Central Ohio H.S. Football '11- Week 2

Tomorrow night, another round of high school football games take place across the state of Ohio. This weekend wraps up on Labor Day weekend with the Herbstreit Football Classic at Ohio Stadium as four games take place on Sunday and Monday.

HERBSTREIT CLASSIC:
Pickerington Central Tigers (0-1) vs. Cincinnati St. Xavier Blue Bombers (1-0)- Sunday at Noon at Ohio Stadium
and
Upper Arlington Golden Bears (0-1) vs. Springfield Wildcats (1-0)- Sunday at 3:30 at Ohio Stadium

A lot of people were surprised that UA lost all the way out in Muskingum County last Friday night, as the Scotties came from behind to beat the Golden Bears 29-27, but Pick Central was shut down by the Crusaders of Cincinnati Moeller last Saturday afternoon at Nippert Stadium as Spencer Iacovone threw two touchdown passes as the only scoring in a 14-0 Moeller victory.

Picks: St. X and Springfield

Other Herbstreit Games:
Camden County Wildcats (GA) vs. Cleveland Glenville Tarblooders- Monday at Noon
Centerville Elks vs. Indianapolis Cathedral Fighting Irish (IN)- Monday at 4PM

UPSET PICK OF THE WEEK:
Columbus Academy Vikings at Bishop Hartley Hawks (both 1-0)- Friday at 7:30

The Vikings are playing this season with heavy hearts as their coach Mark Barren died in June. Former Vikings Coach Jim Collis is taking over as Head Coach this year. The Vikings came to play last Friday night against Maysville. The Hawks are vulnerable in this case, as they had to come back to win against a good Amanda-Clearcreek team last week.

Pick: Columbus Academy

BIG GAME OF THE WEEK:
Westerville South Wildcats at Dublin Coffman Shamrocks (both 1-0)- Friday at 7:30

The Wildcats replaced graduated running back Jayshon Jackson with running back Daxton Cates, who ran for 229 yards and two touchdowns, plus two more touchdowns that were called back as the Cats ran amuck over Groveport last week. Cates could have a big night in Dublin. This will be a close matchup.

Pick: Westerville South

"GAME OF PRIDE" GAME OF THE WEEK:
Columbus South Bulldogs at Columbus East Tigers (both 0-1)- Friday at 7:30

This is a matchup between two teams that have struggled for quite a while. The East Tigers have only had two winning seasons in the last 21 years, while South hasn't had a winning season in 17 years. The Tigers have a new coach in Lewis Carter, but the Tigers got lassoed by Chris Rhodes and the West Cowboys last week. The South Bulldogs lost 18-0 at Warrensville Heights. This will either be a low-scoring game, a high-scoring game, or a one-sided game between these two neighborhood rivals near Downtown Columbus.

Pick: East (in a low-scoring affair)

STREAK BUSTER GAMES:
Westerville North Warriors at Groveport Madison Cruisers (both 0-1)- Friday at 7:30

The Warriors have lost 26 straight, and if they can't get anything going, it could be 27 pretty soon. On the other side, Groveport struggled to stop Daxton Cates last week against Westerville South. This may be an easier task for the Cruisers. The Warriors may make it 27 straight...losses that is.

Bishop Ready Silver Knights at Fredericktown Freddies (both 1-0)- Friday at 7:30

The Freddies have won 23 straight regular season games in a row, and face the Silver Knights of Bishop Ready in a rematch of a 2007 Division V Regional Final, in which Ready won 35-7. The Silver Knights will prove a tough test for the Freddies.

Picks: Groveport and Ready

OTHER BIG MATCHUPS OF THE WEEK:
New Albany Eagles at Westerville Central Warhawks (both 1-0)- Friday at 7:30

For the first time in their nine-year history, the Warhawks of Westerville Central claimed the WarEagle Trophy by soaring over their Delaware County rivals Big Walnut in a 27-16 win. This week, the Warhawks host the New Albany Eagles in another "Battle of the Birds". The two-headed quarterback may be too much for the Hawks to handle.

Pick: New Albany

"The Battle of Karl Road": Brookhaven Bearcats at St. Francis DeSales Stallions- Friday at 7:30

These two schools are only separated by a mere few hundred feet, but they have not played since a Division II playoff game in 2000 at Westerville North, which the Stallions won 28-25, and featured future Buckeye Maurice Hall as running back for the Bearcats. Fast forward 11 years, the Cats have a lot to prove with a new coach, as they lost a close one to Marion-Franklin last week. On the other side of the ball, the Stallions were stunned by "The Tyler Grassman Show" last week, as Gahanna's quarterback threw, ran for, and caught touchdowns, and kicked a field goal in a 31-14 Gahanna win over the Stallions. It would be a shame to see the Stallions start at 0-2, let alone 0-3, as they have New Albany next...

Pick: DeSales

Eastmoor Academy Warriors (1-0) at St. Charles Cardinals (0-1)- Friday at 7:30

The Cards won 20-6 against their Bexley-area neighbors last year at Archie Griffin Stadium. This year, the Cards are looking for their first win of the year.

Pick: St. Charles

Canal Winchester Indians (1-0) at Grove City Greyhounds (0-1)- Friday at 7:30

The Greyhounds were held to 33 yards of total offense at Hilliard Davidson last week, and are looking to get something started in their home opener against Canal Winchester, who held St. Charles at bay last week in a 12-7 defensive game.

