D.L.Burnworth

  Last night I drove to Crestline High School to watch the Bulldogs host East Cleveland Shaw in what turned into my 2nd four overtime game, but in this one I was able to see a team break a long losing streak of 19 games. The game had to have or seem to have at least 25 pentalties called, with five or six coming on play. There were player enjections called, but the refs never said which players were rejected, so who knows if they really were thrown out or not? Later in the game, another player looked to have been threw out, and he did not return. There were statements made by some players that a coach during the halftime made racist comments. Shaw had six fans setting on their side, but by the time the game was over, only two remained. There was also a very nice job done twice by the Cardinals coaches; first, they kept their bench players from entering the playing field when it appeared a big fight was going to break out. Second, the Cardinals coaches were able to settle one of their pl

Akron, Ohio: Yesterday afternoon, Akron Buchtel hosted Bedford in a game where both teams really needed the win. Heading into this one, Buchtel was on a three-game losing streak, limping in at 1-30. Bedford came in with a 1-2 record and would for the 2nd week in a row using a wide receiver at quarterback. I was told at the game the starting quarterback was not playing offense because he broke a team role but would still be on defense. The backup quarterback, according to the roster provided to me at the game, for reasons unknown to the public, was not getting the start. The opening quarter was owned by the Bedford Bearcats. Defensively, Terrence Brown Jr. would tip a Buchtel pass, forcing a fourth and seven and a punt. Then, after Daurean Johnson muffed a punt, the Bearcats Jemes Warren pounced on it. The only score of the quarter came on a 46-yard run by wide receiver turned quarterback Kent Staten to put the Bearcats 7-0 lead, with 5:05 showing on the clock. Buchtel would wake up i

*I used the rosters from Hudl and Maxpreps.* Gahanna, Ohio: On Friday I made the short drive to Gahanna High School to watch (3-0) Olentangy Orange battle (1-2) Gahanna in a really big O.C.C. matchup. Before getting into the game, I wanted to say that it was a pleasure to meet and speak with Coach Stout and Coach White from Gahanna. Both of these coaches, along with Coach Sayers from Columbus Northland, have an awesome podcast called 614 HEADSETS, and I recommend everyone listen to it. Things started off rough for the Lions when Kentucky recruit Brennen Ward threw into double coverage where Evan Thompson easily made the pick. Defense would continue to be the master, with Eddie Jenings getting to Orange quarterback Levi Davis for a 7-yard loss. Then, with 6:09 left in the quick-moving opening quarter, Pioneers Kameron Robinson got to Avion Brown for a loss of two. The Lions would be the first to score when Brown broke a tackle to go 19 yards, then out of the hold of Jake Bushelman, Ma

West Alexandria, Ohio: Last night I made the 1:45-minute drive to Twin Valley South High School to watch their battle with Preble Shawnee. This was my first time taking in a game at Twin Valley South and my first time catching a game at their stadium. The Arrows needed just six plays to take a 14-0 lead with 7:49 left in the opening quarter. The first score came on a 31-yard run by Lane Lovely. The second score came on an 11-yard catch by Isaac Blankenship. Both point-after kicks were good off of the foot of Colton Schroeder. The Arrows defense would make the last big play of the opening quarter when Bryson Doran got to Twin Valley South ball carrier Conner Mowell for a loss of two. The Panthers defense would have a bright moment when Lucas Barlow sacked Brody Morton for a short loss. Later in the quarter, the Arrows defense stood tall when Caleb Blankenship picked off a pass. A 32-yard run by Reece Smith helped set up a 4-yard touchdown run by Lovely, making this a 21-0 game with 3:

  Yesterday morning I made the two-hour plus drive to Lakewood High School to witness one, if not the most anticipated, games of the 2024 high school football season in the great state of Ohio. Boyle County, who has won four straight 4-A titles in Kentucky, vs. Lakewood St. Ed., who have won three straight D-1 state titles. Boyle County is a much smaller school and showed much more gumption than all of the public schools. especially the bigger ones, who are, for lack of better words, afraid to play the beast, known as St. Ed. Before getting into the game, I wanted to thank the St. Ed athletic department for having rosters for both teams available at the gate for all of the fans at no charge. Montavin Quisenberry, if not the best player in Kentucky, has to be in the conversation fast to introduce himself to everyone in the stadium when he acted as Barry Sanders would by reverisng his direction from one side of the field to the other, leaving most of his defense in his dust picking up

