The last official week of the regular season for some teams in District 10 has playoff positioning and outright region titles still in play.
Farrell has the outright title in Region 3 clinched, while Meadville (Region 4), North East (Region 5) and Mercyhurst Prep (Region 2) have already won a share of the region titles and can claim them outright with wins.
McDowell can wrap up Region 6 with a win over Butler and in Region 1, Lakeview and Cambridge Springs both sit at 5-1 after Mercer beat Lakeview last week, with Cochranton and Mercer both at 4-2.
Farrell and Mercyhurst Prep look to have a stranglehold on the top two seeds in Class 2A, while Class 1A and 3A are a little more muddled.
In 1A, Lakeview and Cambridge Springs appear to be the top two seeds, with Lakeview holding the head to head win and Mercer, Eisenhower and Cochanton lurking behind them.
In 3A, Sharon, Hickory, North East and Grove City are in a fight for positioning for the top four spots, with Oil City and Titusville (who square off in Week 9), as well as Fort LeBoeuf, General McLane and Fairview fighting for position behind them.
Here’s a look at the Week 9 slate.
REGION 1
CAMBRIDGE SPRINGS (7-1) at MERCER (5-3)
The Blue Devils bounced back just fine from their first loss of the season, taking care of Cochranton, 47-14. The Blue Devils are still allowing just 10.5 points per game on the season, among the tops in District 10. Their rushing attack has been well documented, with Brett Kania (846-14), Jordan Washington (518-5), Preston Gorton (424-7) and Josh Gorton (382-6) leading the way. Morgan Applebee has thrown for 598 yards and six touchdowns.
Mercer made a statement last week with a win over previously unbeaten Lakeview, 28-20. The Mustangs haven’t given up more than 20 points in a game since a loss to Wilmington back on Sept. 9. Offensively, Daemyin Mattocks (931-15) and Carter Addison (698-10) give the Mustangs won of the top rushing tandems in District 10.
REYNOLDS (4-4) at LAKEVIEW (7-1)
Lakeview is looking to bounce back from its first loss of the season, 28-20 to Mercer. The Sailors are led by a strong rushing attack, paced by Mitchell Tingley (921 yards, 13 touchdowns) and Aiden Osborne (260-5). When they do go the air, Leyton Zacherl leads the passing attack (746 yards and 11 touchdowns), with Danick Hinkson (14 receptions, 365 yards, 6 TDs) and Blake Skiles (14-323-4) his top targets.
Reynolds, meanwhile, is coming off a 37-9 win over Saegertown. Gabe Minjarez (713-7) is their top rusher, while Gavin Alabran has 592 yards passing and five touchdowns, with Zavier Zachrich (246-2) his top receiver.
COCHRANTON (4-3) at MAPLEWOOD (3-5)
Cochranton is in good position to make the playoffs, but is coming off a 47-14 loss to Cambridge Springs. Noah Cummings (896-5) and Isaiah Long (387-7) give Cochranton a strong 1-2 punch in the running game.
Maplewood is coming off a 36-32 win over Kennedy Catholic. Kyle Jordan has thrown for 747 yards and eight touchdowns, with Dorian Doubet (25-419-3) and Dominick Kinney (15-284-3) his top targets.
KENNEDY CATHOLIC (0-7) at SAEGERTOWN (1-7)
Kennedy Catholic nearly picked up its first win of the season last week, falling 36-32 to Maplewood. Rayvion Wilbon-Venable has rushed for 423 yards and four touchdowns and passed for 498 yards and seven touchdowns, while Roman Golub has thrown for 362 yards and four touchdowns. Brock Ondo (25-475-5) and Damian Harrison (12-299-5) are the top receivers.
Saegertown, meanwhile, is looking to bounce back from a 37-9 loss to Reynolds. Aaron Shartle leads the rushing attack, while Reese Wilkinson directs things from the quarterback position.
REGION 2
UNION CITY (3-4) at MERCYHURST PREP (8-0)
What else can you say about the Lakers? They’ve breezed through the regular season, outscoring their opponents 489-33. Paul Johnson has thrown for 1,129 yards and a 19-0 touchdown to interception ratio and also rushed for 591 yards and 11 touchdowns. JJ Ganska has 1,013 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns, while Ja’son Ellman is the top receiver (24-495-11).
Skylar Olmstead has rushed for 820 yards and eight touchdowns for Union City, which is coming off a shutout win over Seneca.
