All Eyes on Trotwood, Dunbar as they clash for Regional FInal Spot; 6 Teams left in Tourney; Playoff Matchups, Predictions; Louisville, Iowa State jump in for Star WR

When it comes to Trotwood - Dunbar and the rivalry that has ensued over the years, you automatically think about the great basketball teams and games that these teams have had.

However this year, football has joined the party, as the Rams and Wolverines will play for a Regional Final berth tonight at Vandalia Butler (7:30).

Trotwood, who has been in this position many times before, will look to continue their rock solid run as they want to hoist the OHSAA D-3 Championship Trophy after a runner up finish last season. They have been the #1 state ranked team all season since the OHSAA Polls came out.
Star RB Raveion Hargrove, a legitimate Mr. Football in Ohio candidate, leads the Rams.

But, they will have to show they are the best in Dayton.

Which means, this year, defeating the talented Wolverines.

Dunbar, which has been through a great deal in the last calendar year, now gets a shot on the big stage after a thrilling comeback win last week against Goshen 28-27.

Coach Darran Powell is excited for the opportunity, and knows they are facing one of, if not the best in Ohio in Trotwood.
But, this is a interesting game to say the least, as most of the fanatics and experts here in Dayton area know how talented Dunbar is.

With the trio of  RB Tavion Thomas,WR Jo Jo Scates, and LB Seth Arnold, the Wolverines have 3 D-1 type star players who have nearly single-handedly won a game.

But the leadership factor and unity is what has gotten the Wolverines to this point.

And that leadership and unity will have to be on point to be able to match wits with Rams coach Jeff graham and the vaunted coaching staff and the experienced Rams.

Dunbar has the talent, and has shown the consistency and guts to get here, but can they execute and put it all together tonight to pull off one of the biggest victories in their historic football program?

Or will the mighty Ram Nation show why they are the unquestioned team to beat in the OHSAA D-3 Playoffs?

Should be a epic night.

But regardless, great to see local teams getting it done to create these type of matchups deep in the playoffs.




Six teams left in Miami Valley;
Here are the 2nd round Playoff Matchups:

Dunbar          vs   Trotwood   (D-3)
In a game which features a upstart team in Dunbar with State type of talent, but will face the team who looks to be on a straight line to a OHSAA State Title. What star will step up and make it happen?

Centerville    vs   Pickerington North  (D-1)
Can the Elks knock off a hot Pickerington North squad? Both teams had very good 1st round performances. Elks need offensive passing game to be on point to get W over Star QB Jimmy Weirick?

Sidney           vs   Cin. LaSalle  (D-2)
Can the dynamic duo do it again, and defeat one of the big boys from Cincy? LaSalle has been rolling lately, but if Sidney can get the running game going, the Yellow Jackets could move on.

C-J                vs    New Richmond   (D-4)
The Eagles will look to ride the hot hand of star QB Ryan Peltier as they take on a tough New Richmond squad, who knocked off Franklin last week. Can the Eagles do it again and move on?

Valley View   vs  Clinton Massie 
The Spartans have been untouchable this season. Can Massie, a playoff regular lately, pull off the upset?




Louisville, Iowa State enter Jo Jo Scates sweepstakes

Joseph Scates (smiling) with fellow Wolverines on set of Dayton HS Sports 

Jo Jo Scates, the star senior wideout for Dunbar, who has been pursued by the likes of Alabama and West Virginia, is now being recruited by Louisville & Iowa State.

Scates, who came on the Award winning  Dayton HS Sports TV Show last week, talked about how both teams have came into the recruiting trail lately.
Scates is one of the top recievers in Ohio, and had the Game winning TD last week in the playoff win @ Goshen.

While Alabama was thought of as a front runner, Louisville and Iowa State have came on very strong of late.
 Could those schools be offering a starting spot as a true freshman?



Find out more at: DaytonHighSchoolSports.com

Dunbar Thomas runs wild on Thurgood, scores 7 TD's in playoff berth win; Final SWOPL Standings; Playoff Matchups for Belmont, Dunbar; Player of Year Candidates

Here's the top Headlines for Week 10 in the SWOPL as we head to the playoffs. 

