Week 9 Recap: Wayne, Belmont, Centerville clinch berths; Springfield, Ponitz fall; Dunbar, Thurgood, C-J stay alive; Stars of Week 9

Heres the Headlines, Recap of Week 9 in the Miami Valley

Belmont finishes first undefeated season in school history
The Belmont Bison finished their first undefeated season in history with a 47-0 win over Western Hills. The Bison were led by talented running duo of Elijah Malcolm & Dawson Martin, which Malcolm ran for 120+ and 2 TDs while Martin continued to show why he could be the most Valuable player in the SWOPL, with 4 more TD's to add to his resume to go with another shutout of a opponent.
Because the Bison will only play 9 games, they will have to go on the road in week 1 of the playoffs, possibly against Sidney.
The Bison gave up 6 points all season, an unbelieveable amount for an entire season.

Wayne rides "Blue" to big win over Springfield in Play In game

The Wayne Train will roll into the OHSAA Playoffs after a big win at home against Springfield.

Ohio State commit L'Christian "Blue" Smith hauled in 2 dynamic passes for TD's from Rising star QB Rashad McKee, and the Warriors took advantage of some mistakes by Springfield to get the key win and move to 7-2 on the season.

Steven Victoria was also a star for the Warriors, as the Wildcats had no answer for the dynamic duo of Smith and Victoria.  Sprinfield falls to 6-3 and now must win at Fairmont on Friday to secure a playoff spot. Wayne now faces Trotwood in what could be the game of the Year in the GWOC on Friday.

Thurgood wins 6th straight, now readies for Dunbar

The Thurgood Marshall Cougars continues to ride the wave, which now sits them at 6-3 after a convincing 41-8 win over Meadowdale.

Starting the season at 0-3, it looked as if the Cougars season was over.

Fast forward 6 weeks, and the Cougars have a legit shot to win a playoff berth after another big win.

QB Ayyoub Muhammed led the Cougars with another great performance, and now the game on Friday vs Dunbar @ Welcome Stadium looms large, as the winner could end up with a playoff berth. Coach Carter is confident that his troops will be ready for the challenge on Friday.

Centerville clinches berth

The Elks clinched a OHSAA playoff berth win a big win over Fairmont 43-28. QB Alec Grandin was unstoppable, passing for 293 and running for 100 and 4 TD's. while Jake Spiewak garnered 13 catches for 160 in leading the Elks. Fairmont ran for 280 yards total, but a key TO  in the 2nd quarter shifted the momentum in the Elks favor. Centerville moves to 7-2 while Fairmont falls to 6-3, and face a Springfield team with a playoff berth on the line.

Northmont handles business

The Bolts of Northmont clinched a playoff berth with a big win over Springboro 35-10, as Jabari Perkins and Danny Lewis helped jumpstart the big win.

Perkins caught 2 TD passes early and Lewis 85-yard Pick-6 proved to be all the juice the Bolts needed, as they jumped out 35-0 at half en route to the big win. Lewis is starting to come alive after a big stop last week against Centerville.

The Bolts are now 7-2 and sit in the playoffs, while the Boro drops to 3-6.

Dunbar stays in playoff hunt with big win 

The Wolverines was able to stop Gamble Montessori by the score of 40-6 and it puts the Wolverines in a position to make the playoffs.

The Wolverines have waited for the moment to get into the Playoffs after the disasterous end last year, and now must win next week against a hot Thurgood squad, who has won 6 straight. If they can defeat the Cougars, they still will have to wait to see what happens. Dunbar was led by Tavion Thomas and JoJo Scates, and now sit at 6-3.

Trotwood rolls past Xenia

The Rams continued to plow past opponents with a  68-21 win over Xenia. Dallas Daniels, the rising WR, started the party with a 18- yard TD and Star RB Raveion Hargrove took over, with 3 TDs in the first half. Jayvanare Nelloms (14 tackles, 1 sack) and Kennedy Coates (2.5 sacks, Fumble Recovery) led the vaunted defense.  

