Preview: Loveland at #15 West Clermont

It’s off to the southeast side of town as the Blitz 5 Game of the Week stops at West Clermont. The home team Wolves have been one of the feel good stories of the year. They are one win away from finishing over .500 for just the second time in school history and first since the program’s inaugural season in 2017.

Last week, Loveland responded to its worst loss of the year with its best win of the season. The Tigers are riding the momentum of three victories in their last four contests and are in “must” win mode. They are in a fight for their playoff life, currently sitting as the #16 seed, the final spot in Region 8.
 

LOVELAND TIGERS (3-5, 3-4) at WEST CLERMONT WOLVES (5-3, 4-3)
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m., October 18th, 2024
West Clermont Stadium
Follow on X: @TSFootball 

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Chase Martin has emerged as the top option at running back for Loveland, over the last four weeks. The junior has run for 364 yards and five touchdowns in that span. Quarterback Tyler Roberts has thrown for 2,997 yards and 24 touchdowns over the past two seasons. Roberts threw a career high four touchdowns in last week’s victory over Little Miami. Senior Dylan Hacker leads the Tigers with 30 receptions, 419 receiving yards, five touchdown catches, 644 all-purpose yards, nine pass breakups and four interceptions (tops in the ECC). He has 13 career interceptions.

West Clermont quarterback Bo Rickman and Landon Young have been one of the area’s best tandems running the football. Junior Young leads the ECC with 1,078 yards rushing and has found the end zone seven times. Rickman is third in the league with 722 yards rushing and has 11 touchdowns. Rickman has run for 1,606 yards and 22 touchdowns in his last 19 games.

Junior Caillou Robinson is a rising star for the Wolves defense. He has 39 tackles, six sacks and nine-and-a-half tackles for losses. Senior Alexander Hauck has been a ballhawk with team highs of 33 solo tackles, nine pass break-ups and three takeaways (two INTs, one FR).

TEAM TRENDS: Loveland hasn’t finished a season above .500 since 2015. Six of the Tigers seven rushing touchdowns and seven of their 11 passing touchdowns have come in the last four weeks.

West Clermont averages 243.4 yards per game rushing. The Wolves have 20 offensive touchdowns, 18 have come on the ground (all by Rickman and Young). In last week’s loss to Winton Woods, West Clermont finished with no passing yards and a season low 96 yards of total offense. They have not thrown for more than 42 yards in a game.

HEAD COACHES:
Loveland: Brian Damewood (3-5 at Loveland, first year; 3-5 overall)

West Clermont: Ben Moorman (5-3 at West Clermont, first year; 5-3 overall)

PLAYOFF HISTORY:
Loveland (seven appearances, 6-6) – 2023, 2022, 2020, 2013 (State Champion), 2002,2000, 1986

West Clermont (five appearances, 0-5) – 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2017

LOVELAND’S KEYS TO VICTORY: The Tigers have to be very, very good on first and second downs, defensively. Forcing West Clermont into uncomfortable third and long situations will be a big plus as the night wears on. Offensively, getting off to a quick start will also help keep the pressure on the Wolves to put points on the board.

WEST CLERMONT’S KEYS TO VICTORY: The Wolves just need to continue to do what they do best, run the football, take time off the clock and keep opposing offenses off the field. The defense is only allowing 13.8 points in West Clermont’s five wins. They will need that kind of of performance to come out on top of this affair.

Prediction: West Clermont 28, Loveland 14

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