“They’re a tremendous team and that’s a huge rivalry for us,” Ullery said. “We’re excited to move on to it. It’s Wayne week and I know they’re excited, too.”
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Wayne has overwhelmed Centerville the last two seasons by a combined 101-25 margin. Centerville last won 19-14 in Week 10 of the 2014 season to complete a perfect 10-0 regular season. Wayne also was 9-0 entering that game.
Wayne played for Division I state titles in 2014-15 and went 11-1-1 last season. But those Warriors teams didn’t face a second half of the regular season like awaits Wayne this year. Following Week 6 Wayne is at Beavercreek (5-0), at Fairmont (4-1), hosts Springfield (4-1) and finishes at Trotwood-Madison (5-0).
That’s a back-loaded schedule that will make or break the Warriors’ season. But it’s essentially the same for all those Greater Western Ohio Conference National East rivals with the exception of Trotwood (GWOC American South). All those great midseason records will take a hit as the teams play each other and jockey for top-eight positions in the D-I, Region 3 playoff field.
• There will be a special significance when Springfield (4-1) visits Xenia (0-5) on Friday. Wildcats players will don some form of orange and Springfield students also have been encouraged to wear orange as a tribute to former Xenia coach Bob DeLong and the death of his daughter Carly to cancer earlier this week.
Carly was a 15-year-old volleyball and softball player at Catholic Central. She was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia last January.
“It makes you take a second look at what’s really important,” Springfield coach Maurice Douglass said. “Stuff like this hits home.”
Orange is the color for childhood leukemia awareness.
DeLong was succeeded by former Stebbins coach Trace Smitherman as the Buccaneers head coach following last season. A former Wright State University baseball standout, DeLong also had a great run as Tecumseh’s football coach.
What’s wrong with Xenia? Nothing a win won’t cure. The wing-T offense has tallied 87 points the last three weeks. More telling is a daunting schedule. None of the five teams Xenia has played has a losing record and Beavercreek, Alter and Sidney own a combined record of 14-1.
• The Midwest Athletic Conference is down to two unbeaten teams. Marion Local (5-0) will host Anna (5-0) at Maria Stein on Friday. With three MAC games remaining afterward, it’s too early to even hint this Week 6 outcome could determine a MAC title.
Anna has vaulted to the top of D-V, Region 20, but has been pushed to the limit by New Bremen (28-20) and Delphos St. John’s (21-13) the last two weeks. This is the best season for the Rockets since Nick Marino left Urbana to become Anna’s head coach in 2015 to succeed Bryan Rioch.
Anna is in great position to qualify for the postseason, but faces a MAC gauntlet in the second half of the regular season. After Marion Local, Anna is at St. Henry (4-1) in Week 7, at Coldwater in Week 9 and hosts Minster in Week 10. All but St. Henry played in state title games last season.
The Rockets have been in the playoffs nine times since 2000, but their last qualifying season was 2010.
Marion Local ranks No. 1 in D-VI, Region 24. The Flyers also have been pushed the last three weeks against Coldwater (13-7), Minster (21-7) and Versailles (28-18).
• All of the area schools that responded indicated there are no plans this week similar to the national anthem protest that many NFL players did last Sunday. Ansonia athletic director Matt Macy of the Cross County Conference included a photo of the Tigers lined up in the end zone in formation and facing the flag.
This is “how Ansonia does it and will continue to do it,” wrote Macy in an email. That was the sentiment of all who responded.
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