Flash player is required to view weather conditions. Download

site web  

Hamilton (5-1, 3-1 GMC) at Oak Hills (2-5, 0-4 GMC)

Last year: Oak Hills 28, Hamilton 14

Last week: Princeton 16, Hamilton 0; Lakota West 17, Oak Hills 3

Hamilton will win if ... the players can put last week's disappointing performance behind them. Bumps in the road such as the 16-0 loss to Princeton can have lingering effects for a team that's not used to winning. Big Blue needs to right the ship or it could be an anti-climatic stretch drive.

Oak Hills will win it ... the Highlanders can find some offense. Losers of five in a row, Oak Hills has scored in single digits in three of those five losses while averaging just 220 yards of total offense. That won't get it done against an average defense, let alone a top-shelf one such as Hamilton's.

Lakota West (4-3, 3-1 GMC) at Middletown (5-2, 4-0 GMC)

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10

Last year: Lakota West, 38-32

Last week: Lakota West 17, Oak Hills 3; Middletown 42, Colerain 39

Lakota West will win if ... it can catch Middletown asleep at the wheel feeling too good about itself after a huge win over Colerain last week.

West will want to focus on the run with senior Stephen Houston, who leads the team in rushing with 594 yards and eight touchdowns, but after starting the season with three straight 100-plus yard games, he has slowed to just 87, 13, 22 and 52 yards in each of the last four games, all against GMC opponents.

Middletown will win if ... it concentrates on this week's opponent and forgets about last week's huge win.

The Middies had the perfect gameplan to derail the Cardinals 61-game conference winning streak, but the Firebirds know what to expect now and will be prepared. Special teams could once again play a big factor for the Middies, especially with Kevin Watts and Jerry Gates on returns.

Badin (4-3, 3-1 GCL Central) at Roger Bacon (3-4, 2-2 GCL Central)

Last year: Badin 34-18

Last week: Badin 23, Carroll 21; Chaminade-Julienne 23, Roger Bacon 3

Badin will win if ... the offensive line can contain the Spartans pass rush. Solomon Tentman leads the GCL Central with 4.5 sacks, and teammate Brendan Dean is tied for second with 2.5. If the Rams can keep quarterback Zach Toerner upright, it will be a fun bus ride home.

Roger Bacon will win if ... the Spartans can figure out a way to produce some offense. Roger Bacon can't realistically expect to hold Badin under 20 points, which is a scary prospect for a Spartans offense that is averaging just 11.7 points over the last six contests. Take away a 41-point outburst against Fenwick, and Bacon's scoring average plummets to 5.8 ppg.

Fairfield (0-7, 0-4) GMC) at Colerain (6-1, 3-1 GMC)

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10

Last year: Colerain, 54-0

Last week: Mason 21, Fairfield 10; Middletown 42, Colerain 39

Fairfield will win if ... the Indians can catch Colerain still stumbling after losing their first GMC game in nearly 10 years. Fairfield will need to take care of the football and get a strong performance out of running back Rayshawn Walton catching passes out of the backfield to spark its offense. The Indians know they face an uphill climb, but Doc Gamble has energized this Fairfield team and has it headed in the right direction.

Colerain will win if ... the Cardinals come out angry after having Middletown halt their 61-game conference winning streak. Colerain looked out of sorts the past two weeks against Mason and at Middletown. Look for coach Tom Bolden to get back to the basics of the triple-option with sophomore Tyler Williams adding to his 925 rushing yards this season.

Mason (2-5, 1-3 GMC) at Lakota East (2-5, 1-3 GMC)

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10

Last year: Lakota East, 27-20

Last week: Mason 21, Fairfield 10; Sycamore 28, Lakota East 7

Mason will win if ... they can harness the momentum from last week's homecoming win over Fairfield. The Comets offense came alive in the second half against Fairfield scoring 21 points and accumulating 225 yards. Jordan Barnes is looking more comfortable behind center as he enters his fourth game at quarterback. Mason's defense is much better with teams like Lakota East that use a power running attack and shut out the Indians in the second half last week.

Lakota East will win if ... the Thunderhawks can score early and force Mason to come from behind. Lakota East has tried a bevy of quarterbacks this season in place of the injured Evin Dusold and none has proven to be overpowering. The Thunderhawks need to get some points behind the running of Pedro Powell (4.7 yards per carry) and rely on their defense to keep them in it.

Edgewood (5-2, 2-0 FAVC Scarlet) at Talawanda (3-4, 1-1 FAVC Scarlet)

When: 7:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 10

Last year: Edgewood, 34-31

Last week: Edgewood 27, Ross 7; Northwest 30, Talawanda 24, OT

Edgewood will win if ... the Cougars overcome the sloppy play that allowed Ross to hang with them last week. Edgewood turned the ball over three times (two fumbles and one interception) in that game. The Cougars also need to re-establish the running game (no backs over 60 yards last week) to take some pressure off QB Brandon Marcum.

Talawanda will win if ... Braden Park has enough time to connect with Braves wideout Josh Wright and the rest of the receiving corps. Park is plenty capable of airing it out. He tossed for 301 yards and four TDs in a win over Walnut Hills earlier this year.