C-J wins 7th in a row at the buzzer 

The Eagles continue to ride the amazing wave that has come their way, after a 2-point win last Friday over Badin.
Badin had a chance to win but missed a FG at the end of the game.
With the big win the Eagles have won 7 straight, and know that if they can find a way to beat Alter without their top gun in Blevins, the Eagles could stride into the playoffs on a major positive note. Chaminade now moves to 7-2 on the season.

Sidney stacks up 55 on Butler, heads to playoffs

The Yellow Jackets shook off a tough loss to run up 55 on Butler, and with it a playoff berth this season.

Star RB Isaiah Bowser ran for 245 yards and 3 TD's, threw for another and Star QB Andre Gordon accounted for 3 more as the Yellow Jackets powered past Vandailia Butler 55-34.
Sidney moves to 7-2 and could host a 1st round playoff game with a win on Friday.
Butler falls to 4-5.

Valley View stays undefeated with a big win
The Spartans move to 9-0 after another big win. Valley View will look to lock up a home game in the playoffs this week in the season finale.

Beavercreek shuts out Miamisburg
The Beavers continued to hold a shot at the playoffs after a big 21-0 shutout win over Miamsburg. With the win, Beavercreek moves to 6-3 while Miamisburg falls to 4-5.
The Beavers were able to harass the Vikings into 126 yards of total offense while 3 RB's for the Beavers ran for 70 yards.
While the game wasn't offensive, Miamisburg couldn't muster much offense, and the rest was history.

Week 8 Recap: Wayne has Fairmont seeing "Blue" After Hail Mary; Belmont rolls again; Rams post 67; Northmont stops Elks; Wolverines fall; Cougars win 5th straight;

Here's our top Headlines for a Wild Week 8 in the Miami Valley:

Smith gives Fairmont "the Blues" with big catch  as Wayne survives
In the fairy tale that has been the Fairmont Firebirds season, the Wayne Warriors star receiver gave them a nightmare for a week or so.

In a game that featured great play from both sides, back and forth action, and a ruckus crowd, with the game tied at 28 and time running out, Rashad McKee launched a pass that L'Christian Blue Smith was able to grab from the defender in the end zone for the win.
The pass looked to be intercepted, only to be snatched away by Blue Smith.
Ball game.
Wayne moves to 6-2 and now looks as a lock for a playoff berth, while the loss drops the Firebirds to 6-2 as well.
Smith was heavily guarded by rising star DB Ryan Hall, but Smith, the Ohio State commit, showed why the Buckeyes can't wait for the 6'6 dynamic stud Wideout whose stock seems to be skyrocketing by the week.
The TD puts Smith in elite company as he now sits 20th all time on the TD list in OHSAA history.

Belmont roasts Shroeder, eyes SWOPL Championship
The Bison continued their unstoppable play with a 63-0 win over Schroeder at Welcome Stadium Friday night.

Dawson Martin, a do-it-all type player, scored twice and threw another TD,Senior Demari Black scored on a kickoff return and then later and the Bison scored 36 in the first quarter en route to the blowout win.
Star DB Jaden Rucker Furlow , a Miami commit, scored on a 47-yard pass to help the offensive attack.

Belmont has given up 9 points in 8 games, a average of 1.2 points per game.

With only one game left (@ Western Hills) and barring a meltdown, the Bison could - and should -be headed to the playoffs for the 3rd consecutive season. And with that they can add another SWOPL Championship, which Coach Earl White and the staff can add to the growing list of achievements the Bison have conquered in this record breaking season.

Player of the Game:  Dawson Martin, Sr. DB-RB  Belmont
Dawson ran a TD, caught a TD pass and threw a TD pass as well, as the dynamic two way player dominated in every phase for the Bison.

