O-G tries to keep school's postseason momentum going against Shelby

FOOTBALLREGIONAL PLAYOFFS DIVISION IVOttawa-Glandorf (6-5) at Shelby (11-0)For the second straight week Ottawa-Glandorf of the Western Buckeye League plays a team from the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference in the Region 14 playoffs. After dispatching of third-place Galion 13-7 last week, the Titans take on M-OAC champion Shelby and its standout dual-threat quarterback Brayden DeVito, A 5-foot-11, 175-pound junior, DeVito has followed up an all-Ohio sophomore season with an even better junior year, rushing for 1,056 yards, throwing for 2,925 and accounting for a total of 46 touchdowns. Shelby will face an O-G team that gave up 94 points in its first three games, but has held its final eight opponents to an average of just 14.1 points a game.Friday's winner will advance to the Nov. 15 regional semifinals against either Ontario, whose only loss was in MOAC play to Shelby. DIVISION VLiberty-Benton (10-1) at Liberty Center (11-0)Liberty-Benton and its array of offensive weapons will take on a Liberty Center juggernaut that was state runner-up a year ago and is riding a 35-game regular season winning streak. Quarterback Trevin Lieb (1,816 yards passing, 22 TDs), running back Zach Elchert (991 yards, 17 TDs) and receivers Seth Elchert (58 receptions, 840 yards, 8 TDs) and Brayden Lemire (24, 328, 5 TDs) head up an L-B offense that averages 346.8 yards and 36.7 points a game. Liberty Center has put some points on the board as well, but the Tigers defense has been lockdown stingy, pitching six shutouts and giving up just 42 points in 11 games.Friday's winner will square off against either Oak Harbor or LaGrange Keystone in the regional semifinals. DIVISION VICarey (6-5) at Patrick Henry (9-2)Two schools with great history and strong playoff success will clash in Hamler when Carey and Patrick Henry meet in a Region 22 battle. Both schools own state championships, Carey winning a Class A title in 1975 and a Division VI crown in 2021. Patrick Henry was Ohio Division V champion in 2005. Eli Steen has been a workhorse for Carey, rushing for 1,487 yards and 19 TDs. Lincoln Creager has a multi-tool threat for Patrick Henry. In the Patriots playoff win over Evergreen, Creager ran for one touchdown, threw for three and booted five PAY kicks.Friday's winner moves on to the Nov. 15 regional semifinals to take on either No. 1-seeded Hopewell-Loudon or ninth-seeded Seneca East. Huron (7-4) at Bluffton (10-1)The playoffs often bring together schools from opposite ends of the region and that's the case will be the when Huron, one of six schools in the Bay Division of the Sandusky Bay Conference travels to Bluffton to face the Pirates of the Northwest Conference. It is likely the first ever meeting between the two schools, but they do have a common opponent this season. Bluffton beat Spencerville 55-7 in Week 5 of the regular season; Huron beat the Bearcats 42-7 last week in the opening round of the Region 22 playoffs. Seneca East (7-4) at Hopewell-Loudon (10-0)From 2018 through the 2014 season, Hopewell-Loudon and Seneca East were both members of the Midland Athletic League. When that league disbanded, Seneca East joined the Northern 10 Conference. Hopewell-Loudon joined up with the Blanchard Valley Conference for a while, then aligned with the Sandusky Bay Conference as one of the River Division schools in that league. Friday's game will be a rematch of the 2022 playoffs when Hopewell-Loudon edged Seneca East 25-14 in a first-round Region 22 contest. Friday's winner advances to go against either Patrick Henry or Carey. DIVISION VIILima Central Catholic (8-3) at Columbus Grove (11-0)Lima Central Catholic returns to Clymer Stadium for the second time this season to take on the unbeaten, No. 2-ranked Bulldogs. Columbus Grove won the first matchup, a league game between the Northwest Conference schools, 28-20. It was Grove's closest game of the year but the Bulldogs, who have won every other game by at least a two-TD margin, had a two-score lead in that game before LCC scored with 30 seconds left.Friday's winner will face another physical challenge the following week with either Mohawk or McComb advancing from the other half of the bracket. McComb (8-3) at Mohawk (9-2)Two programs that traditionally favor power football with strong running attacks will meet at Mohawk. McComb averaged 243.5 yards a game on the ground and a BVC-best 350.6 yards a game overall. Mohawk, champion of the N-10 Conference was more balanced this season, averaging 163.4 yards rushing and 186.8 through the air. Leading Mohawk's passing game are Ben Bogner, a senior quarterback who threw for 23 touchdowns with just three interceptions in 185 attempts, and receiver Kahne Hayman, who caught 48 passes for 828 yards and nine TDs..Leipsic (7-4) at Gibsonburg (9-2)After beating No. 6-seeded Ada 30-22 last Friday, 11th-seeded Leipsic will be looking to knock off its second higher-ranked opponent when the Vikings travel to Gibsonburg, the No. 3 seed. Gibsonburg took some lumps playing a brutal schedule to open the seasons. The Bears went 2-2 against four schools that go a combined 34-5 during the regular season. A 10-0 win over Tiffin Calvert started the Bears on a seven-game win streak, though, during which they have given up just 34 points. Leipsic finished the regular season at 6-4 after a 29-26 loss to Ada. But the Vikings turned around and beat Ada 30-22 in the first round of the playoffs. It was the Vikings third straight game decided by a touchdown or less and fifth of the season.Friday's winner will take on Delphos St. John's or Tiffin Calvert in the Region 26 semifinals.