Exciting Friday Night Playoff Action in Cincinnati
It was an electrifying evening in Cincinnati this past Friday as high school football playoff games heated up in the regional quarterfinals. There were upsets, thrilling finishes, and plenty of impressive performances, keeping fans on the edge of their seats.
In Division I, Region 4, the top-seeded Moeller Crusaders didn’t disappoint as they took down No. 8 Lakota East with a convincing 55-28 victory at Mount St. Joseph University. Junior quarterback Matt Ponatoski shined, completing 16 of 21 passes for 313 yards and throwing for five touchdowns. With this performance, Ponatoski has notched a remarkable 44 touchdown passes this season, entering the state record conversation.
Moeller, now standing at an impressive 11-1, will face No. 4 seed Princeton (10-2) in the regional semifinals on November 15. This matchup will be a rematch from the season opener where Moeller took the win with a score of 38-21.
Princeton also earned their spot by defeating Hamilton 37-7, marking a revenge win after losing to Hamilton earlier this season.
Meanwhile, No. 2 seed Lakota West edged past Elder with a close score of 20-14. Lakota West now prepares to face No. 6 St. Xavier, who overcame Winton Woods 22-10.
Shifting gears to Division II, Region 8, top-seeded Anderson crushed Vandalia Butler with a score of 49-14. The Raptors, boasting a perfect 11-0 record, have set a record of scoring 615 points this season. They will next face off against No. 5 Mount Healthy (10-2) who scored an upset victory against Badin, winning 30-14.
Mount Healthy celebrated senior Jai’Mier Scott‘s standout performance that included three interceptions and a return touchdown.
In Division IV, Region 16, the big surprise of the night came from the No. 9 seed Indian Hill, who upset the top-seeded Clinton-Massie in overtime with a thrilling 16-13 finish. They will now meet Taft (10-2) after Taft defeated Brookville 44-0 to continue their strong season.
Exciting moments didn’t stop there, as Taylor (10-2) pulled off an upset, trampling No. 3 seed Germantown Valley View by 42-10. They are headed to the regional semifinal for the first time in program history against Alter (7-5).
In Division VII, it was a close battle between Cincinnati College Preparatory and Fort Loramie, with CCPA coming out on top 18-7 in their first regional semifinal appearance.
With the action heating up as teams gear up for more playoff games next week, fans and players alike can look forward to a memorable series of matchups on November 15.
