The Blitz 5 Game of the Week visits Cincinnati’s west side this Friday night for the latest edition of a long and historic Cincinnati high school football rivalry, as the sixth-seeded St. Xavier Bombers visit their longtime Greater Catholic League South rival, the second-seeded Elder Panthers, at the Pit in Price Hill in the OHSAA Division I, Region 4 regional semifinals. The Bombers have turned into a different team entirely in the playoffs, having outscored opponents 93-14, while the Panthers have won four straight. Elder is looking to avenge their 42-34 regional final loss to St. Xavier last year, while the Bombers are seeking their third straight win over the Panthers.
#6 ST. XAVIER BOMBERS (7-5) at #2 ELDER PANTHERS (9-2)
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m., November 13
At: The Pit, Elder High School, Cincinnati, Ohio
Follow on X: @TSFootball
PLAYERS TO WATCH: St. Xavier has a potent rushing attack, and it is led by the GCL South’s leading rusher in running back Aiden Graham. The junior, who has already received NCAA Division I offers from schools such as Miami of Ohio, has rushed for 1,074 yards and nine touchdowns on the season so far, including last week’s amazing performance in the second round of the Ohio Division I, Region 4 playoffs where he ran 30 times for 252 yards and five touchdowns in a 51-14 victory over third-seeded Lakota West. Graham has also added 20 receptions for 237 yards and one touchdown to his offensive output for the Bombers.
Another ground threat for the Bombers is senior Aidan Newdigate. The Kent State commitment started the season at quarterback for St. Xavier, but transitioned to a running back/wide receiver role in Week 6. Newdigate is the fourth-leading rusher in the GCL South, having racked up 711 yards on the ground to go with 15 touchdowns. He has also caught 22 passes for 211 yards, and also thrown for 511 yards and six touchdowns while in the quarterback role.
Speaking of quarterbacks, current Bomber quarterback Thomas George is the conductor for a St. Xavier offense which has suddenly found a new gear in the playoffs. In seven games under center for the Bombers, George has completed 67.8 percent of his passes for 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns, against only four interceptions. St. Xavier is 5-2 since George took over as the squad’s signal caller.
Defensively, the Bombers are led by two of the GCL South’s hardest hitting defenders, such as safety Graham Uran, who leads the GCL South with 99 total tackles on the season. Uran, who has offers from Syracuse and Miami of Ohio, has also added 2.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries and one interception for St. Xavier. His teammate, junior linebacker Griffin Lyons, is second in the GCL South with 98 total tackles, to go with 3 sacks and one interception on the season.
St. Xavier also has a ball-hawking cornerback in its secondary, in the form of junior cornerback Kyle Knueven, who ranked second in the GCL South in interceptions with three on the season.
For Elder, the main man to watch on the offensive side of the ball is Ohio Mr. Football candidate, and University of Cincinnati commit, quarterback Kaden Estep. The senior has completed 74.6 percent of his passes this season for 2,783 yards and 27 touchdowns, against only three interceptions. Estep became Elder’s all-time passing yards leader in the team’s regular-season finale against Mount Zion Prep, passing 2016 graduate and current Panthers offensive coordinator, Peyton Ramsey, with 6,861 yards. Estep is also only three touchdown passes away from the Elder record in that category, set in 2010 by Mark Miller with 56. Estep is not only a danger under center or in the shotgun, but he’s a handful on the ground as well. He is the GCL’s third-leading rusher, carrying 149 times for 864 yards and 11 touchdowns.
The Panthers offense isn’t a one-trick pony, however, as Estep is joined by his favorite receiving target, wideout Andrew Lyman. The senior, who has committed to Ball State, is the GCL South’s leading receiver in receptions with 60, receiving yards with 1,057, and receiving touchdowns with 13. Lyman has had six games this season with over 100 yards receiving.
Another receiving threat for Elder is senior wide receiver Chase Walpole. A second-team All-GCL South as a junior, Walpole has caught 36 passes for 632 yards and seven touchdowns this season.
The Panthers also have another weapon in the ground game, that being running back Andrew Tallen. The senior rushed for 279 yards and 10 touchdowns this season, proving to be a great short yardage back for Elder in their offensive scheme.
