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The third round of the college football playoffs will begin Friday night at standalone venues across the state. All games start at 7 p. m.
Here’s a look at this week’s games with the regional teams, with the team’s regional seeding list:
Division I, Region 1
What to watch: The Bulldogs are aiming for their first regional final appearance since 2009. To get there, they want to defeat the two-time defending Division I state champions, who beat their first two playoff warring teams, Array Elyria and GlenOak. via a combined score of 77-0. Array. McKinley’s defensive line has been a strength this season, highlighted by DE K’Vuone McNeal and DT Braylon Minor combining for 17. 5 sacks and 29 tackles for loss. NG Dior Garner, with an offer from Bowling Green, is a two-way starter and force in the middle. This organization has the ultimate challenge with a St. Edward offensive line that averages 299 pounds per man, led by Ohio State recruits Deontae (6-7, 295) and Devontae Armstrong (6-5, 305) and Ohio State recruit Michigan Ben Roebuck (6-8, 320). When asked if St. Ed’s was offensive-heavy, McKinley coach Antonio Hall joked, “Well, when you have the Green Bay Packers’ offensive line. . . ” The Eagles’ defensive line isn’t bad either, led by Notre Dame rookie Loghan Thomas (6-4, 210) with 8 sacks, 22. 5 tackles for loss and 4 forced fumbles. “Their picture of him (defensively) is as smart as Massillon’s,” said Hall. Array. . Junior WR-DB Keith Quincy made the game-clinching interception in the final seconds of McKinley’s second-round win 28-24 over St. Ignatius. Quincy produced a notable season, leading McKinley in receptions (42), receiving yards (830), touchdowns received (six) and interceptions (six) while also handling punting duties. Array. Junior Nino Hill rushed for 915 yards with 5. 7 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Bulldogs. Senior quarterback Keaton Rode, who is a fast-paced threat, has totaled 2,157 yards, 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. “We have to win on defense first and if we can get into an offensive rhythm and not put ourselves in a bad scenario with consequences and sacks and all that, I think those are the two most vital things we have to do to hold on. “I have a chance,” Hall said. Array. St. Ed junior Thomas Csayni is expected to make his third straight start at quarterback with Davidson freshman Casey Bullock dealing with a knee injury. Csayni has totaled 555 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions this season. Sophomore Brandon White (5-8, 175) rushed for a team-high 1,034 yards and thirteen passing touchdowns with five receiving touchdowns. Akron recruits Kyan Mason and Brian Sullivan for a combined 61 receptions for 903 yards and seven touchdowns. Senior LB Shaukeer Hatcher (6-0, 190) leads McKinley in tackles (114) and tackles for loss (18). He also has 4 interceptions, adding one that he returned 58 yards for a touchdown last week. Junior LB Dante McClellan (6 -2, 210), with thirteen tackles for loss and 15 Division I school offers, is capable of making a big play at any time. Array. McKinley lost to St. Ed’s 42-0 in the 2021 regional semifinals and 37-21. in the 2017 regional quarterfinals. The only other matchup between the two systems came in 1967, a 21-12 win at St. ArrayEd’s in Week 9.
Division II, Region 7
What to watch: The Massillon Tigers have outscored their playoff opponents 91-13 in two playoff games and 490-95 overall. This is a rematch of last season’s playoffs, when the Tigers beat the Blue Streaks in the regional final. Array. Lake is coming off a mysterious overtime win against Big Walnut. Lake is guided by workhorse Nate Baker, who has combined for back-to-back 200-yard games. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound senior gained 434 yards with six touchdowns in two playoff games. He leads the county with 1,617 rushing yards. Matrix. Massillon counters with an elite defense, which has allowed two rushing touchdowns all year. The Tigers are consistent with just 7. 9 problems per game. Lake’s defense has also gotten stronger, averaging just 14. 6 problems per game this season. The Blue Streaks are physical up front and have built linebackers, adding their leading tackler, Charlie Christopher (124 total tackles, 88 solo). Senior Joey Garro leads with 20 tackles for loss, and junior DE Ryan Lippe has 11 sacks and 20 tackles for loss. Matrix. Massillon has learned tactics to get to the goal zone, averaging 40. 8 points per game. In last week’s win over Westerville South, the defense scored twice. Array. The Tigers’ offense is led by senior quarterback DaOne Owens, who has approximately 2,200 yards of offense and 22 total touchdowns. Owens connected with his speedy receiving corps of Jacques Carter, Braylyn Toles and Emy Louis Jr. The trio totaled 1,543 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns. Array. . Junior running back JaMeir Gamble averages 6. 9 yards per carry. Array. . . The winner of This game faces the winner of Green-Canal Winchester in the regional final.
