High school football: Reynoldsburg, UA rematch highlights Division I, Region 3 slate

Reynoldsburg at Upper Arlington

•Reynoldsburg (5-5) to date: Lost to Upper Arlington 42-41; lost to Huber Heights Wayne 17-15; lost to Massillon Washington 41-22; lost to Olentangy 31-30; def. Groveport 39-3; def. Newark 62-0; def. Lancaster 52-20; def. Central Crossing 52-14; lost to Pickerington Central 28-20; def. Hilliard Davidson 34-3

•UA (11-0) to date: Def. Reynoldsburg 42-41; def. Toledo St. Francis 37-14; def. Springboro 38-7; def. Westerville Central 42-0; def. Central Crossing 31-0; def. Hilliard Bradley 35-6; def. Olentangy Liberty 41-24; def. Olentangy Orange 35-10; def. Dublin Coffman 42-13; def. Davidson 42-14; def. Thomas Worthington 56-0

Eleven weeks after top-seeded Upper Arlington and ninth-seeded Reynoldsburg faced off in one of the area’s most exciting season openers, one of their seasons will end at the hands of the other when UA plays host to a Division I, Region 3 quarterfinal Nov. 5.

While the undefeated Golden Bears — who trailed the Raiders by much as 20 points on Aug. 20 before winning 42-41 — have won nine of their last 10 games by at least 23 points, the Raiders used the adversity from a 1-4 start to surge in recent weeks.

Reynoldsburg has won five of its last six games, all by at least 31 points, and scored at least 34 points in all of those wins.

“We anticipated this (rematch) once we saw the bracket. We were very, very motivated last week because we wanted the opportunity for a do-over. You don’t get many of those chances,” Reynoldsburg coach Buddy White said. “They’re not the same team we played in Week 1 and we’re not the same team they played. Both of us have different personnel, with things added and subtracted. So in that respect, the first week might not mean much.”

UA running back Carson Gresock rushed for 384 yards and four touchdowns on 29 carries in the season opener and, for the season, has amassed 198 carries for 1,841 yards and 28 touchdowns. Wide receiver Sam Cannon, who did not play in the first game, leads a deep group of receivers with 38 catches for 583 yards and 14 touchdowns and two kick returns for scores.

Reynoldsburg quarterback Dijon Jennings was 19-for-24 passing for 240 yards and four touchdowns in last week’s 34-3 win at eighth-seeded Hilliard Davidson. Three of those touchdowns went to Markez Gillam, who finished with 135 yards on six catches.

Jennings has completed 165 of 237 passes for 2,158 yards with 23 touchdowns and four interceptions, but White said the defensive line’s improvement has been particularly critical to the team’s fortunes.

“We are so much better there than we were earlier in the year,” White said. “We made some personnel changes and they have worked out. We are playing much, much, much better than we were against the run, and we’d better do that again.”

The winner plays fourth-seeded New Albany or fifth-seeded Hilliard Darby in a regional semifinal Nov. 12 at a neutral site.

—Dave Purpura

Hilliard Bradley at Pickerington Central

•Bradley (6-5) to date: Def. Sylvania Northview 41-0; lost to Hilliard Darby 21-13; def. Westerville Central 38-7; lost to Marysville 27-7; lost to Pickerington Central 38-21; lost to Upper Arlington 35-6; def. Hilliard Davidson 23-17; def. Olentangy Liberty 14-3; lost to Olentangy Orange 29-27; def. Dublin Coffman 31-28; def. Lancaster 21-19

•Central (10-1) to date: Def. Massillon Washington 26-7; def. Cincinnati Elder 28-10; def. Wexford (Pa.) North Allegheny 35-0; lost to Pickerington North 13-10 (OT); def. Bradley 38-21; def. Newark 67-0; def. Central Crossing 49-6; def. Groveport 37-0; def. Lancaster 34-8; def. Reynoldsburg 28-20; def. Grove City 48-7

The seventh-seeded Jaguars will try for their first victory over the second-seeded and host Tigers in a Division I, Region 3 quarterfinal Nov. 5.

