over Brunswick, 45-27. Mentor will play Warren Harding and McKinley will take on upstart Toledo Whitmer, who downed Massillon, 14-10.
On the riverm the shootout is set - St. Xavier and Colerain for the Region 4 title. Even in August most believed this game would take place and now it will. Colerain got there with a dominating, 28-0 defeat of Sycamore. After a shaky opening-round game against Archbishop Moeller, the Cards' defense was back in place. Sycamore was not only shutout, they never got further than the Colerain 40-yard line on offense.
St. Xavier had a bit more trouble in its 17-0 downing of Glen Este. The Bombers used a 20-yard pass from place kicker Danny Milligan on a fake field goal to spark their scoring. The two powerhouses will face off Friday night at Nippert Stadium.
There are only two defending champions remaining. Coldwater (D-IV) was the third champion to see its season come to a crashing halt as Oak Harbor rolled over the Cavaliers, 38-20. Using its vaunted Split-T offense, the Rockets rolled up over 400 yards rushing and held the spread offense of Coldwater to a mere 134 total yards.
In D-III the stage is being set for a classic battle. Steubenville (one of the remaining defending state champions), won their 27th game in a row by downing Canton South, 28-6. On the other side of the state the Kettering Bishop Alter Knights continue to maul opponents. Friday night it was the Eaton Eagles feeling the wrath, 49-0. Offensively, Alter was lead by Corey Roark's 108 yards. But, when you talk Alter football you must talk defense first. Alter shutout Eaton for their second shutout in two playoff games. The Knights are big, fast, and hungry.
After two weeks of trying to find a clear favorite in Division II, it remains an impossible task. However, the Piqua Indians are staking their claim. First they downed the defending champion and this past weekend they rolled over Wapakoneta, 40-21. Piqua will play Ashland Friday night. The other team people are turning to is Macedonia Nordonia. The Knights downed Olmsted Falls, 23-14. The senior-heavy Nordonia squad will square off against Chardon for a trip to the final four.
Division V and Division VI might be coming down to two schools that are separated by 10 miles and both play in the Midwest Athletic Conference.
The St. Henry Redskins are rolling over opponents in D-V, in search of their sixth state title. The latest victim was the Marion Pleasant Spartans, for the second time this season.
The Skins dismantled the Spartans, 27-0, advancing to the Regional Finals and a game against the Lima Central Catholic Thunderbirds. LCC, who might prove to be the last big test for St. Henry, downed Allen East 42-0. Something will have to give in this contest as neither defense has allowed a point in the playoffs. The Skins defense is taking it a step further having allowed one touchdown in the last twenty quarters of play.
Division VI is in the hands of the Marion Local Flyers. Coach Tim Goodwin and his crew have dominated the small school division in the decade winning two state titles and one runner-up. They look poised to win their third title after a 49-20 thumping of Springfield Catholic. The Flyers play Mechanicsburg Friday for a trip to the state final four.