ThisWeek Hilliard Northwest News
November 1, 2012
Page B1
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Football
Darby seeks same result in rematch By AARON BLANKENSHIP THISWEEKSPORTS.COM
Darby’s Cameron Kohl (right) is congratulated by Michael Porter after scoring during a 42-0 victory over Bradley on Oct. 26 to complete a 10-0 regular season. CHRIS PARKER/THISWEEKSPORTS
When the Westerville South High School football team played host to Hilliard Darby in an OCC-Cardinal Division game Oct.5, the Wildcats made a number of costly mistakes en route to a 28-14 loss. South turned the ball over on downs three times, including twice in the red zone, and threw two interceptions, including one inside Darby’s 30-yard line and another that Caleb Day returned 45 yards for a touchdown. South coach Rocky Pentello said his team must avoid those kinds of errors to give itself a chance to win its Division I, Region 3 playoff opener Saturday, Nov. 3, at Darby. The top-seeded Panthers are 10-0 overall and won the OCCCardinal title at 7-0 after beating Hilliard Bradley 42-0 on Oct. 26. The eighth-seeded Wildcats defeated Westerville North 52-15 on Oct. 26 to finish 8-2 overall and third in the OCC-Cardinal at 5-2, behind Darby and Dublin Scioto (6-1). “We have to play a much more disciplined game this time around because we’ve already seen that we can’t afford to make
Playoff preview
WESTERVILLE SOUTH at DARBY •When: 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 3 •Last meeting: Oct. 5, Darby 28-14 •Top Wildcats: Marcus Ball (DB/WR), Timmy Bates (DB/QB), Jalen Bell (WR/DB), Myles Collier (DB), Darien Miller (RB/LB), Noah Prentiss (RB), Nick Renzetti (QB) and Kamaree Walden (LB) •Top Panthers: Caleb Day (RB/DB), Stephan Hernon (OL/DL), Cameron Kohl (RB/LB), Chase Longwell (QB/DB), Trevor Parker (LB), Michael Porter (RB/DB), Hayden VanKirk (RB/DL) and Zack Williams (OL) •South (8-2) to date: Defeated Groveport 55-14; def. Clayton Northmont 48-21; def. Grove City 42-20; def.Worthington Kilbourne 28-7; def. Hilliard Bradley 28-16; lost to Dublin Scioto 42-35; lost to Hilliard Darby 28-14; def. Westerville Central 50-
mistakes against a team like Hilliard Darby,” Pentello said. “They don’t make many mistakes, so we can’t give them an advantage by making mistakes of our own.” Darby coach John Santagata said the Panthers will pressure South’s backfield to try to force
28; def. Dublin Jerome 21-20 (OT); def. Westerville North 52-15 •Darby (10-0) to date: Def. Whetstone 71-28; def. Hilliard Davidson 17-3; def. Toledo St. John’s 56-22; def.Westerville North 45-7; def. Dublin Jerome 20-7; def. Worthington Kilbourne 34-27; def.Westerville South 28-14; def. Scioto 28-24; def. Westerville Central 29-7; def. Bradley 420 •Last week: Darby routed Bradley as VanKirk rushed for 152 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries. Kohl scored on a 47-yard run and had 10 tackles, three tackles for losses and two sacks. Hernon had seven tackles, a sack, three tackles for losses and recovered a fumble. South routed Westerville North as Renzetti was 13-for-29 passing for 219 yards with three touchdowns, and Bell had eight catches for 144 yards and two touchdowns. Devan Wade rushed for 122 yards and three scores on 24 carries.
turnovers, but he emphasized it’s equally important that his 4-3 defense remains disciplined to avoid giving up big plays. Leading the defense are lineman Stephan Hernon (38 tackles, 3 sacks), backs Day (4 inter-
PANTHERS >> B9
Football
Coffman’s lines primary concern for ’Cats By FRANK DIRENNA THISWEEKSPORTS.COM After watching his team struggle in a 33-10 loss to Dublin Coffman on Sept. 14, Hilliard Davidson High School football coach Brian White didn’t think that his team would have another opportunity to play the Shamrocks this season. The Wildcats fell to 2-2 as a result of that OCC-Central Division contest, but they won their next six games to
secure their fifth consecutive postseason berth. Davidson (8-2) travels to Coffman (9-1) for the first round of the Division I, Region 3 playoffs on Saturday, Nov. 3. The Shamrocks, who won their first nine games before losing to Upper Arlington 23-14 in their regular-season finale Oct. 26, are seeded second in Region 3 behind Hilliard Darby (100). Davidson is the seventh seed. The top eight teams in each region qualified for the playoffs.
“After the week four drubbing we took from Dublin Coffman the first time we played them, we certainly would question whether or not we would have an opportunity to make the playoffs,” White said. “Our No. 1 goal for the season is to win our league and No. 2 goal is to make the playoffs, and if you would have told me that we would be able to accomplish both in the 10th week of the season, I would have been real hesitant to agree.” Coffman and Davidson both went
6-1 to share the OCC-Central title. UA and Olentangy Liberty tied for third at 5-2, followed by Marysville (3-4), Thomas Worthington (2-5), Central Crossing (1-6) and Westland (0-7). Coffman outgained UA 397-245 in total yards but committed six turnovers. “I’m sure they have gotten better,” Coffman coach Mark Crabtree said of Davidson. “They have won six games in a row. You’re going to get better and better if you’re winning six games in a row. They’re playing with confidence
and they have settled in on what they’re trying to do on both sides of the ball.” In the regular-season contest, Coffman led Davidson 13-3 at halftime and seized control in the third quarter, outscoring the Wildcats 20-0. The Shamrocks outgained Davidson 391-193 in total yards, as senior quarterback James Walsh was 15-for18 passing for 201 yards and a touchdown and scored two touchdowns on
WILDCATS >> B6