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.

Wayne wins defensive battle; Ponitz celebrates best season ever; Dunbar Belmont epic matchup; Top 5 Matchups of Week 10;

THURSDAY RECAP  

Wayne pulls out defensive battle vs Trotwood on Senior night
  The Wayne Train didn't really gather full steam on Thursday Night Lights, but did do enough to defeat Trotwood 17-6 at Heidkamp Stadium in a battle of 2 of the heavyweights in HS Football in Ohio.
   Senior WR Trew Davis hauled in 5 passes with a spectacular TD, RB Fred Pitts ran for another and the Wayne defense stifled Trotwood in the 2nd half to hold on to the win against a game Rams squad.

Senior WR Trew Davis scores TD as Wayne defeats Trotwood 17-6 (courtesy of Image Jock)

With the game being on National TV, there was no shortage of drama. Early on.

   Trotwood looked as if they would get on track first, as star RB Raveion Hargrove seemingly pulled in a TD grab for a 6-0 lead. However, the call was overturned, and the Rams would not score.


   Trotwood would score on its next possession to cut it to 7-6, but only after the Trew Davis TD put Wayne on the board first.
  Pitts then came through with another TD, in which put Wayne up 14-6.

The Wayne defense was rock solid and able to stop Hargrove and Stephens Peppers from any serious threat after halftime.
  While some will say that Trotwood was cheated, the fact is that the Warriors D shut down the Rams offense in the second half after the Rams had showed that they could move the ball early.

    Trotwood star LBs James Parker and Mikey'ion Hunter both had 10 tackles while DB Kobe Vinegar had 11 and was able to stifle the Wayne Train passing game.

 
  While Trotwood didn't win, they did serve notice that they could be headed for a deep run come playoff time.

 Wayne knows they didn't play their best ball, but still was able to pull out a tough win against a state type of opponent going into playoffs.




Ponitz  secures best season in history

  Ponitz shut out Cincy College Prep Academy 33-0 to run their record to 7-3, their best record in Panthers history. Coach Jim Place and the coaching staff did a excellent job to get the team to the next level.
 Ponitz was ahead 33-0 at half, and the clock was running from the start of the 2nd half.
While Ponitz needs some major help to get into playoffs, they have nothing to hold their head about, as the only teams they lost to was Belmont, Dunbar and Taft. 3 teams, who all are in playoff contention.
 Salute to the Panthers, and look for Place and the Panthers to contend for a SWOPL Championship next year.
 Led by D'Edgar Cooks, Xavier Henry, Isiah Gordon, and star RB Jamil Freeman, the Panthers showed explosiveness this season unlike any other.
 


FRIDAY GAMES

Can Belmont and coach White stop Dunbar and get to playoffs?

Top 5 Games of Week 10;  Playoff Implications

With the playoffs starting next week, here are our Top 5 Games of  Week 10;

(1) Belmont    @    Dunbar    
In what will be the game of the night, everything is on the line for Belmont. The Bisons strategy is simple; win and get into the OHSAA playoffs for the second consecutive year. Belmont will have to beat a team who is playing at a very high level and has a lot of confidence in their squad in Dunbar. The Wolverines have knocked down every obstacle this season, sans 1, so can they send the Bison packing? Or will Coach Earl White, Elijah Malcolm and the Bison get it done?

                Listen to Coach Darran Powell talk about his team, playoffs, Belmont and more:

(2)  Troy   @  Piqua  

  Can Troy knock off their rival in a game Piqua must have to get into playoffs? Troy already has a berth, and it will be interesting to see how they play it. With all everything RB Darien Tipps Clemons out, Piqua has used the "Next Man Up" Philosophy to stay in the playoff race. Can Piqua get it done on Senior night? Or will Troy spoil the party?

(3) Alter    @  C-J 

  C-J  has taken what looked like a early season to the dumps, and turned it into what could be a magical one. After starting 0-2, they have won 6 of 7 and now sit in a spot where if they win, they will make the playoffs. Only one problem, as the state ranked Alter Knights have made a living of ruining the Eagles season in the last game. With a new stadium, Senior night, and a charged up Eagles team? Should be a great contest tonight for these 2 GCL studs.

(4)  Springboro  @  Lebanon 
Can Springboro continue its roller coaster of a season with a win that would get them into the playoffs? They have a chance with a win over a already tourney bound Lebanon team. The Boro knows that they have to put it all together tonight, or else the season will be over.

(5) Fairmont   @  Springfield  

 Can "The Field" clinch a playoff berth? If they can get past a pesky Fairmont team, then they will do just that. After losing a tough one to Wayne, now they will get a less than average Firebirds team, and nonetheless, on Senior night. Look for all-everything player Danny Davis to show out with a chance to get to the playoffs on the line tonight.

Impact of Dunbar - Belmont game could be huge tonight (830pm)

For years the Belmont Bison have been the doormats of the City League.  Almost 37 to be exact. They've had a year or so where they have been decent, but nothing like what has happened in the last 2 years.  

