Coldwater is Coldwater…but their running game is generally undervalued with Cody Depweg (above) and Miles Pottkotter. (Press Pros Feature Photos)
Highlighted by five MAC teams all trying to get to that elusive Final Four in football, week 14 of the Friday ‘Picks’ will conclude 2024 with a bang.
To deal with a couple of ‘Reader Speaks’ questions first, we’ll close the curtain on the Friday night ‘Picks’ column for another year with a preview of this week’s regional finals that’ll have Midwest Athletic Conference fans, arms folded, declaring, “See, we told you so.”
First, the question received this week about whether we’ve even noticed that 3-7 (regular season) Delphos St. John has won three straight in the post-season and plays in the regional finals on Friday against #1 seed, Columbus Grove?
Yes, but DSJ has played in the northwest region against Calvert, Upper Scioto, and Leipsic, and out of our geographic reach. But we noticed.
Publisher Sonny Fulks writes OHSAA sports and the Buckeyes for Press Pros Magazine.
Second, to that one John the Baptist in the wilderness reminding us that, “See, there is a reason for sixteen teams in the region because a #15 (DSJ) plays #1 Columbus Grove this week in the regional final.”
Or, “all it takes is one.”
Duly noted. And as we write weekly there is no more determined effort in Friday night football than that of Todd Schulte’s Blue Jays, having held Versailles to 17 points early in the year…and again New Bremen on Week 10. So while the Jays are the OHSAA’s ‘little engine that could’ this year, there is that question, still, of whether it should take more than one?
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All that said, the anticipated finale of the ‘Picks’ page this week with five MAC teams competing for a state semi-final bid, as well as some out-of-the-area looks at a Cinderella (London) and a perennial (Ironton) trying to keep their school and community in the headlines.
The Friday ‘Picks’ are annually sponsored by our matchless friends at Orthopedic Associates of Southwest Ohio, whose reputation and care for athletes and fans, alike, has earned them the highest of reputation and honor. If and when you need them, the Orthopedic Associates of Southwest Ohio are conveniently located up and down I-75 in Sidney, Greenville, Dayton, Centerville and Fairborn…keeping those same athletes and fans, alike, in the game. We could not appreciate them more.
And now to the games and another question…of Marion Local’s win streak…can Minster ground the Flyers…can Anna break through against Coldwater…and yes, can Delphos St. John actually be that little engine that could?
Starting with….
Bellbrook’s only loss came against Tipp City in week 1…before the Eagles running game found its strike.
London vs. Bellbrook (Div. III, @ Springfield HS)…For the sake of a growing audience in central Ohio (Madison County), a #4 (London) against a #3 (Bellbrook). London is one of the remaining unbeatens in the tournament at 13-0, and with offensive momentum second only to Marion Local and Minster, locally. The Red Raiders have steamrolled their way to an average of 50 points for the year, proving along the way that they’re capable of beating teams determined to slow the game down and keep their offense off the field…none more so than St. Marys last week. Until now, that is, with Belbrook (12-1, #3 seed), who loves to run the ball, eat clock, and make every possession count, offense and defense! What makes this game hard to pick is the fact that both teams have beaten a lot of stinkers…games against opponents with lopsided losing records. So it comes down to the ones they’ve won in the playoffs. London has beaten Chaminade, St. Marys, and Ross…while Bellbrook (whose only loss came against Tipp City) has beaten Meadowdale, McNicholas, and last week’s surprise, Wapakoneta, in the post-season. London has more firepower than any of those three teams, is as healthy as you can hope to be at this point in the year, and I think will be able to make the most of each offensive possession. In Division III football, the Raiders are as good a story as there is in southern-tier football, and one that’s been a long time coming. London will bring every HS football fan in nearby Madison County, and I think they win…over Bellbrook, by two scores.
Years of frustration in Canton for Ironton…who seeks to put old demons to rest in 2024.
Ironton vs. Wheelersburg (Div. V, @ South Point HS)…#1 Ironton is again in range of the Final Four, and that elusive title to be found in Canton. But first the Tigers have to get beyond neighboring Wheelersburg, their natural rival on the Ohio River about whom someone claimed five years ago that Wheelersburg was the new Ironton in southern Ohio football…back when it was Wheelersburg winning state titles (2017), and not Ironton. Well, if words don’t actually kill, they are remembered, and they haven’t forgotten in Ironton. Ironton, in this case, is simply the better team (12-1), against a Wheelersburg team (9-4) that finished 6-4 in the regular season and beat too many teams like Minford and Oak Hill. This will be fun for the nearby papers, but it won’t be fun for Wheelersburg. Ironton, who crushed Harvest Prep last week, will have a similar outcome this week. The Tigers win this game by three scores, at least, over Wheelersburg.
