Division IV regional final football preview

Zac Jackson, OhioHSsports.com, November 12, 2008 10:20 a.m.

ROUND TWO OVERVIEW: Steubenville won the weekend’s marquee game, 28-16, over Youngstown Mooney. The Big Red were never really threatened as they got big efforts from their top two players, Dwight Macon and Branco Busick, in avenging a loss in last year’s regional final and ending Mooney’s run of four straight title game appearances. The competitors in this week's Really, Really Big D-IV game, Kettering Alter and Coldwater, cruised to set up their showdown. Coldwater moved to 12-0 with a 35-7 win over Dayton Oakwood. Alter beat Hamilton Badin, 42-7.

BIGGEST UPSET: Genoa Area's 28-14 win over Fostoria ended the outstanding high school career of Micah Hyde, but it was an upset in seed (4 over 1) only. Genoa Area is 12-0 and advances to play Ottawa-Glandorf, a four-loss seven seed who advanced by toppling Marion Pleasant, 28-21, in overtime.

STATEMENT GAMES: Perry's Mike Hanhauser ran for 168 yards and five touchdowns, making 40 for the season, as his team routed Tuslaw, 47-0...Macon ran for two touchdowns, hit 5-of-8 passes for 73 yards and had an interception. He's a strong Mr. Football candidate, and the scariest news for Division IV as a whole is that he's only a junior...It's no surprise that Coldwater and Alter cruised, but Alter faced an interesting challenge after beating Badin, 56-7, during the regular season. We've known since early in the season that these two teams were on a collision course.

LOOKING AHEAD: Perry has barely broken a sweat in two impressive wins. The level of opponent is about to change considerably, but the Pirates have enough speed to at least make it interesting in Warren Friday night...Martins Ferry enters its regional final against New Lexington with an 11-game win streak, and its defense might be peaking at the right time. New Lex can play some defense, too. The Panthers recorded two safeties in their romp over Ironton last week...Ottawa-Glandorf's tough regular season schedule has paid off thus far in November. But the Genoa defense was good enough to keep Fostoria off the scoreboard for the final three quarters last week, and its offense rolled up 350 yards on the ground.

MARQUEE MATCHUP: In last year's regional final it was Coldwater 59, Alter 52, in three overtimes. Coldwater brings back the core of that team and the Cavaliers cruised through the mighty Midwestern Athletic Conference during the regular season. Alter's playoff seeding slipped after two forfeit losses, but the Knights have won 23 of their last 24 on the field, with the only loss coming to Coldwater. Look for more scoring, more drama and maybe more overtime. It should be a treat.

LAST WORD: All eyes are on Troy, and OhioHSSports.com will stream the Coldwater-Alter game live. Maybe two weeks ago it would have been said that the winner of that game becomes the state-title favorite, but that Steubenville team was thorough in knocking off Mooney and is certainly going to be a very tough out. Either way, two good weekends of football remain before the title game as this weekend should produce four close, hard-fought contests.