Football fun facts and figures: Week No. 12

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

Playoff football action continues Friday night, with 112 Ohio high school football teams taking the field for regional semifinal action. While counting down to Friday night’s games, enjoy these Week No. 12 facts and figures.

Time of possession

Many coaches believe winning time of possession means winning the game, but that’s not always the case.

Friday’s Crestview-Ansonia game is a prime example. The Tigers had the ball for more than five minutes longer than Crestview (26:36 to 21:24), but the Knights used big plays to take control of the game. Five of Crestview’s nine touchdowns were from 55, 42, 50, 59 and 79 yards, and the Knights went on to win 63-22.

Back to Lima

The victory over Ansonia (the first home playoff win in school history) advanced the Knights to the Division VII, Region 28 semifinals against Minster. The game will be played at Spartan Stadium in Lima. Crestview played back-to-back playoff games there last season – a semifinal win over Arlington, and a double overtime regional championship loss to McComb.

MAC attack

Four Midwest Athletic Conference teams remain alive in the postseason, and all four have intriguing matchups. In addition to Minster-Crestview, Delphos St. John’s will play Sidney Lehman Catholic at Allen East High School, while top-ranked Marion Local will face Spencerville at Piqua.
Coldwater and Lima Central Catholic will square off in Wapakoneta.

MAC attack Part II

According to the Ohio High School Athletic Association, Marion Local and Coldwater share the record for most consecutive playoff victories, with 24. Marion Local’s string of postseason wins came between 2011 and 2015, while Coldwater tied the feat from 2012 until 2016.

In addition, Coldwater owns the longest active streak of qualifying for the playoffs: 21 consecutive seasons. The Cavaliers have been to the state championship game the last seven years, one shy of the record set by Newark Catholic (1980-1987).

More from OHSAA

Just one out of 28 No. 8 seeded team won last Friday. Reading defeated Casstown Miami East 27-25 in Division V, Region 20 quarterfinal action. Since the football playoffs expanded to eight seeds per region in 1999, just one No. 8 seed has won a state championship – St. Henry in 2004.

Irony

The Wayne Trace Raiders had to root for Norwalk St. Paul in Week No. 10, then had to play the Flyers in Week No. 11. After losing to Tinora in the regular season finale, Wayne Trace needed top-ranked St. Paul to defeat Monroeville in order to secure the final postseason spot in Division VII, Region 26. The Raiders got their wish and traveled to Norwalk last Friday, but unfortunately for Wayne Trace, the Flyers raced out to a 45-7 halftime lead and went on to win 52-13.

Friday Night Lights

This year, all football playoff games (not including state championship games) are being played on Friday nights, and reaction seems to be mixed. The majority of coaches seem to like the change, but a number of fans have said they’re not thrilled about it. A lot of fans would watch their school play one night, then enjoy another playoff game the other night, and that’s no longer possible.

Lima Perry

Perry qualified for the postseason for the first time in school history, but the Commodores fell to Sidney Lehman Catholic 46-6.

St. Marys Memorial vs. Shelby

The Western Buckeye League champion Roughriders will have their hands full Friday night against Shelby. The Whippets have as many as six potential Division I athletes on their roster, led by quarterback Brennan Armstrong, who has committed to play at the University of Minnesota. In fact Armstrong will graduate from Shelby High School next month and will enroll at Minnesota in January.

Something has to give – St Marys is averaging 37.5 points per game, while Shelby gives up just 5.4 points per game.