Dunbar up next for Wapak
Unknown Wolverines expected to be challenge for Redskins
WAPAKONETA — Dayton Dunbar could be at a disadvantage when it travels to play Wapakoneta in an OHSAA Division III Region 12 Tournament firstround game at 7 p.m. Friday at Harmon Stadium.
The Wolverines enter the contest after playing a seven-game regular season after contests against Hamilton Ross (Sept. 10), Fort Loramie (Sept. 17) and Dayton Thurgood Marshall (Oct. 14) were cancelled. Still,
Dunbar reached the Region 12 playoffs as the No. 11 seed.
“I think having played 10 games this season is an advantage for us,” Redskins
coach Travis Moyer said. “Any time you get an opportunity to play, it helps in
making your team better. I think those experiences will
help us throughout this process. Hopefully, having
more game reps will pay off for us.”
Wapakoneta is seeded sixth in the Region 12 Tournament.
Moyer said the Redskins will be challenged by the Wolverines, who are unfamiliar to WHS. Dunbar is a member of the Dayton City League.
“When we work through our league, there is a lot of familiarity with the teams
that we play,” Moyer said. “Part of the excitement in the
playoffs is that you’re seeing teams that you don’t normally see. We’re facing a team that, since I’ve coached here, we have not faced. We have a big challenge in front of us.”
Moyer believes Wapakoneta
should stay the course with what has made it successful.
“To me, it’s about continuing to do what we have done all season to get to this point,” Moyer said. “We’re not trying to recreate ourselves. We are who we are and we need to do what we
have done the last 10 weeks to be successful.”
This Season
Dunbar: The Wolverines (4-3 overall) lost to Huber Heights Wayne (41-7) and Dayton Northmont (42-19) in the first two weeks of the
season. Since then, Dunbar has won four of its last five games, including victories against Beavercreek (34-15),
Dayton Ponitz Career Tech (12-9), Dayton Meadowdale (42-22) and Dayton Belmont (27-0). The Wolverines only
loss during that stretch
came against Trotwoodmadison (28-6) in Week 7 (Oct. 8).
Wapakoneta: The Redskins (8-2 overall) enter the postseason on a six-game winning streak, including victories against Lima
Shawnee (21-7), Kenton (340), Elida (30-13), Lima Bath (28-21, OT), Celina (41-7) and Defiance (27-6). Wapakoneta split its first four games this season by losing to Marion Local (31-6) in Week 1 and Van Wert (55-45) in Week 4, while defeating Ottawaglandorf (28-13) and St. Marys Memorial (10-7) in Weeks 2 and 3.
Region 12 Tournament
Other first-round games in the Region 12 Tournament — in bracket order —
WAPAK,