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Best Bets: Week 10

Madeira QB Peter Breidenbach (photo by Greg Shoemaker/TriStateFootball.com)

We’re finally to the final week of the regular season in Ohio, the first round of the playoffs in Indiana, and two weeks away from postseason action in Kentucky. There are titles up for grabs this week on both sides of the river while critical matchups will help jockey seeding among the middle of the pack. To help make sense of the week of madness ahead, here are this week’s Best Bets.

#9 KINGS AT #20 ANDERSON
As we’ve been saying all season – offenses in Eastern Cincinnati Conference can put up some points. Four teams have put up more than 300 points on the season and two of them face off on Friday night when the Kings Knights travel to take on the Anderson Raptors.

The good news for the Raptors is they have one of the best quarterbacks in the conference in Griffin Scalf. Scarf leads the conference in pass attempts (363), completions (236), yards (2,924), and yards per game (324.9). He ranks third in touchdowns with 20, while adding seven touchdowns on the ground. Scalf is coming off an incredible performance where he completed 22 passes for 396 yards and five touchdowns in a win against Turpin. Santos Alvarez is one of Scalf’s favorite targets, accounting for over 1,000 yards receiving. When you go back to the category of points scored, the Anderson offense ranks number one in the conference.

The bad news for the Raptors is they will be facing one of the toughest defenses in the area. Kings has given up the least amount of points in the conference and boast two of the top four leaders in interceptions. Paul Kelly leads the ECC with six interceptions, while Jake Cameron is tied for fourth with four picks. The unit only averages giving up 9.9 points per game, 104.1 passing yards per game, and 80.8 rushing yards per game. That’ll be tough sledding for Scalf, who has thrown nine interceptions this season.

Kings also has a high-powered offense led by quarterback Will Kocher, who is second in passing yards behind Scalf, second in touchdowns behind Milford’s Austin Hardin, and second in completion percentage among quarterbacks who have attempted at least 100 passes. Kocher has also only thrown five interceptions on the year, which is the lowest among quarterbacks with at least 100 pass attempts. Kocher should have a big game in Week 10, as Anderson’s defense has given up the third-most points this season, with only winless Walnut Hills and one-win Turpin giving up more.

As for what this game means in playoff seeding, Kings has already clinched a first round home game. Win or loss, they will have a seed in the 3-5 range. Anderson, meanwhile, still has a shot at a home playoff game if the Raptors can pull off the upset. 

RYLE AT SIMON KENTON
The Class 6A, District 6 title is on the line on Friday night in Independence as the Ryle Raiders hit the road to face the Simon Kenton Pioneers. Outside of the district, the Raiders and Pioneers have one common opponent – Highlands. The Pioneers traveled to Fort Thomas and knocked off the Bluebirds in a tight game, while the Raiders also engaged in a shootout with Highlands, but ultimately fell by 11. Since the Simon Kenton win, Highlands has not lost a game while the Pioneers have gone 3-3 with losses to Beechwood, Southwestern and Corbin.

Over their last two games, however, Simon Kenton have put up big numbers on offense, scoring 66 points against Dixie Heights and 50 against Campbell County, both on the road. While quarterback Chase Crone has been productive with over 350 yards and three touchdowns over the past two games, running back Jayden Lawson has continued his stellar season, rushing for 96 yards and three touchdowns against Campbell County and 314 yards and four touchdowns against Dixie Heights. If the Pioneers, particularly Lawson, continue this tear that they’ve been on in district play so far, they will be mighty hard to slow down.

Raiders quarterback Logan Verax had over 200 all-purpose yards and three total touchdowns in last week’s 48-21 win over Dixie Heights. In the much closer win over Campbell County, Verax threw for over 150 yards, while Kaden Gardner got it done on the ground with seven carries for 119 yards and two touchdowns.

This game could go either way. Ryle has the better record, however Simon Kenton has both scored more points and given up more points. Look for this to be a shootout with the district title on the line.

#17 WYOMING AT MADEIRA
The Wyoming Cowboys are having one of the most historic seasons Ohio high school football has ever seen. Through the first nine games of the season, Wyoming has posted seven shutouts, only given up 21 points all season, and has scored at least 40 points in six games, including putting up a 65 spot in the shutout against Finneytown. Standing between the Cowboys and a sixth straight Cincinnati Hills League title is undefeated Madeira. The Mustangs are looking for their first conference title since 2012.

One can’t talk about Wyoming without mentioning the fantastic season by C.J. Hester, who has rushed for 550 yards and 13 touchdowns just over the past two games. On the season, Hester has rushed for 1,730 yards and 32 touchdowns. His 86 career rushing touchdowns ties him for 21st place in Ohio history for rushing touchdowns. Hester is also a stud on defense, recording 14 total tackles and an interception return for a touchdown.

The Mustangs are also dangerous on both sides of the ball. They’ve only given up 54 points on the season and have recorded three shutouts. Peter Breidenbach leads a balanced offensive attack with 1,237 passing yards and 13 touchdowns. On the ground, Nick Heisser 981 yards and 14 touchdowns. This balanced offensive attack has put up some big numbers this season, scoring 313 points in 2022.

It will be incredibly tough for the Mustangs to pull off the upset as Wyoming is having itself a season for the ages. However, if Madeira can find a way to win, they could rise as high as the top seed in Division V, Region 20. With a loss, the Mustangs will at worst stay where they are at No. 5. Wyoming, meanwhile, would retain the top seed with a win.

HUGHES AT #21 WITHROW
The Hughes Big Red tallied their first loss of the season in Week 9 against the Taft Senators, falling to 3-1 in CMAC play. The schedule makers did Hughes no favors, as the Big Red will take on the red hot Withrow Tigers, winners of five straight and in the driver’s seat for the CMAC title.

Withrow quarterback Troy Montgomery had a career game in Week 9 in a 54-0 road rout of Western Hills, throwing for 253 yards and four touchdowns. The Hughes offense, meanwhile, will look to get going again after being punched in the gut last week. Prior to the Taft loss, the Big Red had scored at least 35 points in every game this season.

Both Hughes and Withrow have already clinched a home playoff game, but can improve their seeding with a win.

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GAME OF THE WEEK
Make sure to check out the COMPLETE PREVIEW for this week’s featured game on the Blitz 5 Tour,  No. 23 La Salle at No. 5 Elder

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Here are some other games for teams ranked inside the Blitz 5 Top 25:

OHIO
No. 16 Colerain at No. 1 Lakota West
Lebanon at No. 2 Winton Woods
Detroit King (MI) at No. 3 Moeller
No. 6 Mason at No. 4 Princeton
Lakota East at No. 7 Fairfield
Life Christian Academy (VA) at No. 8 St. Xavier
No. 11 Milford at Turpin
McNicholas at No. 12 Badin
Harrison at No. 13 Edgewood
No. 19 Western Brown at Batavia
Woodward at No. 22 Taft
No. 25 Middletown at No. 24 Oak Hills

INDIANA
Edgewood (IN) at No. 10 East Central
2022 SE Indiana Playoff Pairings

KENTUCKY
Cooper at No. 14 Highlands
Conner at No. 15 Covington Catholic
Newport at No. 18 Beechwood

 

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