Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association High School Football Notebook: Week 9
COLUMBUS – We have reached Week 10 in the 2023 Ohio high school football regular-season. Here are the top performances from around the state as compiled by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association for this week’s high school football notebook.
* The Shelby Whippets earned program win No. 700 in a 37-31 victory over previously undefeated Ontario in Week 9. The Whippets used a hook-and-lateral from Brayden DeVito to Casey Lantz to Issaiah Ramsey to scored the go-ahead 39-yard touchdown with under a minute remaining to clinch the win. Ramsey had two touchdown catches, the other a 73-yarder, along with two interceptions on defense to lead his team into a tie for first place in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference. DeVito threw for 338 yards and four touchdowns of 73, 54, 54 and 39 yards. Shelby can clinch at least a share of the MOAC title in Week 10 against Pleasant.
* Lucas won head coach Scott Spitler his 100th game as the skipper of the Cubs on Friday night with a 34-7 victory over Fort Loramie. Spitler picked up win No. 100 for his career just a few weeks ago in a win over Monroeville, but Friday night marked his 100th as the head coach at Lucas. The Cubs did what they do best running for 325 yards on 41 career cruising to their sixth win in their last seven games.
* The Mansfield Senior Tygers earned at least a share of the Ohio Cardinal Conference championship for the first time since 2017 with a 31-0 win over Mount Vernon. Duke Reese had his best game of the season with eight completions for 181 yards and two touchdowns while running for 88 yards and a score. Nate Dismuke caught six passes for 148 yards and a score while Elias Owens returned from a series of injuries to catch a TD pass. It was the Tygers’ first shutout victory since a 16-0 win over Defiance in the regional quarterfinals last season. Mansfield Senior will go for its first outright league championship since 2013 on Friday night against Madison.
* In a 37-31 loss to Shelby, Ontario quarterback Bodpegn Miller threw for 167 yards which made him the program's all-time leading passer in terms of yards surpassing a mark set by Mike Murray (3,524) in 1991-94. Miller now has 3,620 yards for his career and still has his senior year to play. He has 1,765 yards this season needing just 117 to become the single-season record holder after Ethan Snyder reset the record in 2020 with 1,882. Miller had 16 passing TDs this season sitting just five back of Snyder's 2020 season record of 21 and Miller has 29 passing TDs for his career, just five shy of Jake Mochoskay's career record of 34 from 2004-07. With Week 10 at Highland where a win nets the Warriors at least a share of the MOAC championship and Ontario guaranteed a home playoff game, Miller might just reset every passing record in the program.
* In a 31-21 win over Madison, Lexington sophomore quarterback Joe Caudill had one of the best games of his young career throwing for 152 yards and a touchdown, a 28-yarder to Seven Allen, and running for 96 yards and another score to end the Minutemen’s three-game skid.
* In a 27-26 win over Western Reserve, Crestview’s Liam Kuhn threw for two touchdown passes, a 41- and 21-yard strike, to lead the Cougars to a victory that secured a playoff spot. Kuhn’s 21-yard touchdown to Tyson Ringler late in the fourth quarter was the game-winner helping Crestview get to 4-5 on the season.
* Wynford kept its playoff hopes alive with a 66-34 win over N10 rival Seneca East. Running backs Kaiden Blair (23 carries for 208 yards) and Anthony Evans (17 for 191) paved the way for the Royals, who amassed 617 total yards.
Quarterback Blake Foos threw for 324 yards and four touchdowns for Seneca East.
* Maumee junior Keishon Midcalf rushed for a career-high 290 yards on 31 carries with three touchdowns as the Panthers held off Fostoria 51-38. Midcalf was filling in for Cody Wulf, who was leading the Northern Buckeye Conference in rushing before injuring his ankle in Week 8. Maumee is on the cusp of its first playoff berth since 2010 (excluding the 2020 season).
* Both Hillsboro touchdowns were scored by sophomore quarterback Mason Dumpert, who played an excellent game through the air and with his abilities to run with the football, in the Indians’ 14-13 win over Miami Trace. Dumpert finished with 11 rushes for 116 yards and two rushing touchdowns. Also for Hillsboro, senior Austin Barrett extended his season-long 100-plus yard per game rushing streak to nine consecutive weeks, finishing the Week 9 win with 31 carries for 177 yards, including 128 yards rushing in the first half on 18 carries. The game also marked the Indians’ first win over Miami Trace since 2018.