Pick: Canal Winchester

Maple Heights Mustangs (1-0) at Northland Vikings (0-1)- Friday at 7:30

Last year, the Vikes made it to the D-I playoffs for the first time ever. This year, now in Division II, the Vikings play host to the defending Division II State Champs.

Pick: Maple Heights

ALL GAMES IN CENTRAL OHIO:
(These Games Start Friday at 7PM)
Non-League:
Centerburg Trojans at Lucas Cubs
Zanesville Rosecrans Bishops at Danville Blue Devils
Ashland Crestview at Loudonville
Middletown Christian at Northridge Vikings
Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference:
Mount Gilead Indians at Galion Northmor Golden Knights
Morral Ridgedale Rockets at Cardington-Lincoln Pirates
Richwood North Union Lions at Sparta Highland Scots
Marion River Valley Vikings at Marion Elgin Comets
Marion Pleasant Trojans at Delaware Buckeye Valley Barons

(All Non-League; These Games Start at Friday at 7:30PM)
Beechcroft Cougars (1-0) at Bishop Watterson Golden Eagles (0-1)
Brookhaven Bearcats at St. Francis DeSales Stallions (both 0-1)
Columbus West Cowboys (1-0) at Centennial Stars (0-1)
Columbus South Bulldogs at Columbus East Tigers (both 0-1)
Linden McKinley Panthers (0-1) at Watkins Memorial Warriors (1-0)
Maple Heights Mustangs (1-0) at Northland Vikings (0-1)
Thomas Worthington Cardinals at Whetstone Vikings (both 0-1)
Mifflin Punchers at Westland Cougars (both 1-0)
Africentric Early College Nubians (0-1) at Harvest Prep Warriors (1-0)
Walnut Ridge Scots (0-1) at Urbana Hillclimbers (1-0)
Berea Braves (1-0) at Columbus Independence 76ers (0-1)
Briggs Bruins at Franklin Heights Golden Falcons (both 0-1)
Eastmoor Academy Warriors (1-0) at St. Charles Cardinals (0-1)
Marion-Franklin Red Devils (1-0) at Dublin Scioto Irish (0-1)
Columbus Academy Vikings at Bishop Hartley Hawks (both 1-0)
Bishop Ready Silver Knights at Fredericktown Freddies (both 1-0)
Westerville North Warriors at Groveport Madison Cruisers (both 0-1)
Westerville South Wildcats at Dublin Coffman Shamrocks (both 1-0)
New Albany Eagles at Westerville Central Warhawks (both 1-0)
Solon Comets at Worthington Kilbourne Wolves (both 1-0)
Marysville Monarchs at Jonathan Alder Pioneers (both 1-0)
Olentangy Liberty Patriots at Olentangy Orange Pioneers (both 0-1)
Olentangy Braves (1-0) at Delaware Hayes Pacers (0-1)
Pickerington North Panthers (1-0) at Logan Chieftains (0-1)
Strongsville Mustangs at Gahanna Lincoln Lions (both 1-0)
Central Crossing Comets (0-1) at Rayland Buckeye Local (1-0)
Mansfield Madison Comprehensive (1-0) at Newark Wildcats (0-1)
Reynoldsburg Raiders at Findlay Trojans (both 1-0)
Teays Valley Vikings at Hilliard Bradley Jaguars (both 1-0)
Dublin Jerome Celtics (0-1) at Hilliard Darby Panthers (1-0)
Big Walnut Golden Eagles at Chillicothe Cavaliers (both 0-1)
Lancaster Golden Gales at Mason Comets (both 1-0)
Mount Vernon Yellow Jackets (0-1) at Cambridge Bobcats (0-1)
Berne Union Rockets (0-1) at Bexley Lions (1-0)
Bloom-Carroll Bruins (0-1) at Whitehall-Yearling Rams (1-0)
London Red Raiders (0-1) at Hamilton Township Rangers (1-0)
Heath Bulldogs (0-1) at Johnstown-Monroe Johnnies (1-0)
Washington Court House Blue Lions at Circleville Tigers (both 0-1)
Granville Blue Aces (1-0) at Utica Redskins (0-1)
Logan Elm Braves (1-0) at Westfall Mustangs (0-1)
Grandview Heights Bobcats at East Knox Bulldogs (both 1-0)
Amanda-Clearcreek Aces (0-1) at Chillicothe Zane Trace (0-1)
Hebron Lakewood Lancers at Millersport Lakers (both 0-1)
Zanesville Blue Devils (1-0) at Licking Valley Panthers (0-1)
Madison Plains Golden Eagles at West Jefferson Roughriders (both 1-0)
Fairfield Union Falcons (0-1) at Liberty Union Lions (1-0)
Gallipolis Gallia Blue Devils at Licking Heights Hornets (both 0-1)
Troy Christian at Grove City Christian Eagles (1-0)

Saturday Night Lights:
Lancaster Fisher Catholic at Fairfield Christian (1-0) (7PM)
Nelsonville-York Buckeyes (1-0) at Newark Catholic Green Waves (0-1) (7:30, at Newark H.S.)

The Herbstreit Classic (at Ohio Stadium):
Pickerington Central Tigers (0-1) vs. Cincinnati St. Xavier Blue Bombers (1-0) (Noon, Sunday)
Upper Arlington Golden Bears (0-1) vs. Springfield Wildcats (1-0) (3:30PM, Sunday)
Camden County Wildcats (GA) (1-0) vs. Cleveland Glenville Tarblooders (1-0) (Noon, Monday)
Indianapolis Cathedral Fighting Irish (IN) (1-0) vs. Centerville Elks (0-1) (4PM, Monday)