Dunbar falls to Taft, still in playoff hunt
The Wolverines lost a tough one down in the Nati to a game and excited Taft team, who pulled out the victory.
Dunbar is now 5-3, and must win last 2 games for a shot at the playoffs. Taft sits at 6-2 and if they can win their last 2 games, should be in the playoffs as well.
QB Cleveland Farmer ran for 2 TD's and threw for another as Taft dominated the first half, going up 24-0 before Dunbar struck back on a long TD to Alabama commit JoJo Scates.

After a score by Dunbar, Taft stalled on its next drive and punted back to the Wolverines.
 However, the possession ended in a INT for the Wolverines, and that sealed the deal on a comeback.

Taft is now #4 in the playoff rankings, and could host a playoff game as they move to 6-2 and 3-0 in the SWOPL.


Trotwood puts a 67 spot on Stebbins
The Rams scored early and often as they ran past Stebbins as the Rams ran their record to 8-0. Trotwood star RB Raveion Hargrove scored 3 times while Stephens Peppers threw 3 TD's and ran for one more - in the first half  alone- as the #1 Team in the state rolled to a easy win against Stebbins.


Northmont stops Centerville as key play by Lewis saves game
Danny Lewis, a fast rising junior DB, hasn't gotten much pub with the likes of Devin Kennerly and the senior laden Thunderbolts team.
But Lewis came up with the clutch stop on 4th down against Centerville, and Northmont defeated the Elks 21-14 as the fans went crazy after the win.

 The Bolts now sit at 6-2 and knocks the Elks from the undefeated ranks as well (7-1).
Lewis is also a very good basketball player, and comes from great lineage as his father enjoyed a great career professionally in basketball.

Bolts coach Tony Broering knows that this is his best team he's had and with 1 more win, it could secure a berth in the OHSAA playoffs.



Thurgood survives on road at Woodward, keep playoff hopes alive

The Cougars of Thurgood Marshall continued to show why, if things go right, they could end up in the OHSAA playoffs after a gritty 21-20 OT win at Woodward.

While Woodward is not in playoff contention, they played hard all night, and looked as if they would be able to upend the Cougars in OT.
After a TD score by Woodward RB Kyron Reese, who was unstoppable near the goaline, the game went into OT.

Thurgood would score on a Russell Jashawn TD and with a extra point by Mr Automatic Rolando Perez would push the score to 21-14.
Woodward then would score on  a Reese TD, and when it was time to kick the extra point?
Former Wayne and Dayton Christian coach and head man for Woodward in Kali Jones rolled the dice and went for 2.

At home? With the crowd roaring in approval?  Against a tired Cougars team?

Thurgood stopped Reese short of the end zone, and the Cougars playoff hopes stayed alive.

Then came the jubilation for Thurgood, as they now own a 5-game winning steak under Coach Brian Carter,  which is the most since the Earl White era.

Troy stops Sidney undefeated run with great rushing performance from Culp-Bishop

The Trojans shut down Sidney's vaunted offense and with it, put themselves in playoff contention with a 48-21 thrashing on Friday night.
Rising RB Jaydon Culp-Bishop tormented the Yellow Jackets D for 237 yards, with a Tony Dorsett like run of 99 yards to break open the game and move the Trojans in first place in the GWOC North Division.
As far as stud RB and leading Rusher Isaiah Bowser?

55 yards on 25 carries, by far his lowest outing of the season.

Culp Bishop stated after the game that the Troy D is "the best in the GWOC. Period."

Not sure if that is true, but for one night, they shut down the top guy in the GWOC and put themselves in good position for a playoff berth.
Sidney falls to 7-1.



Springfield clobbers Beavercreek, sends statement

The Wildcats was at a crossroads before the game, as they had let one slip away at home to Northmont. Sitting at 5-2, how would they respond against a tough team who had just lost themselves in Beavercreek?

Well the response was ferocious, and it left no doubt that the Wildcats want a taste of the OHSAA Playoffs as they bounced back with a resounding 64-28 win at Beavercreek.

Leonard Taylor was on point, and the offense was hitting on all cylinders in the big win.
The win moves the Wildcats to 6-2 and in a good position to reach the Playoffs.
The Beavers have lost 3 straight, and need to win last 2 games to try to get back in playoff contention.


