High School Football Notebook: Week 4 FAC Preview
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
The fourth week of the high school football season has arrived, and for the Frontier Athletic Conference, the non-conference slate of games continues to roll along with all six teams playing out of the conference this week and next before they start facing each other.
As for the Week 4 schedule, here are the games to be played tonight and a quick preview for each game:
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• Chillicothe Cavaliers (1-2) vs. Centennial Stars (2-1)
Chillicothe begins Week 4 coming off a 12-point loss to Watkins Memorial by a 26-14 score, as they totaled 140 yards of offense and allowed 373 yards to their opponent last week.
Centennial has scored 116 points combined in their first three games this season, with their two wins coming against Columbus West (50-0) and Africentric (46-6). Their lone loss has been against Grandview Heights by a 21-20 score.
In their most recent game last weekend, Centennial totaled 276 yards on offense in 33 plays with 266 yards rushing on 25 attempts. A player to watch for Centennial is Luchene Davis, who last week totaled 116 yards rushing on nine carries, averaging 12.9 yards per carry with two touchdowns.
• Hillsboro Indians (2-1) at Williamsburg Wildcats (3-0)
The Williamsburg Wildcats enter this game undefeated at 3-0 overall with wins against Batavia (14-13), St. Bernard-Elmwood Place (28-8) and Riverview East Academy (43-6).
For Williamsburg, players to watch are Loghan Kelley and Teddy Conley. In Week 1, Kelley had 11 carries for 49 yards and two touchdowns. Other players to watch are Jarrett Thatcher and Levi Kritzwiser, with both of those WHS players combining for 102 yards rushing in the season opener against Batavia.
The Indians enter this game coming off a win against the East Clinton Astros by a 21-7 score last Friday night. This is also the second of what will be three straight road games for the Tribe, as they will face CNE next week.
The Indians this season have used their rushing game to compile most of their offensive yards with Mark Gallimore, Silas Simmons, Justin Spears and Logan Hester having basically all of the carries this season.
Gallimore is coming off a 100-plus-yard rushing performance and has been a standout player thus far this season on both offense and defense. Speaking of the defense, the Hillsboro defensive line has played very strong this season, and as a whole the defense has been a huge part of their two wins in 2019.
• Jackson Ironmen (3-0) at Western Brown Broncos (0-3)
Western Brown has losses to Hillsboro (16-14), Little Miami (41-6) and Ross (34-7) this season, and this week is no easier by facing the Jackson Ironmen, who are 3-0 overall this season.
After the first three games, JHS has outscored their opponents 82-39, and an even stronger stat is they have yet to allow a point to be scored on them in the first quarter this season.
JHS is averaging nearly 28 points per game, and the Ironmen are led by Jayden Spires in the rushing game with 46 carries this season for 299 yards and two touchdowns. Jackson is sure to have the advantage going into this game in 2019, and remember last season Western Brown handed JHS one of their two losses by a 42-36 score.
• McClain Tigers (1-2) vs. East Clinton Astros (1-2)
This could be a really exciting game to be at as both teams have the same record, and they are also from neighboring counties and play a no-quit style of football. The McClain Tigers won a shootout last Friday by defeating Zane Trace, 51-50, and the Astros played in a game full of personal fouls with the Hillsboro Indians, losing 21-7.
Both teams have something to prove this season, and looking back to last year, this was the game where the MHS Tigers broke a 22-game losing streak when they defeated EC last season astAstro Field.
This year, this game will also be homecoming for the Tigers, and they are coming off a standout rushing performance by Braden Wright, who led MHS with 14 carries for 216 yards and two scores. That same game, Dalton Mischal had 136 yards rushing (14 carries) and one touchdown, and it was the best game to date for MHS.
For the Astros, their win this season came against Cedarville by a 37-7 score. In their game last week against the Hillsboro Indians, Jared Smith totaled 93 yards rushing on 15 carries and 67 yards passing (4-of-11) with one touchdown and two interceptions.
