High School Football- Week 11, Part 3 (Divisions I, III, & V/Final Top 25)

Yes, high school football stadiums light up on Friday nights, but you can't squeeze all 96 games on football Friday night. With that said, on Saturday, 48 more games will take place.

GAME OF THE NIGHT: Region 3- # 7 Columbus Northland Vikings (8-2, regular season) at # 2 Hilliard Davidson Wildcats (10-0, regular season)
All good things must come to an end, and for the City League North co-champs Northland, making their playoff debut, they will end against the experienced defending Division I State Champs, Davidson. But while Northland's season is still going on, let's remember the accomplishments that got the Vikes to Season 2.0. Last week, Northland reaped their first ever playoff berth in the 45-year history of the school with a 12-7 win over Beechcroft which gave Northland their first City League Title in 14 years. Northland also got a little help from Pickerington North, Mount Vernon, Groveport Madison, and Upper Arlington as all four schools (ranked ahead of the Vikes, ranging from 8th to 12th place) lost their season finales (PN- 35-25 at Grove City, Mt. V- 21-6 to New Albany, Groveport- 24-21 to Gahanna, and UA- 27-9 to Dublin Coffman), and Northland won theirs. However, Davidson will be too much for Northland to handle.
Pick: Hilliard Davidson

LOCAL GAME # 2/UPSET PICK OF THE NIGHT: Region 10- # 8 Columbus St. Francis DeSales Stallions (5-5, regular season) at # 1 Columbus Bishop Watterson Golden Eagles (8-1, regular season)
Remember Week 8? Watterson grounded the Stallions in a 31-7 slugfest at Crew Stadium. The Stallions backed into the playoffs and a seventh postseason date with Watterson with a 35-24 win over Cleveland Benedictine last Saturday night. The last time DeSales made the playoffs at 5-5, the Stallions made it all the way to the State Championship, losing to Mentor Lake Catholic in overtime. 6-4 seasons during DeSales' now-17-year postseason appearance streak (the current active longest streak in Ohio) were also followed by deep runs in the playoffs. Will Watterson be able to buck the DeSales trend in November?
Pick: DeSales

OTHER KEY GAMES on FOOTBALL SATURDAY NIGHT:
Region 1- # 7 Warren G. Harding Raiders (8-2, regular season) at # 2 Cleveland Glenville Tarblooders (10-0, regular season)
Both of these Northeast Ohio schools have given birth to quality (the star-crossed tandem of Troy Smith and Ted Ginn Jr., both now with the San Francisco 49ers) and not-so-great quality (Maurice Clarett) Ohio State football players. Glenville is determined to return to the State Championship and get a State Title for Ted Ginn Sr.
Pick: Glenville

Region 1- # 6 Mentor Cardinals (7-3, regular season) at # 3 Lakewood St. Edward Eagles (10-0, regular season)
Pick: St. Ed

Region 3- # 5 Dublin Coffman Shamrocks at # 4 Westerville South Wildcats (both 8-2, regular season)
The last time these two met was at the Shoe (Herbstreit Classic), where Jayshan Jackson ran over the Coffman defense in a 31-21 South Win. South would win eight straight before losing to Olentangy Liberty last week in the season finale. Coffman has won seven of eight (only losing to Hill. Davidson) since that meeting. This will be a back-and-forth game in Westerville on Saturday night.
Pick: Westerville South

Region 3- # 6 Hilliard Darby Panthers (8-2, regular season) at # 3 Springfield Wildcats (9-1, regular season)
Pick: Springfield

Region 3- # 8 Troy Trojans (8-2, regular season) at # 1 Pickerington Central Tigers (9-0, regular season)
This could be a trap game for Jay Sharrett and his Tigers, led by highly-touted college recruits Eilar Hardy and Tyler "Speedy" Hammond, and their defense, which only allowed a measly 39 points in nine games. According to Columbus radio sports commentator and former high school athletic director Larry Larson (aka "Mr. High School Sports") on the 610WTVN High School Scoreboard Show, Larson advised not to underestimate Troy (located north of Dayton). Troy is one of three non-OCC schools (Springfield and Northland being the others) in the Region 3 bracket, a first for the first time in a long-time in this OCC-dominated Division (23 of the 30 schools in the Ohio Capital Conference are in Region 3). Pickerington Central had five shutouts in the regular season, because their nine-game season, a proven fact that they are # 1 in Central Ohio.
Pick: Pickerington Central

Region 4- # 6 Cincinnati St. Xavier Blue Bombers (5-4, regular season) at # 3 Cincinnati LaSalle Lancers (9-1, regular season)
Don't underestimate St. X, though.
Pick: LaSalle

Region 11- # 5 Newark Licking Valley Panthers at # 4 East Liverpool Potters (both 8-2, regular season)
The Panthers were written off (by DJBC Sports Corner) after an 0-2 start, but went on to win eight straight and the Mid-State League Ohio Crown. Can the Panthers make it nine straight as they travel to Eastern Ohio?
Pick: Licking Valley

Region 12- # 8 Washington Court House Blue Lions (8-2, regular season) at # 1 Springfield Shawnee Braves (9-1, regular season)
The Blue Lions after a 6-0 start, lost back-to-back games to Jonathan Alder and Clinton-Massie (# 2 and # 1 in Region 16) before rebounding to gain the eighth and final spot in Region 12. Can the Blue Lions knock off top-seeded Shawnee out in Clark County?
Pick: Shawnee

