Derrick Webb, Staff Writer
Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by OhioHealth.
CREDIT: Renee Nemeth/SOSA
Conference title races are starting to take shape and playoff points come at a premium now.
Simply put, we’re getting down to the nitty gritty.
Three weeks of the high school football season are left. Week 8 is upon us. We’re starting to see pretenders separate themselves from contenders while playoff-bound teams continue to pick up steam.
Kinnikinnick was where my crew decided to go in Week 7 — my dad and uncle tag along on Friday nights. We witnessed an instant SVC classic as Zane Trace edged Unioto by a 35-31 final.
But there’s plenty of other area excitement to highlight. Here’s this week’s edition of Sideline to Sideline.
Kickoff
1. Week 8 gives fans three gigantic conference matchups. Paint Valley at Unioto. Washington at Chillicothe. Green at Northwest. Take your pick. You can’t lose. Each game features a slew of top-tier stars including but not limited to Tanner Lemaster, Tayvion Galloway, Cavan Cooper, Newton Hoops, Nathaniel Brannigan and Alex Baer. And, while the conference titles may not be won this week, each game will absolutely have an impact on who eventually takes the SVC, FAC and SOC I. All year long, we’ve waited to see how these races will shape up. We’ll get to see those take more of a final form this Friday in playoff atmospheres. There’s absolutely nothing better than nights like those.
2. Is Waverly back to the good ol’ Tigers we got to know so well? In Friday’s 60-7 win over Valley, the Tigers put up 485 yards of total offense — 275 through the air and 210 on the ground. Jase Hurd did what he’s done all year, running to a total of 106 yards and three scores while quarterback Mason Kelly was 12-of-20 passing for 275 yards and three touchdowns. Kelly hooked up with brother Hudson for 127 yards and a score on five catches. The team’s defense also came to play, recovering two fumbles and picking off three passes. It was, by all accounts, the Tigers’ best showing this season. Despite sitting at 3-4 overall, Waverly will absolutely have a say as to who wins the SOC II with contests against Wheelersburg and Minford coming up. Three wins and a Wheelersburg win over West in Week 10 could spell out a share of the conference title even. Stranger things have happened.
3. Gallia Academy is now 7-0. To find the Blue Devils’ last undefeated start through seven games, you don’t have to search far. It was 2019. However, this year’s team is hoping for a better finish than three seasons ago when Gallia lost two of its final three games, including a first-round playoff matchup at Waverly. Brody Fellure and Hudson Shamblin have led the offense to 37.3 points per game. However, the defense is giving up 21.7. If the Blue Devils’ defensive unit can figure it out, we could be talking about a team with the potential to go deep into a postseason run. A huge test lies ahead with Ironton waiting in the wings in Week 9, but Gallia can’t afford to look past Rock Hill this week. A win will likely mean the OVC title will be on the line against the Fighting Tigers — assuming Ironton takes care of its own business.
CREDIT: Cory Hall/SOSA
Offensive Juggernauts
In a 34-20 win over Westfall, Adena’s Nate Dreitzler ran like a man possessed. The sophomore took 37 carries for 261 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns. He also converted a pair of two-point conversions as the Warriors sealed their third win this season.
There was no looking ahead to a big game in Bainbridge last week. Paint Valley took care of its business with a 38-26 win over Huntington. In the win, Dom Chambers rushed 10 times for 184 yards and two touchdowns and added a 38-yard reception to his totals.
Through the last two weeks, Chillicothe’s Tre King has had a knack for finding the end zone. King caught two touchdown passes in the team’s Week 6 win at McClain and added two more scores, alongside four catches for 89 yards, in last week’s overtime win over Miami Trace.
Under the Saturday Night Lights, Notre Dame’s Gavin Hart carried his Titans to an important win over previously undefeated Green. Hart had 27 carries for 180 yards and a touchdown in the win as Notre Dame threw a wrench in the SOC I standings.
If you’re wondering if Ironton is getting cooler, the answer is no. Tigers quarterback Tayden Carpenter was 14-of-18 passing for 223 yards in a 49-7 win over Rock Hill. Carpenter’s four touchdown tosses found the arms of three different receivers.
Thrice as Nice
Zane Trace’s Blake Phillips played a huge part in the Pioneers’ instant classic victory over Unioto. The junior tallied 16 carries for 78 yards and scored three times in a 35-31 win — including the game-winning 13-yard score that came with 1:12 left.
It took just 10 carries for Caleb Osborne to rack up 111 yards and three touchdowns in a 40-12 win over Southeastern on Friday. The victory snapped Piketon’s four-game skid and sets the Redstreaks up in a nice position with Adena, Westfall and Huntington left on the slate.
Have a night, Mr. Braylen Baker. Logan Elm’s top receiving option caught six passes for 128 yards and three touchdowns in Friday’s 34-14 win over Liberty Union — scores of 44, 22 and 16 yards. LE has won six straight games and is outscoring opponents 188-45 during that stretch.
Downright Dominant
In a 56-7 win over Oak Hill, Wheelersburg’s defense was completely lights out. The Oaks ran 46 plays and gained just 180 yards. 27 of those plays were of the rushing variety and totaled just 60 yards. The Pirates, while holding their opponent to under three yards per carry, racked up 442 yards of their own and held a 42-0 lead at halftime.
McClain had 70 yards of total offense on Friday against Washington. The Blue Lions, who have now pitched four shutouts in their last five games, forced five turnovers, allowed just 1.5 yards per play, and held a formidable running game to 63 yards on 36 attempts. Meanwhile, Troy Thompson passed for 306 yards and Rocky Jones totaled 98 yards and two touchdowns. The Blue Lions have now won five straight and are outscoring opponents 221-21 during that stretch.
Did you know?
The last time Zane Trace was 7-0 was in 2015. Anyone remember that season? The Pioneers hosted their first-ever home playoff game that year and beat River Valley by a 34-0 final on Nov. 6 to earn the school’s first-ever postseason win. That year, ZT would go all the way to a regional final before a loss to Wheelersburg ended the most prolific playoff run in program history.
Shot of the Week
Zane Trace’s win over Unioto allowed the Pioneers move to 7-0. Here, after the game, Carter Lane celebrates the win with his teammates.
Power Rankings
1. Ironton (7-0) … 2. Washington (6-1) … 3. Jackson (5-2) … 4. Chillicothe (6-1) … 5. Wheelersburg (5-2) … 6. West (6-1) … 7. Zane Trace (7-0) … 8. Logan Elm (6-1) … 9. Unioto (6-1) … 10. Gallia Academy (7-0)
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