11-17-2013, 05:23 PM
OHSAA releases 3rd-round football playoff pairings
Nov. 17, 2013 2:36 PM
When he initially looked at the playoff pairings earlier this month, Moeller football coach John Rodenberg had a sense his squad could play Colerain in the Division I regional semifinal. And though Rodenberg wasn’t quite sure if Moeller would get past St. Xavier and Elder in the first two rounds, the Crusaders will play the Cardinals for a second straight year in the postseason this Saturday night in a highly-anticipated game.
Saturday marks the seventh time the two schools will meet in the football postseason since 2003.
Colerain (12-0) is ranked No. 12 nationally by USA Today and No. 1 in the season’s final Associated Press state poll.
Moeller (11-1), the reigning Division I state champion, is ranked No. 5 in the AP state poll and has been ranked among USA Today’s “Next 25” during the season. Colerain is ranked No. 1 in the Enquirer Division I area coaches’ poll and Moeller is No. 2.
Not only are some players different this season, but Colerain and Moeller play in the regional semifinal and at Mason at 7 p.m. Saturday. The teams had played in the regional final at Nippert Stadium in 2012.
The Ohio High School Athletic Association announced the third round pairings and host sites Sunday afternoon.
Colerain and Moeller will play at Mason because of the anticipated crowd size and how it relates to the rental costs of the facilities, according to OHSAA spokesman Tim Stried.
The rental fee at Mason is significantly less than Nippert Stadium for the anticipated crowd size of this game, Stried said. Mason holds just over 7,000, according to the OHSAA.
Rodenberg said the Crusaders honestly don’t care where the game is per se and he routinely downplays any extra anticipation with any particular opponent due to the team's strength of schedule weekly.
Moeller defeated Elder 24-0 on Nov. 16 at Nippert Stadium in the regional quarterfinal. Senior quarterback Gus Ragland rushed for 126 yards and two touchdowns. The Moeller defense shined including senior strong safety Sam Hubbard (Ohio State verbal commit) with 10 tackles. Senior linebacker Will Mercurio had two interceptions.
Rodenberg said Hubbard’s closing speed has paid dividends all year.
“Sam is really stepping it up,” Rodenberg said. “He’s been fantastic this season.”
Colerain defeated Pickerington Central 38-20 Saturday night at Welcome Stadium.
Colerain coach Tom Bolden told Enquirer contributor Tom Ramstetter Saturday night Moeller will be a challenge.
"We've got our hands full, there is no question about that," Bolden said. "They're very good. They're more than very good -- they're an awesome football team. We're going to to have our hands full and we're going to have to dig down and find something extra to beat them because they're a phenomenal football team."
Colerain senior fullback DeTuan Smith rushed for 226 yards and two touchdowns for the Cardinals against Pickerington Central. Senior quarterback Kelvin Cook rushed for 118 yards and a touchdown.
The Cardinals’ defense was led by several players including senior linebacker Aric Johnson and senior defensive lineman Demetrius Colbert who each had a sack.
Senior linebacker Tegray Scales had a key interception late in the first half Saturday night. Scales is a highly-recruited player who remains undecided on a college program.
“That was huge,” Bolden said. “You talk about the play of the game and that was it. That’s what he does. He is a phenomenal football player and some college is going to get a great one. That play alone just kind of sums him up. When you need a play, he makes plays and that’s what great football players do.”
The winner of Saturday’s game plays the winner of Hilliard Davidson (12-0) and Huber Heights Wayne (11-1) in the Region 2 final Nov. 30 or what is being also called the state semifinals this season.
Also this week, in Division II, Loveland (12-0) plays Mount Healthy (11-1) this Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Lockland in the Region 6 final.
In Division IV, Clinton-Massie (11-1) plays Alter (11-1) in the Region 14 final at Welcome Stadium at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
In Division V, Badin (10-2) plays West Jefferson (11-1) in the Region 18 final at Clayton Northmont at 7 p.m. Saturday.
Playoff pairings follow the regional bracket format as determined by the final computer ratings released Sunday, Nov. 3. A total of 224 schools qualified for the postseason out of the 714 that played football this season (31.4 percent). First round games were played Nov. 8-9 at the home site of the higher seed, or the site of the higher seed’s choosing. Neutral sites for all other rounds are determined by the OHSAA.
Beginning this season, there are seven divisions in the football playoffs. The largest 72 schools are in Division I, which is divided into two regions. The top 16 teams in both Division I regions have qualified for the playoffs. There are approximately 108 schools each in Divisions II through VII, which are each divided into four regions. The top eight teams in each region in those divisions have qualified for the playoffs.
