Minster and New Bremen are both aiming for a first-round home playoff game, and each need to win their Midwest Athletic Conference matchup on Friday to have a shot at that goal.
The game is the only area Week 10 matchup with much on the line, as all area team’s playoff berths are already determined.
New Bremen (7-2, 5-2 MAC) is looking for its first win over its neighboring rivals since 2009. The Cardinals can secure a playoff berth in Division VII, Region 28 with a win — though Drew Pasteur’s Fantastic50.net says they’d have a 91 percent chance at making the playoffs even with a loss. It would be the team’s first postseason berth since 2004.
A victory would almost surely secure New Bremen a first-round home playoff game and avoid a potential first-round road matchup with defending regional champion Fort Loramie, which Pasteur says would be the most likely opponent with a loss.
The Wildcats (8-1, 6-1) can clinch a share of the MAC title by beating New Bremen and need to win in order to keeps hopes of a first-round home game alive. Minster has clinched a playoff berth in Div. VI, Region 23 according to Pasteur but only has a 32 percent chance at hosting a first-round game by beating New Bremen.
The Cardinals average 336 yards and 29 points per game and allow an average of 267 yards and 21 points.
Senior Nolan Bornhorst had a big return at quarterback in the team’s 41-13 win over Delphos St. John’s last Friday. Bornhorst was the team’s starter the previous two seasons and played at QB in place of Mitchell Hays on Friday. He completed 10-of-12 passes for 187 yards with two touchdowns and ran for 54 yards and two TDs on 13 carries.
Minster, which is ranked No. 5 in D-VI in the state AP poll, pulled away early from Versailles to its fourth consecutive victory and will look to keep rolling on Friday.
The Wildcats average 382 yards and 34 points per game and allow an average of 274 yards and 18 points per game. Senior quarterback Jacob Niemeyer has thrown for 1,463 yards and 16 touchdowns and run for 626 yards and 10 TDs. Senior RB Alex Schmitmeyer has run for 1,412 yards and 17 TDs.
Delphos St. John’s at Anna
For the first time this season, Anna (8-1, 6-1 MAC) won a game without a running-clock margin of victory of 30 or more points last Friday in a 49-28 win over Parkway.
The Rockets, which were ranked No. 1 in D-VI in this week’s state AP poll, should get back to rolling against Delphos St. John’s on Friday. The Blue Jays allow a MAC-worst 361 yards and 35 points per game and Anna averages a MAC-best 421 yards and 44 points per game.
A win would secure Anna a share of its second MAC title and keeps hopes alive of a first-round playoff game. Pasteur’s Fantastic50.net gives the Rockets a 47 percent chance of hosting a first-round game with a win on Friday.
Fort Loramie at Tri-County North
The Redskins have a playoff berth and first-round home game wrapped up and will look to secure an outright Cross County Conference title with a win on Friday.
That shouldn’t be tough to do for Fort Loramie (8-1, 7-0 CCC), which has beaten its last five CCC opponents by running-clock margins. Tri-County North (1-8, 1-6) has been blown out in most of its games, including in a 74-6 loss to Covington last week.
The Redskins, which are ranked No. 2 in D-VII in the state AP poll, can finish No. 1 in Region 28 by beating Tri-County North on Friday if current No. 1 New Miami and current No. 3 Marion Local each lose.
Lima Perry at Lehman Catholic
The Cavaliers will look to finish .500 when they host Northwest Central Conference leader Lima Perry on Friday at Sidney Memorial Stadium.
Lehman (4-5, 4-2 NWCC) broke a two-game losing streak by beating Upper Scioto Valley 21-6 on Friday. The squad will have a challenge with Perry (6-3), which is undefeated in conference play since starting the season with three nonconference losses. The Commodores took a big early lead and held on for a 42-32 win at Riverside last week.
The Cavaliers average 276 yards and 18 points per game. Senior quarterback R.J. Bertini has thrown for 1,562 yards and 17 touchdowns with 16 interceptions. Senior Drew Barhorst leads the team with 460 rushing yards on 135 carries and senior Brendan O’Leary leads the team with 935 receiving yards and 14 TDs on 48 receptions.
Fort Recovery at Versailles
The Tigers will try to snap a four-game losing streak in their season finale on Friday against the Indians, which lost 36-7 to Marion Local last week.
Versailles (3-6, 2-5 MAC) averages 274 yards and 20 points per game and allows an average of 292 yards and 27 points. Fort Recovery (3-6, 2-5) averages 337 yards and 23 points per game and allows an average of 330 yards and 29 points.
Riverside at Ridgemont
The Pirates hope to finish the year on a high note. They’ve won two of their last three games, with the lone loss coming by 10 points to NWCC leader Lima Perry last Friday.
Ridgemont (1-8, 1-5 NWCC) has lost its last two games by running-clock margins. Its lone win this season was a 38-26 win over winless Marion Elgin three weeks ago.
Riverside (4-5, 3-3) averages 301 yards and 20 points per game. Junior quarterback Kale Long has thrown for 935 yards and six touchdowns with 15 interceptions and has run for 1,198 yards and 15 touchdowns.
