2011 Central Ohio High School Football: Week 11- The Second Season

After ten weeks of football, the dust cleared last weekend, as 192 Ohio football teams were left standing.

Tomorrow night, the playoffs begin statewide, as 96 teams will play at their home field for the final time this year.

There will be a lot of great matchups statewide, but DJBC Sports Corner is going to focus on the ones in the Columbus area.

UPSET SPECIAL: Gahanna Lincoln over Westerville Central
BIG GAME OF THE WEEK: Beechcroft Cougars at Big Walnut Eagles (Friday) and Dublin Coffman Shamrocks at Pickerington Central Tigers (Saturday)

DIVISION I (all games Saturday)
# 8 Olentangy Orange Pioneers [8-2) at # 1 Hilliard Davidson Wildcats (9-0)
The Pioneers are making their second appearance to the playoffs in the last three years, and in their fourth year of school history. Unfortunately, the Orangemen have to travel from their Polaris confines down the outerbelt to play a Davidson team that has allowed only 28 points through nine regular season games.
Pick: They are blue and white, and have the letter "H" on their helmets

# 7 Dublin Coffman Shamrocks [8-2) at # 2 Pickerington Central Tigers (7-2)
Pick: Pickerington Central

# 6 Gahanna Lincoln Golden Lions at # 3 Westerville Central Warhawks (both 8-2)
The Warhawks are making their maiden voyage into the playoffs, and the only Central Ohio team to do so this year. Westerville Central turned a lot of heads this season. But, so did Gahanna.
Pick: Gahanna

# 5 Troy Trojans at # 4 Upper Arlington Golden Bears (both 8-2)
Pick: Upper Arlington

DIVISION II (all games on Friday)
# 8 Brookhaven Bearcats (7-3) at # 1 Marion-Franklin Red Devils (10-0)
This was a rematch of a Week 1 game, which saw the Red Devils nip the Cats 28-27. The Bearcats had an emotional rout of Mifflin last week, and jumped to the eighth and final seed for the playoffs. Brookhaven High School is on the short list of schools to close in the Columbus City School district, and the Bearcats don't want their season to end, because Brookhaven won't be guaranteed a next year.
Pick: Brookhaven

# 6 Ashland Arrows (6-4) at # 3 New Albany Eagles [8-2)
Pick: New Albany

# 5 Beechcroft Cougars (9-1) at # 4 Big Walnut Golden Eagles [8-2)
The Cougars are making their 14th postseason appearance in many years, but have only won three postseason games out of sixteen. The Eagles are making their seventh trip, and have a .700 postseason record (and a State Title in 2007) to prove it.
Pick: Big Walnut

DIVISION III (all games on Friday):
All we know is this- there will be a new State Champion as last year's champs, the Eagles of Watterson limped to a 3-7 record this year.
# 8 River Valley Vikings (7-3) at # 1 St. Francis DeSales Stallions (6-3)
Pick: DeSales

# 6 Urbana Hillclimbers at # 3 Eastmoor Academy Warriors (both 8-2)
Pick: Urbana

# 6 Logan Elm Braves (9-1) at # 3 Jonathan Alder Pioneers (10-0)
Logan Elm dropped their finale to Amanda-Clearcreek last week, and now they have to travel to Plain City? Eeek.
Pick: Jonathan Alder

DIVISION IV (all games on Saturday):
# 6 North Union Wildcats (9-1) at # 3 Bishop Hartley Hawks (9-0)
Pick: Hartley

# 7 Gnadenhutten Indian Valley Braves (7-3) at # 2 Johnstown Monroe Johnnies (10-0)
Nobody knows much about Gnadenhutten Indian Valley High School, except that it is the alma mater of the University of West Virginia hoops coach Bob Huggins. The football Braves are making their maiden playoff voyage.
Pick: Johnstown

# 6 Ironton Tigers (6-4) at # 3 Amanda-Clearcreek Aces (8-2)
Pick: Amanda-Clearcreek

DIVISION V (all games on Friday):
# 6 Ashland Crestview Cougars at # 3 Grandview Heights Bobcats (both 10-0)
If the Bobcats want to go to 11-0 after their emotional win over Liberty Union and the school's first 10-0 season, they may have to do it without their star running back.
Pick: Crestview

# 5 Portsmouth West Senators at # 4 Nelsonville-York Buckeyes (both 9-1)
Pick: Nelsonville-York

DIVISION VI (all games on Saturday):
# 6 Zanesville Bishop Rosecrans Bishops (6-4) at # 3 Danville Blue Devils (7-3)
Pick: Danville

Other Big Matches Around Ohio:
(Division I, Region 1 on Saturday)- # 6 Lakewood St. Edward Eagles (7-3) at # 3 Cleveland Heights (9-0)
This will probably be the classic trap game, because St. Ed's is better than their 7-3 record, and really has the upper hand, not only because they won the Division I State Title last year, but because Cleveland Heights, at 9-0, is making their first-ever playoff appearance.

(Division I, Region 4 on Saturday)- # 6 Mason Comets at # 3 Cincinnati St. Xavier Musketeers (both 7-3)

(Division III, Region 11 on Friday)- # 7 Thornville Sheridan Generals at # 2 Dover Tornadoes (both 9-1)

(Division III, Region 12 on Friday)- # 7 Jackson Ironmen at # 2 The Plains Athens Bulldogs (both 10-0)

(Division III, Region 12 on Friday)- # 5 Kettering Archbishop Alter Knights (10-0) at # 4 Dayton Thurgood Marshall Cougars (9-1)

For a complete listing of pairings, go to http://www.ohsaa.org/sports/ft/boys/TrmtInfo.htm.