JAMESTOWN — Sometimes the way things line up just doesn’t seem to be fair.
Greeneview, a division champion, will be going on the road to face another champ from its own league with a spot in the regional semifinals on the line. On the opposite side of the Region 24 bracket, two teams with losing records that have combined to go 9-13 this season will also face-off for the same opportunity to advance.
That’s the way things can play out in the new postseason format.
Mechanicsburg is the OHC North Division champion and remained unbeaten at 11-0 after St. Bernard-Elmwood Place provided no challenge in a 59-0 first-round game. The No. 1-seed in Region 24 was also ranked No. 2 in the final AP state poll for Division VI.
The last time the Rams lost this year was to Mechanicsburg in a game which was 14-10 at the half before the Indians scored three second half touchdowns to pull away.
Since then, Greeneview has won six straight to save its season, win a conference title, and earn a rematch with one of the best teams in the state. Coach Ryan Haines said the team will have key players back for the rematch after missing the first meeting which should help.
“Coach Forrest, he’s a friend of mine, we text a lot,” Haines said. “He does a great job. Saw them earlier this year and had a lot of guys out. We didn’t have Logan Sandlin, Hawkeye Hickman, Craig Finley. We had a lot of guys missing.”
The Indians were the league’s highest scoring team at 40 points per game in the regular season. Jake Hurst is the reigning defensive player of the year in D-VI and fires like a missile to stop ball carriers.
He added to his arsenal of abilities by ending this season as the OHC’s leading rusher and scored three touchdowns in all five North Division games.
Haines noted facing a conference opponent shows how well the league has done this season.
“The OHC North champion versus the OHC South champion in the playoffs. I wish we didn’t run into them,” he said. “I like playing different teams and I like to see OHC teams try and continue to advance. It will be a fun atmosphere against a great team, a bunch of well coached kids who play hard.”
The winner will advance to play either No. 4 Coldwater or No. 12 Cincinnati Deer Park at a site to be determined on Nov. 13.
No. 3 Bellbrook (9-2) vs No. 6 Wapakoneta (9-2)
Wapakoneta had little trouble in its first-round game against Dunbar. The No. 6 seed won 30-0 after taking the lead on its opening drive, then producing a goal line stand and going on to score a TD in each quarter.
Wapakoneta quarterback Braeden Goulet had 16 carries for 97 yards, including touchdown runs of 10, 12 and 1 yards.
The team’s running back Jace Mullen had 13 carries for 59 yards with one TD of 8 yards.
Goulet and Mullen tied for the Western Buckeye League rushing title as both gained exactly 1,000 yards on the ground.
The Redskins have won seven games in a row with its defense averaging 7.7 points per game allowed during that stretch. Wapakoneta held Dunbar to 10 yards rushing, but will face a much tougher challenge to halt one of the area’s top running backs.
Bellbrook’s Seth Borondy continued to be a force with a 235-yard rushing performance against Trotwood, the fifth time he has gained more than 200 yards on the ground. His four touchdowns helped the Golden Eagles get out to a 36-6 half time advantage.
Bellbrook is looking to get another shot at the regional semifinal round after bowing out last season at that point of the Region 12 playoffs.
The Golden Eagles were ranked ninth in the final AP state poll for Division III, and Wapakoneta was one of six teams appearing in the receiving votes section.
The game will be streamed at http://OHSAA.tv and is available for free to Spectrum cable subscribers. Those without a subscription may purchase the stream for $9.99.
The winner will advance to play either No. 7 Tippecanoe or No. 15 Alter at a site to be determined on Nov. 12.
