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.

Dayton HS Sports, Funk Chronicles Nominated at Philo Awards; Funk Chronicles 3-Peat at Philo Awards? Star RB Hargrove decommits

Tonight will mark the Annual Philo Festival of Media Arts Awards Show, a ceremony that features the best TV shows, videos, promos, and other categories in  television for professional and non-professional shows.

Dayton Television, the local TV Station, has 3 shows up for nomination, including fast rising sports show Dayton HS Sports.

Dayton HS Sports, The Funk Chronicles & Have Ghosts, Will Travel  will look to win in their respective categories today.

Dayton HS Sports was nominated for best Sports Entertaiment TV Series. This is the first time the show has been nominated for a National Award. The show is produced by Deon Cash and features the top players, coaches, legends, and pros in the Dayton area.

The show is hosted by Cash, Lorenzo Smith, Deon Weatherspoon, Derrick Shepard, and Robert Brown.

The Funk Chronicles was nominated for Best Music TV Series. They have won twice already and could be headed for a 3-peat.
The show has featured some of the greatest old school artists in music, and has set the bar as the premiere show on Dayton Television and in the Midwest.
The show is hosted by former Dayton Mayor Rhine McLin.

Have Ghosts, Will Travel was nominated for best Editing. Pat Hughes is the Editor for the show.

Dayton Television has produced numerous winners at the Henry T Philo Awards, which was established over 30 years ago and is considered one of the biggest and most authentic Award Shows in the Midwest.

The Philo Awards pits the best Shows throughout the Midwest States.

Hargrove decommits from Bowling Green

Raveion Hargrove, the star RB from Trotwood who is obliterating the defenders and the record books, has decommitted from Bowling Green sources say.

Hargrove, one of the very best RB's in the country, committed to the Falcons a while ago, but after consulting with family and sources, he has decided to reopen the recruitment.

Could it be possible that Hargrove could be headed to a bigger program?

Hargrove currently is the star player for the best team in Ohio in the Trotwood Rams, who sit at #1 in the OHSAA D-2 Polls.
Despite his height, Hargrove, is a complete back who can do it all, and boasts the type of talent NFL teams will look at, no matter where he goes to college.

Will be interesting to see which Big 10 or SEC school will look to snag the 5-star recruit.

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.

Huge Games on Tap for Week 8; Meadowdale stops Ponitz

With the playoffs just a few weeks away, here are the Key Matchups for week 8 in the Miami Valley.
 There are some good matchups and will be interesting to see who comes out on top this week.

Can star wide out JoJo Scates lead the Wolverines to victory @ Taft tonight? 

Week 8 Key Matchups 

Dunbar (5-2) @ Taft (5-2) 
In a game that has real playoff implications for both teams, who will get the big win?
Both teams have played well lately, and Taft is undefeated in SWOPL play.
Dunbar has looked sharp in the SWOPL, and both teams know this game will go a ways toward a playoff berth. Can Dunbar rise to the challenge?

Wayne (5-2)  @ Fairmont (6-1) 
Can the Wayne Train go on the road against the suprisingly tough Firebirds? Fairmont has had a great season, and if they can get a big home win against the Warriors tonight, it could clinch them a berth, or close to it.

Wayne knows that every game will have a playoff feel for the rest of the season. They seemingly are starting to hit on all cylinders, which could be bad for Fairmont, who is a run heavy squad.

Beavercreek (5-2)  @ Springfield (5-2)
In another key game, can the Creek' continue to add on to a great season so far? Or will Springfield show resolve after a tough loss last week and get back in the W column?

The winner of this game will feel much better heading into the last two weeks of the season as far as making the playoffs are concerned.

Centerville (7-0)  @ Northmont (5-2) 
Can the Elks continue their incredible run? They've been able to shut down opponents when necessary, and this has led to a top 5 ranking in the state, and an undefeated season thus far. But if there's one team that has the horses to be able to pull off the upset, it's Northmont.
 The bolts can pass and run with efficency and are not afraid of what Centerville possesses on the offensive or defensive end. If the Elks win, they should almost clinch a playoff berth. Could be a upset win tonight.

