Five things we learned in Week 4 in central Ohio
A schedule filled with community rivalries more than lived up to its billing in Week 4.
The battle of Pickerington and one of the annual games between the Dublin programs were filled with drama, and there was plenty of excitement in matchups, such as when Olentangy beat Olentangy Orange 24-21 after both teams came in winless.
Here are five things we learned in Week 4:
1. Pickerington North’s defense should keep it in the OCC-OHIO Division title race
Other than in their 48-0 victory over Walnut Ridge on Aug. 27, North has averaged just 163 yards of offense.
A defense featuring senior Eli Coppess and junior Malik Ray, though, has proven to be more than enough to keep North in games, with the latest example being Friday's 13-10 overtime win over Pickerington Central.
North was held to 106 yards but got a forced fumble by Ray that he recovered and turned into a game-tying touchdown.
2. Horvath is a quarterback capable of taking Hilliard Darby to new heights
Darby is 4-0 for the first time since 2015, when it won its first eight games and made it to a Division I, Region 3 semifinal. John Santagata, who has been the Panthers' coach since 2008, appears to have one of his best teams and perhaps his best quarterback in Blake Horvath.
In a 29-23 win over Hilliard Davidson on Friday, Horvath rushed for 206 yards and two touchdowns and added his third touchdown pass of the season. He has 621 yards rushing on the season.
3. Central Crossing is enjoying one of the best starts in program history
In his fifth season as coach, Trevor White has Central Crossing out to just the second 3-1 start in program history.
Central Crossing beat Grove City 19-14 on Friday as senior quarterback Alec Boyd rushed for 118 yards and a touchdown and sophomore running back Abdul-malik Kamara had 22 rushes for 107 yards and one score. Kamara has 495 yards and four touchdowns.
4. Dublin Coffman got the breakthrough win it has been seeking
Despite giving up three kickoff returns for touchdowns, Coffman beat Dublin Jerome 49-42 overtime.
Mason Maggs rushed for 227 yards and four touchdowns on 47 carries and completed 19 of 27 passes for 153 yards and one score.
Coffman (1-3) earned its first win under coach Geron Stokes.
5. Improvements of Columbus East, Linden-mckinley and Africentric are creating intrigue in the City League
Beechcroft and Northland in the City-north and Walnut Ridge, Eastmoor Academy and Marion-franklin in the City-south have been the most competitive teams in the league in recent years, but more parity could be coming.
Africentric won a pair of Division VI, Region 23 playoff games in its first postseason appearance last fall and is out to a 3-1 start under a new coaching staff that includes head coach Jamell Davis and longtime City assistant Steve Ayers.