Prep playoff possibilities: Lots on line in season's final week
10/26/2007
Southview-Rogers (Aug. 31)
Amy E. Voigt
<br> <img src=http://www.toledoblade.com/graphics/icons/photo.gif> <a href= /apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=TO&Dato=20070929&Kategori=SPORTS12&Lopenr=929003&Ref=PH target= _blank ><b>Central Catholic-Start</b></a> (Sept. 28)
As the final weekend of the Ohio high school football regular season plays out tonight and tomorrow, there is still plenty at stake as far as league championships and playoff berths around northwest Ohio.
Here is a breakdown of what's on the line for teams from area leagues. (Playoff predictions on Page 6.)
City League: If Central Catholic (7-2, 5-1 CL) beats winless Waite and Whitmer (7-2, 5-1) defeats Woodward tonight as expected, the CL title will depend upon the results of two other games. One is the showdown of rivals St. Francis de Sales and St. John's Jesuit tonight at the Glass Bowl, and the other is the Clay-at-Libbey matchup tomorrow.
A win by either St. Francis or Clay would give Central its third straight City title based on the CL's point system, and wins by both St. John's and Libbey would give Whitmer its first CL crown since the Panthers entered the league in 2003.
Whitmer has clinched a Division I playoff berth, and a win over Woodward combined with a Perrysburg win over Springfield likely would set up a first-round Perrysburg-at-Whitmer matchup. Central has secured a berth in D-II, and a win over Waite would give the Irish a first-round home game, likely against tonight's Ashland-Lexington winner.
St. John's (5-4, 3-3) most likely would earn a No. 7 or No. 8 seed in D-I by beating St. Francis, which has been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. St. John's will play without standout DaJon Booth, who was suspended for the second time this season (violation of school policy) prior to last week's loss. Booth has since withdrawn from school, according to Titans coach Doug Pearson.
<br> <img src=http://www.toledoblade.com/graphics/icons/photo.gif> <a href= /apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=TO&Dato=20070901&Kategori=SPORTS12&Lopenr=901002&Ref=PH target= _blank ><b>Southview-Rogers</b></a> (Aug. 31)
Northern Lakes League: Southview (8-1, 5-1) has clinched a share of the league championship, but a loss to Maumee would open the door to possible title shares with Perrysburg and/or Bowling Green.
Southview has clinched a D-II playoff berth, and a win would lock up a first-round home game. Win or lose, Perrysburg (7-2, 4-2) still has a solid shot at its first playoff appearance. Bowling Green (5-4, 4-2) needs to beat Anthony Wayne and have North Ridgeville defeat Grafton Midview to have a shot in D-II. A win over Midview, however, is more likely to earn North Ridgeville the No. 8 slot ahead of BG. Rossford would need to beat Northview and have some help to reach the D-III playoff field.
Suburban Lakes League:
Genoa (8-1, 6-0) needs to beat Otsego (2-7, 2-4) to win the SLL outright and clinch a playoff spot in D-IV, which would be the school's first postseason berth. The Eastwood Eagles (8-1, 5-1) have already clinched a spot in D-IV. Even if Lakota (6-3, 4-2) beats Eastwood, the Raiders likely will not qualify in D-V.
Northwest Ohio Athletic League: Patrick Henry (9-0, 7-0) already has secured at least a share of its sixth straight league title and a first-round home playoff game in D-V. Wauseon (6-3, 6-1) could earn a title share by beating PH but, even with a win, the Indians are an extreme longshot to make the field in D-IV. The winner of tonight's Liberty Center-at-Archbold matchup will earn a playoff spot in D-V.
Toledo Area Athletic Conference: Unfortunately for Northwood (7-2, 5-0), even wrapping up an outright TAAC crown tonight by beating Cardinal Stritch would not guarantee the Rangers a spot in the D-V playoff field. They still would need plenty of help to squeak into the No. 8 slot. Hilltop (7-2, 4-1), however, should make the D-VI field with a win over Edon. Toledo Christian (7-2, 3-2) will need to win and get help from several sources to squeak into the D-VI field.
<br> <img src=http://www.toledoblade.com/graphics/icons/photo.gif> <a href= /apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=TO&Dato=20070922&Kategori=SPORTS12&Lopenr=922005&Ref=PH target= _blank ><b>Whitmer-St. Francis</b></a> (Sept. 15)
Midland Athletic League: Top-ranked Hopewell-Loudon (9-0, 6-0) has secured a first-round D-VI home game in Region 21, and can clinch an outright MAL crown by beating Mohawk. A win by Carey (7-2, 5-1) over Tiffin Calvert (6-3, 5-1) would get the Blue Devils (7-2, 5-1) a D-VI spot in Region 22. Likewise, a Calvert win should get the Senecas into the D-VI field in Region 21.
Blanchard Valley Conference: Liberty-Benton (9-0, 8-0) has already earned a D-V playoff berth, and can take an outright BVC title by winning at Pandora-Gilboa. McComb (8-1, 7-1) already has secured a first-round D-VI home game, and the Arlington-at-Hardin Northern winner will earn a spot in D-VI.
Sandusky Bay Conference: The outright SBC title is on the line tonight when Clyde (8-1, 6-0) travels to Oak Harbor (8-1, 6-0). Both teams already have clinched playoff spots, Clyde in D-III and Oak Harbor in D-IV.
Green Meadows Conference: An outright title is also at stake tonight when Tinora (7-2, 6-0) plays at Fairview (9-0, 6-0). Fairview has clinched a playoff berth in D-V, but Tinora will need to make the D-V field. Ayersville (6-3, 4-2) can earn a spot in D-VI by beating Holgate.
Greater Buckeye Conference: Napoleon (8-1, 4-0) has locked up a berth in D-III, and needs to beat visiting Findlay (3-6, 3-1) to win an outright GBC title. Fremont Ross (6-3, 3-1) could be part of a three-way GBC title share with a win over Sandusky plus a win by Findlay. But Ross would need losses by St. John's and Canton GlenOak to sneak into the D-I playoff field.
Northern Ohio League: Fostoria (7-2, 5-1) and Tiffin Columbian (6-3, 5-1) will share the NOL title if they each win tonight. Fostoria will clinch a playoff spot in D-IV with a win, and should get in regardless. Columbian, however, would need a win and plenty of help to make the field in D-III. Shelby (7-2, 4-2) has clinched a spot in D-III.