ASHLAND — The Arrows are trending in the right direction.
Ashland got back on the winning track with last week’s 26-21 victory at Wooster. That put an end to back-to-back losses to Ohio Cardinal Conference heavyweights Mansfield Senior and West Holmes.
The Arrows all but locked up a playoff berth with last week’s victory and can punch their ticket to the postseason with a win over Lexington on Friday at Community Stadium. The Minutemen need a W to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Lexington (3-6, 3-3) at Ashland (5-4, 3-3): The Minutemen will need some help to reach the postseason, but last week’s 28-10 win over Madison kept their tournament drive alive. Dylan Jamieson threw a pair of touchdowns passes and A.J. Young tossed another. Freshman wideout Brayden Fogle caught two of those TD passes, a 32-yarder from Young and a 24-yarder from Jamieson. Mason Green added a 28-yard touchdown run. Hudson Moore returned from an injury to rush for 87 yards on 14 carries.
Ashland put itself in playoff position with a 26-21 victory at Wooster. Quarterback Luke Bryant has completed 125-of-223 passes for 1,785 yards and 17 touchdowns. Jonathan Metzger became Ashland’s career leader in receptions and receiving yards earlier this season. The senior has 47 catches for 935 yards and 11 touchdowns while Landon McFrederick has 55 catches for 685 yards and five TDs. Grayson Steury has 30 grabs for 482 yards and four scores. Defensively, Parker Gissinger leads the way with 132 tackles, while Ethan Truax has been in on 114 stops with a team-best four sacks. Caiden Piatt and Connor Ohl each have three sacks.
Mapleton (6-3, 3-2) at Crestview (9-0, 5-0): The Mounties have won three in a row and clinched a playoff spot in Division VI, Region 22 after last week’s 53-29 win over Monroeville. Quarterback Kollin Cline totaled four touchdowns in the victory a week after rushing for 176 yards and three scores while beating South Central. The Mounties average almost 37 points a game, but the defense has allowed 27 or more points in six straight games.
The Cougars secured at least a share of their third straight Firelands Conference with last week’s 26-7 verdict at St. Paul and can claim it outright with a victory Friday. Quarterback Hayden Kuhn has completed 73-of-128 passes for 1,092 yards and eight touchdowns, while running back Adison Reymer has rushed for 1,107 yards and 17 touchdowns on 161 carries. Owen Barker has 18 catches for 278 yards and four scores, while Caden Cunningham has 17 grabs for 258 yards and a TD. Defensively, Reymer leads the way with 91 tackles. Barker has 23 tackles for loss and 10 sacks, while Cunningham picked off his fifth pass last week at St. Paul. Crestview has 15 interceptions as a team.
Northmor (5-4, 2-4) at Loudonville (5-4, 3-3): The Golden Knights have dropped two in a row and four of five after last week’s 49-13 loss at Centerburg. They need a win Friday to secure a playoff spot. Quarterback A.J. Bower has completed 122-of-222 passes for 1,696 yards and 16 touchdowns. Wideout Hunter Fulk has 40 catches for 547 yards and seven TDs. Fulk also has a pair of interceptions, one of four Knights with two or more. C.J. Stoney leads the way with three interceptions while Fulk, Carson Campbell and Caleb Schnuerer have two each.
The Redbirds have won three in a row after last week’s 49-8 victory over East Knox and have locked up a playoff spot in Division VI, Region 23. Quarterback Matt Sprang is the Knox Morrow Athletic Conference’s leading passer, completing a KMAC-best 58 percent of his passes for 1,735 yards and 17 touchdowns. Zach Frankford ranks second in the KMAC with 52 receptions for 656 yards and four TDs. Micah Simpson has 31 catches for 465 yards and four scores. Defensively, Frankford has a pair of interceptions while Aidan Wolford has three interceptions and 87 tackles, including eight tackles for loss. Frankford is the KMAC’s most dangerous kickoff return man, averaging 29.9 yards per return.