The Burg wins 2nd straight, stays in hunt

Miamisburg won their 2nd straight game as they defeated Lebanon 24-13. The win gets the Burg back to .500 (4-4) and if they can win their last 2 games, could push them back into a playoff spot.

 Star WR Tyler Johnson led the Vikings on the win.

Valley View rolls to 8th straight, dominates Oakwood

The Spartans showed why they could be a problem come playoff time as they wiped out Oakwood and their explosive offense 50-7.
The Spartans scored 29 in the 1st quarter and never looked back as Genslinger and Wood scored twice in the 1st half to lead Valley View to a 8-0 record on the season and hopeful to host a 1st round game.



Alter shuts out Badin, wins 20th straight, C-J survives, wins 6th straight
Alter continued to show control of Badin, as they shut them out 48-0. The Knights have beaten Badin 20 straight times, and now sit at 7-1 on the season. John Bivens, the star RB for Alter, powered for  260 yards on 25 rushes, the Badin had no one who could stop the D-1 bound RB.

C-J survived a tough game from McNicholas as they won 24-21.
With the win, C-J moves into a position to possibly make the playoffs, as they have won 6 straight since the Week 2 loss. Coach Marcus Colvin is real pleased with the progress through the season, and know that if he can get a big Week 9 win, they could be headed to the playoffs despite a 0-2 start.



Stars of Week 8

L'Christian Blue Smith, WR  Wayne - Blue Smith gave something for the Firebirds to remember if they don't make the playoffs as the Hail Mary catch capped off a 4-catch dominating display of why Ohio State is drooling over the WR sensation.

Danny Lewis, DB, Northmont  Lewis, who could be headed for stardom, knocked down the final pass vs Centerville and helped shut down one the Top Teams in the GWOC in a 21-14 win. Lewis, a athletic DB,  is a  2- sport star in the making, and should have a great end to the season.

Raveion Hargrove, RB  Trotwood  - Hargrove continues to amaze, with 4 TD's in the game as he seems to just be playing at another level, along with the rest of the team.

Rashad McKee,  QB,  Wayne  McKee continued to show up big in the big games as he accounted for 5 TD's in the epic game and ended with a  connect to Blue Smith to end the game.
McKee seems headed for stardom and some big time D-1 recruitment.

Rolando Perez, K Thurgood  Perez has come through in the clutch for Thurgood, as they ride a 5 game winning streak. Perez hit the GW Kick to help seal the deal for the Cougars. With Perez, it has made Thurgood a more rounded team with a solid Special Teams unit.

Kameron Mathis, WR, Northnmont - Mathis caught 2 big TD passes against State Ranked Centerville to help the Bolts get the big win.

Dawson Martin, RB-DB, Belmont  - Martin showed he can be a jack of all trades as he scored a TD running, catching, and passing the ball as the Bison destroyed Shroeder. Martin is one of the most versatile football players in all of Ohio and in the Midwest, and is a D-1 prospect, no doubt.


Jaydon Culp-Bishop, RB, Troy - Culp Bishop took all the hype from opposing RB Isaiah Bowser and responded with a 237 yard effort that included a 99-yard TD run. Not bad for fast rising junior from Troy.

John Bivens, RB,  Alter  - Bivens continues to show whe he could be the highest RB prospect in the junior class in Ohio, as he rushed for 260 on 25 carries to lead the State Ranked Knights to a 7-1 record. Hes already been recruited by Big 10 schools.

Leonard Taylor, QB,  Springfield - Taylor showed why the Cats could be a team who could do some big things as he led the Cats to a big win against Beavercreek. The dynamic big QB ran an passed for TDs, controlled the tempo, and got the Cats back in the playoff saddle.

