St. Xavier to battle Wayne in Ohio regional football final

The St. Xavier (Cincinnati) vs. Wayne (Huber Heights) Division I regional final matchup is not one many pundits predicted just a few short weeks ago.

After all, both teams weren't favored in their region and had to start the postseason on the road. But, this postseason has shown that one must expect the unexpected.

Wayne shut out top-seeded Middletown 21-0 in the first round which set a tone early in the postseason. The Warriors then defeated Centerville 36-33 in double overtime in the regional semifinal on Saturday night.

The regional final this Saturday night at Dayton's Welcome Stadium provides plenty of storylines, but the one consistent thing to watch will be Wayne senior quarterback Braxton Miller vs. the St. Xavier defense. Wayne played its season opener against Moeller at St. X at the end of August as part of the Skyline Chili Crosstown Showdown, but St. X and Wayne haven't met since the 2006 season opener.

Wayne also features senior defensive back Tre Moore (38 tackles) and senior running back Anthone Taylor (1,262 rushing yards).

St. X, which played nine regular-season games, surprised some with a 30-14 win over host La Salle in the opening round. The Bombers went on to upset Colerain 24-23 in the regional semifinal at the University of Cincinnati on Saturday night.

"(Beating Colerain) feels great," St. Xavier senior linebacker Steven Daniels told the Community Press. "But this can't be our climax."

Miller, who is rated the nation's top quarterback and is verbally committed to Ohio State, will be the expected leader for the Warriors on Saturday night against a disciplined St. X defense which features Daniels. Daniels, a senior, had 16 sacks in the regular season for the Bombers and is considering the likes of Cincinnati, Texas A&M, Boston College, Louisville, North Carolina State and many others.

Other leaders for St. X (7-4) include junior running back Conor Hundley (1,389 rushing yards) and senior linebacker Sean Duggan (Boston College commit).

"I'm happy for the seniors and I'm happy these kids get to play another week," St. X coach Steve Specht told the Community Press. "I know the kids were feeling bad about (going 5-4 in the regular season) and thinking it was a down year."

Click here to view MaxPreps' Ohio football playoff brackets.

KINGS ADVANCES TO REGIONAL FINAL
Kings (Kings Mill) advanced to the Division II regional final on Friday night with a 35-28 win over Mount Healthy. Kings (11-1) plays Trotwood-Madison (10-2) in the regional final at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Princeton. Kings junior running back Jamire Westbrook had 40 carries for 215 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Knights.

"It's not just about Jamire," Kings coach Andy Olds told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "Tonight, I thought we were the best team."

Trotwood upset Winton Woods 42-23 in the regional semifinal. "We're jelling at the right time," Trotwood coach Maurice Douglass told the Dayton Daily News.

HAYES COMMITS TO TEAM USA
Archbishop Moeller senior defensive end Jesse Hayes has accepted an invitation to play for Team USA in 2011. Hayes, one of the nation's top defensive ends in the 2011 class, has verbally committed to Wisconsin. Hayes will join the Under-19 national team in February when the Team USA vs. The World game will be held on Feb. 2 (national signing day) in Austin, Texas. The game will be televised live on national TV. Hayes is one of 45 players selected to the prestigious team. Hayes is the son of Cincinnati Bengals defensive line coach Jay Hayes.

TOP STANDOUTS
Jamire Westbrook, Kings: The junior running back had 22 carries for 209 yards and four touchdowns in the Knights' 55-30 win over Tecumseh in a Division II regional semifinal. Westbrook, one of the state's top players in the 2012 class, has an offer from Cincinnati.

Antwan Gilbert, Trotwood-Madison: The senior running back had 234 rushing yards on 32 carries and four touchdowns to lift Trotwood past Winton Woods 42-23 in a Division II regional semifinal.

RECRUITING NEWS
Middletown sophomore quarterback Jalin Marshall (6 foot, 195 pounds) added an offer from Pittsburgh on Nov. 5. Marshall, who rushed for more than 1,400 yards this past season, rushed for 17 touchdowns. He threw for 693 yards and 12 touchdowns. … Walnut Hills senior tight end Benson Browne (6-6, 237) was scheduled to take an official visit to West Virginia this weekend. He has offers that include North Carolina State, Marshall, Illinois, West Virginia, Louisville, Kansas and others. … Sycamore senior defensive back Darius Hillary (5-11, 180) was scheduled to visit Illinois this weekend. Hillary has offers from Wisconsin, Boston College, Stanford and Duke.

(Information from the Cincinnati Enquirer, The Community Press, Dayton Daily News and Ohio High School Athletic Association was used in this report).