The teams have met four times, including a 38-21 Central win Sept. 17. Bradley led 21-14 after scoring on a 5-yard run by Michael Hunkus, a wide receiver who was playing quarterback with Bradyn Fleharty missing the game because of concussion protocols.

However, the Tigers tied the score on a 37-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Braden Mantooth to Ethan Pinkins and put the game away with a 17-point fourth quarter.

Central also beat Bradley 34-7 last season in a regional semifinal.

Bradley defeated 10th-seeded Lancaster 21-19 on Oct. 29 in the first round to improve to 6-5. Fleharty was 16-for-26 passing for 199 yards and one touchdown and rushed for 81 yards and one score on 14 carries.

Slotback Tayshaun Mayfield rushed for a score and caught eight passes for 81 yards and one touchdown. Wide receiver Preston Wolfe added three receptions for 83 yards.

Linebacker Mitchell Robinson Jr. led the defense with 15.5 tackles, 1.5 sacks and one forced fumble. Linebacker Caden VanVorhis had eight tackles and a fumble recovery, and defensive back Mason Koons had an interception.

The Tigers improved to 10-1 by defeating 15th-seeded Grove City 48-7 on Oct. 29. Running back Dylan Bryan led a balanced rushing attack with 113 yards and one touchdown on 13 carries as 11 players ran for 362 of Central’s 428 total yards.

Running back Olando Kamara had 39 yards rushing and two touchdowns on five carries. Mantooth was 5-for-6 passing for 66 yards and rushed for 47 yards and one score on two carries.

Defensively, lineman Tyler Gillison picked up his second interception.

The winner plays third-seeded Gahanna or sixth-seeded Pickerington North in a regional semifinal Nov. 12 at a neutral site.

—Scott Hennen

Hilliard Darby at New Albany

•Darby (8-3) to date: Def. Olentangy Orange 17-0; def. Hilliard Bradley 21-13; def. Westerville South 34-31; def. Hilliard Davidson 29-23; lost to Gahanna 17-14; lost to Marysville 21-14 (OT); lost to Olentangy Berlin 17-7; def. Olentangy 40-21; def. Thomas Worthington 41-21; def. Dublin Jerome 16-10; def. Central Crossing 35-6

•New Albany (11-0) to date: Def. Watkins Memorial 50-7; def. Westerville North 35-14; def. Licking Heights 49-14; def. Lancaster 34-20; def. Newark 77-0; def. Grove City 56-14; def. Gahanna 31-3; def. Westland 58-14; def. Pickerington North 20-19; def. Westerville Central 56-20; def. Westerville North 63-21

It’ll come full circle for New Albany coach Bubba Kidwell when the fourth-seeded Eagles play host to fifth-seeded Darby in a Division I, Region 3 quarterfinal Nov. 5.

Kidwell began his career in coaching as the quarterbacks coach for the Panthers.

“I coached there for Tom McCurdy when the school first opened in 1997,” Kidwell said. “It’s kind of neat to see how the program has evolved over the years at Hilliard Darby.”

The Eagles feature three players who have rushed for more than 800 yards and are averaging more than 8.0 yards per carry in Jadyn Garnes (163 carries, 1,611 yards, 23 touchdowns), Christian Manville (96 carries, 934 yards, 14 TDs) and quarterback Brock Kidwell (102 carries, 822 yards, 14 TDs).

“Since Brian Finn’s been (our) offensive coordinator, he’s incorporated the jet into the wing-T and running the quarterback more,” coach Kidwell said. “In the past, we’ve maybe had one or two guys (opponents) have had to defend. Now, we have four guys that can touch the ball at any time.”

Brock Kidwell has completed 35 of 52 passes for 711 yards with eight touchdowns and one interception. His top target has been Jameson Rossler, who has 17 receptions for 378 yards and a touchdown along with 26 carries for 202 yards and four touchdowns rushing.

Darby saw a similar offense in a 21-14 overtime loss to Marysville on Sept. 24. But there are differences between the two, Darby coach John Santagata said.

