From left, Lima Senior’s Ja’niaus Hall, Celina’s Braylon Gabes, Upper Scioto Valley’s Alex Sanders and Hardin Northern’s Nolan Hopson.
The penultimate week of the regular season has teams vying for playoff spots and conference titles.
Toledo Scott (4-4, 3-1 Toledo City League) at Lima Senior (6-2, 4-0 )
Lima Senior assured itself of its first winning season in seven years and now the Spartans are looking to secure at least a share of its first Toledo City League title when they face Toledo Scott.
The Spartans, who are riding a five-game winning streak, are coming off a 47-28 win against Toledo Waite last week. It marked the fourth time in five games they have scored 45 or more points.
Spartan signal caller Ja’niaus Hall completed 22 of 35 pass attempts for 353 yards with 5 touchdowns, one each to Kaden Hampton, Zaveon Garner, Chance Sanders, Kahlig Wash, who finished with six catches for 130 yards, and Sumarion Doughty.
Even though the Spartans are not known for their running game, Jamall Webster had five carries for 108 yards and a touchdown.
The Spartan defense did give up 28 points, the most since allowing 31 to Piqua in week one.
Start collected its second straight victory after upending Toledo Rogers 41-6 and have outscored its last two opponents 83-6.
Start is averaging 27 points a contest and giving up an average of 22 points a game.
Cardinal Stritch (2-6) vs. Lima Central Catholic (4-3)
LCC got an unexpected week off after Richmond Heights was forced to cancel its game against the T-Birds due to injuries.
The Thunderbirds will gear up for a Saturday game against Spartan Stadium for Cardinal Stritch, which comes into the game after being dominated by Ottawa Hills 70-7.
Like Richmond Heights, Cardinal Stritch battles numbers problems and is back playing football after having not played a varsity schedule in 2022.
The Cardinals come into the game averaging more than 16.5 points a contest and giving up more than 40 points a game. In four of their games, the Cardinals have scored in single digits.
LCC is also looking to secure a home playoff contest, entering the game ranked 10th in Division VII, Region 26. The top eight teams get home games in the postseason.
Defiance (6-2, 5-2 WBL) at Celina (7-1, 7-0)
Celina has not won a Western Buckeye League title since 1995 but the Bulldogs can grab a share of the title Friday if they can defeat Defiance.
Celina faces Wapakoneta, which has one loss in the WBL, in the final week of the season.
Celina put itself in that position after defeating Ottawa-Glandorf 27-7. In that contest, the Bulldogs’ Jon Lutz had 13 carries for 131 yards and a touchdown, Bobby Morris had two TD passes to Braylon Gabes who has 19 total touchdowns on the year.
Celina will have its hands full against a Defiance defense that is tough against the run and is coming off a 28-27 win against Bath. The Wildcats managed 158 yards against a Defiance team that was limiting opponents to 88.9 yards a contest.
Defiance’s Brogan Castillo rushed for 126 yards and a touchdown and has rushed for 552 yards and four touchdowns.
Hardin Northern (6-2, 6-1 NWCC) at Upper Scioto Valley (6-2, 6-2)
Hardin Northern and Upper Scioto Valley are staring up at Waynesfield-Goshen in the Northwest Central Conference with each suffering a loss to the Tigers, but, more importantly, each is looking to establish itself in the postseason.
Upper Scioto Valley is almost a lock for the playoffs as it stands 12th, however, Hardin Northern finds itself in the No. 17 slot.
USV elevated itself in the computer rankings with a 32-30 victory against Elgin (6-2, 5-2 NWCC). In that win, Rams quarterback Alex Sanders ran for two touchdowns and threw for a pair of touchdown passes. Maddox Underwood secured nine catches for 155 yards and two TDs.
On the year, Sanders has rushed for more than 1,300 yards.
Hardin Northern is coming off a 62-0 win against Crestline to extend its winning streak to four. For the season, quarterback Nolan Hopson is 33 of 47 for 447 yards and four touchdowns and has rushed for 570 yards and 10 touchdowns. Carter Curtis has rushed for 804 yards and 14 touchdowns.
The Polar Bears have scored 40 or more points five times this year.