Week 3 Recap: Trotwood, Springfield, Dunbar get key road Ws; C-J, Wayne cruise; Belmont defeats Thurgood; Dayton dominates vs big schools

Here's the top headlines and results for week 3 in the Miami Valley in football:

Raveion "Shock" Hargrove levitates after a TD vs Pickerington Central 

Trotwood defeats #1 ranked Pickerington Central;  Stephens-Peppers shows mettle, Rams now sit at #1 in the OHSAA D-3 poll
 Trotwood showed why they are one of the best teams in Ohio, bar none, as they went up to Pickerington and handled business to the tune of 28-19.  The Rams got off to a lead and never relinquished it. Central had knocked off some very big opponents in the first 2 weeks, but the Rams offense was too explosive and held a great offense in check as well.

Junior QB Markell Stephens-Peppers and star RB Raveion Hargrove did the heavy lifting, as Stephens Peppers threw 4 TD's on the night, while BG commit Hargrove ran for 10 yards a carry en route to 160 on the ground and 54 in the air with a TD, as the Rams showed moxie, hunger, and that they are forreal.

The Rams were rewarded with the top spot in the first OHSAA D-3 Football Rankings.

Belmont stops Thurgood in DHSS City League Game of the Week; Martin, Furlow shine
The Bison followed their strength of great run play and shutdown D as they defeated Thurgood Saturday night.
  RB Dawson Martin provided 2 TD runs and Elijah Malcolm added 2 more which was too much for the Cougars to handle. While it was close at half, the Bison scored to make it 14-3 at half, a score that would never be threatened en route to a 26-3 victory.

Thurgood responded in the 3rd quarter with a FG, but Belmont came right back and put the game away with a Martin TD. A Jaden Rucker Furlow INT doomed the Cougars comeback hopes.

 Belmont moves to 3-0 while Thurgood falls to 0-3.
Belmont has not allowed a TD in 3 games.

Star QB Leonard Taylor with Coach Douglas as the Wildcats are 3-0 heading into big game Friday Night.

Springfield stays undefeated with big win @ Lima Sr.
The Wildcats star QB in Leonard Taylor passed for a TD and ran for another in the 4th - which turned out to be the game winner - as Springfield remained unbeaten with the big win in Lima 19-16.

This is the first time in over a decade since the Wildcats have went 3-0. The defense was brilliant for most of the night, as junior rising star DB Moses Douglas was able to lead a talented defense to hold a explosive team to 16 points. Coach Doug has brought back a hope to Springfield as they feel that this could be the year.

Wayne defeats Canadian power as Clarkson sees "Blue" breakout
The Wayne Train had its biggest burst of the season with a 34-21 win over Clarkson (Canada).
And it was led by All-America Candidate  L'Christian "Blue" Smith as he totaled 189 yards on 10 catches with a TD as the Wayne Warriors defeated Clarkson (Ottawa, Canada). Blue was downright unstoppable, and the O State commit garnered National Player of the Week awards for the performance. It was a complete performance for the Warriors, who now move to 2-1 on the season.



Dayton teams sweep Pickerington in matchups
Not only did Trotwood defeat Pickerington Central, but Centerville (3-0) extended its undefeated season after squeaking by North 27-26. A late FG sealed the deal for the Elks, and 1st year coach Brett Ullery continues his great run. Can they take it up a notch and win in Springfield this Friday Night?



Franklin stops Piqua, stays undefeated; Montgomery continues to roll
Franklin was able to run its record to 3-0 after riding the shoulders of star RB Ryan Montgomery as he accounted for 190 yards in the offense and 3 TDs in the 21-7 win at Piqua. Super Soph QB Braden Woods came in and starred as well, going 12-12 for 162 yards and a TD after a injury to Braden White in the 1st quarter. Piqua falls to 1-2.

