Week 9 preview: 5 football numbers that pop
The following five numbers are currently the most impressive for high school football in the area with two games to play in the regular season.
2:3
In the last two weeks, Gibsonburg's Cam Mooney has completed 6 of his 8 pass attempts, with three touchdowns, in wins over Lakota and Willard. That's two incompletions and three touchdowns. For the season, he has completed 19 of 31 passes with four touchdowns.
16
Total touchdowns so far for Oak Harbor's Jaqui Hayward. He has 663 yards and nine scores on 50 receptions and 357 yards and five touchdowns on 41 carries. He also has returned two punts for scores.
56
High school football Oak Harbor defensive end shrugs off linemen, sacks quarterback on regular basis
High school sports Destiny Robinson takes challenges one at a time, including Toledo basketball commitment
Lakota's Brandon Leal established a program record for field goal distance in a setback to Margaretta last week.
79.1
Oak Harbor's Mike LaLonde completed 102 of 129 passes in eight wins, good for a 79.1 completion percentage so far in 2023. He has 1,391 yards and 18 touchdowns, including at least one in each game and four in two separate games.
1,557
That's the total yards from scrimmage so far this season for Genoa's Aidan Antry. He has 898 yards and nine touchdowns on 143 carries and 275 yards and five scores on 13 catches. He also has 388 yards on 14 kickoff returns for a 27.7 yard average.
Week 9 games
Fremont Ross (2-6) at Toledo Waite (1-7)
Ross mixes in a nonconference matchup. JD Moncrief and Zalen Harris each rushed for a touchdown in a 26-14 setback to Sylvania Southview last week. Waite has beaten Toledo Rogers 36-30 and lost 47-0 to Port Clinton and 42-14 to Clyde. Waite has allowed at least 30 points every game and scored more than 28 one time. Ross is 16th in Division II Region 6. The matchup is new this season.
Clyde (4-4) at Huron (6-2)
Clyde tries to regroup after a tough stretch with three losses in the SBC Lake Division with an SBC crossover. Kam Shortridge rushed for two touchdowns in a 32-22 setback to Sandusky last week. Jon Lantz completed 18 of 25 passes for 200 yards and Clark Norman rushed for a score. Huron has won its last three games and scored at least 31 points in each victory this season. Clyde is 12th in Division III Region 10. The matchup returns this season.
Bellevue (3-5, 0-2) at Port Clinton (3-5, 1-2)
Bellevue has lost its last four games after three straight wins. Brody Horn rushed for two scores in Bellevue's 43-12 setback to Division III eighth-ranked Tiffin Columbian last week. Bellevue is eighth in Division IV Region 14. Port Clinton is 15th in Division V Region 18. Bellevue won 24-14 last season, before shifting to the SBC Bay Division this year.
Oak Harbor (8-0) at Eastwood (7-1, 5-0)
These are the unbeaten teams in the Northern Buckeye Conference. Oak Harbor is ranked sixth in Division V and third in Region 18. Eastwood is ninth in the same region. Hayward rushed for one score, and he and Ethan Stokes each caught a touchdown pass from LaLonde in Oak Harbor's 21-0 victory over Genoa last week. The Eagles lost 14-7 to Wauseon. Eastwood scored at least 42 points in six games and allowed more than 20 one time. Eastwood has no victories against a team with a winning record, similar to the Rockets prior to last week's victory over Genoa. Oak Harbor fell 24-20 to Eastwood in the second round of the postseason last year.
Gibsonburg (4-4, 3-2) at Margaretta (4-4, 3-2)
Gibsonburg has won its last three games. The Golden Bears are 15th in Division VII Region 26. Mooney tossed touchdown passes to Reece Walby and Luke Foster, and Chuy Rodriguez added another to Grant Dawson in Gibsonburg's 48-7 victory over Willard last week. Walby, Aiden Morant and Grant Smith each scored on the ground. Mooney returned an interception 50 yards for a touchdown. Julian Washington caught a touchdown pass from Jake Bouy and Kaine Smetzer added a score on the ground as Margaretta snapped a two-game skid with a 20-3 victory over Lakota last week. Margaretta is 15th in Division VI Region 22. Gibsonburg won 29-26 last season.
Lakota (3-5, 1-4) at St. Joseph Central Catholic (0-7, 0-4)
The Raiders are 14th in Division VI Region 22. Lakota coach Mike Lento played quarterback at SJCC. The Raiders won 41-7 last season.
Hopewell-Loudon (8-0) at Woodmore (2-6, 1-4)
Division VII fourth-ranked Hopewell-Loudon has scored at least 26 points in each game and allowed more than 19 only one time. The matchup is new with Woodmore's shift to the SBC River Division.
Genoa (6-2, 4-1) at Rossford (1-7, 0-5)
Rossford beat Northwood 28-7 in Week 1. Rossford allowed 30 or more points seven times. Genoa won 32-28 last season.
mhorn@gannett.com
419-307-4892
X: @MatthewHornNH
This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Week 9 football preview for Fremont, Port Clinton areas
