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Preview: Badin vs. Trotwood-Madison

The Division III, Region 12 title game is adorned with playoff pedigree as the old guard Badin Rams face the new gatekeepers, the Trotwood-Madison Rams. The two schools have combined to win 64 playoff games and make 17 final four appearances. A Trotwood-Madison victory would be the program’s ninth regional championship in the last 10 years. An amazing feat to say the least. A win for Badin makes them a state semifinalist for the first time in 21 seasons.

TROTWOOD-MADISON (9-3) vs. BADIN RAMS (9-3)
Friday, November 22nd, 2019
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m.
Holland Field, Miamisburg High School
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PLAYERS TO WATCH: Trotwood-Madison defensive back Sammy Anderson is the 2019 OPSWA Division III Southwest District Defensive Player of the Year. The senior is also a threat as a receiver with 18 receptions for 381 yards (21.2/catch) and seven touchdowns. The heart-and-soul of the Rams is classmate Carl Blanton Jr. Also a two-way player, Blanton Jr. has team highs of 29 receptions, 605 receiving yards (20.9/catch) and eight touchdown catches. Slinging all those passes is quarterback Cooper Stewart. The junior has thrown for 1,533 yards and accounted for 22 scores (16 pass, six rush). The Rams’ rushing attack is fueled by freshman Hezekiah Hudson-Davis, who has rushed for 1,109 yards with 10 touchdowns. Ke’shawn Huguely has been a defensive force with 78 total tackles and five sacks. Keon’tae Huguely paces the team with five takeaways. He has accounted for 11 total touchdowns with 332 yards passing, 386 yards rushing and 239 yards receiving.

Badin has an arsenal of senior weapons on offense. Quarterback Zach Switzer has thrown for 1,631 yards with 19 touchdown passes and only five interceptions. Alex DeLong has churned out 1,407 yards rushing with 19 total touchdowns (17 rush). He also has 22 receptions for 155 yards. The versatile Josh Hegemann has found the end zone 16 times and amassed 1,284 all-purpose yards. He leads the team with 48 receptions and 710 receiving yards. Marshall Flaig has accrued 690 yards from scrimmage (487 rec, 203 rush) while finding the end zone five times. Badin linebacker Evan Schlensker is a two-time GCL-Co-eds Defensive Player of the Year. He has 90 total tackles, three sacks and an interception.

TEAM TRENDS: Four of Trotwood-Madison’s last eight games have been decided by six points or less (2-2). This will be the Rams sixth bus trip in the last seven weeks. Trotwood-Madison went 6-2 versus Division I schools this season. This is the 15th playoff appearance for Trotwood-Madison (39-12). They won state titles in 2017 and 2011 and have been state runner-up five times (2016, ‘13, ‘12, ‘10 and 1981).

Since losing its first two contests of the year, Badin had not given up more than 17 points in a contest until yielding 21 to Alter last Friday night. This is the 24th playoff appearance for Badin (25-22). They won the state title in 1990 and were state runner-up in ’78 and ’80.

TROTWOOD-MADISON’S KEYS TO VICTORY: The Rams won’t be in awe of Badin. They have seen every kind of team and every type of player that could be possible this season. Staying focused on the task at hand and the nose to the grindstone for 48 minutes will get the results that Trotwood-Madison desires.

BADIN’S KEYS TO VICTORY: Jumping on a road weary Trotwood-Madison team early would be a good thing. Taking the wind out their sails right off the docks could lead to big things for an opportunistic Badin defense. Manufacturing unconditional scores and forcing turnovers will be huge and this Rams squad has made a habit of doing just that.

Prediction: Trotwood-Madison 34, Badin 17

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