Tavion Thomas led Wolverines to playoffs with 300 yard, 7 TD Performance

Dunbar Thomas runs wild, leads Wolverines to playoff clinching win

In a game that had so much riding on the line, Dunbar knew there was no tomorrow.

No other chances to show that this group of seniors could come through in the clutch and reach the OHSAA playoffs.

Hadn't done it in 7 years, and after the tumultuous ending last year, would the Wolverines bounce back?

They bounced back in dramatic fashion, as Oklahoma commit and All-SWOPL selection Tavion Thomas would lead the way, with over 300 yards rushing and 7 - yes you read it right - 7 touchdowns on the night to lead the Wolverines to a big win (46-0) over one of its rivals and in the process, ending the Cougars 6-game winning streak and playoff hopes to boot.

Thomas clearly made his statement to possibly be the SWOPL Player of the Year as he ran around, over, and through the Cougars for his career high (301) in his last regualar season game as a Wolverine.

 On  a night which it was raining consistently and cold? Would be a ground and pound type of night.

Exactly the type of game Thomas and the Wolverines wanted.

Thurgood had been putting up major numbers lately, scoring over 40 in recent weeks, but couldn't get the running game going, which doomed the Cougars.

Thurgood ends the season at 6-4 and despite the hurt and not reaching the playoffs, the Cougars were happy with their season overall.

The Wolverines (7-3) now sit as a #5 seed and will head to Cincinnati to take on Goshen (9-1) on Friday night. Goshen is a rock solid program who the Wolverines beat the last time these teams seen each other in the playoffs years ago.

Final Regular Season Standings (SWOPL)

SWOPL AMERICAN	W-L	PCT	PF	PA	W-L	PCT	PF	PA	STRK
Belmont	6 - 0	1.000	294	9	9 - 0	1.000	411	9	W9
Thurgood Marshall	5 - 1	.800	158	90	6 - 4	.556	218	196	L1
Meadowdale	3 - 3	.500	66	152	4 - 6	.400	123	345	W1
Western Hills	2 - 4	.333	91	134	3 - 7	.300	147	253	L2
Woodward	2 - 4	.333	107	139	2 - 8	.200	146	274	L1
Ponitz Career Tech	2 - 3	.250	33	67	4 - 6	.250	77	144	W1
Hughes	1 - 5	.200	43	201	3 - 7	.333	141	309	L5

Standings
	Conference				OVERALL
SWOPL NATIONAL	W-L	PCT	PF	PA	W-L	PCT	PF	PA	STRK
Taft	5 - 0	1.000	154	68	8 - 2	.800	266	192	W7
Dunbar	3 - 1	.750	166	65	7 - 3	.700	368	191	W2
Aiken	3 - 2	.600	166	84	8 - 2	.800	350	142	W5
Gamble Montessori	2 - 3	.400	80	126	5 - 5	.500	210	217	W1
Shroder	1 - 4	.200	92	189	2 - 8	.200	147	400	L3
Riverview East	0 - 5	.000	26	234	3 - 7	.300	142	332	L2

Week 1 Playoff Matchups (All games on Friday)

Belmont (9-0)   @ Sidney (8-2)   Can the Bison continue their epic season? After a Cinderella type season, the Bison have to go on the road to play a similar type of opponent in Sidney.  Which running team will get it done on a night in which the weather could be another factor like it was in Week 10?

Key Players To Watch: Isaiah Bowser, Andre Gordon, Dawson Martin, Elijah Malcolm, Jaden Rucker Furlow

Keys to Bison victory: Stay with the formula. But play action pass must be used in what will be a ruckus crowd in Sidney. The Yellow Jackets don't matchup well outside  with Belmont, but in the trenches its a even match. Belmont must control the tempo, and the vaunted D must show its worth against the GWOC's top rusher in Isaiah Bowser and one of  top 10 dynamic players in Andre Gordon.