Others to watch for EC are Kaleb Kingery and Todd Wedding.
• Miami Trace Panthers (2-1) at Marlington Dukes (1-2)
From Alliance, the Marlington Dukes will be hosting the Miami Trace Panthers in this non-conference showdown. The Dukes are coming off a 49-2 loss to New Philadelphia, and earlier this season they defeated Roosevelt (Kent) 34-10 and lost to Poland Seminary, 24-23.
In a look at their most recent game, the Dukes have CJ Greiner as quarterback and in their loss to New Philadelphia he was 13-of-25 for 225 yards with one touchdown pass and three interceptions. Their leading rusher was Anthony Sabatino at 19 carries for 102 yards and two touchdowns.
The leading receiver from that game was Andrew Pucci with two receptions for 102 yards and one touchdown. Also, MT fans should keep track of Ryan Cooley and Andrew Carr, as both players had at least 50 yards receiving last week.
MTHS is coming off a strong performance by Jayden LeBeau with 21 carries for 226 yards and three touchdowns in a 43-22 win over Logan Elm last Friday night. There was also Dalton Mayer, who rushed for 110 yards on nine carries with two touchdowns, plus he was 7-of-11 for 81 yards passing with a touchdown and interception.
• Washington Blue Lions (2-1) vs. Ponitz Career Tech Golden Panthers (0-3)
The Blue Lions of Washington C.H. are coming off a tough loss to the Adena Warriors last Friday by a 39-18 score, but this season they still have two wins and are looking for a third one in Week 4.
Last week, Washington saw quarterback Ethan Rogers-Wright totaled 233 yards passing off a performance of 16-of-34 while adding two touchdown passes and one interception. That game, the beneficiaries of those passing yards were Jerome Mack (5-107-2), Eli Lynch (5-64) and Calum Brown (6-62).
The Blue Lions are averaging 30.6 points per game this season, and in Week 4 it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them play more like they did in the first two games of the season when it comes to scoring points compared to last Friday night.
The Ponitz Career Tech Golden Panthers have losses to Beechcroft (15-12), Beavercreek (40-20) and Dayton Christian (36-6) this season.
As for the Week 4 schedule, here are the games to be played tonight and a quick preview for each game:
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• Chillicothe Cavaliers (1-2) vs. Centennial Stars (2-1)
Chillicothe begins Week 4 coming off a 12-point loss to Watkins Memorial by a 26-14 score, as they totaled 140 yards of offense and allowed 373 yards to their opponent last week.
Centennial has scored 116 points combined in their first three games this season, with their two wins coming against Columbus West (50-0) and Africentric (46-6). Their lone loss has been against Grandview Heights by a 21-20 score.
In their most recent game last weekend, Centennial totaled 276 yards on offense in 33 plays with 266 yards rushing on 25 attempts. A player to watch for Centennial is Luchene Davis, who last week totaled 116 yards rushing on nine carries, averaging 12.9 yards per carry with two touchdowns.
• Hillsboro Indians (2-1) at Williamsburg Wildcats (3-0)
The Williamsburg Wildcats enter this game undefeated at 3-0 overall with wins against Batavia (14-13), St. Bernard-Elmwood Place (28-8) and Riverview East Academy (43-6).
For Williamsburg, players to watch are Loghan Kelley and Teddy Conley. In Week 1, Kelley had 11 carries for 49 yards and two touchdowns. Other players to watch are Jarrett Thatcher and Levi Kritzwiser, with both of those WHS players combining for 102 yards rushing in the season opener against Batavia.
The Indians enter this game coming off a win against the East Clinton Astros by a 21-7 score last Friday night. This is also the second of what will be three straight road games for the Tribe, as they will face CNE next week.
The Indians this season have used their rushing game to compile most of their offensive yards with Mark Gallimore, Silas Simmons, Justin Spears and Logan Hester having basically all of the carries this season.
Gallimore is coming off a 100-plus-yard rushing performance and has been a standout player thus far this season on both offense and defense. Speaking of the defense, the Hillsboro defensive line has played very strong this season, and as a whole the defense has been a huge part of their two wins in 2019.
