Week 13 H.S. football playoff preview: Games and players to watch

H.S. football

Week 13 playoff games

Nov. 14

Div. II, Region 6

North Ridgeville (10-1) at Highland (11-0)

Last week: Highland 38, Brecksville-Broadview Heights 7; North Ridgeville 42, Whitehouse Anthony Wayne 7.

Last year: The teams did not meet last season

This week: Highland, playing its strongest opponent since a 32-0 win over Hudson in Week 2, started off sluggishly, but eventually rounded into form. For one of the only times all season, the clock actually had to stop a few times in the second half. The Hornets led just 7-0 after a quarter and 21-0 at halftime, which was a bit off their norm. Casey Myser scored rushing TDs in each of the first three quarters, setting the Medina County scoring record in the process. Grady Gibb added a short second-quarter TD, and Dylan Lazar tacked on a score in the third. Jonah Kowza kicked a 38-yard field goal that would have been good from 50 for Highland’s other points. Myer finished with 99 yards on 14 carries. Gibb ran for 59 and threw for 141, completing all nine of his throws, two of which went to Lucas Gerding for 52 yards. The Rangers have been steady on their way to double-digit victories. While Highland has dismantled everything in its way, the Rangers have four wins by 10 or fewer points. North Ridgeville’s only loss of the season came on Week 4, a 55-7 loss at home to Avon, which the Rangers could face again next week, if they beat Highland. No. 3 Avon travels to No. 2 Wadsworth for the other semifinal. The winner plays either No. 3 Wadsworth or No. 3 Avon at a site to be determined. Highland lost 28-20 to Avon last year in the regional final.

Div. III, Region 10

Rocky River (10-2) at Buckeye (11-0)

Last week: Buckeye 26, St. Marys Memorial 0; Rocky River 23, Revere 14

Last year: Buckeye defeated Rocky River 55-0. Both teams advanced to the second round of the playoffs.

This week: After shutting out Memorial, the Bucks will play one of the only teams to give them much trouble this season. They beat the Pirates 35-27 on Oct. 17. That was one of four games Buckeye played with a single-digit final margin this season. Against St. Marys, the Bucks got an early 63-yard TD pass from Turner Dolata to Ryan Wilhelm for a 6-0 lead, then tacked on a pair of second-quarter TDs, via a 1-yard Wilhelm run and an 80-yard gallop by Liam Phillips. Phillips tacked on another TD in the closing minutes of the third quarter to close the scoring. The Bucks only outgained Memorial by 90 yards but the big plays made the difference. Those included a trio of interceptions by the Buckeye defense. The Pirates head into the game winners of eight of their last nine, the lone loss coming to Buckeye at home. Rocky River’s lone other loss was by a 34-28 score at Uniontown Lake on Week 3. The Pirates have played mostly close games in recent weeks, with an average margin of 8 points over that stretch. In the teams’ first meeting, the game was back-and-forth and Rocky River opened the fourth quarter with what could have been a tying score, but missed the extra point. Leading 35-34, the Bucks got a TD run from Wilhelm with eight minutes left, then held on. The winner will take on either No. 2 Wapakoneta or No. 6 Toledo Central Catholic, the 2024 state runner-up, on Nov. 21 at a site to be determined.

Div. IV, Region 15

Plain City Jonathan Alder (10-1) at Indian Valley (10-0)

Last week: Indian Valley 48, No. 7 Circleville 14; Jonathan Alder 42, No. 11 Johnstown 21

Last year: Alder and Indian Valley did not meet last season. The Pioneers did make the Div. IV playoffs, sneaking in with a 5-5 record before falling 18-17 to Bishop Ready.

This week: Indian Valley continues to roll toward what looks like it could be a second consecutive Division IV state championship. The Braves have scored 40 or more points in eight consecutive games and could see their first test this week since a 28-21 opening-night win at Green. Grady Kinsey scored on the Braves’ second play last week, going 70 yards for a TD to give Indian Valley the lead for good. Kinsey added a 47-yard TD on the Braves’ next possession. Ryker Williams' TD pass to Colt James made it 21-0 midway through the second period, a lead Kinsey stretched to 28-0 with an 8-yard run. Circleville scored just before halftime but the Braves tacked on two third-quarter touchdowns, on Williams passes to Kinsey and James, to open things back up. Reese St. Clair’s 75-yard touchdown gallop gave the Braves their final points. Kinsey finished with 188 yards on just 10 carries. He had 250 yards of total offense and four scores. The only team to beat Alder this year is, like Indian Valley, unbeaten. That was a 38-0 loss at London in Week 8. The game was sandwiched between close calls against Urbana (28-21) and Kenton Ridge (35-33), neither of which were world beaters. Four of the Pioneers’ regular-season wins were decided by seven or fewer points. The winner will take on either No. 1 New Lexington (10-1) or No. 4 Chillicothe Unioto (11-0) at a site to be determined. The Braves beat New Lexington 42-23 in regional semifinals a year ago. Unioto was the No. 4 season last year but the Sherman Tanks were upset by West Holmes in the first round.