Dunbar  (7-3)    @ Goshen (9-1)  Can the Wolverines take on a really good Goshen team and defeat them  in Cincy? The Wolverines have had a couple of big road wins, but this game will not be like any of those they have faced. Although Dunbar beat Goshen in the playoff years ago, these teams are different, and should have no effect on this big matchup.

Key Players: Tavion Thomas, Joseph Scates, Seth Arnold, Jimmy Strunk (RB), Payton Leugers (DB-WR), Kyle Proffitt (QB)

Keys to Dunbar win: Wolverines must be able to get passing game going, Must establish a 3 &
out defensively within first 2 possessions.
 The teams who have given Goshen the most problems are the teams who can air the ball out. Goshen is a running team, similar to Belmont, and have a stout D, but the advantages for Dunbar lie in play action and the WR core. If the Wolverines can strike first, then it could be a good night for Dunbar.
The defensive line must have a breakout game as well.

Player of the Year Candidates: SWOPL

Heres our Top 10 Candidates for  Player of The Year in the SWOPL

Could Dawson Martin (23) nab Player of the Year in the SWOPL?

Tavion Thomas - RB   (Dunbar)  Thomas ran for over 1,000 yards and scored 16 TDs on the season, capping it off with a 300 yard, 7 TD performance for the ages.

Dawson Martin  - RB - DB (Belmont)  Martin scored 20 TD's on offense (tops in the SWOPL) in almost 1150 yards of total offense. He also is one of  the key players on Defense as well as he nabbed 2 INT's as he help spearhead a D that allowed only 1 TD all regular season.

Cleveland Farmer - QB  (Taft) Farmer, a dynamic option type QB, led the SWOPL in passing yards (1283), threw for 12 TDs & ran for 12 more while amassing almost 500 yards on the ground. He also led the Senators to a playoff berth and a big win over Dunbar to boot.

Jaden Rucker Furlow - DB/ WR  (Belmont) While Rucker Furlow didn't have the stats that most had, he was the leader of a D that allowed 9 points in 9 games. Furlow was treated like Deion Sanders, where he didn't get many passes thrown his way. He had 2 early INT's which set the tone for the whole season. A Miami of Ohio commit. Had TD's receiving and on kickoff returns.

Joseph Scates  - WR / DB  (Dunbar) Scates had a good year, with over 800 yards of receiving and  with  for the high powered offense of Dunbar, along with being a captain of the squad.

Could Defensive Standout Seth Arnold or Oklahoma commit Tavion Thomas win Player of the Year? 

Demarco Bradley  - DB - WR (Aiken) Bradley was one of the top Defensive guys with 7 INT's on defense while amassing 78 tackles; he also ran for 900 yards, with 8 TD's and a kickoff return TD as well.

Deshawn Lawrence  - WR / S  (Aiken) Lawrence garnered 5 INT, 98 Tackles on D while racking up 1047 Rec Yards and 8 TDs on Offense for Aiken. Possibly the best 2 way player in the SWOPL.

Seth Arnold  - LB   (Dunbar) Towns delivered over 135 Tackles and was the unquestioned leader for the Wolverines D. He accounted for 2 INT's, 4 forced fumbles, 3 sacks, and 23 tackles for loss. Has ability to play in coverage, against the run, or blitz with efficiency.

Elijah Malcolm  - RB / LB   (Belmont) 1,063 yds, 14 TD's  Malcolm was the offensive leader for the undefeated Bison 9-0. He steamrolled Dunbar in the season opener to set the Bison on the move. The engine of the Belmont offense.

Kayvon Britten -  RB  (Western Hills) Britten led the SWOPL in Rushing (1255)  as a sophomore. Had a 230 yard game late in the season.

V'Sean Palmer - DB /WR (Thurgood)  Palmer led the SWOPL in INT's,  and was the key player in the Cougars resurgence to a 6-4 record this season.

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

Follow us on the journey!
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Move aside Alter Fairmont; Hottest football ticket in town is Dunbar Belmont in 2017-18 Season Opener; Key Storylines; 10 D-1 Recruits in the Game? & more

 With all the drama that has surrounded Dayton Public Schools regarding the football fiasco between Dunbar and Belmont from last year?

