ASHLAND — Making history isn’t supposed to be easy.
Both Ashland and Hillsdale will try to complete historic runs Friday night. But formidable foes stand in their way.
The Arrows will try to put the finishing touches on the first unbeaten regular season since 2006 when Lexington invades Community Stadium. The Minutemen could claim a share of the Ohio Cardinal Conference crown with a win and secure a playoff spots in Division III, Region 10.
Meanwhile, unbeaten Hillsdale hosts Norwayne in the Wayne County Athletic League championship game. The Falcons have never had an perfect regular season. Division VII Hillsdale will have its hands full with the Division V Bobcats, whose only loss was to undefeated St. Clairsville in Week 1.
Here’s a closer look at Ashland County’s Week 10 marquee matchups:
Lexington (5-4, 4-1) at Ashland (9-0, 5-0)
Lex quarterback Joe Caudill had another strong showing in last week’s come-from-behind win over Madison. He completed 19-of-35 passes for 173 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 67 yards on 18 carries. For the season, Caudill has completed 122-of-222 passes for 1,503 yards and 13 touchdowns. Brayden Fogle leads a talented receiving corps with 39 catches for 506 yards and three touchdowns. Seven Allen has 34 receptions for 465 yards and five TDs and Gage Powell has 22 grabs for 247 yards and three TDs. Camden Boozer leads the defense with 85 tackles, including 16 tackles for loss. Markale Martin has 78.5 tackles, 2.5 sacks and a pair of interceptions.
The Arrows took another step toward the first unbeaten regular season since 2006 with a 24-14 win at Wooster. Quarterback Nathan Bernhard threw for 156 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 160 yards and a score. The All-Ohio candidate has completed 125-of-212 passes for 2,013 yards and 20 touchdowns and rushed for 900 yards and 17 TDs on 138 carries. Bernhard’s favorite target is Gabe Baith, who has 41 catches for 567 yards and four touchdowns. Killian O’Brien has 23 receptions for 551 yards and six TDs and Dakota Kruty has 16 catches for 302 yards and four TDs. Gunner Lacey leads the defense with 95 tackles and 25 tackles for loss. Gavin Hoffman leads the team with nine sacks. Josh Ingani has three of Ashland’s 10 interceptions.
Norwayne (8-1, 6-0) at Hillsdale (9-0, 6-0)
The outright Wayne County Athletic League title is on the line when the Bobcats visit Hillsdale. Norwayne beat Smithville 27-14 last week behind Ryder Ingold, who had six catches for 83 yards and three touchdowns. Ingold has 26 catches for 371 yards and four touchdowns on the season, while Logan Hackworth has seven TD catches. Six receivers have at least 12 catches and seven players have at least 100 receiving yards. Quarterback Jacob Bruner has completed 57-of-94 passes for 981 yards and 11 touchdowns. Simon Henico leads the defense with 70 tackles and 15 tackles for loss. Carson Arnold leads the team with five sacks.
Hillsdale tuned up for Friday’s showdown with a 42-7 win at Rittman. Hayden McFadden had touchdown receptions of 50 and 51 yards and returned an interception 35 yards for a score. McFadden has 31 catches for 660 yards and eight touchdowns, while Holland Young has 35 receptions for 605 yards and six TDs. Quarterback Kael Lewis has completed 104-of-161 passes for 1,736 yards and 19 touchdowns. Running back Owen Sloan has rushed for 862 yards and 17 TDs on 122 carries. Hillsdale boasts the top scoring defense in the WCAL, allowing 10.2 points a game. Brady Heller leads the Falcons with 83 tackles, while Aiden Hoffman has 77 stops. Jake Haven has seven sacks, while McFadden has three interceptions, two of which he’s returned for scores.