Wayne and Findlay to face off in 'superhero' playoff clash

FINDLAY – Superman and The Flash will be coming to Donnell Stadium on Friday.Findlay High coach Stefan Adams plans to meet them with some less recognized but equally courageous caped crusaders of his own."We have our group of superheroes who have done some amazing things this year," Adams said Wednesday as he prepared his Trojans for Friday's Division I, Region 2 playoff game with Huber Heights Wayne."We're excited to have quality team come up here and compete against. And our guys are confident because of all the work they've put it."Superman is Kye "Superman" Graham and it's easy to see how he got the nickname. A 6-foot-2, 195-pound sophomore quarterback who is already drawing considerable interest from elite college programs, Graham has thrown for 2,130 yards this season, rushed for 405, and accounted for 26 touchdowns, including three rushing TDs in Wayne's 36-6 round-one playoff win over Westland.Wayne wide receiver Jamier Averette-Brown doesn't call himself The Flash, but he could. One of the fastest humans in the state, Brown won the 100-meter dash in last spring's Division I state meet, was second in the 200, and anchored the 400- and 800-meter relay teams to state championships as well.Brown earned all-Ohio recognition his sophomore year after catching 63 passes for 1,065 yards and 13 TDs. The Ohio State commit has continued to make headlines as a junior, both on and off the field.On the football field Brown, a 6-0, 175-pound five-star talent ranked as one of the top receivers in the nation in the class of 2027, is once again putting up impressive numbers: 59 receptions, 832 yards, seven touchdowns.Brown was also in the spotlight when his family sued the OHSAA in mid-October over that organization's policy, adopted in 2022, of not allowing high school student-athletes to receive compensation, as college athletes are now allowed to do, for their name, image and likeness (NIL). According to published reports, Brown had already missed out on "more than $100,000 in potential NIL deals," including a "trading card deal worth more than six figures."Graham and Brown head up a deep and talented Wayne team that includes break-away threats in senior running back Isaiah Thompson (1,061 yards rushing, 12 TDs) and wide receiver Semarion Sroufe (48 receptions, 726 yards, 3 TDs)."Early on I'd say yes, they did (look to make big plays)," Adams said of the Warriors."It looked like they wanted to get the ball into the hands of their athletes, guys who can make you miss and take it down the sidelines or catch a pass over your head with their leaping ability."The last couple of games, they've really relied on their running game. Their running back (Thompson) has had over 20 carries in both games."Wayne started the season 1-2, with both losses to powers like Pickerington Central (38-28) and Lakewood St. Edwards (63-27). The Warriors were 6-4 during the regular season and 5-2 in the Greater Western Ohio Conference. In league play, Wayne fell 42-14 to GWOC champion Springfield, and 20-17 to a Beavercreek team that went 4-6, 3-4 in the GWOC.Findlay also went 6-4 in regular season games, and has held its own against Northern Lakes League Buckeye Division co-champions Perrysburg (14-10) and Toledo Whitmer (35-33).With Wayne's offensive talent and big-play ability, Adams plans to utilize the same style and intensity that saw the Trojans allow less than 14 points a game defensively."It comes down to how you execute," Adams said."I think we've been a very disciplined team. If I'm on defense and I see I can go and make a play right now, but I'm supposed to keep outside contain … if you go inside good athletes are going to make you miss and then there's nobody home outside. So you need to stay outside and funnel that play back toward your teammates."That's what makes football so beautiful. It's doing your part, doing your 1-11th, and doing it with discipline."As one of the top four teams in Region 2, Findlay received a bye for the first round of the playoffs. Adams put that time to good use."We used it to get our bodies fresh and healthy and cleaning things up," Adams said."I think we did a good job of fixing some of the little things that can bind you in big moments."A key area Adams and his staff focused on was avoiding the bye week blues."It's very easy to come off a bye week and be a little sluggish," Adams said."You're so used to being in that Friday night (routine), so used to being in that moment. After not being in that game environment we need to understand how quickly we need to get that back. We really channeled that mind-set through the whole week of practice that we are the fresher team, we had a bye and we used it for the right reason."Starting fast is going to be essential. We really pushed that idea this week."No. 2-seeded Troy will host No. 7 Hilliard Bradley in another Region 2 quarterfinal on Friday. That winner will take on the winner of the Findlay/Wayne game in a regional semifinal on Nov. 14 to be hosted by the higher seeded team. FHS football ticketsFINDLAY – Findlay High School will be hosting Huber Heights Wayne High School this Friday at Donnell Stadium in the OHSAA regional quarter final.Due to this being an OHSAA tournament event, all FCS reserved seating and district passes will not be honored. Tickets must be purchased at ohsaa.org/tickets. Gates will open at 5:30 pm with game time at 7:00 p.m.Local Sports BowlingSportsman LanesTUESDAY'S RESULTSUNITED METHODIST LEAGUEHigh game: (men) Jay Bowen 237; (women) Karen Wisner 192. High series: (men) John Demuth; (women) Wisner 550 WEDNESDAY'S RESULTS PRIME TIMERS LEAGUEHigh game: (men) Steve Foster 231; (women) Jackie Schnapp 182. High series: (men) Foster 628; (women) Doris Edie 491.MORNING GLORIES LEAGUEHigh game: Katrina Rigsby, Garner Trucking, 192. High series: Doris Edie, Hitching's Ins., 500.SUNSETTERS LEAGUEHigh game: Beth Langrill, Long Family Farms, 193. High series: Pam Oates, Brinkman's, 510.