“When you play defense against teams like (New Albany), it’s completely different than defending the spread,” Santagata said. “They are different than how Marysville runs it. Marysville is a lot of power. (New Albany) is more misdirection and speed-oriented.”

Darby quarterback Blake Horvath set the program record for rushing touchdowns a couple of weeks ago. He has 45 rushing and eight passing touchdowns to sit behind only 2008 graduate Jeremy Ebert, who had 56 touchdowns (30 passing, 26 rushing) over his career.

Horvath has 213 carries for 1,629 yards and is 23-for-59 passing for 458 yards this season. James Hakes has 163 carries for 697 yards and five scores out of the fullback position.

When Darby is clicking, wingbacks Beau Bridges (43 carries, 280 yards, 1 TD) and Javi Quimba (31 carries, 261 yards, 1 TD) are a factor in the running game.

“We have to control the clock and keep their offense on the bench as much as possible and try to shrink the game down,” Santagata said. “We want to be a four-back system on the ground and we want to be able to throw the ball as well.”

This will be the first meeting between the programs. The winner plays top-seeded Upper Arlington or ninth-seeded Reynoldsburg in a regional semifinal Nov. 12 at a neutral site.

—Michael Rich

Pickerington North at Gahanna Lincoln

•Pickerington North (8-3) to date: Def. Lancaster 23-10; def. Walnut Ridge 48-0; lost to Marysville 31-6; def. Pickerington Central 13-10 (OT); def. Olentangy Orange 44-29; def. Westerville Central 35-22; def. Westland 20-7; def. Grove City 38-0; lost to New Albany 20-19; lost to Gahanna 28-20; def. Groveport 20-0

•Gahanna (7-2) to date: Lost to Mason 15-7; def. Groveport 21-7; def. Centerville 26-24; def. Hilliard Darby 17-14; lost to New Albany 31-3; def. Westerville Central 42-3; def. Grove City 35-0; def. Pickerington North 28-20; def. Westerville Central 41-19

Two weeks after closing the regular season against one another, Gahanna Lincoln and Pickerington North will meet Nov. 5 in a Division I, Region 3 quarterfinal.

Gahanna, which is the third seed, beat the Panthers 28-20 on Oct. 22 at home and again will play host to North, the sixth seed.

The Lions won the earlier matchup despite being without junior quarterback Maxwell Cummings, who started the first seven games but likely is out for the season.

Freshman Brennen Ward, who is coach Bruce Ward’s son, completed nine of 19 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns and also was intercepted twice against North in what was his first start.

Sophomore running back Diore Hubbard also has stepped up, rushing for 132 yards and one touchdown against the Panthers and following that with a 220-yard, four-touchdown performance in a 41-19 win over 14th-seeded Westerville Central on Oct. 29 to open the playoffs.

The Gahanna-North winner plays second-seeded Pickerington Central or seventh-seeded Hilliard Bradley in a regional semifinal Nov. 12 at a neutral site.

“Brennen will probably finish up the season at quarterback,” coach Ward said. “We’ll need to adjust well. Playing a good team, a conference rival for the second time in (three) weeks, there will be some wrinkles added that the team that adjusts the best to will have a better chance.”

Gahanna has won four in a row and is 7-2.

North improved to 8-3 with a 20-0 win Oct. 29 over 11th-seeded Groveport.

That snapped a two-game losing streak that included the Panthers failing to hold a 19-7 lead on their way to losing to New Albany 20-19 on Oct. 15 with first place in the OCC-Ohio Division on the line.

New Albany ended up first at 5-0, followed by Gahanna at 4-1 and North at 3-2.

The Panthers, who hold a 9-5 all-time lead in the series against the Lions, got 104 yards rushing and two touchdowns from senior Eli Coppess and 79 yards and one score from junior Dawaun Green against Groveport. The game was scoreless at halftime.

“In a game like this, everything matters,” North coach Nate Hillerich said. “It’s going to come down to all the small details. We’re going to have to execute at a high level in all three phases of the game.”

—Jarrod Ulrey

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This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Central Ohio football playoffs: Division I, Region 3 quarterfinals