Seth Arnold & Tavion Thomas delivered big for Dunbar

Dunbar gets key road win; Oklahoma commit delivers big in Cincy
The Wolverines pulled out a big road victory in Cincy as they was able to upend a tough Mt Healthy team who had the Wolves on the ropes in the 4th.
Dunbar had jumped out to a 20-7 lead, led by Oklahoma commit Tavion Thomas, who had his breakout game with 150 yards and 2 TD's.
However Mt Healthy rallied back with 2 consecutive 2 TD drives of its own to tie it at 20 as QB Lamier directed Mt Healthy back to a position to take the lead in the 4th.
But a missed extra point left the game tied, and the Wolverines responded with a big drive capped off with a Thomas TD to seal the deal.
Star LB Seth Arnold was downright unstoppable, and had the defensive stat line of the week with 23 tackles - yes you see it right - 23 tackles on the night, and the Wolverines needed every bit of it to get the big victory.
Dunbar goes to 2-1 and stays firm in its move for the playoffs.



The Burg continues its undefeated run; Clark, Johnson lead the way
Miamisburg continued its great early season play with a big victory (41-6) at home against Loveland, as "The Burg" came out firing and scored on 5 of its first 6 possessions to put the game away early. Star RB Tony Clark scored 3 TD's, & Junior QB Tate Vongsy dominated early and often, throwing 2 TD's on the night.

The defense has been lights out as well, led by rising junior CB Cameron Moore, who has shown shutdown ability and great instincts, and it will be needed as he will be taking on Ohio State commit L'Christian Blue Smith and the Wayne train this Friday night in a key game for the Burg.

C-J pounds Meadowdale
The Eagles haven't forgotten what happened 2 years ago, when Meadowdale defeated them at Welcome Stadium by the score of 6-0.

Well C-J exacted revenge as they ran past Meadowdale early and often to the score of 63-22, as the Eagles offense was hitting on all cylinders.
The score was 50-0 in the 2nd quarter before the Lions were able to regroup.
Marquis George and Ryan Peltier led the charge as the Eagles got on the board this season (1-2) for the first time in a big way. Meadowdale falls to 0-3.

Dynamic Duo leads Sidney past Carroll
If this is a precursor for what could happen this year, watch out as Star RB Isiah Bowser and Star QB Andre Gordon scored 4 times in the game of a 35-7 romp of Carroll. Gordon started it off with a 94- yard run and Bowser followed that up with 2 Runs himself - for 74 and 45 yards as the Yellow Jackets were too explosive for Carroll. Sidney moves to 3-0 as well. Carroll falls to 1-2.
 If Sidney can continue to play good defense, watch out as they have 2 bona-fide stars who can carry a offense.

Nex: Star players in Week 3

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Locals dominate at Nike Camp; Hargrove nabs MVP; Thomas, Scates sends statement; Powell regains coaching job;

Here's the Hop topics in the Miami Valley as we head towards the end of the school year:

Hargrove wowed coaches at the Nike camp in Cleveland, Ohio.
Hargrove is a back to back MVP, a feat few have accomplished 

Locals stars shine at Nike Camp

Raveion Hargrove, Jojo Scates, Tavion Thomas and L'Christian Blue Smith headlined a star studded senior class as both shined at the Nike Camp last weekend in Cleveland, Ohio.
While Browns Head Coach Hue Jackson and the Browns staff observed, the local talent shined.

Hargrove had been looked at as one of the top RBs in the country,  but the question remained;
What about his stature? Is he tall enough?

Hargrove put all those rumors to bed, winning MVP of the event, and pushing his name into the upper echelon of the country. When asked about his height, Hargrove just shrugs it off and shows why he's the one of, if not the most dynamic RB in the country.
Dunbar stars JoJo Scates and Tavion Thomas repped well at the Camp as well, as both are high on the radar of all the top colleges in the country.

L'Christian "Blue" Smith fielded questions about his ability to play WR, as some has thought that maybe he would be a Tight End at the next level.
The #1
Smith also put those rumors to rest, as he has ran a 4.4 40 recently while standing at 6'7 right now. His ability to change directions, and to beat his man has dismissed the rumors, and he has stated that "I want to play WR" and that he will not play anything else, which is a reason Ohio State is not at the top spot in Smiths mind.
 As of yet.