    Well, the Bison have a chance to kick down history once and for all.
    At the hands of possibly the most celebrated High School in the Miami Valley.
   Before the season started, Dunbar was the team who were one of the pre-season favorites to win the newly formed SWOPL (Southwest Ohio Public League) which merges Dayton & Cincinnati Public schools for football.

Belmont? Figured to go .500 at best.

   But after both teams took season opening losses on the road, Belmont was able to bounce back and ride it's star to 7 straight wins, a possible playoff berth and a chance to complete history, as the first team to win the SWOPL outright in its first year back.
   But can they actually beat Dunbar?

    Dunbar smacked Belmont last season, and for years at that. They're like the big bro who smacks lil bro around and never thinks twice about that lil bro will get bigger and stronger one day and not forget all them whoopins. After the tough loss last season you can be sure that coach learned a thing or two about this team since that time.
   Dunbar is supremely talented, well coached and if not for a couple of tough late game losses, they'd be playing for a playoff spot themselves. They seemingly have the top talent that bring themselves to the Wolverines each and every season. However, they have made some timely mistakes which has been their undoing.
 
Will Dunbar once again prove that their talent and will outweighs that of any other team in the city, and stop The Bison amazing momentum?
The Wolverines are notorious for slamming Title hopes.
   Just not sure they can hold off 37 years of Bison frustration.
  Welcome Stadium will be rockin' tonight (830) as we will see if the Bison are forreal.

   Win this game? & Expect a Bison revival, a playoff run, and a new Era at Belmont.
Lose? Well, we've heard that story for 37 years. We know that ending.
At least the Bison are exciting,  relevant, and doing things the right way.
Expect a classic game tonight. Expect great High School football, coaches by two of the best coaches in the Miami Valley tonight. Expect plays made by D-1 players all over the field tonght.
City League football is on the rise.

NOTE: A possible Annual Dayton HS Sports City League All-star HS Football Challenge in the works for March - April debut.
Football in Dayton, Ohio is back on the rise.
History will be made tonight.

Who makes it, Belmont or Dunbar?


 

Playoff hopes hang in the balance in Week 10; rivalries renewed

As we enter the last week of regular season one thing is for certain:

Playoffs start next week, but for most, it starts tonight, as we check out the 5 biggest games in Week 10: 

(1) Centerville  (6-3)  @   Wayne  (9-0) 

 In one of the great rivalries in the Southwest Ohio region,  Centerville, who has seemingly found their rhythm behind the Chaminade julienne transfer Jacob Harrison. The senior has thrown for 2200 + and accounted for almost 3,000 yards in the season. Centerville has been almost lucky and good at the same time, as they have survived some fantastic finishes.

    However, tonight could be a little bit too much. 

The Wayne train has steamrolled every single opponent that they have stepped in front of. 

   Led by Trotwood transfer Messiah DeWeaver, the offense has been unstoppable. With everything on the line for Centerville and a playoff home game for Wayne, it's nothing new for the GWOC, which, quite frankly, looks like one of the top 3 HS Football Leagues in Ohio.

 In the last 15 years three teams have dominated the league and two are playing  (the other is Trotwood). 

With that being said, we pick the Wayne Train to win and end the Elks late season run 40-20. 

(2) Dunbar (4-5)   vs   Belmont   (7-1)

With Dunbar losing to top seed Taft last week in a thrilling game, the Wolverines will now have to play the spoiler role as Belmont will attempt to not only win the conference outright, but get a playoff berth, something that hasn't happened in decades. Dunbar has its opportunity slip away, and maybe were a year away from winning the city. Belmont, led by Coach Earl White and star player Davion Lankford, have provided a swagger, discipline, and a camaraderie in their organization that seems to be fueling the entire Bison nation.

Dunbar has the better talent, but can they make the key plays to win the game? 

Bison win and get to the playoffs 24-22. 

(3) Trotwood  (6-3)  @  Vandalia Butler  

 Trotwood is guaranteed a playoff spot win or lose tonight and could secure a playoff home game if they can defeat the Aviators in Vandalia. Vandalia needs to win this game and more than likely Hope that a couple things go there way to get to the playoffs. Nevertheless it's been a very good season for Vandalia Butler, and this game will be tight all the way down to the end. 

Were picking the Rams in a close one 30-28.

 (4) Miamisburg (8-1)  @  West Carrollton  (2-7)

 Miamisburg is in a good position as they're hoping for a win and a little bit of help to get to the playoffs. barring any let downs, they should be able to get a win over the Pirates. West Carrolton has been up and down this season but this game is a rivalry so expect the Pirates to play with more energy and probably to an even keel in the first half. Miamisburg should win this one 35-20.

(5) Shroeder  @  Thurgood   (4-5)  

 Although  Thurgood didn't win the City League title for a 7th straight season they have started to finish strong with their young talent and looks like they could be a force for next year. Can they get the job done tonight at welcome Stadium and even their record for the season?

We're pcmic.