Div. V, Region 18

Genoa Area (10-1) at Triway (10-1)

Last week: Genoa Area 35, Port Clinton 7; Triway 45, Fairview 13

This week: No football team in Triway history has won two playoff games in a season, or reached the regional finals. The 2025 Titans can change that with a victory over the Comets. Triway was clicking on all cylinders in last week’s win, and kept its pedal on the gas the entire first half as it took a 31-7 lead at the intermission. RB Grayson Smith had a big game with 19 carries for 152 yards and two TDs, while QB Luke Starr was 10 for 17 passing for 207 yards and two TDs. Bruin Flinner ran for two TDs and had five receptions for 105 yards and a score. Roman Gilbert continued his All-Ohio caliber season with five tackles for losses. Starr has an area-best 2,409 yards passing and 28 TDs, while also carrying the ball for 641 yards and 10 scores. Flinner leads the receivers with 63 catches for 917 yards and nine scores. The Comets have won 10 straight games since a season-opening, 33-28 loss against Archbold, which is 9-2 and still alive in the Div. VI playoffs. Jaxon Magnone had seven catches for 120 yards and a TD and blocked a punt in last week’s win over Port Clinton. Gavin Grigson led the defense with 13 tackles. Genoa, which had a balanced rushing attack last week, is in the regional semifinals for the first time since 2018. The winner faces No. 1 Liberty Center (11-0) or No. 5 Liberty-Benton (12-0) in a regional final

 Div. VI, Region 21

Smithville (10-2) at Kirtland (11-0)

Last week: Smithville 27, Hanoverton United 26; Kirtland 41, Wickliffe 3

This week: The Smithies held on for a one-point win over United to advance to the regional semifinals for the first time since 2015 and reach 10 wins for the first time since 2004. Smithville will have by far its toughest test of the season when it visits Kirtland, which blanked the Smithies 39-0 in last year’s regional quarterfinals. Smithville will bring a stronger, more experienced team into the rematch with the Hornets led by senior RB-LB Mason Haines, the school’s all-time leading rusher with more than 4,000 yards. This season he’s carried the ball 207 times for 1,322 yards and 14 TDs. The Smithies’ offensive line is made up of four seniors and one junior. Sophomores Isaiah Lee (WR-RB-DB) and Brady Sidle (QB-DB) have also been crucial to the playoff run. Lee leads the team with 33 receptions for 612 yards and four TDs, while carrying the ball 58 times for 383 yards and seven scores. Sidle has passed for 849 yards and eight TDs, while carrying the ball 34 times for 334 yards and five scores. Kirtland coach Tiger LaVerde is an incredible 255-21 with seven state titles. His Hornets were the 2024 Div. VI state runner-up and are in the regional semifinals for the 16th straight year. Kirtland is 8-0 all-time against teams from Wayne County, including 6-0 in playoff games. Tiger’s son, Jake LaVerde, returned from an injury after missing several games to run for 68 yards last week. Jake LaVerde has thrown for 477 yards and three TDs this season, while rushing for 682 and eight TDs. The Hornets have a pair of 1,000-yard rushers in John Silvestro (162-1,613, 28 TDs) and Ty Bledsoe (110-1,045, 13 TDs). Kirtland keeps it simple, using basic running plays and textbook blocking to steamroll opponents. The Smithies’ ability to stop the run will be the key to keeping it close and having a chance at a huge upset. Kirtland has held opponents to seven or fewer points in nine of 11 games. The winner faces No. 7 Garaway (9-2) or No. 6 Dalton (9-3) in regional final

Garaway (9-2) at Dalton (9-3)

Last week: Garaway 34, Crestview 0; Dalton 34, Columbia 15.

This week: Dalton coach Reid Geibel cheered on his son Brady Geibel as Garaway’s quarterback the last three years, including a state runner-up season in 2023. What a difference a year makes: Brady Geibel is a redshirt freshman at Div. I Furman and Reid Geibel is now Dalton’s head coach. Yeah, there will be lots of familiarity when the Pirates visit the Bulldogs. Dalton has had two impressive playoff wins and despite having a first-year head coach in Geibel and only five seniors the Dawgs are thrilled to be hosting in Week 13. Senior RB-LB Jaxon Ryder has worked his way back from a torn ACL and helped lead Dalton past Columbia with 16 carries for 165 yards and two TDs. Despite missing the equivalent of about five games, Ryder leads Dalton with 103 carries for 835 yards and 12 TDs. LB Connor Mori leads the team with 103 tackles, including 24 tackles for loss and has two interceptions. Junior Carter Hignight is 165 for 239 passing for 1,870 yards and 13 TDs, while rushing 99 times for 435 yards and six more scores. In the playoff-opening win over Columbiana, Hignight was a perfect 14 for 14 passing for 203 yards and three scores. Garaway QB Grady Miller was 18 for 30 passing for 203 yards and three TDs last week in the shutout of top-seeded Crestview. Jaxon Garber caught six passes for 90 yards and a TD, while Trey Miller caught three passes for 12 yards and two scores. Matthew Frey led the rushing attack with 28 carries for 139 yards and two TDs. The Pirates have won their last three games by a combined 87-7 margin, with wins over quality opponents Ridgewood (9-3), Mineral Ridge (7-4) and Crestview (10-1). The winner faces No. 5 Smithville (10-2) or No. 1 Kirtland (11-0) in regional final

