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Friday, Mar. 29, 2024

Football fun facts and figures: Week No. 13

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

Just 56 Ohio high school football teams – eight in each of seven divisions – are alive in postseason competition. 28 of those teams will be crowned as regional champions this Friday, and those teams will advance to next week’s state semifinals.

Record setters

Despite Friday’s heartbreaking regional semifinal loss, the Crestview Knights can say they were part of back-to-back record-breaking teams. Last year, Crestview advanced to the regional finals for the first time in school history. This season, the Knights posted the school’s first-ever 10 win season.

Video game numbers

Crestview and Minster squared last Friday. Bob Barnes/Van Wert independent

Crestview and Minster combined for 833 yards of offense last Friday night.
The Knights had 436 total yards and the Wildcats had 397. Crestview quarterback Drew Kline accounted for 393 yards, while Minster quarterback Jared Huelsman finished with 358 total yards. There was just one punt in the game, a 16-yarder by Crestview’s Grant Schlagbaum.

State semifinal bound

Two Midwest Athletic Conference teams are guaranteed spots in the state semifinals. That’s because MAC members Marion Local and Coldwater, and Delphos St. John’s and Minster will meet Friday night, with the winners advancing to Week No. 14.

Clash of the Titans

Marion Local and Coldwater will meet Friday night at Sidney Memorial Stadium for the Division VI, Region 24 championship, and something has to give. Marion Local is the defending state champion has been to the title game six consecutive seasons, while Coldwater has played in eight straight state title games. One of those streaks will end on Friday..

50-50

When Marion Local and Coldwater met during the regular season, the 50-50 winner reportedly took home over $14,000. Since OHSAA now allows 50-50 sales at playoff games, one has to wonder how much the jackpot will be this Friday.

State championships by conference

Around the area, MAC teams have won a combined 36 state football championships. Marion Local leads the way with nine, while Delphos St. John’s, Coldwater, St. Henry and Versailles have each won six, although it should be noted that just one of Versailles’ state titles came while in the MAC. Minster has won two, and Fort Recovery has won one.

The Western Buckeye League boasts a total of six state football champions. St. Marys has won three, Kenton two and Defiance one, while the Northwest Conference has one: Columbus Grove. No Green Meadows Conference school has won a state football title.

Polls

The Associated Press high school football poll is a fun read each week. Let’s face it, it’s nice to see your school listed in the rankings, and it makes for a great discussion. I’m usually skeptical of the polls, simply because there’s no way that media members who vote each week can see or have firsthand knowledge of all of the teams. Last year, just one poll champion (Marion Local) won an on-the-field state championship. It is worth noting that entering Friday’s regional finals, all seven poll champions are alive in the tournament – Division I: Cleveland St. Ignatius; Division II: Avon; Division III: Trotwood-Madison; Division IV: Steubenville; Division V: Pemberville Eastwood; Division VI: Marion Local; Division VII: Norwalk St. Paul.

POSTED: 11/14/17 at 7:37 am. FILED UNDER: Sports