* Ansonia football team moved to 9-0 defeating 6-3 Preble Shawnee and was led by senior running back Keegen Weiss with a record setting performance. Weiss was a workhorse carrying 38 times for 358 yards scoring 7 TDs and two 2-point conversions setting school record for most points, TDs, and yards in a game. Weiss has rushed for 1746 yards so far this season. The Tigers are currently the #2 ranked DVII team in the state, clinches a share of WOAC Title and with a win Friday will claim an outright league title.
* Tri-County North senior running back Colten Vanwinkle rushed 24 times for 306 yards and 3 TDs in the Panthers win over Mississinawa Valley. Vanwinkle has 1549 yards rushing so far this season.
* Danny Stoddard had 561 yards total offense (95 rushing, 466 passing) and accounted for eight touchdowns (4 rushing, 4 passing) as Medina rallied for a 70-38 Greater Cleveland Conference victory over Shaker Heights. Austin Knowles had 10 catches for 225 yards and two scores for the Bees, who trailed 26-14 before embarking on a 35-0 run. Abdullah Ahmad had 420 of the Red Raiders' 421 yards total offense, rushing for 95 yards and throwing for 325.
* Medina Highland scored the first 16 points without running a play from scrimmage in a 58-7 Suburban League American Conference victory over Cuyahoga Falls. Johnny Siliko took the opening kickoff 90 yards to the house, Matt Ciryak followed with a 66-yard punt return for a touchdown and Jason Sambor tackled the Black Tigers' punter after a high snap for a safety.
* Monroeville quarterback Evan Benfer completed 9-of-11 passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns and added five carries for 87 yards with three TDs to lead the Eagles to a 48-7 thumping of Plymouth last week. Benfer also added two interceptions on defense. For the season, Benfer has completed 61-of-110 passes for 862 yards and 11 touchdowns while rushing 166 times for 1,304 yards and 23 touchdowns. He leads the league with six interceptions defensively. Monroeville entered the season on a 15-game losing streak, but are 7-2 this season and will face Norwalk St. Paul for the Firelands Conference title this week.
* In Waverly's 67-23 win over the visiting Northwest Mohawks Friday night, Waverly senior running back Jase Hurd carried the ball 18 times for 330 yards and 5 touchdowns, working out to an average of 18.3 yards per carry. That puts him at 4,102 yards for his career, setting a new school career rushing record, which he can add to this week when the Tigers travel to Mt. Healthy.
* In Piketon's wild 44-41 win over the visiting Adena Warriors Friday night, Piketon junior running back Buddy Wilson had 163 rushing yards on 16 carries, including an 82 yard run to end zone for Piketon's first touchdown of the night. On the defensive side, Piketon senior linebacker Zane Brownfield piled up 15 tackles, while adding a rushing touchdown and a conversion of offense.
* Portsmouth Notre Dame sophomore quarterback Ethan Kingrey completed 16-of-27 passes for 247 yards and five touchdowns, and rushed for 72 yards and another touchdown on 10 carries, in the Titans' 48-12 Southern Ohio Conference Division I victory at Symmes Valley. Four different Titans receivers caught touchdowns, as the only TD Kingrey didn't account for was a 40-yard run by Luke Cassidy.
* Wheelersburg senior all-purpose performer Creed Warren rushed for 94 yards and one touchdown on only five carries, and made six receptions for 78 yards with two touchdowns, in the Pirates' 51-0 Southern Ohio Conference Division II shutout at Minford. The Pirates and Falcons have now played 69 times all time, with Wheelersburg winning now 63 times in the series. Wheelersburg will host Portsmouth West on Friday night for the outright SOC II championship.
* After an 0-4 start to the season, Napoleon will hit its regular season finale with the chance to win a Northern Lakes League Cardinal Division title as the Wildcats won their fifth straight game, beating Bowling Green 21-0. QB Owen Espinoza had 161 yards and three TDs in the first half for Napoleon, which held the Bobcats to 157 yards rushing – 136 yards below their gaudy 393.1 ypg average entering week nine. Napoleon will visit fellow Cardinal Division unbeaten Sylvania Southview on Friday.
* Wauseon’s Tyson Rodriguez nearly was responsible for all of his team’s points as the senior caught six passes for 169 yards and two TDs, hit field goals from 31 and 32 yards and hit three extra points for 21 of the Indians’ 27 in a 27-26 win over Wauseon.
* Jack Hurst of Archbold was a threat to score every time he touched the ball and proved it against D-VII No. 5 Patrick Henry. Hurst rushed five times for 127 yards and a touchdown, caught two passes for 49 yards and a TD and returned a kickoff 75 yards to paydirt in a 59-22 victory.