Mount Healthy (2-5, 0-2 FAVC Scarlet) at Ross (1-6, 0-2 FAVC Scarlet)

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10

Last year: Ross, 24-7

Last week: Norwood 31, Mount Healthy 24; Edgewood 27, Ross 7

Mount Healthy will win if ... the Owls can continue to play solid football on both sides of the line. Mount Healthy has been unlucky so far, losing three times by seven points or less. The Owls like to run the ball, and they have five players with 125 or more rushing yards.

Ross will win if ... the Rams' defense plays with the same emotion it showed last weekend against Edgewood. Ross hit the Cougars hard all night long, only to run out of gas at the end. The Rams are the second-lowest scoring team in the entire FAVC, so the offense could use some help from the defense.

New Miami (4-3, 1-3 MVC) at Summit Country Day (3-4, 0-4 MVC)

When: 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10

Last year: New Miami, 33-21

Last week: New Miami 47, Cincinnati Christian 27; Dayton Christian 36, Summit Country Day 30, 2OT

New Miami will win if ... the Vikings control the line of scrimmage and the clock. It's the same old story for New Miami, and the Vikings have a significant advantage in size and strength in this matchup.

Summit Country Day will win if ... the Silver Knights can use their quickness to sting the Vikings with numerous big plays. Summit has shown the ability to score, averaging 27.7 points per game.

Cincinnati Christian (1-6, 0-4 MVC) at Dayton Christian (3-4, 1-3 MVC)

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10

Last year: Dayton Christian, 61-48

Last week: New Miami 47, Cincinnati Christian 27; Dayton Christian 36, Summit Country Day 30, 2OT

Cincinnati Christian will win if ... the Cougars can get a few more stops on defense. Cincinnati Christian is allowing a whopping 42.1 points per game, negating a decent season by its offensive unit.

Dayton Christian will win if ... the Warriors can run the ball consistently and keep the Cougars' offense off the field. Dayton Christian has a run-first offense that's capable of chewing up yards and the clock. It's also homecoming for the Warriors at the old Monroe High School field.

Dixie (5-2, 2-1 SWBL Buckeye) at Monroe (3-4, 3-0 SWBL Buckeye)

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10

Last year: Monroe, 52-31

Last week: Dixie 44, Northridge 37; Monroe 41, Preble Shawnee 21

Dixie will win if ... its offense can score against the Hornet defense. The Greyhounds have scored 40 or more points in four of their five wins this season. Quarterback Nick Worley will be counted on for another big game. Worley recorded three rushing touchdowns in last week's win at Northridge.

Monroe will win if ... its defense continues to come up with big plays. The Hornets turned two Preble Shawnee turnovers into two fourth-quarter touchdowns last week.

Sophomore fullback Devin King has emerged as another running threat for the Hornets, recording 35 carries for 160 yards and two touchdowns in Monroe's last two games.

Purcell Marian (1-6, 0-4 GCL Central) at Fenwick (2-5, 0-4 GCL North)

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10

Last year: Fenwick, 24-6

Last week: Alter 39, Purcell Marian 7; McNicholas 25, Fenwick 0

Purcell Marian will win if ... it can find a way to get more production on the offensive side of the ball. The Cavaliers are averaging just 10 points a game, while giving up 21. David Anderson and Jason Knauer have accounted for all six of Purcell Marian's rushing touchdowns.

Fenwick will win if ... it continues to do the same things well, which means running the ball. A steady dose of Joey Robertson, Keeton Daley and Vinny Forshay should provide the Falcons enough to be successful.

Madison (3-4, 1-2 SWBL Buckeye) at Preble Shawnee (2-5, 0-4 SWBL Buckeye)

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10

Last year: Madison, 49-13

Last week: Carlisle 13, Madison 9; Monroe 41, Preble Shawnee 21

Madison will win if ... it can find a way to score against a defense that has allowed 251 points in the first seven games.

After starting the season by scoring 89 points en route to a 3-1 record, the Mohawks have skidded with just 35 points in the last three games, all losses.

Preble Shawnee will win if ... Jake Jarbo continues to run like a wild man. The sophomore has rushed for 905 yards and eight touchdowns for the Arrows. He is averaging 11.8 yards per carry and a little more than 129 yards per game.

Xenia (2-5, 1-1 GWOC South) at Springboro (4-3, 2-0 GWOC South)

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10

Last year: Springboro, 17-7

Last week: Fairborn 13, Xenia 0; Springboro 35, Miamisburg 14

Xenia will win if ... the offensive line can handle the Panthers' defense and open holes for Justin Knowles to run through. Knowles is the Buccaneers leading rusher with 382 yards on the ground, the only Xenia player in triple digits.

Springboro will win if ... quarterback Matt Graber continues to get the ball into the hands of Antoin Campbell and Taylor Franz. Campbell and Franz have combined for nine of the Panthers 12 rushing touchdowns, and Campbell also has three receiving TDs.

