Centerville looking for answers against recharged Wayne

It’s not often Wayne High School football coach Jay Minton has wondered which direction the Warriors are headed. Not with 15 playoff teams since he landed at Huber Heights in 1999, including four Division I state runner-ups.

But that’s where his thoughts lingered prior to last week’s showdown with unbeaten Northmont.

“That’s the mark of a team that maybe you can do something with,” Minton said after an impressive 49-20 leveling of the Thunderbolts after the teams were knotted 14-all at halftime. “When their backs are against the wall they come out fighting.”

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Wayne resumes a great rivalry with Centerville on Friday and it’s the Elks who are looking for answers.

It’s the Greater Western Ohio Conference National East opener for Wayne (3-2). Centerville (0-5, 0-1) was pounded 49-6 by visiting Springfield in its National East opener in Week 4. Following last week’s 35-0 setback at Springboro, Centerville has lost five straight and six overall including last season.

Just one season removed from a GWOC National East title and 10-2 record, it’s not hard to pinpoint coach Brent Ullery’s concerns. Centerville has been outscored 94-13 the last three weeks, which means a stagnant offense and leaky defense.

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Last season Centerville defeated host Wayne 39-22. Wayne quarterback Rashad McKee had a career effort in a super-charged second half against Northmont. He threw for 319 yards and five touchdowns and ran for two more scores.

With 1,005 yards passing, he’s on pace to surpass 2,000 yards in the regular season and ranks second to West Carrollton senior Tristan Dillon (1,194) among GWOC passing leaders.

“He just wanted to step up and show he’s the leader of this team,” said Minton of McKee.

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• Fairmont (4-1) is at Miamisburg (5-0) in another great GWOC crossover contest.

This might be the area’s quickest Week 6 game. Ground-hugging Fairmont has attempted just 20 passes and completed five. That makes Miamisburg senior quarterback Tate Vongsy, another three-year starter, look pass happy (39 of 62 attempts for 669 yards and six touchdowns).

The winner could bump defending D-I state champ and current D-I, Region 3 leader Pickerington Central (5-0) out of that top computer points spot.

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• Bellbrook (5-0) allowed more points to Franklin last week than it had all season combined. But the only numbers that mattered was a 21-17 win.

That secured the Golden Eagles’ lofty spot in the D-III, Region 11 computer rankings and set up a Southwestern Buckeye League showdown at Valley View (3-2) on Friday.

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The Spartans lost just three games combined the previous two seasons. Its two losses are by a combined 12 points to Fort Recovery (2-3) and Madison (5-0).

• Brookville (4-1) was scheduled to host Oakwood (2-3) in a SWBL game on Thursday.

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