Its only right that one of the first games on the schedule for the 2017-18 High School year is Dunbar - Belmont in week 1.

Both teams come into this season as potential favorites to win the SWOPL (SouthWest Ohio Public League)  which combines the Public Schools from Dayton and Cincinnati.

Last year Belmont lost to Dunbar, albeit in dramatic fashion, but was still able to reach the playoffs, after Dunbar was forced to forfeit the last 2 games due to playing a ineligible player, in which the Bison had made a referral to the day of the game.

Dunbar would then go through a investigation that would have the Head Coach battling for his job, his reputation, and his legacy, along with the Wolverines brass waiting in tow on the decision.
After not being re-hired due to a short staffed hiring committee, Powell, the Dunbar community, and the team showed support, protested, and petitioned.

After a long process Powell would be given his job back.

And what happened to Belmont since the fiasco?

They reached the OHSAA Playoffs for the 2nd consecutive year, and for the 1st time in Team history. They were the clear cut winner in the fan support, and they also stuck it to the Wolverines, a team who wants to get where the Bison have gone the last 2 seasons.

Coach White also got to keep his AD job, which was a win win for the Bison as well.

So, fast forward to tonight.

After all the drama that has been went down, tonight we get the rematch.

Here's our analysis of how each team looks heading into the Matchup.

Dunbar
Dunbar will be playing with a rage of emotions that will rival that of a State Championship game. They felt last year they were one of the top teams in the State.
While they lost some key stars on both sides (Keyshawn Jones, Jeffrey Wagner, Antwuan Johnson), they still have young players ready to step in.

Now they will come out with 2 superstars on offense (RB Tavion Thomas & WR-DB  Jo Jo Scates) and a star on the rise on defense (LB Seth Arnold), the Wolverines are set.
With a rejuventated coaching staff, Wolverine Nation behind them, and a loaded squad, they will be amped to play.


Belmont
Belmont coach Earl White, the top coach in the SWOPL at the moment, has changed the Bison program, and he knows this is a "Signature Game" for his program.

Win this one? And you set the tone as the premiere team from Dayton in the SWOPL. Along with beating a team that you feel like should be your rival.

But as we all know, a rivaly can't be considered a rivalry until you beat the squad that has beat you at least one time, in a meaningful game.

Loaded with senior stars in WR- DB  Jaden Rucker Furlow, star RB Elijah Malcolm & DB-RB Dawson Martin, and experience in the trenches, the Bison have plenty in store for this game.

While the Bison have heard all the talk about how Dunbar keeps dealing them losses year after year, they are primed to get it done. They have a new gunslinger and coach White has made it known that he wants to put the ball in the air this season, as once he gets to the playoffs, the running game needs to be complimented with a passing game as well.

While both teams have star players leading the charge, they both have the coaching staffs, teams, and support staff to go deep into the playoffs this season, even with a loaded division due to competitive balance that OHSAA has implemented the likes of Alter, Trotwood, and C-J.


With so many storylines heading into the game, here are just a few to ponder:

(1) Will Belmont get blown out again?

(2) Can Bison win the "trenches?"

(3) Which Star player can lead his team?

(4) Will there be a handshake after the game?

(5) Which team will have the most fan support?

(6) Are there really 10 D-1 Players in the game?  While there are 3 to 4 committed D-1 recruits in the game, how many actual D-1 talent will be on hand? And could we see a new star in the making?
While there may not be 10 d-1 recruits, there could be 7 or 8 for sure. Which is a whole lot in 1 high school football game.


With so much on the line, this game could be one of the best of the year.  And with as many as 10 possible D-1 recruits on the field?
Should be a ton of scouts on display as well.
Expect some great football tonight.
Whoever wins should have some real momentum heading into season.

Welcome Stadium.
7pm
Don't miss it.

This is the Game of the Week.
Move aside Alter - Fairmont.

The entire city of Dayton is waiting on this game.
Come out and support the hottest ticket in the house.

No matter who wins or loses, it will be a game to remember.

Are you ready for some football?