NORTHWESTERN (2-6) at SENECA (2-6)
The Bobcats are coming off a 16-0 blanking of Union City. Nolan Seabury has done it all for the Bobcats this season, throwing for 820 yards and five touchdowns and rushing for a team-leading 492 yards and nine touchdowns. Dominic Buscemi is the Bobcats’ top receiver (29-410-3).
Northwestern, meanwhile, is looking to bounce back from a loss to Eisenhower. Lloyd Fountain has been a force for the Wildcats with 1,019 passing yards and three touchdowns and 317 rushing yards and six touchdowns. Kolton Sutter is his top target (26-432-2).
REGION 3
FARRELL (8-0) at SLIPPERY ROCK (1-7)
The Steelers improved to 8-0 with a 20-0 Steel Bowl win over Sharon last week, wrapping up the Region 3 title in the process. The Steelers are giving up just 9.5 points per game, with Marion Norris leading the way from his linebacker spot. Offensively, Kabron Smith broke the Farrell career passing mark last week and has thrown for 1,415 yards and 19 touchdowns this season. His top targets are Danny Odem III (34-364-5), Simeir Wade (29-579-4) and Brandon Chambers (27-284-8). JuJu Johnson has rushed for 715 yards and six touchdowns.
Slippery Rock is coming off a 55-20 loss to Wilmington. Eli Anderson has thrown for 950 yards and six touchdowns and rushed for 444 yards and three touchdowns. Sam Schwartz (22-200-3) and Cooper glass (18-213-1) are the top targets.
GREENVILLE (1-7) at SHARON (6-2)
The Tigers boast an elite defense and are looking to bounce back from that loss to Farrell. They are allowing just 6.4 points per game on the season. Offensively, Mister Ham has thrown for 818 yards and eight touchdowns and rushed for 652 yards and five touchdowns. Cortez Nixon has rushed for 507 yards and four touchdowns, whale CC Harrison has 280 receiving yards and four touchdowns and Bishop Root 263 yards and one touchdown.
Greenville is coming off a 38-7 loss to Hickory. Rudy Gentile has rushed for 520 yards and three touchdowns and Malachi Hyde 450 yards and two touchdowns. Nick Solderich has rushed for five touchdowns and thrown for 580 yards and four touchdowns.
WILMINGTON (4-4) at GROVE CITY (5-3)
A game that could be very interesting. Grove City put up its second highest point total of the season in a 50-14 win over Sharpsville. Defensively, they have given up more than 21 points in a game just once. Hunter Hohman has thrown for 1,538 yards and 15 touchdowns and rushed for 648 yards and nine touchdowns. Nathan Greer (39-532-5) and Gavin Lutz (37-448-6) are his top targets.
Ben Miller went over 300 yards on the ground in last week’s win over Slippery Rock and surpassed the 1,000-yard mark on the season for the Greyhounds. He has 14 touchdowns on the ground and one receiving. Buddah Book has rushed for 441 yards and eight touchdowns and thrown for 196 yards and two touchdowns.
HICKORY (6-2) at SHARPSVILLE (5-3)
The Hornets defense has been stout, allowing just 14.5 points per game. Offensively, they have scored at least 38 points in five of their six wins. Zander Telez has thrown for 1,041 yards and 14 touchdowns and has also rushed for five touchdowns. His top targets are Tylon Cousin (22-308-5), Luke Nevil (14-213-3) and William Acrie (12-210-3). Kelvin Morrison (515-5) and Sean Kennedy (372-5) lead the ground game.
Sharpsville is looking to snap a three-game slide with losses to Sharon, Farrell and Grove City. Caullin Summers has thrown for 1,814 yards and 20 touchdowns and also rushed for 595 yards and eight scores. Jaiden White (296 rushing yards, 321 receiving yards, 11 total touchdowns) and Dalton Byerly (40 receptions, 703 yards, 7 touchdowns) are weapons for the Blue Devils as well.
REGION 4
OIL CITY (5-3) at TITUSVILLE (5-3)
A game that has all of a sudden become very important in terms of playoff seeding in Class 3A. The Rockets are riding a four-game winning streak, outscoring their opponents 195-44 in the process. Jaxon Covell has rushed for 1,022 yards and 13 touchdowns and has 519 receiving yards and six touchdowns. Ian MacDonald has thrown for 974 yards and 12 touchdowns and also had 304 yards and seven touchdowns rushing, while Kameron Mong has 323 yards and three touchdowns.
Oil City, meanwhile, continues to get it done on the ground behind an offensive line led by Henry Milford and star running back Ethen Knox, who has rushed for 1,540 yards and 24 touchdowns. Cole Findlay has thrown for 412 yards and three touchdowns, three of which have gone to Gavin Stephens (247 yards receiving).
