Week 7…Who Has Impressed Most As They Enter The Stretch?

Teams who had played well for a month suddenly sprung some leaks in Week 6.  And as the final four weeks loom the question becomes…who has impressed the most entering the home stretch?

No one was more surprised last Friday when Urbana, with a chance for a defining moment in their season, simply couldn’t play like Urbana against a London team that had just suffered the same deficiency the week prior.

Not that London winning surprised me, but it does it happen,  and you wonder?

Were the prior quality wins against North Union and Graham flukes, in Urbana’s case.

And at St. Henry, had there been any indication since Week 2 that three turnovers in the second half would negate the Redskins’ winning opportunity against Marion Local?

And while Anna did come back to win over Fort Recovery, did it say more about the immediate future of Recovery or the Rockets with four games left in the regular season?

For the week we stumbled, too, missing on 3 of the 12 games picked – St. Henry, Urbana, and New Bremen, who now has lost three of their last four after a promising start and competitive showing against unbeaten Minster and once-beaten Coldwater.

More in a moment.

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We have a narrower list of games this week due to matchups, but in some cases games that offer the same opportunities that faced St. Henry, Anna and Urbana last week.  And what they make of those opportunities will no doubt impress those who question the final twelves seeds in the respective districts.  These games are going to count.  Starting with…..

New Bremen @ St. Henry…And why not this game to head the list?  A pair of 3-3 teams whose season hinge on their final four games.  And can you win all four if you don’t win the first?  One can make the case that St. Henry played well enough to win against Marion Local – or at least give themselves a chance – if not for the three interceptions in the fourth quarter.  We’re talking about a 10-7 Marion lead at one point in the second half, owing to St. Henry’s defense.  No question about it, New Bremen is not Marion Local, which makes St. Henry a favorite to settle back into their strong run game and play to their advantage. Bremen must find come new confidence in time to finish up with St. Henry, Marion, and Fort Recovery, and that’s a tough task.  At home you have to like St. Henry to bounce back and win this…by two scores.

Coldwater @ Versailles…One should give Versailles credit after a stunning win over New Bremen last week.  Arguably Versailles is as beat up as any area team you can name, and yet the Tigers found a way to win 16-13 and keep the shimmer in their post-season playoff ambitions.  If they can get healthy, and get running back Landyn Knapke back, Versailles can become a different team.  But the same can be said about Coldwater (5-1), who played Parkway at the right time to bounce back from their previous loss to unbeaten Minster.  Simply put, Coldwater is in the better place at this point, and have the advantage in this game.  Cavaliers, by two scores.

Minster @ Anna…Six weeks ago you would have looked at this game as an upset special, or at least a trap game for Anna.  Now, at 3-3, it’s a pivotal game for Anna’s season and the next three weeks that have them facing Coldwater and Versailles on the road.  And Minster…the Wildcats have become the team that Division VII teams across the state are asking about in terms of who’s better, Minster or Marion Local?  That question will answer itself in two weeks, when Minster and Marion meet.  But for the time, you must respect the confidence with which the ‘Cats are playing, as opposed to the questions that plague Anna as to why they haven’t been better.  Mistakes have become too commonplace.  That’s the biggest factor in this game and I give the advantage to Minster.  At Anna, I like the ‘Cats to win by two scores.

Spencerville @ Fort Loramie…And yes, Spencerville has yet to win a game while Loramie is 4-2, but coming off a humbling defeat against LCC.  Impact?  A lot of bruised egos, for sure.  And it remains to be seen how Loramie puts that loss behind them…that and how healthy they are.   But in reality, why is this game so important to the Redskins?  Because next week they begin a three-game stretch with Columbus Grove, Bluffton, and Allen East.  They have to win now.  And they will…by three scores, at least.

Butler @ Troy…Perhaps the toughest game to pick this week.  Why?  Because can anyone actually say that either 5-1 team has done enough in the MVL to adequately impress?  And if that’s your question…Troy has the advantage because Troy has been one of the area’s biggest surprises.  Similar schedules, yes, but Troy in my mind has played the more complete football, expecially on defense.  Butler was blown out by Tipp, and Troy has their opportunity coming in two weeks.  I count Troy as one who’s impressed the most, so far, and I think they take another step at home Friday with a two-score win.

Xenia @ Tipp…Without a doubt Tipp is one of my teams that’s impressed the most at 5-1, and frankly continue to impress by the manner they’ve played defense since losing to Bellbrook in Week 1.  The Devils have given up 20 points in five games, as good as any team I can think of in the area.  Xenia is 3-3, inconsistent, and are going to leave Tipp Friday anxious to play Fairborn, Greenville, and Stebbins.  I take Tipp to win…by at least four scores, and maybe a fourth shutout.

Piqua @ Fairborn…At 4-2 Fairborn should have the advantage in this game.  Then you see their four wins – West Carrollton, Sidney, Greenville, and Tecumseh.  Those four teams combined have won a total of three games.  Piqua is 2-4, but their four losses have come against teams that have won 18 of their 24 games played thus far.  Piqua has played, by far, the tougher schedule.  Thus, when you look at the stats, and you look at the records, it’s hard to believe that Bill Nees will not have his team coached and in a position to come home a winner.  At least that’s how I see it.  Piqua wins by a score over Fairborn.

Jonathan Alder @ Urbana…When Geron Stokes told me a couple of weeks ago that the Hillclimbers still had some bad habits to get over from the past, I didn’t actually believe him.  Urbana has played well, has a couple of quality wins, and generally make it hard for opposing teams to corral their unpredictability.  But they had none of that last week against London and lost 59-18.  And on top of that, the ‘Climbers played like Stokes had warned about.  This week they play the toughest team on their schedule, and even at home Jonathan Alder has too many of the qualities that are going to make them the favorite in the CBC.  The 6-0 Pioneers really are one of those teams that have impressed, and I love what Stokes is doing in Urbana.  But this might be too much, too soon.  Jonathan Alder wins this game by three scores.

Bethel @ Covington…Bethel is 1-5, Covington is 3-3, and what makes this game even interesting is Covington playing up three divisions.  Bethel is now a Division III team, and moving to the CBC in 2027.  This used to be one of the great rivalries when both teams were in the old Cross County Conference, and Covington is a team that has an excellent opportunity to finish with momentum this year and be a top six seed in the playoffs.  At home, I like Covington…by a score.

Fort Recovery @ Marion Local...If there’s a trap game anyplace this week you can justify this one because while Fort Recovery is 2-4, three of their four losses have been by a touchdown or less.  Marion is 6-0 after beating St. Henry last week, and I guarantee that Tim Goodwin is cognizant of that very factor.  The Indians have played everyone hard.  They just haven’t won.  However, Marion in Week 7 is the Marion they’ve been for years.  They’re not as big, and they’re not as fast as the 2024 team.  But they limit their mistakes and turnovers and junior quarterback Brennen Hess is better than the Brennen Hess that played quarterback as a sophomore.  Simply put, the Flyers are healthy and a lot of their key positions are beginning to take on the qualities of good Marion teams in the past.  “Hit harder and make fewer mistakes,”  said running back Cam Griesdorn last week.  Bottom line…they’ve impressed.  I like them to win again this week, by at least a couple of scores.