Delphos St. John vs. Columbus Grove (Division VII @ Lima Spartan Stadium)…With respect to Delphos St. John (#15), Columbus Grove is a far different test than their previous three games against Calvert, Leipsic, and Upper Scioto. Still, what DSJ does they do well. They’ve been able to execute and limit turnovers – they haven’t beaten themselves. You have to be better and more determined if you’re going to beat them. That probably defines Columbus Grove, who’s looking for the ultimate rematch with Marion Local, a team the Bulldogs beat back in 2003 for their only state title. We haven’t seen Columbus Grove (avg. 38 points per game as a running team), but comparative stats of the two teams are too much to disregard. Grove wins this game by at least two scores.
Coldwater’s defense will be a difference, and in a close game kicker Bryce Couchot (above) is one of the area’s best.
Coldwater vs. Anna (Division VI, @ Sidney High School)…When the two teams met in September Coldwater won that game 38-14. And there’s a reason why I’ve touted Anna all year as a team that’s underappreciated. The Rockets’ (#3 seed, 10-3) only three losses have come against Marion Local, Coldwater, and Minster. They have the quarterback in Alex Shappie to make them competitive against anyone they play, along with the complementing parts. Coldwater, however, has coach Chip Otten who always seems to play with a deck of 54 cards. He always has something up his sleeve. And, he has his own dynamic quarterback in Baylen Blockberger…with complementing parts. I believe that Anna has probably improved more since that 38-14 game than Coldwater, but Coldwater gets the nod because of its defense…and its special teams. Kicker Bryce Couchot is one of the best. This will be really good, and Anna will no doubt remember 2019 when they busted Coldwater’s bubble with a 49-8 shellacking on the way to the Rockets’ only state title. But that game is too far in the rear view mirror. Closer, I believe, but Coldwater still wins this game…probably by two scores.
Marion Local vs. Minster (Division VII, @ Wapakoneta)…As is usual case at this point of the season, everyone in Ohio will be watching Marion Local Friday, seeking its 15th state title and to extend its growing record of 61 consecutive wins. The Flyers are the 1927 Yankees of high school football. Marion beat Minster a month ago by a 21-0 score, but this is a different Minster team now because 6’2, 195-pound receiver James Niemeyer is back to make an already dangerous group of Minster skill position players even more dangerous. He’s a difference maker with every snap. That said, Marion is Marion, a little more banged up than they’d like, but deeper than any other Division VII team in the state and with a defense that’s allowed just 36 points all year and has nine shutouts. Of their 14 previous state title teams, this is the most balanced Marion Local team yet – the most diverse running team yet – and the best passing game in the program’s history. That’s not hyperbole, but fact.
When they met on October 18 Marion’s record defense made life miserable for talented Minster quarterback, Brogan Stephey.
On top of that they’ve always had great defenses, but this one set records for points allowed in a season (22), and given their knowledge of Minster, one big play is hardly likely to determine the outcome. Because of the popularity of this page, there have been many responses this week as to what that 21-0 score meant on Oct 18. And can Minster whittle into that margin with a rematch? Here’s the best answer I have, knowing the two programs as I do. They’re mutually respectful, and there really can’t be any surprises. You dance with the girl you brought. For Minster it’ll mean a lot of Brogan Stephey doing his best to create, whether by running or by throwing the ball to an experienced set of receivers (Niemeyer, et. al). The running game is anchored by tailbacks Dylan Heitkamp and and Connor Schmiesing. But they’ll have to do it against the best Marion defense in school history, at least by the numbers. For Marion it’ll mean that punishing run game headed by Drew Lause, Parker Hess, and Ethan Heitkamp…all unique, and all different. And then the passing game…Victor Hoelscher, Andrew Pohlman, and Griffin Bruns, the most productive receiving trio in program history. If quarterback Justin Knouff is anywhere near full go it’ll be tough sleddin’ for the Wildcats. As far as picking it, it’s hard to beat someone twice in a month, but they’ve won 61 games in a row and three titles in a row. Simply put, you can’t pick against Marion. The Flyers move on…probably by three scores.
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