Columbus-area high school football: 5 things to watch in Week 4
Call this Rivalry Week, Part 1.
Friday’s schedule features several downstreet showdowns, including Big Walnut at Delaware Hayes, Central Crossing at Grove City, Dublin Jerome at Dublin Coffman, Hilliard Darby at Hilliard Davidson, Pickerington Central at Pickerington North and two games pitting Olentangy schools with Liberty hosting Berlin and Orange at Olentangy.
What’s at stake? Only bragging rights between friends, neighbors and foes for the next year. And any little point helps in the regional computer standings.
League play begins in part this week, and most other teams will follow suit within a few weeks.
Here are five things to watch in Week 4:
1. Pickerington North hopes for better results against Pickerington Central
Coming off a strong defensive performance in yet another stiff test, the host Panthers (3-0) will try to snap a three-game skid against Central in the teams’ fifth meeting in 24 months.
North held Upper Arlington to 8 yards in the first half and 9 rushing yards for the entirety of a 28-8 win Friday. That followed up earlier victories over Cincinnati Elder (39-35) and defending Pennsylvania Class 5A champion Gibsonia Pine-Richland (35-14).
“The last three weeks, you talk about going through a gauntlet, and it doesn’t get any easier this week,” Panthers coach Nate Hillerich said. “Every single week we are playing top teams, and now we have our rival. It’s been a big four weeks just to keep your guys living in the moment and making sure we are focused. It’s been a good thing.”
Ohio State commit Sam Williams-Dixon ran for 86 yards and a touchdown last week, and J.J. Sebert returned an interception 40 yards for a touchdown.
Central (2-1), which leads the series 17-4, is coming off a 28-17 loss at Centerville. Myles Harrison returned an interception 76 yards for a touchdown and Kaejuan Alexander caught a 5-yard scoring pass from sophomore quarterback Rocco Williams.
“This will be one of those games that comes down to small details,” said Hillerich, adding that some fans were asking him about this matchup even before the UA game. “They’re the normal Tigers you’ve seen for the past 20 years. They play incredible defense with great athletes all over the field. Talent is not an issue.”
Last season, Central beat North 14-7 in Week 4 and 28-20 in the second round of the Division I, Region 3 playoffs.
2. Dublin Jerome seeks second consecutive win over Dublin Coffman
Although his team recorded its first win over Coffman a year ago, Jerome coach Brett Glass believes that outcome will have little effect on this year’s matchup.
The teams, both of which are 2-1, meet Friday at Coffman.
“Last year doesn’t matter,” Glass said. “Next year doesn’t matter. Every year’s team is different, so that’s how we’re approaching it.”
Coffman leads the series 6-1 after Jerome's 16-7 home win last season. Carter Holden kicked three field goals to help lead the Celtics.
Both teams are looking to rebound from losses a week ago. Jerome fell at home to unbeaten Hilliard Davidson 17-13 and Coffman lost 24-14 to visiting Canton McKinley.
“We have a long way to go and have to continue to find a way to play harder and cleaner,” Coffman coach Geron Stokes said. “We are concerned about our lack of intentionality, toughness and effort.”
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Quarterback Quinn Hart led Coffman offensively against McKinley, passing for 120 yards and rushing for 77.
“They’re really physical up front on both sides and we have to match that,” Glass said. “That’s what we’ve been preaching to our kids all week.”
Jerome quarterback Kyle White has passed for 445 yards and five touchdowns and rushed for a team-high 235 yards and four scores.
3. Hilliard Davidson looks to avenge loss to Hilliard Darby
Davidson lost to Darby 7-3 last season but still leads the series 10-6.
The teams know what to expect Friday at Davidson. Both rely on the running game and physical line play.
“The kids know each other,” Davidson coach Jeremey Scally said. “The coaches know each other. There’s certainly no secrets. They’ll be motivated. We’ll be motivated.”
Keevin Gibbon, who missed last season’s game with an ankle injury, leads Davidson with 391 yards rushing and four touchdowns on 56 carries.
“They’re 3-0 and they’re doing a great job defensively,” Darby coach John Santagata said. “I’m really impressed with them defensively. They rally to the ball and play hard. Offensively, they’re doing good stuff. They have a really good running back (in Gibbon). You hit him at the line of scrimmage, he grinds for 3 more (yards). With their special teams, they have a really good kicker (in Andrew Lewis).”
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Darby’s Kaiden Molnar has rushed for 302 yards and four touchdowns on 44 carries. The Panthers (2-1) are coming off a 28-21 win over Orange.
“Darby is so good at the line of scrimmage,” Scally said. “They have good athletes in the back part of their defense and with their offensive skilled (players), and I feel like we have some decent athletes in our back half and with our offensive skilled (players), but the game ... always comes down to the line of scrimmage. They’re going to make you earn everything.”
4. Williamsport Westfall quarterback Bryce Wickline has been quick study
Wickline’s 412 passing yards Friday in a 48-36 win over Circleville were the latest example of versatility and adjustment for a senior who before last year had not run an offense.
Wickline ran for 123 yards and a touchdown in a Week 1 win over Madison-Plains and completed 28 of 50 passes with four touchdowns Friday. For the season, he has thrown for 625 yards and five scores without an interception.
“He’s able to see things now that he wasn’t able to see last year,” said Mustangs coach Logan Stepp, a former West Jefferson and Otterbein signal caller. “I was looking for a kid that could be a dual threat, who could be athletic and we could teach how to play quarterback. He was willing to listen to everything I threw at him. He was dedicated to playing the position and developing. It’s not an easy thing because you get a lot of scrutiny.”
Three receivers have at least 141 receiving yards and seven have at least one catch for Westfall (2-1), which opens Scioto Valley Conference play Friday at Chillicothe Unioto. Trent Walters leads the group with 195 yards, followed closely by Jaden Towler (181) and Brydan Gall (141).
5. City League, OCC-Capital begin league play
The Columbus City League, Knox-Morrow Athletic Conference, Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference, MSL-Buckeye, MSL-Cardinal and OCC-Capital start league play this week by necessity, given the size of their conferences.
Some teams in those divisions still have non-league games remaining later in the season.
Briggs and East are the only 3-0 teams in the City. OCC-Capital teams Canal Winchester, Delaware and Westerville North finished their non-league slates unbeaten, while Highland is the only area unbeaten in the MOAC and Danville and Fredericktown are the same in the K-MAC.
Hamilton Township and Logan Elm are the last two 3-0 teams in the MSL. Both reside in the Buckeye Division.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Central Ohio high school football: 5 things to watch in Week 4