Region 12- # 7 Dayton Dunbar Wolverines (7-3, regular season) at # 2 Cincinnati Archbishop McNicholas Rockets (8-2, regular season)
Pick: McNicholas (it was tempting to say Dunbar, because they bleed Blue)

Region 12- # 6 Cincinnati Wyoming Cowboys (9-1, regular season) at # 3 St. Bernard Roger Bacon Spartans (7-3, regular season)
The age-old question- Cowboys or Bacon? Wyoming made it to the final four (losing to DeSales) last year. Roger Bacon is in the same conglomeracy as LaSalle, St. X, Elder, and Moeller.
Pick: St. Bernard Roger Bacon

Region 17- # 8 North Lima South Range Raiders (7-3, regular season) at # 1 Youngstown Ursuline Fighting Irish (10-0, regular season)
Ursuline, two-time defending Division V State Champs are in it to go for a three-peat.
Pick: Youngstown Ursuline

Region 19- # 7 Woodsfield Monroe Central Seminoles (8-2, regular season) at # 2 Fredericktown Freddies (10-0, regular season)
Pick: Fredericktown

Region 19- # 6 West Lafayette Ridgewood Generals (10-0, regular season) at # 3 Wheelersburg Pirates (8-2, regular season)
Pick: West Lafayette Ridgewood

Region 20- # 8 Hamilton Badin Rams (5-5, regular season) at # 1 Richwood North Union Wildcats (10-0, regular season)
Pick: North Union

Region 20- # 7 Cincinnati Summit Country Day Silver Knights (7-3, regular season) at # 2 West Jefferson Roughriders (10-0, regular season)
Pick: West Jefferson


FINAL SPORTS CORNER TOP 25 POLL:
The regular season of the Ohio High School football season ended last Saturday. The Sports Corner Poll is for teams in the Columbus City League, Central Catholic League, Ohio Capital Conference, Mid-State League, Mid-Buckeye Conference, Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference, South Central Ohio League, and Independent schools in Delaware, Fairfield, Franklin, Knox, Licking, Madison, Marion, Pickaway, and Union counties.
1) Pickerington Central Tigers (9-0)- OCC Ohio Champions
2) Hilliard Davidson Wildcats (10-0)- OCC Central Champions
3) Marion-Franklin Red Devils (10-0)- City League South Champions
4) New Albany Eagles (10-0)- OCC Capital Champions
5) Fredericktown Freddies (10-0)- Mid-Buckeye Conference Champions
6) West Jefferson Roughriders (10-0)- Mid-State League Cardinal Champions
7) Bishop Watterson Golden Eagles (8-1)- Central Catholic League Silver Champions
8) Canal Winchester Indians (9-1)- Mid-State League Buckeye Champions
T-9) Jonathan Alder Pioneers (9-1)
T-9) North Union Wildcats (10-0)- Mid-Ohio Athletic Red Champions
11) Licking Valley Panthers (8-2)- Mid-State League Ohio Champions
12) Bishop Hartley Hawks (8-2)- Central Catholic League Gold Champions
13) Dublin Coffman Shamrocks (8-2)
14) Clinton-Massie Falcons (10-0)- South Central Ohio League Champions
15) Westerville South Wildcats (8-2)- OCC Cardinal Champions
16) Northland Vikings (8-2)- City League North Co-Champions
17) Fairfield Christian Academy Knights (9-0)
18) Heath Bulldogs (9-1)
19) Hilliard Darby Panthers (8-2)
20) Hamilton Township Rangers (8-2)- the only Sports Corner Top 25 school to miss the playoffs
21) Big Walnut Golden Eagles (8-2)
22) Newark Catholic Green Wave (7-3)
23) Eastmoor Academy Warriors (6-3)
24) Washington Court House Blue Lions (8-2)
25) Amanda-Clearcreek Aces (7-3)
DROPPED OUT: # 18 Beechcroft Cougars (7-3)- City League Co-Champion, # 19 Upper Arlington Golden Bears (6-4), # 24 St. Charles Cardinals (5-4)

10 for 2010- Flash-in-the-Pan Central Ohio Playoff Appearances in Football:
Since the playoff system began in 1972, many Ohio high schools have been to the postseason in 39 years. Since the playoff system expanded to eight teams per region in 1999, the opportunity became even greater for more teams to reach the playoffs for the first time. However, since reaching the playoffs for the first time, these ten Central Ohio schools have never been back since.
1) Columbus East Tigers (1999)- City League Blue Co-Champions, lost 14-12 to top-seeded Dover in first round
2) Westland Cougars (2006)
3) Delaware Hayes Pacers (2008)- last non-expansion Ohio Capital Conference School to make the playoffs; lost to Pickerington Central in first round
4) Watkins Memorial Warriors (2006)
5) Reynoldsburg Raiders (2001)- Ohio Capital Conference Cardinal Champions
6) Bexley Lions (2008)
7) Briggs Bruins (1990)- beat Beechcroft in first round, lost to DeSales in second round
8) Olentangy Orange Pioneers (2009)- lost to Marion-Franklin in second round
9) Franklin Heights Falcons (1989)
10) Millersport Lakers (2002)
- Only Briggs and Olentangy Orange out of those eight, actually won a playoff game those years.

Only Bishop Watterson (1972), West Jefferson (1976), Bishop Hartley (1984), and Dublin Scioto (1995) made it to the State Championship on their first playoff appearance, with Scioto winning the State Championship in 1995, which was also Scioto's very first year of existence.