Troy (3-4) @ Sidney (7-0) 
Can the Yellow Jackets continue their epic run? If they win they will stand at 8-0 & almost a lock to make the playoffs. Or will Troy find a way to knock off Sidney and send them their first L of the season?

Thurgood (4-3) @ Woodward (1-6) 
Can Thurgood continue to make a push towards the playoffs? If the Cougars can defeat a down Woodward team this week and handle biz next week, then they could be headed for a week 10 showdown for a playoff spot against rival Dunbar.
The Cougars have found their swag, and offensively have posted 40+ in thee last 3 SWOPL games.


Scheoeder (2-5)  @ Belmont (7-0) (Saturday)
Will the Bison handle business this week & move to 8-0? The Bison are 13th in the state football poll and has not been tested all season for a entire game. Their defense has not allowed more than 6 points and the offense has scored 40+ 4 times this season.

Can Schroeder find it in themselves to pull off a huge upset at Welcome Stadium on Saturday night?






Thursday Recap: 
Lions survive tough game, defeat Ponitz  
Meadowdale  was able to survive a tough game in the city league, and came away with a big 12-9 victory at Welcome Stadium Thursday night.
The win runs Meadowdale record to 3-5 while Ponitz falls to 2-6.

Thursday Recap: Belmont shuts out Ponitz; Sidney escapes again; Top 5 Games of Week 7

Here's the Recap from Thursday Night Games
& the hot games for Week 7 in the Miami Valley

All-State and Miami commit DB Jaden Rucker Furlow talks to coaches during game

Belmont shuts out Ponitz, stays undefeated 

The Bison was able to shut down the Ponitz offense and used it's running game to wear down and defeat the Panthers 43-0 @ Welcome Stadium.
The Bison led 6-0 until late in the 2nd half when they scored on a TD catch by Dawson Martin to go up 14-0 & gather some breathing room before halftime.

 In the 2nd half Belmont scored on the first possession to move it to 21-0. From there it was all Bison as they move to 7-0 overall and 5-0 in the SWOPL on the season. Ponitz falls to 2-5 & 2-3 in the SWOPL.




Sidney survives, moves to 7-0 

The Yellow Jackets of Sidney once again showed that when they are pushed to adversity, they can rise to the occasion and now sit in a great position to make it to the playoffs after a exciting 1- point win.

  If the Yellow Jackets win 2 of their last 3, a 9-1 record would all but seal a playoff spot for the Yellow Jackets, who were led by RB Isaiah Bowser and Andre Gordon.




Top Games of Week 7 


Wayne  @ Beavercreek  
Can Wayne get back on track vs tough Beavers team who also lost a tough game last week? Both teams need a w to stay on inside track for playoff spot.

Dunbar  vs  Meadowdale 
Can Dunbar get back on track after a tough road L in Detroit? Or will the Lions get their 2nd straight win in the SWOPL?

Fairborn @ Trotwood 
Will Fairborn pull 9ff the biggest upset in the season? Or will the #1 ranked team in the state enjoy their homecoming?

Northmont  @ Springfield 
In what could be the game of the week, which team will get the upper hand on a playoff spot? The Bolts will get a real test against a 1 loss Cats team who seem ready for a playoff burst.


Thurgood  @ Hughes 
Can the 2nd hottest team in the SWOPL keep it up against Hughes? The Cougars have won 3 straight and now sit at 3-1 in the conference and have big foes coming up, which could help lead them to a SWOPL title. Can they defeat a tough Hughes team in the road?

Bison look to gain respect in State Polls, take on Ponitz tonight

The Belmont Bison look to stay atop the SWOPL and try to push up the polls tonight as they take on the ponitz Panthers at Welcome Stadium. The Bison have given up a total of 12 points in six games this season, yet still hasn't made a blemish on the ohsaa state poll.

While the Bison don't have the most flamboyant style of play, there is no denying how good they are.

The Bison stand at 6-0, give up 2ppg, & face a solid team in Ponitz, who has won of their last 3 games. With a great mind like Jim Place on the other side, coach Earl White and the Bison know it will be a test.

 However the Bison have a great ground game, a stout O-Line, a rising star QB, and Senior leadership which could lead them deep into the OHSAA playoffs.

If the Bison can win tonight, will they finally crack the OHSAA State poll in Week 7?

Game starts at 7pm.