Div. VI, Region 23

Colonel Crawford (11-1) at Centerburg (10-1)

Last week: Colonel Crawford 42, Mt. Gilead 8; Centerburg 28, Ridgewood 14

This week: Both Centerburg and Colonel Crawford head into this regional semifinal game after impressive victories last week. The Eagles used several big plays to knock off Mt. Gilead. Quarterback Brayden Holt threw just seven passes but completed five of them for 148 yards and two touchdowns. Peyton Baker had a 64-yard run, and threw a long TD pass, while wide receiver Parker Weithman caught four passes for 187 yards and three touchdowns (52, 53 and 70 yards). The Trojans’ defense will have to bring its ‘A’ game to keep the Eagles, which have averaged nearly 40 points per game, in check. They will count on first-team All-Knox Morrow Athletic Conference defenders Jackson Ballinger, Aiden Gray and Tommy Hause, as well as second teamers Angelo Nichols and Hagen Bryant, to slow down the Eagles. Centerburg also has its own explosive offense, scoring at around 40 points per game. First-team All-KMAC running back Miles Marshall led the Trojans in their win over Ridgewood, rushing for 193 yards and four touchdowns. He has amassed 1,548 yards and 25 touchdowns on the season. Quarterback Blane Ball, the KMAC Player of the Year, has been just as impressive, passing for 1,295 yards and rushing for another 1,101 for the season. They’ve had some huge holes this year, thanks to all-KMAC linemen Lane Johnston, Cole Evans and Clarke Redd.

Div. VII, Region 27

Willow Wood Symmes Valley (9-2) at Hillsdale (10-1)

Last week: Hillsdale 63, Conotton Valley 6; Symmes Valley 41, Trimble 12; 

This week: Hillsdale jumped out to a 28-0 lead after one quarter and pushed the margin to 56-0 at the half in a playoff-opening rout over Conotton Valley. The Falcons will be big favorites again this week against Symmes Valley. Hillsdale is led by the school’s all-time leaders in career rushing in Owen Sloan, passing yards and TDs in Kael Lewis and receptions in Hayden McFadden. Lewis has 1,930 yards passing this season, 23 TDs and just two interceptions. Sloan has 164 carries for 1,440 yards rushing and 21 TDs. McFadden has 33 receptions for 635 yards and 10 scores. The Symmes Valley Vikings will make the long and winding trip North from Lawrence County, just 14 miles from the West Virginia border. The Vikings have just two seniors on their roster and have gone 2-2 against teams with winning records this season. The winner faces No. 11 Danville (7-5) or No. 2 Waterford (9-2) in regional final 

Danville (7-5) at Waterford (9-2)

Last week: Danville 59, Fisher Catholic 8; Waterford 42, Strasburg-Franklin 7

This week: Danville has been on a roll since making the playoffs the 11-seed. The Blue Devils have turned up the heat, scoring 54 in a win over Steubenville Catholic Central and 59 in a win over Fisher Catholic. They were led by underclassmen in the victory over the Irish, as freshman quarterback Parker Proper connected on 10 of 12 passes for 218 yards and two touchdowns. Freshman receiver Briggs Wallace caught five of those passes for 155 yards and a score. His older brother, sophomore Cyren Wallace, ran all over FC, gaining 115 yards on just eight carries with three scores. Waterford is also coming into the game on a roll, winning its last six games in a row. The Wildcats have been a scoring machine during that run, averaging 47 points per game in the streak. They bring a balanced offense, led by running backs Hayden Jones (93 yards) and Trevin Zimmer (106 yards). Quarterback Avery Pottmeyer missed his first two passes against Strasburg-Franklin but then hit 12 of his next 14 for 182 yards. Danville’s defense, led by All-KMAC defenders Jacob Byers, Chris Mosher, Wesley Payne, Sylas Mizer and Carson Proper, will have to work hard to contain the Wildcats.

Compiled by Todd Stumpf, Fred Main, Aaron Dorksen and Mike Plant.