Licking Valley dominates showdown
In hope of avoiding rush hour traffic, I arrived at Granville for a Licking County League showdown against Licking Valley on Friday night about two hours before kickoff.
I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised to find the main parking lot at 90 percent capacity with tailgating fans. Or to find the Licking Valley bleachers packed. It’s a long-standing tradition with Panthers fans.
This is what heated rivalry games are supposed to be like. By the way, both teams came in with 8-0 records.
Granville took the opening kickoff and scored in three plays. How’s that for shock and awe?
Licking Valley, however, stuck to its script and eventually wore down the Blue Aces in the trenches with hard-nosed running by Mitch Ford and timely play-action passes by Logan Bragg for a 28-12 win.
Ford, who played wingback and receiver during Valley’s Division IV state semifinal run in 2018, pounded out 209 yards on 35 carries against a defense that had allowed just 43 points all season.
The Panthers’ defense was just as impressive, limiting Granville to 251 yards — about onethird of which came in the opening drive. Granville quarterback Bo Buttermore, who came in with 1,710 yards and 18 touchdowns with an uncanny 68% completion rate, was harassed all night by the Panthers. They forced him to throw check-down passes and intercepted him twice.
Here’s the most telling stat: Licking Valley ran 64 plays to just 37 for Granville. The Panthers also had 16 first downs rushing.
With the No. 1 seed in its region clinched, Licking Valley appears to have the makings of another deep run. Granville is almost assured of a Division III playoff spot and is fully capable of winning a game or two if it can develop a running game.
Other games that caught my attention:
Olentangy Orange 10, Olentangy Liberty 7: This is exactly the kind of defensive slugfest I anticipated. The teams combined for 83 yards rushing on 52 attempts. Liberty dodged so many bullets during an 8-0 start, one wondered when its luck would run out. Actually, the Patriots outgained the Pioneers 303-208, but three turnovers sealed their doom. This was a defining win for Orange, which has allowed only 95 points.
Centennial 33, Northland 7: Everybody likes an underdog story, and long-suffering Centennial is this year’s darling. The Stars not only beat Northland for the first time but won a share of their first City League North title and put themselves in position to make the Division III playoffs for the first time.
Pickerington Central 40, Reynoldsburg 14: Quarterback Demeatric Crenshaw carried the mail a second straight week for Central, completing 13 of 14 passes for 174 yards and rushing for 179 yards on 20 carries and three TDS against a fairly stout defense. Many would argue that Central is now the area’s best team. Reynoldsburg has lost three of its past four games and is now fighting for a playoff spot.
Westerville South 23, Westerville Central 20:
A 33-yard field goal by Matthew Bame in the second overtime allowed South to rule The Ville. After losing quarterback Peter Pedrozo to a season-ending injury, the Wildcats dropped three straight games in competitive fashion to good teams, but fought back to end a six-year playoff drought.
Dublin Jerome 25, Olentangy Berlin 20: It seems like just about every Ohio Capital Conference Cardinal Division game comes down to the final minute. Jerome has vaulted itself to second in its Division I region. Berlin’s past six games have been decided in the fourth quarter, many in dramatic fashion.
Teays Valley 28, Amanda-clearcreek 21: Tristan Mcdanel and Riely Weiss each gained more than 100 yards for Teays Valley, which held Amanda to nine offensive plays in the second half. The Vikings won their third straight Midstate League Buckeye Division title.
Desales 31, Steubenville 18: Quintell Quinn rushed for 230 yards on 30 carries for
Desales, which sets up an intriguing matchup Thursday at Hartley for all the marbles in the Central Catholic League. Both teams are 8-1.
Watterson 31, Dayton Dunbar 29: Jacob Hoying hit Davis Boone on a 10-yard TD pass with no time remaining to give the Eagles a dramatic win.
Newark Catholic 41, Heath 16: Evan Slater made four receptions for 127 yards and a pair of TDS in a big win for Newark Catholic, catapulting the Green Wave to second in its region.
Top performers
• Chris Scott of Pickerington North made six receptions for 191 yards and four TDS in a 42-14 win over Lancaster. Quarterback Jack Sawyer, a junior Ohio State defensive end commit, hit 8 of 10 passes for 224 yards and four TDS.
• Jalin Sample of Independence rushed for 298 yards on 18 carries in a 64-6 rout of Briggs.
• Mechi Mccaulley of New Albany ran for a career-high 211 yards on 18 carries in a 34-7 win over Franklin Heights. The Eagles rushed for 348 yards.
• Sheron Phipps rushed for 103 yards and three touchdowns for Thomas Worthington in a 30-27 double-overtime win over Dublin Scioto.
• Cole Workman rushed for 181 yards and three touchdowns and passed for 105 and a TD for Johnstown in a 28-14 win over Licking Heights.
• Lucas Hartings passed for 227 yards and three TDS for Worthington Christian in a 41-0 rout of Berne Union. In setting a program record for wins, the Warriors (7-2) have a chance to make the playoffs for the first time.
sblackledge @dispatch.com @Blackiepreps