A few short weeks remain in the high school football season as we have reached Week 8. The weather is turning a bit colder, teams are starting to feel the postseason approaching and they are doing whatever they can to give themselves the best opportunity to make a deep run. There is still so much to play for, and these last few weeks will be filled with some of the highest intensity that we will see outside of the playoffs.
A week ago, we were blessed with great games between competitive opponents that did not disappoint. Talawanda made some noise with a road win at Northwest. Lakota West took down Middletown in dominant fashion. Moeller held off Elder in a GCL South title game, and Withrow finally broke through with a big win against a tough schedule. More to come this week.
Buckle up for another great week as Elder travels over the bridge to meet Highlands. Colerain visits Lakota West looking to shake things up. CCPA hosts Hughes, and Clinton-Massie hosts Goshen. Anything can happen. Here are the Best Bets for Week 8.
#7 Elder at #8 Highlands
Elder and Highlands meet in a matchup between two teams with title aspirations. Elder has lost two close games in a row but should feel like it is in a great position to make a run in the Ohio state playoffs. Kaden Estep has been one of the best players in the area at quarterback, leading the team in passing and rushing. The Panthers also received a boost this week with standout wide receiver Andrew Lyman eligible to continue playing after a settlement was reached in his case. Lyman has 37 receptions for 603 yards and nine touchdowns in six games
The Bluebirds have been riding high thanks in large part to sophomore playcaller Bryce Armstrong. Another guy who can do it all, Armstrong has been a thorn in every opponent’s side this season. Tayden Lorenzen also has the ability to take over a game on both sides of the ball.
Bet on Elder to end its losing streak.
#16 Colerain at #2 Lakota West
Colerain is having a bit of a resurgence reminiscent of its past runs. Quarterback Roman Garr has helped turn things around by leading the league in passing yards and being able to dish it around to a bevy of wideouts. DeSean Flagg Jr. has stood out as a top target in the passing game, but many different players have stepped up when the lights come on.
Lakota West has looked like a formidable team on both sides of the ball all season long and, without a nail-biting loss to Princeton, would be looked at as a favorite to win the region. Kenyon Norman has been a machine running the football, and Judah Blair makes tackles from sideline to sideline at linebacker.
Bet on Lakota West to get the win.
Hughes at CCPA
CCPA and Hughes are both undefeated and can put up a ton of points on opposing defenses. Kyell Alexander has been the leader for the Big Red as a dual-threat quarterback. Alexander has hurt teams with his legs just as much as his arm this year. For CCPA, Kemarion McCray leads the CMAC in passing yards, and Kendrick Napier has been his top wideout. Ramik Bell and Carlito Houston provide a solid one-two punch in the backfield for coach Jeff Cargile.
Bet on Hughes in this one.
Goshen at Clinton-Massie
Goshen takes a 7-0 record to Clinton-Massie, which has been great in the SBAAC over the years. The Falcons currently sit at 2-5 as they navigate life after a Hall of Fame head coach. For Goshen, Caden Slusher has thrown for 906 yards on the season, and the Warriors have gotten a great boost in the running game from Gage Croley, who has rushed for 879 yards and 15 touchdowns.
The Goshen defense has been great this season, allowing only 17 points all year. For Clinton-Massie, Brady Gray leads the league in rushing with 1,039 yards and 14 touchdowns. If Massie can control the clock with the running game, it may be able to pull off the upset.
Bet on Goshen to stay unbeaten.
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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, #6 St. Xavier at #20 La Salle.
Here are some other games for teams ranked inside the Blitz 5 Top 25:
OHIO
#11 Lakota East at #10 Middletown
Talawanda at #12 Harrison
#18 Fairfield at #22 Mason
Alter at #24 McNicholas
INDIANA
Columbus North at #9 East Central
