St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio) at Elder (Cincinnati)
The Elder defense will look to gang-tackle this week.
File photo by Jim Owens
Its newly minted status as the nation's No. 1 team will be put in jeopardy Saturday when St. Edward plays an Elder team that was also nationally ranked just one week ago. So far, St. Edward has barely been challenged by three very capable opponents it has faced, winning by an average margin of almost 38 points. Perhaps the Eagles' most dominant effort of the young season was a 42-0 rout of New Jersey power St. Joseph Regional (Montvale) last week. Elder fell out of the Xcellent 25 after a 28-14 home loss last Friday to defending Maryland Independent Athletic Association champion McDonogh (Owings Mills). Elder jumped to an early 14-0 lead, but its offense was completely shut down the rest of the evening.
Just the facts: This is the ninth meeting between the teams in the last 10 seasons. St. Edward won six of the previous eight matchups, including a 48-7 blowout a year ago. Elder's last win in the series occurred in 2009. … Elder won back-to-back Division I state championships in 2002-03. The Panthers' 2003 championship was earned with a 31-7 rout over St. Edward.
Mitch Stephens: St. Edward 28, Elder 14
Kevin Askeland: St. Edward 45, Elder 0
Jamie DeMoney: St. Edward 31, Elder 7
Stephen Spiewak: St. Edward 35, Elder 34
Leland Gordon: St. Edward 21, Elder 13
Colin Ward-Henninger: St. Edward 28, Elder 7