Division II, Region 7
What to watch: The Bulldogs bring a lot of momentum to this regional semifinal. Green’s top-ranked defense has allowed 14 problems in the last 14 quarters, while his offense is as healthy as he has been all season. Array. After a brief stint in the 44-14 first-round win over Columbus St. Charles, senior quarterback Samino Manson had his most productive playing time last week since he broke his collarbone in week five. He looked healthy and rust-free, throwing for 124 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 31-7 win over Hoover. Sophomore Tyson Hunka had started Manson’s absence, going 6-1. Manson will return to the starting role this week, and head coach Mark Geis said, “It’s his time. ” Array. Senior WR Zach Baglia has had a touchdown pass in 8 straight games and leads the Bulldogs with 798 yards and thirteen touchdowns. in 62 receptions. Junior versatile Antonio Martin has 11 rushing and receiving touchdowns. Array. . Green RB Jorden Beyl has reached the 100-yard rushing mark in 3 direct games, totaling 44, five yards and five touchdowns on 84 carries. After 39 carries last week, Geis is tracking how the five-foot-10, 170-pound Beyl is holding up physically. “He feels good,” Geis said. Array. Speaking of running the ball, Canal Winchester will do plenty of that with senior Kaseem Wade (five-10, 190) behind a fullback and a big offensive line (led to 6-4, 30-pound senior David Sipke). . Geis estimates that the Winchester Canal is about 82% exploited. Wade scored the only touchdown on a 2-yard run in Canal Winchester’s 7-3 win over No. 10 Pataskala Watkins Memorial last week. The game featured just 157 yards of combined offense, 42 of which came on a Wade run that set up his score. Array. Canal Winchester runs a similar defense to Perry’s, but operates it much more aggressively. Senior DE Brayden Young (five-10, 20-five) had two sacks last week and has a program-high 15 this season. Junior Eli Spruill had 3 sacks. Array. Canal Winchester has 3 shutouts this season and is allowing 9. 7 problems on average. Senior LB Harlee Hanna (6-1, 22-5) is the Central District Defensive Player of the Year. Senior Braylon Beckwith (6-1, 18five) was named district defensive player of the year last year as a junior. Array. Senior defenseman Josh Just leads Green with six interceptions, while Martin has five. Junior two-way lineman Michael Schaal is a dominant force with 19 tackles for loss and 10 sacks. Array. Green is seeking his second regional final in three years. Canal Winchester had never won twice in the same playoffs before this year. Canal Winchester fell short of a 10-0 regular season by losing 17-0 to Big Walnut in Week 10.
Division IV, Region 13
What to watch: Two former convention foes with explosive offenses face off for a spot in the regional finals. West Branch averages 43. 6 points per game. The southern canton has an average of 40. 3 numbers. Array. . Wildcats QB Poochie Snyder wants just one more touchdown pass to claim sole ownership of Stark County’s all-time record. Snyder and former Sandy Valley quarterback Cameron Blair are tied with 116 touchdown passes. He broke Blair’s career passing yards record during the regular season. Snyder has made 50 landings this season. He threw for 3,052 yards and rushed for a team-leading 1,377 yards. Array. Tavon Castle is the Wildcats’ most level-headed receiver. He also has an effect on defense. Castle took on a key loan that helped South hold off Buchtel 27-26 last week. Array. QB Beau Alazaus and RB Boston Mulinix have been a force for the West all season. Alazaus threw for 3,117 yards and 34 touchdowns. Mulinix rushed for 1,168 yards and 19 touchdowns. South seeks for the first time to win 3 playoff games in the same season. The two groups last met in 2021, the Wildcats’ final season in the Eastern Buckeye Conference. West Branch won 63-42.
This article appeared in The Repository: Ohio High School Football Playoff Games to Watch in Stark County
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