Warriors are on Salem’s mind
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The page will turn on the ninth week of the season on Friday and as some teams scramble for playoff position, there are those who are duking it out for league titles.
As it stands now, four area teams are in contention for league titles with two weeks to go. The pathways to those titles will vary, but it may make for some exciting moments over the next two weeks.
EBC
West Branch has looked like the cream of the crop in the Eastern Buckeye Conference this season. The Warriors are 7-1 overall and 4-0 in the EBC with Alliance (5-3, 3-1 EBC) coming to Beloit on Friday. West Branch has won the last six in the series and if it makes it seven it will claim at least a share of the EBC title. Last Friday West Branch rebounded from a loss to Canfield to beat Minerva 50-7. Grady Hirst rushed for 76 yards and two touchdowns while throwing for 229 yards and two touchdowns as well in the win. Eight different Warrior receivers caught passes. Drake Stryffeler had three carries for 81 yards and two touchdowns, while grabbing three catches for 63 yards and a touchdown as well.
In Div. IV, Region 13, West Branch sits seventh and is likely already guaranteed a spot in the final 12. A win over the Aviators would likely clinch a home game. The Warriors would need to beat Salem in the season finale to gain a first round bye.
Speaking of Salem, the Quakers (7-1, 3-1 EBC) suffered a 28-14 loss to Howland on Friday which derailed their quest for an unbeaten season. Salem hosts Carrollton (2-6, 1-3 EBC) on Friday and can’t afford another setback if it wants to compete for a title in the final game of the season. The Quakers currently are second in Div. III, Region 9 and have likely already clinched a home game in the playoffs. Another win puts the Quakers in the conversation for a bye. Salem has won just one of its last five against Carrollton.
EOAC
United Local might just run away with the Eastern Ohio Athletic Conference in unprecedented fashion. The Golden Eagles (6-1, 4-0) have won their first four league games by an average score of 52-7 and all of this games were in running clock territory at the start of the second half.
The Golden Eagles can clinch a share of their fourth straight EOAC title on Friday with a win over last place Wellsville (1-7, 0-5) in their regular season home finale.
Since Div. VI, Region 21 is one of the toughest in the state, the Golden Eagles only have a 3 percent chance of gaining a bye in the first round of the playoffs according to Drew Pasteur’s Fantastic 50. United’s possible first round playoff opponent is heavily pointing to Wickliffe (7-1) already.
The game of the week in the EOAC is the battle for second place. Columbiana (6-2, 3-1 EOAC) hosts East Palestine (5-3, 3-1 EOAC) in a key game which will likely decide which other EOAC team in Div. VI, Region 21 team makes the playoffs.
Columbiana defeated Wellsville 42-8 last Friday. Danny Mangiarelli had 86 yards rushing and two touchdowns to lead the Clippers in that game. Jensen Nordquist also had two rushing touchdowns. The Clippers are currently 12th in Region 21 and a win over East Palestine will just about guarantee a spot in Week 11.
East Palestine edged out Pymatuning Valley 29-28 last week with senior R.J. May becoming the Bulldogs’ all-time leader in receiving yards with 1,809. May also holds the school’s career record in touchdown catches (27) and receptions (138).
If East Palestine can get to seven wins it will have a 98 percent chance of making the playoffs. If it fails to beat Columbiana but beats Valley in the final its playoff chances plummet to 1 percent.
Valley Christian (1-7, 1-3 EOAC) will travel to Southern Local (1-7, 1-3) in the other Friday night league game.
Lisbon (5-3, 3-2 EOAC) hosts Weirton Madonna (1-5) for its final out-of-conference game. The Devils would have to beat Madonna and Columbiana for a very slim chance at a playoff spot in Region 21.
BUCKEYE 8
Despite losing to rival Beaver Local earlier this season, East Liverpool (6-2) is tied for the lead in the Buckeye 8 Big School Division with a 3-1 mark.
Indian Creek is also 3-1 and can clinch a share of the title with a win at St. Clairsville on Friday.
The Potters travel to a Weir High team (0-7) that has been outscored 291-79 this season on Friday. East Liverpool will have a chance to win a share or an outright title in the regular season finale against Brooke on Oct. 23 at Patterson Field.
As far as the playoffs are concerned, East Liverpool is eighth in Div. IV, Region 15. If the Potters do manage to win out they’ll be on the bubble in getting a first round home game. A win against Weir would likely clinch a playoff spot for East Liverpool.
Beaver Local (4-4, 2-2 Buckeye 8) has been in a bit of a tailspin after being shutout two straight times during its four-game losing streak. It’s the longest in-season losing streak in coach Mike McKenzie’s tenure at Beaver Local. McKenzie’s Beavers lost five straight overlapping the 2020 and 2021 seasons.
In last Friday’s 27-0 loss to Indian Creek, quarterback Reid Schwerha suffered a head injury at the end of the game and had to be taken to the hospital for observation. The Beavers will host a Cambridge team (1-7) that has been outscored 332-146 this season on Friday.
Due to the very forgiving nature of Region 15, the Beavers, who are 10th this week, will likely gain a playoff spot if they win out.
MVAC
The Crestview Rebels have won two straight after a 1-5 start, but are still well out of the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference race with a 2-3 league mark. The Rebels host undefeated Garfield (8-0, 5-0 MVAC) on Friday. The G-Men have outscored their opponents 367-90 this season. It might be the last time these two teams hook up as the MVAC Gray Division will cease to exist after the 2026-2027 school year.
As far the Div. V, Region 17 playoffs are concerned Crestview would need to upset Garfield to have a chance. Drew Pasteur’s Fantastic 50 has the Rebels with a 59 percent chance of making the playoffs with a win. With a loss it falls to 1 percent.
NAC
Leetonia (3-5, 1-3 Northeastern Athletic Conference) won’t be playing for a league title in the first year of the NAC. Grand Valley leads the league with a 3-0 mark with games against Mathews and Pymatuning Valley remaining.
In the Div. VII, Region 25 playoff chase Leetonia is 16th. If the Bears win out they will have an 82 percent chance at qualifying. A loss against Ashtabula St. John (6-2) on Friday would eliminate the Bears from contention.
WEST VIRGINIA
Oak Glen (3-4) dropped to 22nd in the West Virginia Class AA rankings this week after a 41-0 loss to East Liverpool on Friday. The Golden Bears host Tyler (3-3) on Friday before closing the season with a team from Maryland, a bye week and Hampshire from Romney, West Virginia.