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20131...RONTPAGE|p
Nov. 17, 2013 2:36 PM
When he initially looked at the playoff pairings earlier this month, Moeller football coach John Rodenberg had a sense his squad could play Colerain in the Division I regional semifinal. And though Rodenberg wasn’t quite sure if Moeller would get past St. Xavier and Elder in the first two rounds, the Crusaders will play the Cardinals for a second straight year in the postseason this Saturday night in a highly-anticipated game.
Saturday marks the seventh time the two schools will meet in the football postseason since 2003.
Colerain (12-0) is ranked No. 12 nationally by USA Today and No. 1 in the season’s final Associated Press state poll.
Moeller (11-1), the reigning Division I state champion, is ranked No. 5 in the AP state poll and has been ranked among USA Today’s “Next 25” during the season. Colerain is ranked No. 1 in the Enquirer Division I area coaches’ poll and Moeller is No. 2.
Not only are some players different this season, but Colerain and Moeller play in the regional semifinal and at Mason at 7 p.m. Saturday. The teams had played in the regional final at Nippert Stadium in 2012.
The Ohio High School Athletic Association announced the third round pairings and host sites Sunday afternoon.
Colerain and Moeller will play at Mason because of the anticipated crowd size and how it relates to the rental costs of the facilities, according to OHSAA spokesman Tim Stried.
The rental fee at Mason is significantly less than Nippert Stadium for the anticipated crowd size of this game, Stried said. Mason holds just over 7,000, according to the OHSAA.
Rodenberg said the Crusaders honestly don’t care where the game is per se and he routinely downplays any extra anticipation with any particular opponent due to the team's strength of schedule weekly.
Moeller defeated Elder 24-0 on Nov. 16 at Nippert Stadium in the regional quarterfinal. Senior quarterback Gus Ragland rushed for 126 yards and two touchdowns. The Moeller defense shined including senior strong safety Sam Hubbard (Ohio State verbal commit) with 10 tackles. Senior linebacker Will Mercurio had two interceptions.
Rodenberg said Hubbard’s closing speed has paid dividends all year.
“Sam is really stepping it up,” Rodenberg said. “He’s been fantastic this season.”
Colerain defeated Pickerington Central 38-20 Saturday night at Welcome Stadium.
Colerain coach Tom Bolden told Enquirer contributor Tom Ramstetter Saturday night Moeller will be a challenge.
"We've got our hands full, there is no question about that," Bolden said. "They're very good. They're more than very good -- they're an awesome football team. We're going to to have our hands full and we're going to have to dig down and find something extra to beat them because they're a phenomenal football team."
Colerain senior fullback DeTuan Smith rushed for 226 yards and two touchdowns for the Cardinals against Pickerington Central. Senior quarterback Kelvin Cook rushed for 118 yards and a touchdown.
The Cardinals’ defense was led by several players including senior linebacker Aric Johnson and senior defensive lineman Demetrius Colbert who each had a sack.
Senior linebacker Tegray Scales had a key interception late in the first half Saturday night. Scales is a highly-recruited player who remains undecided on a college program.
“That was huge,” Bolden said. “You talk about the play of the game and that was it. That’s what he does. He is a phenomenal football player and some college is going to get a great one. That play alone just kind of sums him up. When you need a play, he makes plays and that’s what great football players do.”
The winner of Saturday’s game plays the winner of Hilliard Davidson (12-0) and Huber Heights Wayne (11-1) in the Region 2 final Nov. 30 or what is being also called the state semifinals this season.
Also this week, in Division II, Loveland (12-0) plays Mount Healthy (11-1) this Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Lockland in the Region 6 final.
In Division IV, Clinton-Massie (11-1) plays Alter (11-1) in the Region 14 final at Welcome Stadium at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
In Division V, Badin (10-2) plays West Jefferson (11-1) in the Region 18 final at Clayton Northmont at 7 p.m. Saturday.
Playoff pairings follow the regional bracket format as determined by the final computer ratings released Sunday, Nov. 3. A total of 224 schools qualified for the postseason out of the 714 that played football this season (31.4 percent). First round games were played Nov. 8-9 at the home site of the higher seed, or the site of the higher seed’s choosing. Neutral sites for all other rounds are determined by the OHSAA.
Beginning this season, there are seven divisions in the football playoffs. The largest 72 schools are in Division I, which is divided into two regions. The top 16 teams in both Division I regions have qualified for the playoffs. There are approximately 108 schools each in Divisions II through VII, which are each divided into four regions. The top eight teams in each region in those divisions have qualified for the playoffs.
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20131...RONTPAGE|p