Smith has taken visits, and just recently visited Notre Dame.
Blue is a fan of the Irish.
Smith has favored Kentucky, Ohio State, and Notre Dame along with Alabama making a push as well.
And don't forget about Michigan and Michigan St.

Overall the Nike Camp was a success for the Dayton athletes and it should be a incredible senior year in Southwest Ohio.

Coach Darran Powell regains football job at Dunbar

Dunbar Powell re-signs with Wolverines, will coach Dunbar next season 

With everything that has happened in the last year, the Dunbar staff cab finally exhale as Coach Darran Powell and his staff will coach the Wolverines next season.
 While Powell has stated that he felt like his name and the staff would be slung through the mud during the allegations, he always kept the faith that he should be the head coach.

In a move that should have happened, it did, and now the Wolverines will get a chance to atone for a disastrous end of season. While Powell knows that the team he had last year was very good, this team coming up should be just as good. Although senior star players Keyshawn Jones and Chris Jackson moves on, the Wolverines have ready and willing talent ready to step in.

 Powell has stated that he can now "sleep again" after many restless nights during the investigation,
and hopefully can get some positive vibes and repair the program after a tumultous end with the team last season.

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Friday Recap: Springfield survives in OT; Wayne falls to Elks; Huge Games Today

Heres the recap on the Sectional games from Friday night.

Springfield wakes up in time to squeak past Xenia in OT
Heading into the fourth quarter, the Xenia Bucs had played a nearly flawless game, and seemed headed to a huge upset of the #1 seed.
Until the Springfield Wildcats unleashed a late flurry starting early in the 4th to send it into OT, then outlasted Xenia to win and move on to the District finals by a score of 73-72.
 Led by Leonard Taylor, Danny Davis and Mike McKay, the Wildcats will head to the finals for the first time in 4 years. They will face the winner of the #3 Oak Hills vs #12 Wilmington matchup.

Coach Carson and the Cats fans were very relieved after it looked as if Springfield would be the first #1 seed to go down in the OHSAA Bracket.

Centerville knocks off Wayne
The Centerville Elks used hot shooting, patient offense, and a Senior leader in Keegan Saben to shut down Wayne 74-58 on Friday night.
Wayne hit the first bucket of the game, a 3-pointer, and after that, it seemed like a struggle to get the ball in the hoop, as they shot poorly from the perimeter. While Centerville seemed comfortable in the game plan, the Wayne Train couldn't get on track, aside from Star F L'Christian "Blue" Smith, as Smith hit 3 3-pointers to keep Wayne in the game.
Ultimately, it was too much Saben and the Elks.
Centerville had 4 guys in double figures, led by Sabens 25, and will move on to play either #6 Lakota East or #4 Mason.

Keegan Saben delivers in the clutch for Centerville 

Saben was unstoppable, using screens, the baseline, back door moves and his own dribble moves to get his game off. Sam Lash (14) and G Donnie Shelton (10, 6rbs, 5ass, 4 steals) helped in a overall team effort.

Blue Smith (15) and Deshawn Parker (10) led the Warriors in scoring.



TODAYS GAMES:
D-1 NORTHMONT    vs  SPRINGBORO     @ Centerville (7:30)
 Can Northmont continue to play lights out like they have this season? Or will Springboro continue to find a way to win when it counts?
  This GWOC matchup could come down to the wire.



D-2 
#7 VALLEY VIEW    vs  #1 TROTWOOD   (5 pm)
Can Valley View compete with the best team in the State according to the OHSAA Final HS State Poll? While Valley View has had a good season, it will take a monumental effort to pull off the upset today as the Rams look to reach the District Finals. The Rams are averaging a whopping 115 points a game in the tournament.


#10 CARROLL        vs     #6  PONITZ    (6:30) 
In a game featuring a Carroll team who defeated Thurgood last season in this exact round, can they do it again against the higher seed? While Ponitz has been playing well, this Carroll team will be ready for the challenge. Former Flyer and current Ponitz head Coach Steve Pittman has had a very good first year. Can he grab a sectional title?