Middletown Christian (2-4) at Grove City Christian (6-1)

When: 7:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 10

Last year: Grove City Christian, 47-0

Last week: Middletown Christian did not play; Grove City Christian 96, Manchester 20

Middletown Christian will win if ... it can figure out a way to shut down Grove City's high-scoring offense. Grove City has averaged 42.3 points per game. Meanwhile, MCS needs to develop a ball-control offense that will eat up the clock, score some points and keep Grove City's offense on the sidelines.

Grove City Christian will win if ... running back Jessie Barns has another game like last week. Barns gained 213 yards in total offense ... just on his six touchdowns. He had TD runs of 28, 74, 2 and 60 yards, and two TD pass receptions for 49 more yards.

Franklin (4-3, 2-1 SWBL Southwestern) at Eaton (2-5, 1-3 SWBL Southwestern)

When: 7:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 10

Last year: Eaton, 20-17

Last week: Eaton 36, Bellbrook 28; Valley View 48, Franklin 7

Franklin will win if ... the 'Cats can get their offense back into sync, and forget about last week's loss. They have the talent to stuff Eaton on defense, they just need more output from the Wildcat offense.

Eaton will win if ... running back Dalton Caudill continues his impressive season. Caudill, who rushed for 327 yards in a loss to Edgewood earlier in the year, had TD runs of 3, 8, 50 and 17 yards last week in a win over Bellbrook. And if it comes down to a field goal, Jon Simmons will get the job done for the Eagles.

Valley View (6-1, 3-1 SWBL Southwestern) at Carlisle (3-4, 2-2 SWBL Buckeye)

When: 7:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 10

Last year: Valley View, 56-10

Last week: Valley View 48, Franklin 7; Carlisle 9, Madison 7

Valley View will win if ... Spartan quarterback John Day is given time to pick apart the Indians' defense. Day ranks among the area's best passers, if not the best.

And if that's not enough of a worry, nine Valley View runners combined for 292 rushing yards last week.

Carlisle will win if ... the Indians' special teams and defense continue to hold opponents to low numbers. Carlisle has limited its last two opponents (Madison and Monroe) to 13 points or less. Meanwhile, Carlisle's offense needs to get on another scoring binge. After scoring 69 and 75 points in wins over Arcanum and Northridge, the Indians have mustered a mere nine points in each of the past two weeks.

Lebanon (4-3, 0-1 GWOC South) at Fairborn (2-5, 1-0 GWOC South)

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10

Last year: Lebanon 26-7

Last week: Lebanon 24, Troy 14; Fairborn 13, Xenia 0

Lebanon will win if ... it continues to play well on the road. In three previous road games, the Warriors have averaged 34 points a game. The Lebanon offense boasts the GWOC's leading passer in Dusty Isaacs (1,036 yards) and the leading receiver in Chase Cochran (613 yards) along with tailback Nate Woods who ranks third in the conference with 102.7 yards per game.

Fairborn will win if ... the Skyhawks' defense matches last week's effort when it shut out Xenia. It was their best effort of the season as through the first six games the Skyhawks had surrendered 35 points a contest. Offensively, Fairborn has struggled as the Skyhawks are averaging only 11 points and less than 150 yards per game. Wide receiver Jordan Houser is Fairborn's top threat, having scored four touchdowns on the season.

Turpin (6-1, 1-1 FAVC Cardinal) at Little Miami (6-1, 2-0 FAVC Cardinal)

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10

Last year: Turpin, 48-14

Last week: Kings 41, Turpin 10; Little Miami 34, Walnut Hills 19

Turpin will win if ... the Spartans are able to control the line of scrimmage and dominate time of possession. Tailback Wayne Dunham is Turpin's primary threat on offense, rushing for 791 yards and 11 touchdowns on the season. He is also a threat to catch passes out of the backfield from quarterback Eric Martin, who has thrown for just over 900 yards and five touchdowns on the season.

Little Miami will win if ... the Panther defense is able to get off the field on third down and put the ball in the hands of quarterback Kyle Cook. Cook is the top rated passer in the FAVC and has thrown for over 1,500 yards and 13 TDs with a 60 percent completion rate. The Panthers spread the ball around to their many weapons, including freshman Jamire Westbrook who rushed for a career high 272 yards and three touchdowns last week against Walnut Hills.

Wilmington (2-5, 1-1 FAVC Cardinal) at Kings (4-3, 2-0 FAVC Cardinal)

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10

Last year: Kings, 42-6

Last week: Wilmington 37, Amelia 32; Kings 41, Turpin 10

Wilmington will win if ... junior RB Quinten Rollins can get going on the ground. Rollins has tallied back-to-back 100-yard games, including 130 yards and a TD last week. Junior QB Brandon Arehart had his second straight four-TD game and has 14 TD passes on the season to provide the Hurricane with a balanced offensive attack.

Kings will win if ... the Hurricane have no answer for senior RB Nick Bauer. Bauer leads the entire FAVC in rushing yards (928) after going for 224 yards and four TDs against the Spartans. The Knights will not overlook Wilmington after placing themselves back into the Division II-Region 8 playoff conversation. This contest is sandwiched around Kings' big victory over Turpin and is a week prior to another monumental contest versus Little Miami.