“If you would have told me we were going to be 4-2 before the season started, I would’ve taken it,” Meeks said on the field after Friday’s 17-14 loss. “Tonight I’m not happy, but …”
If you’re 4-2 or better, these next four weeks are the ones that matter most. The top eight teams in each of the state’s 28 regions across seven divisions make the playoffs.
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The Braves last made the playoffs in 2013, the final year of a five-season run. The schedule isn’t impossible, but it won’t be easy. The Braves play Kenton Ridge (4-2), Bellefontaine (4-2) and Jonathan Alder (4-2) in the final three weeks.
The Braves’ offense runs on the skills of junior quarterback Robie Glass. Instead of punt, pass and kick, Glass’ is running his own skills competition in punt, pass, run and catch. He’s passed for 679 yards and six touchdowns, rushed for 609 yards and seven touchdowns and caught two touchdown passes from backup sophomore Drew Mitch, including the game-winner two weeks ago against Northwestern. And his punting average is 35.2 yards.
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Tecumseh’s game plan was to keep Glass off the field as much as possible with its ball-control ground game. The Arrows did that with an 11-minute advantage in time of possession. Coach Chris Cory would like to have seen more points as a result, but they overcame a good Shawnee game plan and an injury to their leading rusher.
The Braves took away the jet sweeps and big-play potential of Gavin Wasson and Lucas Rodgers. So the Arrows relied on the fullbacks. Davey Berner, the team’s leading rusher, injured his ankle on the first series of the game. Cory turned to senior A.J. Betleyoun and sophomore Wyatt Ferguson for a combined 134 yards on 26 carries and two touchdowns.
“We just took advantage of what they gave us,” Cory said.
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The victory put the Arrows in a similar playoff position as the Braves. They’re 4-2, looking for their first playoff berth since 2014 and sit at No. 10 in Division II Region 8. The Arrows also have Bellefontaine, Jonathan Alder and Kenton Ridge to play.
Other playoff hopefuls: Springfield and Mechanicsburg are in the best shape of area teams, rolling along at 6-0. Springfield is No. 3 in Division I Region 3, but the Wildcats' schedule is difficult with a road game at Northmont (5-1) and home games against Wayne (4-2) and Fairmont (5-1).
Mechanicsburg is No. 2 in Division VI Region 24. Earning a top four seed and a home playoff opener is important in a region as deep and competitive as any in the state.
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Two other 4-2 CBC teams — Northwestern and Kenton Ridge — are outside the top eight in Division IV Region 16. Northwestern, which has never made the playoffs, is No. 10 . Points will be difficult to earn with only one game left against a winning team. That winning team is Kenton Ridge. The Cougars are No. 14, but they finish with Alder, Shawnee and Tecumseh, who have a combined record of 12-6.
Greeneview (5-1) is rated fifth and looking good to make a fifth straight appearance in Division V Region 20.
Triad, has a lot of work to do in Division VII Region 28. The Cardinals are No. 9 despite a 5-1 record, which came against teams with a combined record of 5-31. They finish against four teams — West Liberty-Salem, Mechanicsburg, Fairbanks, West Jefferson — with combined record of 18-6.
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