Week 7 Preview: League championship pictures becoming more clear by the week
MANSFIELD — It is hard to believe Week 7 is already here.
The 2023 high school football season is blazing by, and each game becomes more and more important. Let's check out some of the biggest storylines of Week 7.
Who is the real MVP? Jake Furr's Mansfield News Journal Midway Richland County Football Awards
Most intriguing games
The first big game to keep an eye on is at Arlin Field where Ashland (4-2, 2-1) travels to Mansfield Senior (4-2, 3-0) for yet another big Ohio Cardinal Conference matchup. The Tygers are all alone in first place in the league and seem destined to win their first league championship since 2017. This one will likely be the toughest test remaining on Mansfield Senior's schedule as it closes with Wooster, Mount Vernon and Madison in the final three weeks. Ashland is a young team playing with a lot of confidence right now so if the Arrows can get out to a quick start, this one might be a game, but the way the Tyger defense played last week with five sacks and two interceptions, there may be no stopping them.
Across town, Pleasant (4-2, 2-1) travels to Ontario (6-0, 3-0) for another big Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference matchup between two top-tier teams in the league. The Warriors saw some defensive breakdowns in the first quarter of last week's win over Galion while Pleasant struggled to put away Clear Fork needing 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to pull off the comeback. So, all signs point to Ontario winning this one, but with the way the Warriors are approaching every game this year, they won't be taking the Spartans lightly. Ontario piled up 561 yards of total offense last week as Bodpegn Miller threw for 329. If he slings it like he did last week, the scoreboard will be lighting up yet again.
Finally, Shelby (5-1, 3-0) at River Valley (2-4, 1-2) will be a fun matchup. River Valley got beat by Harding last week so it seems like a lopsided matchup, but with it being on the road for the Whippets, anything can happen. Shelby's offense put up incredible numbers last week, but what was most impressive was the 65 rushing yards they allowed to the leading rusher in the MOAC, Highland's Dane Nauman. If the Whippets can play that kind of defense against a high-profile offense like River Valley, it should be a great night.
What we need to learn
It feels like we have learned all we need to learn about Richland County teams this year, but I've always said, if you aren't learning, you aren't growing. So, I want to see which team is growing. Which team in Richland County will start to separate themselves as a team that can make a long postseason run? League championship pictures are coming into focus. Mansfield Senior is all alone in first place in the OCC, and it doesn't seem like anyone is catching the Tygers. Ontario and Shelby seem destined to meet in Week 9 for a winner-take-all matchup for the MOAC title and Crestview needs just one team to knock off Monroeville and the Cougars need to win out to have a chance at a Firelands Conference title.
But what isn't quite clear yet is can these Richland County teams make a deep run at a possible regional championship. If the playoff started today, the Tygers would be the No. 4 seed in Division III, Region 10 and Ontario would be No. 5. Lexington and Madison would be on the outside looking in at No. 17 and T24, respectively. Defending state champ Toledo Central Catholic is at the top of that region.
Shelby seems to be in the best position as the No. 2 seed in Division IV Region 14 below Perkins, but last year's state champion, Glenville, is at No. 3 with losses to undefeated Avon and possibly the best high school football team in the nation, IMG Academy out of Bradenton, Florida. Clear Fork is at No. 20 in that region.
In Division VI Region 22, the Crestview Cougars are at No. 14 and will need to continue to win games to make it to the postseason.
In my opinion, the best chance Richland County has in a potential regional champion is in Division VII Region 25 with the Lucas Cubs who sit at No. 6 currently. They will have to contend with Dalton, a team that just waxed Hillsdale 50-7, but if the Cubs can keep winning and grab two home playoff games, a return trip to the championship game isn't out of the question.
So, which team will make me a regional championship believer? I hope to learn that Friday night.
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Key player to watch
It is about time this guy gets some much-deserved love. Ontario junior quarterback Bodpegn Miller had a career game last week against Galion going 15-for-21 for 329 yards passing with two touchdowns while running for 95 yards and two more scores. He is now the No. 2 all-time leading passer in Ontario football history and has a full season to go. Last week, he averaged 22 yards per catch and connected on four passes of 46 yards or longer including a 69-yard pass to Quin Frankhouse. He was throwing the ball with so much confidence and poise that he should have found some college radars after that one. Playing at home in Week 7 against Pleasant, which has allowed 1,463 total yards this season for an average of 292.6. He should have plenty of opportunities to make massive plays Friday night.
Richland County football's Week 7 schedule
Marion Harding (2-4, 1-2) at Clear Fork (1-5, 0-3)
Plymouth (2-4, 0-3) at Crestview (2-4, 1-1)
Lexington (3-3, 2-1) at West Holmes (4-2, 2-1)
Lucas (4-2) at Lima Central Catholic (3-3)
New Philadelphia (4-2, 2-1) at Madison (0-6, 0-3)
Ashland (4-2, 2-1) at Mansfield Senior (4-2, 3-0)
Pleasant (4-2, 2-1) at Ontario (6-0, 3-0)
Shelby (5-1, 3-0) at River Valley (2-4, 1-2)
jfurr@gannett.com
740-244-9934
X: @JakeFurr11
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Week 7 Preview: Looking at Richland County football's biggest headlines
