High school football: 5 things we learned from the regionals
As the postseason progresses, navigating through the biggest moments will be the most important challenge for central Ohio’s six remaining football teams.
With the state semifinals upon us, here are five things we learned from the regional finals:
Jennings' talent has helped cover Harvest Prep's imperfections
During its win over Wheelersburg, Harvest Prep committed eight false starts and never found their groove in its passing game.
Jennings, a Bowling Green commit who missed four games during the regular season, has seemingly gotten better each week since his return.
After his team fell behind 17-7 at halftime, Jennings ran for a 40-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter for what proved to be the game-winning score. He then ran it nine more times in the fourth to help the Warriors eat the clock.
Harvest Prep likely will need a
cleaner game if it is to get past Versailles in a state semifinal Nov. 27 at London.
West Jefferson’s defense has it back at state for the sixth time
The game's biggest plays went West Jefferson's way in its win over Fort Frye, and it was the defense that finished the job.
First, Michael Pettry recovered a fumble at the West Jefferson 37 with 3:43 remaining. Later, with Fort Frye on its way to another potential score on its final possession, it got knocked out of field-goal range when quarterback Ian Ellis was called for intentional grounding.
West Jefferson quarterback Tyler Buescher threw for 330 yards, but his team will try to find more balance when it plays Coldwater after being held to 9 yards rushing in the regional final.
Defense proved to be difference for Upper Arlington
Upper Arlington is back in a state semifinal for the seventh time, but the Bears' last appearance at that level came when they won their only title in 2000.
Pickerington Central finished with 293 yards of offense on Friday, but UA'S Chris Reynolds tackled Tyler Gillison at the 1 to end the second overtime and Collin Ansel sacked Braden Mantooth on the game's final play.
The Bears' next challenge, three-time state champion St. Edward, held Medina quarterback Drew Allar, a Penn State commit, to 27 of 62 passing for 299 yards and one touchdown while intercepting him twice.
Licking County League enjoying another strong postseason
Johnstown and Licking Valley are typically strong LCL programs that had uncharacteristically rough
seasons, but this marks the second time in four seasons that the league will have two programs in semifinals.
Top-seeded Granville answered the call after early playoff adversity in Division III, Region 11, when Carsyn Crouch was banged up, posting a 57-49 victory over the high-octane offense of sixth-seeded Mount Orab Western Brown to advance to state for the first time. The Blue Aces will play Hamilton Badin in a semifinal between undefeated teams.
Top-seeded Newark Catholic overcame a slow start to get by third-seeded Shadyside in the Division VII, Region 27 final and will match up with Warren John F.
Kennedy.
Bloom-carroll is the only remaining undefeated team in Division IV
After making it to a state semifinal for the first time last season, top-seeded Bloom-carroll survived a defensive struggle to beat second-seeded St. Clairsville 14-3 in the Region 15 final.
Bloom-carroll is 14-0 and faces Clarksville Clintonmassie, which won when Cincinnati Mcnicholas fell short on a two-point conversion run instead of attempting what would have been a game-tying extra point on the last play of regulation.