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Best Bets: Week 10

Dixie Heights QB Armani Gregg (photo by Chris Granger / X: @regnargc)

Playoffs begin this week in Indiana, one week from now in Ohio, and in just two weeks in Kentucky. The time is finally here! In Ohio, many playoff spots are clinched, but there is still some jostling to do for seeding and even conference crowns. The excitement for many teams will come down to the final week.

Where do some of the conference titles stand? Could there be competition in the GMC and who’s coming in second in the GCL South? Here are this week’s Best Bets.

DIXIE HEIGHTS AT #18 COOPER
One year removed from a disappointing losing season, the Dixie Heights Colonels can clinch at least a non-losing regular season with a win on Friday night on the road. It won’t be easy though as the other sideline will boast a red-hot Cooper Jaguars team that has put up at least 40 points six times this season, including each of the last five games. Surprisingly, the second of the five straight was a loss to Highlands 58-51.

The Jaguars are also coming off back-to-back 49-7 wins. In last week’s win over Boone County, quarterback Cam O’Hara got it done through the air with 240 yards and three touchdowns. Cooper also was efficient on the ground, rushing for 159 yards and three more touchdowns. With a dual-threat offense, the Jaguars have scored 355 points, which is good enough for fourth-best in all of Class 5A.

Dixie Heights, meanwhile, is riding a two-game win streak where the Colonels have outscored opponents 109-22. The Colonels are also pretty balanced offensively, passing for 255 yards and three touchdowns and rushing for 286 yards and seven touchdowns in last week’s 67-7 win over Scott. Quarterback Armani Gregg has eight completions on 10 pass attempts, which went for an average of 31.9 yards per completion.

If Cooper can put up a convincing win, the Jaguars will be heading into the playoffs with a lot of momentum and will have the benefit of a bye week for the last week of the regular season. That extra rest could help them be fresh for a long playoff run. Cooper has the edge.

#19 SYCAMORE AT #1 PRINCETON
Sycamore is back! One year after going 0-10 in the regular season, the Aviators are one win away from clinching their first winning season since 2019. It won’t be easy though as standing in their way is one of the top teams in the region, the Princeton Vikings.

The undefeated Vikings are clicking on all cylinders right now. On the season, Princeton is outsourcing opponents 265-88. The 265 points are best in the Greater Miami Conference while the 88 points allowed is second best (only behind Lakota West’s 63). Despite three turnovers last week against Colerain, Princeton was able to score in all three phases of the game with a blocked punt return for a touchdown and a pick six. Those two plays put the Vikings up 14-0 early. The run game stole the show with 155 rushing yards between seven different ball carriers and four touchdowns.

But it’s Princeton’s defense that is perhaps the biggest reason for the 9-0 record. PJ Nelson leads the GMC in sacks with nine, but also has forced three fumbles and recovered one. Nelson also has a pick six this season. He is just one of many stout defenders on the defensive side of the ball that gives opposing offenses fits.

We’ll see how the unit fares against a Sycamore offense that includes the second-highest passer in the GMC in yards (Seth Truter), second-leading rusher in the GMC in yards (Eugene Harney), and the GMC’s best receiver in Gio Garrett. Truter is coming off a game where he threw for 201 yards and a touchdown. However, he also threw three interceptions. If the Aviators want a chance to pull off the upset, the offense will have to take care of the ball.

Until proven otherwise, Princeton should be considered the favorite, not just in this game, but throughout the Division I, Region 4 playoffs.

#7 ELDER AT #17 LA SALLE
Depending on the result of this game, there could be a three-way tie for second in the GCL South. If the La Salle Lancers knock off the Elder Panthers, both teams, along with the St. Xavier Bombers, would have 1-2 league records. But does La Salle have enough to pull off the upset?

The Lancers are riding a four-game losing skid after starting the season at a promising 4-1. In the two GCL South games they’ve already played against St. Xavier and Moeller, the Lancers turned the ball over a combined five times despite outgaining Moeller in offensive yardage and nearly doing the same against St. Xavier. La Salle is also coming off a heartbreaking overtime loss in Detroit. Protecting the ball will be top priority against the Panthers.

Like all the teams in the GCL South, both teams are battle tested, playing some of the best teams in Ohio and surrounding states. Plus, the three GCL South games are a gauntlet as well. While Elder has the edge in this game, La Salle will still be a force in the Division II, Region 8 playoffs.

#3 LAKOTA WEST AT #14 HAMILTON
Perhaps one of the biggest surprises this season has been that of the Hamilton Big Blue. Hamilton is 7-2 and has rebounded well after being shut out 18-0 by Badin in Week 1. The defense has been awesome all year, giving up only 123 points, which is third best in the GMC. 

Quarterback Antonio Mathis and running back Cournell Bennett-McCoy are statistical top-five in the GMC in each category. However, the Big Blue just picked up its first win last week over a team with a winning record. The team will have a big test in the final week of the regular season on Friday night against Lakota West, a team which has rebounded well after a lousy 0-2 start to the season. Despite the 0-2 start, the Firebirds have only given up double-digit points once, in a 34-14 win over Sycamore.

The Lakota West defense will prove to be just too good for Hamilton or most teams in the region. One thing to look out for in the playoffs will be a potential rematch between Lakota West and Princeton. Should that happen, the outcome could be completely different.

GAME OF THE WEEK
Make sure to check out the COMPLETE PREVIEW for this week’s featured game on the Blitz 5 Tour, #6 Anderson at Kings.

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

OHIO
Turpin at No. 4 Milford

No. 5 Moeller at Martin Luther King Jr. (MI)

Trinity Catholic (FL) at No. 8 St. Xavier

No. 9 Withrow at Western Hills

No. 10 Winton Woods at Lebanon

No. 12 Badin at McNicholas

Woodward at No. 15 Taft

New Richmond at No. 20 Clinton-Massie

Lakota East at No. 21 Mason

No. 22 Harrison at Northwest

Waverly at No. 23 Mount Healthy

Western Brown at No. 24 Wilmington

KENTUCKY
No. 11 Covington Catholic at Mason County

No. 13 Highlands at Scott

Bracken County at No. 16 Beechwood

No. 25 Simon Kenton at Ryle

INDIANA (PLAYOFFS)
Shelbyville at No. 2 East Central

 

 

 

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