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FOOTBALL ROUNDUP

High-scoring Warriors

GREENFORD — The scoreboard at South Range’s Rominger Sports Complex could get overloaded tonight.

Third-ranked West Branch (13-0) will play Youngstown Ursuline (9-3) there in a Division IV regional final matchup of two high-scoring offenses at 7 p.m. today.

West Branch averages 47.8 points a game, while Ursuline averages 42.8.

The Irish are led by senior quarterback Brady Shannon, a Central Florida baseball recruit who has passed for 2,347 yard and 26 touchdowns this season, while senior running back DeMarcus McElroy has rushed for 1,689 yards and 32 touchdowns.

The Warriors are guided by junior quarterback Dru DeShields, who has passed for 3,330 yards and 36 touchdowns and rushed for 1,121 yards and 16 touchdowns. Senior running back Steven Marra has 1,195 yards rushing with 30 touchdowns and senior receiver Nick Wilson has 80 catches for 1,260 yards and 18 touchdowns.

The place to be Saturday

NILES — Second-ranked South Range (13-0) will play top-ranked Kirtland (12-0) in one of the top high school football games in Ohio this weekend.

“If you’re a competitor, these are the games you want to be in,” Kirtland coach Tiger LaVerde said.

The teams will meet in a Division V regional final at 7 p.m. Saturday at Niles’ Bo Rein Stadium.

Kirtland — which has won three straight state titles and seven in the last 11 years — has the longest active winning streak in the nation at 53 games.

South Range has won 27 of its last 29 games — the two losses in the playoffs to Kirtland, 49-35 in 2020 and 38-7 in 2019.

Salem hosts Springfield

SALEM — Springfield will be playing its first football game in Salem in 21 years.

Seventh-ranked Springfield (12-1) will take on Mogadore (10-3) in a Division VI regional final at 7 p.m. Saturday at Sebo Stadium.

The last time Springfield played in Salem was Nov. 11, 2000, when Ken McIntyre blocked a punt with two minutes remaining to set up the game-winning touchdown in a thrilling 28-21 playoff victory over Massillon Tuslaw.

“That’s why you call it special teams — we made a special play to turn the game in our favor,” then Springfield coach Doug Phillips said. Phillips is now the head coach at Youngstown State University.

Harter back at Mt. Union

ALLIANCE — The Washington and Lee University football team comes into Saturday’s playoff game at Mount Union with a familiar name in the lineup.

Generals senior linebacker Adam Harter is the son of former Mount Union football and wrestling All-American Steve Harter (Class of 1984).

The elder Harter became a successful businessman and has contributed to many projects at Mount Union, the most notable being the Wable-Harter Football Locker Room and the Kolenbrander-Harter Information Center. Just last week, he was nominated for the Academic All-America Hall of Fame.

Steve continues to donate and endow scholarships for Carrollton (Ohio) High School, Buckeye Joint Vocational School and Mount Union.

Fourth-ranked Mount Union (10-0) and Washington and Lee (8-2) will kick off an NCAA Division III playoff opener at noon Saturday at Mount Union Stadium.

Fight for every yard

ALLIANCE — Fans may recognize some of the music at Mount Union’s NCAA Division III playoff football game on Saturday.

The Purple Raiders’ opponent, Washington and Lee University (Va.), has a popular fight song that is used by many high school across the country.

The Washington and Lee Swing is the fight song of at least 16 Ohio high schools, including United Local.

Written in 1910, the Washington and Lee Swing has been recorded by the likes of Glenn Miller, Tex Beneke, Louis Armstrong, Kay Kyser, Hal Kemp and the Dukes of Dixieland, to name a few.

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