This week in area high school football brings a Logan County showdown, along with others seeking to build momentum.
Many eyes will be on the hilltop at Benjamin Logan, where the Raiders (2-1) will take on neighbor Bellefontaine (1-2).
The teams are currently heading in opposite directions. After coming close in the opener against Bluffton, Ben Logan has won two in a row, including a 41-24 victory at Urbana last Friday.
Meanwhile, the Chieftains, who scored 55 points in the season opener against Sidney, have lost to Bellbrook and Westerville Central.
Coach Paul Jenne of Ben Logan said, “Our kids have a different mindset this year. We are playing with a little bit of confidence.”
He noted that “we will try to execute our game plan as best we can. We are focused on being the best team for Friday night.” He added that they plan to stick with what has worked so far, on both sides of the ball.
Through three weeks, the Raiders have mostly attacked on the ground. Quarterback Wyatt Predmore has 44 carries for 213 yards, while running backs Diesel Baughman has 38 for 223 and Jordan Pender 34 for 182. Also a factor is fullback Alex Hassell with 13 carries for 49 yards. Baughman has four TDs, Hassell three and Predmore two.
Predmore has completed 60 percent of his passes (29 of 48) for 394 yards with three touchdowns and one interception.
The main target has been Cayden Brown with 12 catches for 255 yards and two scores.
Defensively, Everett Clapsaddle has 27 tackles, with Ashton Whitt, Hayden Hites and Cooper Buck also over 20. Clapsaddle and Buck each have an interception.
Bellefontaine coach Jason Brown said, “We are really excited to play an improved team. We can’t wait to get over there and play.”
He said that the Chieftains offense has been inconsistent in its execution the past couple of games, and “we need to execute up to the standard.”
When the Raiders have the ball, Brown said, “we have to play great team defense. It’s about being disciplined.”
He feels that the games against Bellbrook and Westerville have helped prepare BHS for league play. “This is our next opportunity and we’re excited for it.”
Quarterback Reign St. Clair is 44 of 73 for 502 yards passing so far this year. He has two touchdowns and one interception.
Carter Caudill has 253 yards rushing on 43 carries and has all seven of the touchdowns on the ground for Bellefontaine.
The leading receivers to date are Spencer Stolly with 19 catches for 165 yards and Sutton Daring, with 11 for 109.
Caudill is also a force on defense, with 39 tackles (23 solo). Karsen Drake had 27, with 20 each by Cayleb Overmann and Daring, and 19 by Patrick Stolly.
Next week, Bellefontaine hosts Indian Lake, while Ben Logan goes to Tecumseh.
——
London (3-0) at Indian Lake (2-1)
Indian Lake has a tall task as they host undefeated London.
The Lakers lost in week one, then rolled over Fairbanks and Allen East, hitting 50 points against the Mustangs.
Lakers QB Brady Golliday is 45 of 66 for 671 yards passing. He has thrown eight touchdowns and had just one intercepted.
The main targets have been Brodey Reisinger with 19 grabs for 354 yards and five TDs, and Colin Bendler with 11 catches for 124 yards and two scores. Gavin Henry (7 for 109, 1 TD) and Noah Shirk (3 for 44) are other options.
Shirk leads the rushing department with 35 carries for 332 yards, while Golliday has kept it 30 times for 176 yards. Each has reached pay dirt three times.
Leading tacklers for the Lakers defense are Aaron Rapp (28), Shirk and Wyatt Whitsett (both with 22) and Reed Strayer with 21.
The Red Raiders opened with a tight 14-11 win over New Albany. They have followed up with big wins over Chillicothe (53-14) and Franklin Heights (56-14).
London is a run-heavy squad. Junior running back Daquanne Parks has 41 carries for 283 yards and six TDs to lead the team.
Quaterback Blake Reay (17 for 156, 3 TD); senior RB Kyler Russell (16 for 220, 4 TD); senior Ladainan McNeal (16 for 182, 2 TD), and sophomore Bryston Toronto (11 for 195, 1 TD) are the rest of the gauntlet.
Reay, also a senior, has attempted just seven passes, completing six for 99 yards.
Leading the defense are sophomore linebacker Isaiah Near with 27 tackles, junior defensive back Jaydon Cooper with 19 and sophomore linebacker Vance Moerch with 18.
After the battle with London, Indian Lake goes to Bellefontaine.
——
Catholic Central (3-0) at West Liberty-Salem (1-2)
West Liberty-Salem tasted victory for the first time last week, beating Cedarville 21-15 after losses to Jonathan Alder and Ben Logan.
Beckett Sullivan has gone 30 of 57 in the passing game with 273 yards. He has three touchdowns and three INTs.
Corbin Wallace has 33 rushes for 117 yards, and Naaman Stidham has 22 carries, with six net yards.
Reese Oder has pulled in 15 balls for 131 yards. Dustin Bolton is next with four catches for 50 yards.
Sam Strapp tops the tackles list with 29. Aiden Hull has made 14 and Oder has 13 to his credit.
Catholic Central has recorded wins over Bradford (54-0), Troy Christian (35-14) and Triad (37-7) so far.
Senior QB Brayden Strother (6-1, 190) is 37 of 50 for 543 yards with seven TDs and two interceptions. He is a dual threat, also leading the team in rushing with 188 yards on 28 carries and six scores.
Senior running back Xavier Brown (6-0, 180) has 15 carries for 135 yards.
When Strother goes to the air, his main man has been senior wide receiver Berkeley Little (5-10, 155) with 19 receptions for 287 yards and four TDs. Senior Will Bias (6-0, 170) has seven catches for 111 yards, and has gotten to the end zone twice.
Senior linebacker Brody Adams (6-4, 240) with 40 tackles, freshman linebacker Lee Tilley (6-1, 205) with 31, and senior lineman Matt Nye (6-0, 185) with 28 are the leaders for the Irish’s defense.
West Liberty-Salem goes on the road next Friday to Greenon.
——
Milton-Union (0-3) at Riverside (1-2)
Riverside got a 28-14 win on the road at Spencerville after losses to Ansonia and Northeastern.
They open Three Rivers Conference play this week, hosting Milton-Union.
The Bulldogs have fallen to Versailles (27-6), Graham (35-7) and Oakwood (48-6).
For Riverside’s offense, Brody Orsborne has completed 19 of 36 passes for 299 yards.
Gunner Carpenter (5 for 56) and Tony Robinson (5 for 99), along with Justin Mazariegos (3 for 55) has been the main weapons.
Robinson has 35 carries for 109 yards, with Gunner Carpenter (42 for 185) and Dylan Trimble (28 for 170) dividing up the payload. Carpenter and Robinson had three rushing TDs each.
Grady Jenkins leads the Pirates defense with 31 tackles. Gabe Steineman has 17, with 15 each by Robinson and Drew Wilson.
Milton-Union senior Charlie Lane (6-1, 185) has 45 carries for 183 yards. He has also completed 7 of 10 passes for 91 yards and one TD.
Senior running back Seth Lowry (5-9, 155) has toted the ball 34 times for 96 yards. The leading receiver is senior WR Karson Stone (6-2, 175) with six catches for 90 yards.
Leading tacklers are senior linebacker Cason Berner (5-11, 175) with 26 and Lane with 21.
Next week, Riverside will travel to Covington.