#5 CHAMINADE-JULIENNE      vs   #2 DUNBAR   (8pm)
In the game of the Day, can C-J and their dynamic backcourt somehow pull off the major upset of the Wolverines? Dunbar's offense has been nothing but high octane as they scored 100 in the last game. Can Chaminade play their game, slow the tempo down and keep the game in the 50's like they want it? Or will one of the Top teams in the State show that they are too much to handle?


CINCY Bracket
#2 HUGHES               vs         #3  TAFT 
Can Cincy Hughes get the big win over Taft?  While TAFT was a shot away from State last season, they will be hard pressed to stop Hughes and their marksmanship. Not to mention HUGHES winning the games this season as well. Can Taft find what it will take to pull off the big W?


#1 WYOMING            vs        #4 WOODWARD
Can WYOMING continue its great season? Or will perennial WOODWARD pull off the minor upset? Woodward has the pieces to do it, but Wyoming has been nearly unstoppable all season.

Ponitz ruins Meadowdale homecoming; "The Boro" squeaks by The Burg"; "Blue" Smith leads Wayne; Trotwood cruises; Springfield wins big battle

Here's the recap on what happened in Week 7 of HS sports in the Miami Valley:

L'Christian "Blue" Smith scores one of his 2 Long TD's  vs Creek

(1) The "Boro" shocks the "Burg" - 
Springboro scored with 2 seconds left in the game, and in dramatic fashion, scored on a 2-point conversion to defeat Miamisburg 39-38. The win puts Springboro at 5-2 & drops Miamisburg to 5-2. Both are in position to make the playoffs.

Springboro star receiver headed for paydirt vs Miamisburg

(2) Ponitz ruins Meadowdale homecoming, blanks Lions - Ponitz  handled  business and shut out Meadowdale 31-0  @ Welcome Stadium Friday night. It was the Lions homecoming,  but it was all Ponitz all night as they run their record to 4-3 while Meadowdale falls to 2-5. Pointz star RB Jamil Freeman led the way for the Panthers.

(3) "Blue" Smith shines vs Beavercreek  - Star WR L'Christian  "Blue" Smith scored on 2 long TDS early in the game and Wayne cruised past Beavercreek 44-0. Wayne now rolls to 6-0-1 while Beavercreek falls to 3-4. Once Smith entered the zone, there was no turning back for the Warriors.


(4) Dunbar wins big on the road - Dunbar got a much needed road victory in Cincy as they defeated Cincy Western Hills 50-8. Tavion Thomas led the attack with another great game (100+ rushing, 2 TDs), and the defense, led by star LB Antwuan Johnson's Interception.

Star LB Antwuan Johnson is the unquestioned leader of a stingy Wolverines D unit.

Dunbar is now 6-1 on the season, their best record in over 20 years. Dunbar will face Thurgood in a big rivalry game this week.


(5) C-J wins 4th in 5 games - Chaminade continues its hot play with a blowout win over Roger Bacon. The Eagles are now 4-3 on the season, their first time over .500 after starting slow.

C-J celebrates TD vs Roger Bacon as they get over .500 mark

(6) Springfield win huge road game @ Northmont
 The Wildcats  held off a pesky Bolts team, in which Northmont scored 23 straight points but still lost 35-29.  Springfield now moves to 5-2, while Northmont falls to 3-4.

Springfield celebrates after scoring @ Northmont 

(7) Trotwood rolls again for 6th straight - 
The Rams won their 6th straight game as they ran past Fairborn 49-6. The Rams have won their 6th straight and are definitely hitting a playoff stride as we get close to the playoffs. Star RB Raveion Hargrove and that vaunted Rams D led the way.


(8) Thurgood  shuts out Hughes -
 Thurgood went to Cincy and garnered their 3rd win of the season as they blanked Cincy Hughes 40-0.  The win puts Thurgood at 2-1 in the SWOPL. They have a huge match-up this week vs Dunbar. The Cougars have won 3 of their last 5 games and have played well recently.