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http://www.columbussports.com/content/writers/dave_herd/its-pigskin-playoff-time----round-2-saturday-night.shtmlIt's Pigskin Playoff Time! -- Round 2 Saturday Night Specials
Pickerington Central and Hilliard Davidson hold on in Div. I; Eastmoor, Big Walnut, Ready and others advance.
Battles of the Big Boys -- Division I, Region 3 -- Pickerington Central 24, Upper Arlington 16 (11/8) -- The chilled fans that travelled to Gahanna Saturday night for this memorable rematch were treated to a tough, impressive battle that saw Pickerington Central (12-0) overcome a 9-7 halftime deficit, its first one of the year. Future Ohio State Buckeyes provided the fuel for the Tiger comeback, which eliminated Upper Arlington (10-2), the OCC Central champ that lost its only two games to Central, providing a disappointing set of bookends to an otherwise successful and enjoyable season. Zach Boren, not a true tailback but used more as a fullback (and running like a powerful one), had 95 yards on the ground but was surpassed by teammate Jamie Wood, who had 116 yards on only 8 carries. Boren had a pivotal third quarter TD and Wood added a 71 yard scoring run to put UA down 21-9. With star RB Tommy Farwick injured early and on the sidelines on crutches, QB/RB Alex Drake led the Golden Bears on an 88 yard drive in which he scored on a 13 yard TD scramble. UA also had a late drive to midfield that fell short. Standout WR/TE Blake Annen had 89 yards receiving on 5 catches to end his season. Hilliard Davidson 21, Worthington Kilbourne 7 -- By winning this one, Davidson (11-1) gets the honor of taking on undefeated Pickerington Central for the upcoming Region 3 final. The Wildcat defense did a commendable job of stopping Aaron Kingcade and the Worthington Kilbourne (9-3) offense as Adam Frazier picked off Kingcade twice in a regional semi-final played at Dublin Coffman. Davidson, the 2006 Division I state champ, seems to playing this postseason with a vengeance after barely failing to qualify last year. Frazier started and ended the first Wildcat drive beginning with one of his picks and then 17 plays later plugging in for a 3 yard TD. Spencer Delande added to the Davidson scoring with a 32 yard try from scrimmage, topped off with a 2 point conversion by Kenny Klatt. Get ready for a rough and tumble regional final with Pick Central, Hillbilliard fans! The game will be played at UA on Saturday 11/15 at 7pm.
Showing Them the City -- Division III -- Eastmoor Academy 28, Thornville Sheridan 6 -- It was another magical night for the City League South Warriors, as they defeated AP top ranked Sheridan (11-1) at DeSales stadium to advance to a regional final against another local favorite, Logan Elm, next Saturday. This time Eastmoor (11-1) was powered by passing as much as running, with Malon Johnson manning the helm and Touche Hopkins scoring both on a 39 yard catch and on a 68 yard TD run, which came early in the second half. Johnson threw for 191 yards, no small accomplishment in Division III on a "running" team, and connected on three TD passes. Alex Coleman also caught a 27 yard Johnson scoring pass. Eastmoor stands as the only one of five original City League teams remaining in the playoffs after Marion-Franklin bowed out in a tough Div. II loss to DeSales. For those who missed out on the vicious cycle during the regular season, the City League provided us some circular heartbreak this year as Brookhaven (1 regular season loss, to Davidson, a one loss team) gave Beechcroft its only loss, while Beechcroft defeated playoff qualifying Independence, which gave Marion-Franklin its only loss, which gave Eastmoor its only loss . . . you get the picture of what unfolded. Licking Valley 41, Poland Seminary 7 -- Poland Seminary (9-3) had better luck in its first two Central Ohio challenges this year, defeating Olentangy Orange and then Granville in the first round of the playoffs. This time the Bulldogs got steamrolled, and there was really not much they could do about it. OSU recruit and Mr. Football Ohio favorite Storm Klein, slated to play LB for the Buckeyes, carried his weight in the offensive backfield with three TDs and 188 yards for Licking Valley (11-1), which lived to play another day and will face powerhouse Dover (11-1) next Saturday in Zanesville. Quarterback Drew Ryan added to the Panthers' dominance with twin 11 yard scoring runs and a dynamic 91 yard score in the opening quarter. Logan Elm 28, Chillicothe 14 -- Not wind nor cold nor unlikely odds could deter the mission of the Pickaway County punks as Logan Elm (12-0) continued its 180 degree turnaround from last year's 0-10 team and advanced to the Region 12 final against city favorite Eastmoor Academy, to be played at Gahanna. The Braves raced to a 21-0 lead behind QB Johnnie Brown and his TD run and 58 yard TD pass and then weathered Cory Wagner's two scores for Chillicothe (8-4) to hang on for the win. Big Walnut 17, St. Mary's Memorial 12 -- Last year's Div. III champs kept hope alive Saturday night and advanced on with another tight win, this time over Memorial (9-3) in a game played at Indian Lake. Big Walnut (10-2) overcame a quick 12-0 deficit and then poured on the remaining points via the arm and legs of QB Johnny Cannell, who ran and threw for TDs in the Eagle's big victory. Now comes the tough part -- Big Walnut, the seventh seed, will face Avon (12-0), the top seed, for the Region 10 title at Ashland.
Takin' the Fifth -- Division V -- Bishop Ready 17, Portsmouth West 0 -- In the hills and in the hollers of Logan some west side city catholic warriors bashed and battered forward again Saturday night to maintain their run against adversity and advance in the Division V playoff picture. That's Bishop Ready (8-2) my friends, and if you're wondering why the Silver Knights have played only 10 games two rounds into the playoffs you can thank two out of state opponents for cancelling on the schedule two weeks in a row in mid-season. It's a testament to Ready's resiliency that the guys just picked it up where they left on to thrash rival Hartley, make the playoffs and the second round and then smack a shutout on a Portsmouth West team (11-1) that had been scoring at will most of the season. Credit a Ready fourth down stuff after a Senator 15 play drive as a big part of the final. QB Brennan McCarty hooked up wth Steve Christman on a 28 yard Ready score, and Mike Morgan punched in a 26 yard FG for a 10-0 lead. Ready filled out the scorecard with a late 41 yard scamper by Colin Leidinger as they were attempting to kill the clock. Liberty Union 14, Wheelersburg 7 -- The boys from Baltimore will be the ones to take on Ready in the Region 19 (Div. V) final as Liberty Union (11-1) hung on again for its sweetest victory of the campaign against Wheelersburg (10-2). A bit of a geography and history lesson is in store for the ignorant at this point. Wheelersburg is "down by the river" (in the words of Neil Young), nestled next to the aforementioned Portsmouth West (11-1), now eliminated by Ready. Wheelersburg had just dropped its blood feud game to P'West, though, for its first loss in the regular season finale. How appropriate, then, for our city and country boys to eliminate both of the river rats to set up an all-central final. Dustin Love of Liberty Union accounted for both TDs in the fourth quarter to overcome the early Wheelersburg lead. West Jefferson 20, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy 10 -- No amount of praying could stop the onslaught of the team with the best nickname in Ohio high school football. The Rough Riders, those exemplars of the ex-burbs, put behind an initial lead by CHCA (11-1) at Kettering Fairmont stadium and advanced to the Region 20 final against perennial power Maria Stein (Marion Local), which is a two loss seventh seed after having moved up a division. West Jefferson (10-2) again rode the leadership of QB D.J. Mendenhall, who threw a 15 yard score to Eric Love before the half for the lead. Sean Cahill pounded 129 yards on 24 runs with two TDs for West Jeff to begin and end the scoring.