• Jackson Ironmen (3-0) at Western Brown Broncos (0-3)
Western Brown has losses to Hillsboro (16-14), Little Miami (41-6) and Ross (34-7) this season, and this week is no easier by facing the Jackson Ironmen, who are 3-0 overall this season.
After the first three games, JHS has outscored their opponents 82-39, and an even stronger stat is they have yet to allow a point to be scored on them in the first quarter this season.
JHS is averaging nearly 28 points per game, and the Ironmen are led by Jayden Spires in the rushing game with 46 carries this season for 299 yards and two touchdowns. Jackson is sure to have the advantage going into this game in 2019, and remember last season Western Brown handed JHS one of their two losses by a 42-36 score.
• McClain Tigers (1-2) vs. East Clinton Astros (1-2)
This could be a really exciting game to be at as both teams have the same record, and they are also from neighboring counties and play a no-quit style of football. The McClain Tigers won a shootout last Friday by defeating Zane Trace, 51-50, and the Astros played in a game full of personal fouls with the Hillsboro Indians, losing 21-7.
Both teams have something to prove this season, and looking back to last year, this was the game where the MHS Tigers broke a 22-game losing streak when they defeated EC last season astAstro Field.
This year, this game will also be homecoming for the Tigers, and they are coming off a standout rushing performance by Braden Wright, who led MHS with 14 carries for 216 yards and two scores. That same game, Dalton Mischal had 136 yards rushing (14 carries) and one touchdown, and it was the best game to date for MHS.
For the Astros, their win this season came against Cedarville by a 37-7 score. In their game last week against the Hillsboro Indians, Jared Smith totaled 93 yards rushing on 15 carries and 67 yards passing (4-of-11) with one touchdown and two interceptions.
Others to watch for EC are Kaleb Kingery and Todd Wedding.
• Miami Trace Panthers (2-1) at Marlington Dukes (1-2)
From Alliance, the Marlington Dukes will be hosting the Miami Trace Panthers in this non-conference showdown. The Dukes are coming off a 49-2 loss to New Philadelphia, and earlier this season they defeated Roosevelt (Kent) 34-10 and lost to Poland Seminary, 24-23.
In a look at their most recent game, the Dukes have CJ Greiner as quarterback and in their loss to New Philadelphia he was 13-of-25 for 225 yards with one touchdown pass and three interceptions. Their leading rusher was Anthony Sabatino at 19 carries for 102 yards and two touchdowns.
The leading receiver from that game was Andrew Pucci with two receptions for 102 yards and one touchdown. Also, MT fans should keep track of Ryan Cooley and Andrew Carr, as both players had at least 50 yards receiving last week.
MTHS is coming off a strong performance by Jayden LeBeau with 21 carries for 226 yards and three touchdowns in a 43-22 win over Logan Elm last Friday night. There was also Dalton Mayer, who rushed for 110 yards on nine carries with two touchdowns, plus he was 7-of-11 for 81 yards passing with a touchdown and interception.
• Washington Blue Lions (2-1) vs. Ponitz Career Tech Golden Panthers (0-3)
The Blue Lions of Washington C.H. are coming off a tough loss to the Adena Warriors last Friday by a 39-18 score, but this season they still have two wins and are looking for a third one in Week 4.
Last week, Washington saw quarterback Ethan Rogers-Wright totaled 233 yards passing off a performance of 16-of-34 while adding two touchdown passes and one interception. That game, the beneficiaries of those passing yards were Jerome Mack (5-107-2), Eli Lynch (5-64) and Calum Brown (6-62).
The Blue Lions are averaging 30.6 points per game this season, and in Week 4 it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them play more like they did in the first two games of the season when it comes to scoring points compared to last Friday night.
The Ponitz Career Tech Golden Panthers have losses to Beechcroft (15-12), Beavercreek (40-20) and Dayton Christian (36-6) this season.