On the defensive side of the ball, Elder is led by senior linebacker Pete Fortkamp, who ranks second in the GCL South in total tackles with 98, second in sacks with seven, and even added an interception this season for good measure. He has plenty of support from fellow Panthers linebacker, junior Brayden Tepe, who is third in the GCL South in sacks with 5.5, and senior defensive lineman Max Doogan, who ranks fifth in the GCL South with four sacks.
In the Elder secondary, junior Brayden Ackerman ranked second in the GCL South in interceptions with three.
TEAM TRENDS: St. Xavier started the season 2-3, but turned that right around after a change at quarterback in their Week 6, 31-29 upset of then-undefeated Elder at The Pit. Since that victory over the Panthers, the Bombers have gone 5-2.
St. Xavier has outscored its two opponents in the playoffs, 11th-seeded Fairfield and third-seeded Lakota West, by a total of 93-14. It is the highest two-game total for points scored this season for the Bombers.
The Bombers avenged a 20-7 Week One loss to Lakota West last week in emphatic fashion, beating the third-seeded Firebirds 51-14 in a second-round playoff game.
St. Xavier has won the last two games in this long rivalry with Elder, and seven of the last 10 matchups between the schools. The Bombers beat the Panthers 31-29 in Week Six this season. Last season, St. Xavier won the Ohio Division I, Region 4 championship in a 42-34 victory over the Panthers at Paycor Stadium.
The Elder-St. Xavier rivalry is 103 years old, having begun on Nov. 28, 1923 with a 20-0 St. Xavier victory. Elder leads the all-time series 56-49-6.
Elder is the leading offense in the GCL South, averaging 388.7 yards per game offensively, and the leading passing attack in the GCL South, averaging 255.7 yards per game. Elder is also the leading scoring offense in the GCL South, averaging 36.9 points per game.
The Panthers also have the GCL South’s top-ranked scoring defense, allowing only 15.5 points per game.
Elder is undefeated in playoff games held at The Pit. The Panthers, with their 37-20 victory last week over seventh-seeded Springboro, moved to 20-0 all-time in playoff games at The Pit.
HEAD COACHES:
St. Xavier: Steve Specht (204-85 at St. Xavier; 204-85, 22nd year)
Elder: Doug Ramsey (244-110 at Elder; 244-110, 30th year)
PLAYOFF HISTORY:
St. Xavier: (33 appearances, 65-28 overall) – 2026, 2025 (State Runner-up), 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020 (State Champion), 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016 (State Champion), 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011 (Regional Champions), 2010, 2009, 2007 (State Champion), 2006, 2005 (State Champion), 2004, 2002, 2001 (State Runner-up), 2000, 1999, 1998 (State Runner-up), 1997, 1994, 1993, 1992 (State Runner-up), 1987, 1981. 16 straight playoff appearances for the Bombers.
Elder: (28 appearances, 48-25 overall) – 2026, 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019 (State Runner-up), 2018, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2009 (Regional Champion), 2008 (State Runner-up), 2007, 2004, 2003 (State Champion), 2002 (State Champion), 2001, 2000, 1999, 1996 (Regional Champion), 1995, 1991, 1989, 1988
XAVIER KEYS TO VICTORY: Aiden Graham to have a game similar to that of last week against Lakota West. Graham has turned it on so far in the playoffs, running roughshod for a total of 377 yards and seven touchdowns in two playoff games. Such performances have allowed the Bombers to control the time of possession and keep opposing offenses off the field, thus limiting scoring opportunities. They will need their offensive line to open holes and clear space for Graham, so he can do much the same against Elder and keep the explosive Panthers offense, and quarterback Kaden Estep, on the sideline.
ELDER KEYS TO VICTORY: Let Kaden Estep lead the way. The senior quarterback has had a dominant season, and he drives the Elder offense both through the air and on the ground. If the Panthers offensive line can keep him clean, Estep and company can turn the game into a track meet, which favors them with their high-powered offensive scheme. Additionally, the Elder defense now has tape on St. Xavier quarterback Thomas George, so he will not be able to surprise them like he did in his quarterback debut in the Bombers Week Six upset of Elder. If they can put pressure on George with Fortkamp, Tepe and Doogan getting into the backfield, they can create turnover opportunities. St. Xavier quarterbacks have tossed 10 interceptions this season, the most in the GCL South.
Prediction: Elder 42, St. Xavier 35