  Note: I used the rosters for each team from Hudl and Max Preps. Mt. Orab, Ohio On Friday night, Chilicothe came calling on Western Brown, looking not only for their first win of the 2024 tackle football season but also for their first points. For Werstern Brown and their all-gas no-break wide open offense, they were looking to stay undefeated. Things started off as well as the Cavaliers could have hoped when Vic Hitchens fielded the opening kickoff and took it all the way to the Western Brown 32-yard line. Facing a third on four later on the drive, Cartae Ligon broke to his left, picking up 5 yards to move the chians. Andrew Hamman would find Daniel Scissum for 9 yards. Scissum is listed as a defensive tackle and guard on the roster. With 10:16 left in the quarter, the 5-play, 32-yard drive came to a climax on an 11-yard run by Freshman Cartae Ligon. The point after a kichk from Connor Bolen was true to make this a 7-0 game, with 10:16 remaining in the quarter. The Broncos would n

I used the rosters that were on both of the league websites. Springfield, Ohio- Thursday night I made my second trip to Northwestern High School to catch a football game, though this was the first time I would be seeing the home team, as the last time I was there was a neutral site game between Delphos Jefferson and Paint Valley. Northwestern would convert a fourth and one with power running Preston Allen easily moved the chains. Later on the drive, Luke Fissel was able to haul in a 10-yard catch with Ried Smith doing the throwing. Smith on the roster is listed as a wide receiver. Facing another fourth down, Northwestern was able to convert with Smith hooked up with Mason McDermott for the 30-yard touchdown. Xander Stacey was true on his point after kick to make this a 7-0 game, with 6:44 left in the quarter. The drive lasted for 11 plays while totaling 70 yards. The Warriors defense came up big at the 6:00 mark when Tyler Romine got to KJ Gustin for a short loss at the 6:00 mar

  Egg Harbor Township. NJ- Rancocas Valley Red Devil and Pascack Valley Panthers did battle in a game that was entertaining as well as lopsided, where each team flashed some big plays. Montre Wilson  busted free for a 71-yard Red Devil touchdown followed by a successful point after kick from Jameson Hollander to make this a 7-0 game with just a little over one minute going in the opening quarter. The drive would last just four plays and total 81 yards. Kai Smith got things going for the Panthers with two runs totaling 19 yards, but the drive soon fizzled on a failed fourth down try. The last big play in the mostly defensive quarter came on a 19-yard run from hard-running Kevin Regul one of the multiple path runners. Smith, a solid two-way player for the Panthers, would sack Sayvien Adams for an 11-yard loss seconds into the second quarter. After getting the ball back, PV used an 11-yard run by Adam Shaw. Facing a fourth and six, the Panthers would convert with an 11-yard pass from S

  Egg Harbor Township, NJ— A 30-yard catch by Jyair Moore got things going for Washington Township, with 8:38 left in the opening quarter. They followed that up with a 26-yard run from Colin Beeler and closed the 6-play, 90-yard drive off with a 2-yard touchdown run by Andrew Osborn to make this an 8-0 game with 7:16 left in the opening kickoff. The clock read 3:00 when Carter Biattner sacked Washington Township quarterback Cole Aquino for a loss of four. The Minuteman overcame the sack, recovering for a 26-yard field goal from Luke Sheets, making this a 9-0 game with 0:46 seconds left in the quarter. Things would go from bad to worse for the Hilanders when a bad snap caused Jack OCallaghan to fumble the ball, and making the recovery for the Minutemen was Caleb Palaganas, with 10:45 left in the half. After covering a third and one that moved the ball to the Highlanders six-yard line, it would be the Highlanders defense coming off big when Tucker Kanning picked off the pass. The Minu

  Ocean City- This was my first time seeing Ocean City and Cinnaminson play, so going in I knew little about either team. With Ocean City being the home team, I was able to talk to a few fans, and they all said that their team was going to win and did not think there was going to be any doubt about who the better team was after all was said and done. The Ocean City defense got things started when Jake Chapman sacked Dylan McAndrews for a loss of four just one minute into the game. Baily Walker showed he was ready for this one as he picked up 32 yards on two carries, and then later in the quarter, Ocean City would light up the scoreboard on a touchdown run from Clay Compton to make this a 6-0 game. J.P. Forster would make this a 7-0 game as he easily nailed his point after kick, with 6:05 left on the first quarter clock. In the second quarter, Triston Schmidt picked up 21 yards on two carries for the home team. Schmidt was dropped for a four-yard loss by Jason Straub. The Cinnaminson