FRANKLIN (2-6) at CONNEAUT (2-6)
A pair of teams in search of win No. 3. Cole Buckley has been a jack-of-all-trades for Franklin this season passing, rushing and receiving, while Bryson Watson has a 200-yard game to his credit.
Conneaut is led by running back Joe Furgiuele, who has 477 yards on the ground and three touchdowns.
WARREN (0-8) at MEADVILLE (6-2)
Meadville bounced back from a loss to McDowell with a win over Franklin last week. The Bulldogs have allowed just 51 points in their six wins. Offensively, an offensive line anchored by Justice Esser anchors a four-headed rushing monster – Bradyn Miller (879-13), Jordan Lawrence (811-6), Brighton Anderson (624-8) and Jacoby Thompson (437-6).
Warren features quarterback Eric Dippold (758-5), running back Tommy Nyquist (252 yards rushing, 135 yards receiving) and receiver Johnny Corbett (385 yards receiving, 2 touchdowns).
REGION 5
FORT LEBOEUF (6-2) at CORRY (2-5)
The Bison are looking to bounce back from a non-region loss to Erie, with their playoff seeding still very much in play. Aiden Lesik (740-9) and Conner McChesney (716-13) lead a potent rushing attack.
Corry, meanwhile, is coming off a 42-14 win over Girard in which Nolan Carey threw four touchdowns passes.
GIRARD (2-5) at GENERAL MCLANE (5-4)
McLane picked up a critical 42-7 win over Fairview last week. Magnus Lloyd has 780 yards and 10 touchdowns for the Lancers. Issac Zietz and Matt Caro have combined to throw for over 1,200 yards and 14 touchdowns, with Jacob Zietz (52-787-10) putting together a monster season receiving.
Girard, meanwhile, is coming off a 42-14 loss to Corry. The Jackets are led by quarterback Ryan St. Julien and running back Jeremiah Colon.
NORTH EAST (7-1) at FAIRVIEW (4-4)
North East can wrap up the region title outright with a win. The Pickers have won six of their seven games by double digits since a 32-14 loss to Farrell. They have allowed more than 12 points in just one of those seven games. Offensively, Jackson Humes has thrown for 1,528 yards and 22 touchdowns, with 772 of those yards and 13 of the touchdowns going to Jamari Curlett, who also leads the team in rushing with 472 yards and five touchdowns.
Fairview is looking to bounce back from the loss to GM. Vinny Campoli has thrown for 903 yards and eight touchdowns and rushed for 415 yards and 11 touchdowns. Tyler Benford has 478 yards and six touchdowns and Jacob Harkness has 331 yards and four touchdowns.
REGION 6
ERIE (4-4) at CATHEDRAL PREP (4-3)
The Ramblers have got on a bit of a roll with back-to-back wins over Benedictine (Ohio) and Butler. Dajoure Hollingsworth has put together a monster season on the ground behind an offensive line led by Pitt recruit Jiavani Cooley. Hollingsworth has rushed for 1,312 yards and 14 touchdowns. Defensively, the Ramblers have allowed just 13 points in their last two games.
Erie, meanwhile, is coming off a 50-13 win over Fort LeBoeuf. Tajhae Thomas (430-3) and Adrien Tate (428-6) lead the rushing attack, while Quani Darnell has thrown for 456 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
BUTLER (2-6) at MCDOWELL (5-3)
The Trojans are rolling, winners of three straight and outscoring their opponents 124-44. Blayze Myers is among District 10’s top quarterbacks with 1,544 yards and 20 touchdowns, with Jake Howser accounting for 217 yards and a score. Stephon Porter and Dominic Beraducci give the Trojans a plethora of offensive weapons.
Butler, meanwhile, is looking to bounce back from a loss to Prep. Maryland recruit Braylon Littlejohn has 418 rushing yards and a touchdown and 117 receiving yards.
NON-REGION
WHEELING CENTRAL CATHOLIC (4-4) at HARBOR CREEK (3-5)
Harbor Creek is looking to bounce back from a 31-12 loss to North East. Tyshawn Jones (819-10) and Lance Brown (664-7) lead a strong rushing attack.
Wheeling Catholic has played a pair of Pittsburgh City League teams this season, beating Perry 20-18 and falling to University Prep, 36-17. Braden McWreath has rushed for 946 yards and nine touchdowns for WCC, while Isaac Martin has 627 yards on the ground and nine touchdowns.
