So much attention is now turning to the playoffs, with Outside the Huddle hard at work on previews of every area sectional.
But before we look ahead, we are looking back on the final regular-season Friday of the 2023 campaign.
Let’s put a cap on Week 9 with Bear Necessities.
SAC
• As Homestead put Friday’s game away against Bishop Luers, it was only fitting that Cruz Pursley made the play that clinched the 10-7 Spartans dub.
The senior linebacker picked off Kohen McKenzie on first down inside the Homestead 30-yard line with close to 90 seconds left in the game, stepping in front of the pass downfield.
Pursley finished with five tackles and four tackles for loss along with the INT, his latest big effort in a season full of them. The senior linebacker, who did not see much in the way of action a year ago as a junior, is second on the team with 68 tackles and 12 TFL while also leading the team with a pair of forced fumbles.
Pursley and junior Sam Steward have been impressive in the linebacking corps of Homestead this year, both of them breaking out in a big way with penetration into opposing backfields. Combined, the duo has 28 tackles for loss.
• North Side played without Brauntae Johnson on Friday against Carroll, and it is expected that the Notre Dame verbal commit will not return this season for the Legends.
Johnson suffered an injury to his shoulder in Week 8 against Wayne.
With Johnson out and Jamari Pearson serving a one-game suspension for his ejection against the Generals, Coach Ben Johnson had to turn to Tristen Newsome to take some snaps at quarterback. Newsome finished with 53 yards passing and a TD to freshman Maalik Moore.
• Congratulations to the Northrop Bruins, who ended a 16-game losing skid with a 35-17 victory over South Side.
The 35 points scored by Northrop was the most scored by the team since a 35-25 win over Bishop Luers on Sept. 25, 2020.
• Wow.
Blitz thought that the Wayne-Snider game would be, at the very least, competitive for a half. Instead, the Panthers jumped on the Generals from the outset in a 37-0 victory.
It sets the tone for Snider, which now turns its attention to the Class 5A playoffs riding a three-game winning streak by a combined score of 119-20.
What was the most encouraging for the Panthers is that it was a dominant performance from all three facets of the game. Jamarion Kolagbodi opened the night with a 92-yard touchdown on the opening kickoff. Uriah Buchanan rushed for 175 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Quarterback Ke’ron Billingsley threw for a score to Jack Langas. And even the defense got into the party with a 25-yard pick-six from Keion Sykes.
• Conversely, Wayne will need to regroup quickly to prep for Bishop Dwenger in Week 10.
No one wanted to draw the Generals in Sectional 19. If Harold Mack, who has been out since Week 5, can return and give the offense a much-needed infusion of game-breaking ability, the Coach Sherwood Haydock‘s team can definitely be a factor in the next few weeks.
NE8
• New Haven quarterback Donovan Williams had arguably his most complete performance of the season in the Bulldogs’ 47-12 rout of Huntington North.
The senior quarterback threw for 301 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for 122 yards and a pair of scores.
Williams has been tremendously good all season long, but with a rematch against East Noble on tap to begin the playoffs, he will need to be at his best when the Knights are able to stymie the run game like they did in Round 1 after weeks ago.
When Williams plays with confidence he is difficult to beat. And with Mylan Graham likely to return for the postseason, he will have a full complement of weaponry.
• Drew Graft did not complete a single pass for Norwell on Friday, finishing 0-of-8 with an INT.
Yet the Knights captured a 28-22 victory over Columbia City, due largely to senior Timothy Bonjour‘s 203 yards rushing and two touchdowns.
It has been a season to forget for a lot of reasons for the Knights, but Coach Josh Gerber‘s squad has won back-to-back games and is gaining some confidence.
It’s great to see from a team that has been accustomed to winning a lot of games the last few years.
• Can Columbia City turn it around?
The Eagles started 4-0 but have since dropped five straight contests.
The remedy could be a trip to Huntington North in Week 10, a team that Columbia City beat 55-27 in Week 4.
What is most concerning about the Eagles is their lack of ability to match the opposition’s intensity. Norwell could not do anything through the air, yet was able to move the ball with regularity on the ground, as did East Noble, Leo and New Haven in games prior.
The Eagles have had four-game losing streaks in four of the past five seasons, all happening after Week 4.
• With Brett Fuller out due to injury, Leo has needed someone or someones to step up in his absence to partner with Kam Zeisloft in the backfield.
Enter the veteran Aidan Monds, who has been a steady presence the last few years at linebacker but has emerged as another option offensively.
His best game of the year statistically came on Friday when he rushed for 121 yards and a pair of touchdowns against DeKalb.
So much of the discussion is around Kaden Hurst and Brock Schott, and for good reason. But that run game helps keeps defenses honest, thus not being able to blanket Hurst and Schott. Monds is the latest running back to step up.
ACAC
• Bluffton has gotten a big-time offensive boost with the return of running back Khamel Moore.
The sophomore was injured prior to the start of the season, thrusting freshman Cooper Craig into the lineup in the offensive backfield. Craig was very good, but with Moore’s return it now gives the Tigers a pair of dangerous ball carriers.
Moore rushed all over Lakeland, 149 yards and a pair of touchdowns on just nine carries.
NECC/Area
• Lakeland has prided itself on a very good and balanced offensive attack, but it struggled on Friday against Bluffton.
Sophomore quarterback Brayden Holbrook threw two touchdowns, but he was also picked off twice by Fletcher Wenger of Bluffton, both of which were returned for scores.
The Lakers were down 18-0 at halftime, but 12 of those points came on the Wenger pick-6s.
Fremont picked up a 34-0 win over Blackhawk Christian on Friday anight and on the surface that may not seem like much. But it is much needed postseason momentum for the Eagles in a tough Class 1A Sectional. The Eagles had lost five straight before these two wins.
It also means they end the regular season with back-to-back wins for the first time since 2002. They have now won back-to-back games in three of the last four seasons.
While it was Fremont’s first shutout win since 2020, it was their first home game shutout win since 2009’s win over Central Noble.
Senior quarterback Gage Cope scored three touchdowns on the night to lead Fremont.
QUICK HITS
East Noble‘s 70 points against Bellmont on Friday was the most points by the Knights since a 79-7 victory over Columbia City on Sept. 12, 2012…South Adams senior Owen Wanner accounted for five touchdowns in Friday’s win over Southern Wells. The senior has now passed 5,000 yards in his career, putting him second all-time in school history behind James Arnold and fourth all-time in ACAC history.
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