GWOC sending seven teams into high school football playoffs

The Greater Western Ohio Conference will send seven teams into the high school football playoffs, including four in Division I, Region 3.

Northmont, Wayne, Springfield and Fairmont unofficially all made the D-I, Region 3 cut following Friday night’s regular season-ending Week 10 games. Joining them are other GWOC members Troy (D-II, Region 8), Trotwood-Madison and Butler (D-III, Region 12).

»RELATED: Northmont rallies in second half

»PHOTOS: Northmont at Miamisburg, Week 10 football

Only the top eight teams in each region advance to the postseason. The Ohio High School Athletic Association will announce qualifying teams and first-round matchups on Sunday.

Other area teams likely qualifying for the playoffs are:

• Bellbrook (D-III, Region 11)

• Alter, Chaminade Julienne and Fenwick (D-III, Region 12)

»RELATED: Who’s in, who’s out of football playoffs

»OHSAA: Alter girls basketball cited for recruiting violation

• Northwestern, Springfield Shawnee and Clinton-Massie (D-IV, Region 16)

• Middletown Madison and Greeneview (D-V, Region 20)

• Coldwater, Covington, Marion Local, St. Henry and Mechanicsburg (D-VI, Region 24)

• and Fort Loramie, Minster, Lehman Catholic and Ansonia (D-VII, Region 28).

»RELATED: Week 10 football power rankings

»RELATED: Playoffs at stake for D-I GWOC teams

Placing ninth in their respective regions and missing the playoffs by one spot were Miamisburg (D-I, Region 3), Bellefontaine (D-III, Region 11), Piqua (D-III, Region 12), Troy Christian (D-VI, Region 24) and New Bremen (D-VII, Region 28).

Playoff projections are based on joeeitel.com, the official computer rankings site used by the OHSAA.

Northmont 21, Miamisburg 6: Scoreless at halftime, Michael Franklin ran for two fourth-quarter touchdowns as Northmont clinched its second straight outright GWOC National West title. It was Northmont's (9-1, 3-0) fifth consecutive win and knocked Miamisburg out of playoff contention.

»RELATED: Week 9 football rewind

»RELATED: Xenia lands KO of Trotwood-Madison

Northmont joined Troy (GWOC American North), Xenia (GWOC American South) and co-champs Springfield and Wayne (GWOC National East) as the final divisional winners of the 20-team mega conference. All but Trotwood in the American Conference will split away next season to form a revised 10-team Miami Valley League.

Coldwater 26, Marion Local 20, double-OT: Coldwater's Ben Wenning scored from one yard out to lift the Cavaliers in Midwest Athletic Conference play on Friday night.

The Flyers’ loss opens the door for Anna (7-2, 6-1), which can clinch a share of the league title with a victory at Delphos St. John’s on Saturday. The Cavaliers snapped a two-game losing streak.

»PHOTOS: Xenia at Trotwood-Madison, Week 9 football

»RELATED: Ponitz forfeits two games

Coldwater lead 20-0 at halftime, but the Flyers (9-1, 6-1) scored 20 straight points, sending the game to OT on a Nick Tangeman 11-yard TD pass from Matt Rethman with 3:43 remaining. Neither team scored in the first overtime and the Cavaliers held the Flyers on the first possession of double OT to set up Wenning’s second score of the game.

The winner of the 50/50 drawing took home $5,275, according to Coldwater statistician Chris Cron.

Bellbrook 41, Monroe 10: The Eagles' Sedrick Ferguson scored three rushing touchdowns in the first half as the Eagles finished the regular season undefeated.

»RELATED: Week 8 football rewind

»FACEBOOK: For more sports you should like Marc Pendleton

Bellbrook (10-0, 6-0) won its first Southwestern Buckeye League Southwestern Division title since 2014.

Justin Sloan had a touchdown run and Braeden Gedeon returned an interception 40 yards for a touchdown for the Eagles.

Troy 7, Piqua 6: Brayden Siler hit Shane Shoop on a 41-yard TD pass with 3:58 remaining to lift the Trojans (9-1, 5-0) past the Indians in the annual "Battle of the Miami," the oldest rivalry in Ohio.

The Indians (6-4, 3-2) took the lead on Jerrell Lewis 1-yard run with 12 seconds remaining in the first half, but the two-point conversion pass failed.

»TWITTER: You should like @MarcPendleton

»RELATED: D-I, Region 3 rankings all shook up

Troy’s victory sealed a perfect 5-0 record in the Greater Western Ohio Conference American North Division.

Springboro 45, Lebanon 6: The Panthers' Landon Palmer went 13-for-225 for 225 yards and three TDs in the GWOC National West Division victory.

Eric Myers caught all three TD passes for the Panthers (5-5, 2-1), while Willieon Yates rushed 17 times for 124 yards and a TD run.

»RELATED: Northmont knocks off unbeaten Springfield

»RELATED: Wayne outlasts Fairmont in shootout

Tippecanoe 20, Butler 14: Ben Ambos, Cade Beam and Josh Burritt all rushed for TDs as the Red Devils (5-5, 2-3) hung on to beat the Aviators (6-4, 3-2) in GWOC American North division play.

Valley View 24, Brookville 0: Cade Cradlebaugh rushed for 138 yards and two scores as the Spartans (6-4, 4-2) blanked the Blue Devils (6-4, 3-3) in SWBL Buckeye Division play.

»PHOTOS: Fairmont at Wayne, Week 8 football

»RELATED: Lebanon back in football playoff contention

Madison 64, Waynesville 0: Jake Phelps scored three TDs, including two on the ground, as the Mohawks finished the season 10-0 overall and 6-0 in the SWBL Buckeye Division.

»PHOTOS: Miamisburg at Lebanon, Week 8 football

»RELATED: Here comes streaking Alter

»PHOTOS: Springfield at Northmont, Week 7 football

»PHOTOS: Oakwood at Brookville, Week 6 football

»PHOTOS: Fairmont at Miamisburg, Week 6 football

»PHOTOS: Northmont at Wayne, Week 5 football

About the Author