Dominant run games lead way in playoffs
It isn't any coincidence that teams built to run the football are the ones who traditionally advance the furthest in the playoffs.
Pickerington Central and Hartley — central Ohio's two most prolific programs over the past 15 years — reinforced that theory on Friday night when heavy rains, gusting winds, and thunderstorms either delayed or postponed many in the area and throughout the state.
It's a rite of passage in late October and throughout November for Mother Nature to play a hand in outcomes of postseason games. In Ohio, that could be any combination of rain, snow, sleet and wind. On Friday, it came in the form of a powerful cold front that dropped the temperature some 30 degrees in a matter of a few hours.
While more and more stadiums now feature synthetic surfaces, teams that are able to dominate the line of scrimmage and lean on their ground game — and maybe just as important those who believe they can do so — tend to have the most success.
Pickerington Central piled up 309 yards on 48 rushes — a 6.4-yard average — to wear down Hilliard Bradley for a 34-7 win in a Division I regional semifinal Friday.
The Tigers boast perhaps the ultimate “mudder” in Bowling Greenbound senior back Nick Mosley, who rushed for 151 yards and two touchdowns (his 26th and 27th of the season) with his tough between-the-tackles style.
With four backs sharing the load, Hartley pounded out a 34-14 win over Dresden Tri-valley in a Division III playoff game. The Hawks rushed for 376 yards, with Nyal Johnson, Marcelis Parker, Sumo Kesselly and Richard Kenny accounting for 310 of them and four touchdowns.
That game included a 21⁄ 2- hour weather delay and concluded at midnight.
Massillon Perry, Thornville Sheridan and Glouster Trimble used the same ground-gobbling method in respective playoff wins over Dublin Scioto,
Watterson and Berne Union.
Even Westerville South, known for its prolific passing attack, rushed for 299 yards (with a hefty 11-yard average) in its 56-29 win over Olentangy Berlin.
Saturday's resumed/rescheduled games ranged from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Olentangy Liberty recovered a Dublin Coffman fumble at the Patriots 16yard line with 49 seconds remaining and knocked off the top-seeded Shamrocks 18-15 in a Division I regional semifinal that concluded Saturday. It was Coffman's fifth turnover of the day.
Liberty will face Springfield (7-1) in the regional final. Springfield advanced
when 8-0 Clayton Northmont was forced to cancel its matchup Friday because of COVID-19 exposure.
Granville was leading top-seeded Desales 7-0 in a Division III game when play was halted with 2:08 remaining in the first half.
Jalil Underwood broke Groveport's career rushing mark during its halted regular-season game against Canal Winchester. Daryl Royal held the mark for nearly 30 years.
Top performances
• Judah Holtzclaw passed for 120 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 64 yards and three scores in Westerville
Central's 50-7 rout of New Albany in a Division I regional semifinal.
• Olentangy Berlin's Jason Moeller completed 21 of 32 passes for 352 yards and two TDS in the defeat to Westerville South.
• Cole Canter completed 6 of 6 passes for 155 yards and four TDS (two to Brandon Buchanan) in Newark Catholic's 42-7 Division VII playoff win over Danville.
• Amare Jenkins completed 24 of 43 passes for 230 yards and a TD in Dublin Scioto's 35-14 loss to Massillon Perry in Division II play.
• Orlando Jones accounted for seven touchdowns in Independence's 62-20 win over Linden in a City League playoff game Thursday. He passed for three scores, ran for one, added two on interception returns and another on a punt return.
• Nasir Robinson rushed for 221 yards and two TDS on 18 carries for Lancaster in its 24-0 win over Teays Valley in regular-season play.
• Leo Nixon of Hilliard Davidson rushed for 193 yards and two TDS in Hilliard Davidson's 35-14 regular-season win over Grove City.
• Independence's Jalin Sample rushed for 193 yards and two TDS on 21 attempts in the rout of Linden.
• Chris Prince rushed for 130 yards on 20 carries with two TDS in Berne Union's 35-14 loss to Glouster Trimble in a Division VII playoff game.
• Sylvester Bockarie of Westerville North ran for 131 yards in a 13-10 regularseason loss to Olentangy Orange.
• Penn State commit Kaden Saunders made five catches for 122 yards and two touchdowns in Westerville South's win over Olentangy Berlin and also returned an interception 106 yards for a TD.
• Jace Middleton of Olentangy made five receptions for 138 yards and two TDS in a 35-13 win over Worthington Kilbourne in a Division II playoff game.
• Watterson's Tyler Young returned two punts (56, 57 yards) for TDS in Watterson's 28-20 loss to Thornville Sheridan in Division III action.
• Kyle Denney of Westerville Central returned one of his two interceptions for a touchdown and had a TD reception in the win over New Albany. sblackledge@dispatch.com @Blackiepreps