* Ayersville’s Abe DeLano and Taurean Knueven combined for 39 carries but both ran for exactly 155 yards and two touchdowns each as the Pilots moved to 5-1 in the Green Meadows Conference with a 38-35 win over Wayne Trace.
* Ottawa-Glandorf wideout Grant Schroeder hauled in 11 receptions for 112 yards to lead the Titans, who snapped an eight-game skid to start the year with a 16-15 comeback win over Lima Shawnee to ensure a 28th straight year of not going winless.
* Xavier McCord of Holgate racked up the yardage against Southington Chalker, completing 18-of-37 passes for 388 yards and five TDs while rushing for 78 yards and two more scores and recording 11 tackles and two TFLs defensively in a 58-32 win. Isaac Mendoza had eight receptions for 189 yards and three of the five TDs as Holgate rallied from 20-0 down in the first half.
* Junior quarterback Ryan Montgomery completed 29-of-45 passes for 333 yards and three touchdowns and ran for three other scores and Findlay’s defense pitched a second-half shutout in the Trojans’ 41-14 win over Toledo Whitmer. The win created a three-way tie atop the Buckeye Division of the Northern Lakes League, which this season expanded to an 11-school, two-division conference. The overall title will be decided – or divided – on Friday when Findlay (7-2, 3-1 NLL) hosts Sylvania Northview (2-7, 1-3 NLL), Toledo Whitmer (6-3, 3-1 NLL) travels to (Holland) Springfield (2-7, 0-4 NLL) and Anthony Wayne (7-2, 3-1 NLL) visits Perrysburg (7-2, 2-2 NLL).
* Bluffton’s best season in 20 years continued on Friday when the 9-0 Pirates beat 2022 Northwest Conference champion Allen East, 42-0. Also continued was the Pirates’ stunning streak of shutouts, which has now reached seven straight games. In a showdown for the NWC title, Bluffton (9-0, 6-0 NWC) will be at Columbus Grove (7-2, 6-0 NWC) on Friday.
* (Bloomdale) Elmwood’s Brennan Hiser carried 35 times for 307 yards and scored six TDs in the Royals 52-8 win over Eden.
* Maumee’s Keishon Midcalf rushed for 290 yards and three touchdowns in the Panthers’ 51-38 in over Fostoria. In standout efforts of their own, Fostoria’s Trenten Smith completed 23-of-35 passes for 369 yards and five TDs and Machi Johnson caught 11 passes for 192 yards and three scores.
* McConnelsville Morgan broke or tied five program records in their 69-26 win at Byesville Meadowbrook. The 69 points broke the school record of 63 that was set in 1967. Senior Quarterback Logan Niceswanger. who passed for 184 yards and rushed for 100 yards and a touchdown, tied the school record with five touchdown passes in a game. His main target Senior Kole Seal caught a school-school record four TD passes. Searl also broke his own record with 882 receiving yards in a season. Senior kicker Elliot Voytko booted a record-tying seven extra points.
* Tri-Valley’s Jayden Wallace had 143 yards on 34 carries and scored a pair of TDs in a 28-17 win at Sheridan.
* Buckeye Trail’s Koen Eagon went for 198 yards on seven carries, including TD runs of 75 and 66, in a 45-14 victory over East Canton.
* West Muskingum’s Rashid Sesay had 135 yards and four TDs on 13 carries and threw the game-tying TD pass to Jake Anton in a 57-56 win over Coshocton. Anton had 315 total yards for West M, while Coshocton held a 630-513 edge in total yards and three players, Riley Woodie (105 yards and 4 TDs), Antwone Johns (128 yards and 3 TDs) and Israel Rice (134 yards), surpassed 100 yards on the ground. Colton Conkle also had 214 yards and a TD passing and Evan Unger caught eight passes for 129 yards for Coshocton.
* New Lex’s Isaiah Stephens threw for 331 yards and four TDs in a 35-0 victory against Crooksville.
* Zander Bice had 327 yards and five TDs on 23 carries and Logan Doughty ran 22 times for 222 yards and three scores for Miller in a 62-34 win over Rosecrans. The Falcons did not complete a pass
* Morgan set several school records including points in the game with a 69-26 rout of Meadowbrook. Logan Niceswanger tied the Morgan school record with five TD passes in a game and gained 284 total yards of offense, while Kole Searl set a record with four receiving TDs in a game and his 125 yards receiving helped him break his own record of 882 receiving yards in a season.