October 18,2024: Tony Gerdon, and Chuck Martin

Recap show with guess Chuck Martin, and Tony Gerdon. Marty talks about the exciting time The Clevlend Gaurdians are aving as well Khelli Braxton on another all about the women with the next Highschool Blitz.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the press Box with Marty Banister, the latest
on all local sports from right State to the Dayton Flyers,
from the Reds and Buckeyes to the Bengals and Browns.
Called Marty now at nine three seven by three, one six,
one seven zero the press Box on Fox Sports nine

(00:20):
eighty WNE.

Speaker 2 (00:24):
You know, we get punched in the teeth pretty hard
there in the eighth and our guys stepped up huge
for the guy that carried us all year long.

Speaker 3 (00:34):
I don't know how you could not have not enjoyed
what you didn't see last night if you watched the
Major League Baseball playoffs. Welcome to the Pressbox, Fox Sports
nine eighty w ol and A. I'm Marty Banners are
good heads here on this football Friday as we gear
up for a big, big weekend of football. But my goodness,
the baseball in Cleveland at least was just spectacular last night.
Good head with us here on this Friday. Kelly B.

(00:56):
Austin bass In running the program this afternoon. You have
a shortened version as always on Fridays, as we're with
you till about four fifteen, four to twenty today when
the iHeart Radio High School Football Blitz program will take
over and get you ready for week number nine of
the high school football season, and we have that coming
up for you about four fifteen. A little bit later
on in this hour, we will bring you a conversation
we had earlier in a week with our friend Tony

(01:17):
Gerderman lead beat Ryder for Buckeye Huddle, who was at
Oregon over the weekend to watch Ohio State play the
Oregon Ducks. We'll hear our conversation with Tony. We also
have our Dragons download coming up for you today, and
we'll hear as well from Jim Schwartz, the defensive coordinator
of the Cleveland Browns, who, as you heard, are likely
to get Nick Chubb back on Sunday in the game
against the Bengals the one hundred and second Battle of

(01:40):
Ohio tomorrow in Oxford. It's the one hundredth Battle of
the Bricks between Miami and Ohio. Looking forward to that.
I'll have the Ohio call that game tomorrow. Of course,
we'll have the Miami call for you right here on
Fox Sports nine. Ad woll and E. The game will
kick at three thirty tomorrow, So looking forward to that.
I thought it was interesting Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, saying
We've decided on a starting quarterback, but I'm not gonna

(02:01):
tell anybody. We're going to keep it in the house.
And how those things, how he expects it to stay
quiet until kickoff is just beyond me, because these things
always leak out. And quite frankly, I'm a little if
they go with Russell Wilson over Justin Fields, I well,

(02:22):
I don't know you're gonna run a guy who hasn't
played a snap yet this year, and I mean Justin Fields.
All he has done is guide them to a four
and two start. I don't know. I find that very interesting.
And that will be a decision when they get ready
to play the Jets, which will be announced, as he said,

(02:43):
closer to game time. But again, as I said, those
things really really never go quietly. So earlier today, Virginia
basketball coach Tony Bennett announced his retirement, of making it official,
saying that he really is just tired of the state
of the He pointed to the current environment in college
sports as one of his driving forces behind his abrupt

(03:06):
decision to step down from the Cavaliers. Bennett's who's fifty five?
Who is fifty five has long bemoaned the direction of
college athletics and the increased emphasis on the transfer portal
and name, image and likeness, saying, quote, it's going to
be closer to a professional model. There's got to be
collective bargaining. There has to be a restriction on the
salary pool, there has to be transfer regulation restrictions. There

(03:28):
has to be some limits on the agent involvement to
these young guys. And I worry a lot about the
mental health of the student athletes as this, as all
this stuff comes down. I think those are all very
very valid points and very very valid concerns. I'm just
a little curious as to why on October the eighteen,
three weeks before tip at all of a sudden hitting
that I've had enough, as he was trying to get

(03:50):
a team ready to play a season. And again, as
I said, I'm glad this is not health related, because
that initially was the speculation when word came out yesterday
that he was going to call it a career. But yeah,
it's a little a little surprising, but he's one of
the great coaches in college basketball, and the leaves a

(04:11):
team and leaves a program that's won a national championship
in recent years. I think it was twenty nineteen where
they won the national title. So but Tony Bennett calling
it a career today at the University of Virginia. Of course,
as I mentioned, the baseball last night in Cleveland was
just something else. I mean, I again, I know there
are a lot of Guardians fans who say they will

(04:32):
not watch the team because of the name change, which
is well, I'm sorry, I don't understand that. But at
the same time, this has been your team for your life.
And to see what they did last night, hanging by
a thread the season, hanging by a thread in the

(04:52):
bottom of the ninth, I mean, they were down to
their final out, They were about to go down three
games to none in the best seven series. You don't
battle back from those, if at all, It's happened on
rare occasions. And then they got a two run homer
in the bottom of the ninth from John Kinzie Nol

(05:14):
Big Christmas as they call him in Cleveland, and then
David Frye wins it for him in the bottom of
the tenth, and really, from start to finish, that was
a very good baseball game, not just the two home runs,
the tying and winning home run. But I mean the
Yankees took the lead the top of the ninth off
of of all people, Emmanuel class A, the best relief

(05:35):
pitcher in baseball. As you heard at the top, Stephen
Vote said that he goes for us to come back
to save a guy who has been our go to
guy all season and has saved our season, has been
the best pitcher in baseball, best relief pitcher in baseball.
Certainly that speaks a lot about this team. And again,
if you listen to this program at all, you know
I'm not a Guardians fan, I'm not a Cleveland sports

(05:55):
fan at all, but you just can't help but be
entertained and just excited I think for what tonight could
bring in Cleveland. They blow the first pitch a little
bit after eight o'clock. The two series of flip start
times Mets Dodgers go at fiveho eight this afternoon. The
Mets just got hammered again last night by the Dodgers,

(06:15):
who were just kind of flexing their muscles right now.
It seems like ten to two last night as the
Dodgers rolled to the win. So that's what we're looking at.
And again I just as I said, that was just
fantastic last night. We're gonna play the home run calls
that Tom Hamilton hit had last night, and I, Hammy

(06:38):
is I'm lucky enough to call Tom a friend and
we occasionally text one another, and I didn't do I
didn't send anything to him last night because I'm sure
his phone. Tom's not big on technology, he doesn't care
much for that stuff, but I almost guarantee his phone
was blowing up last night. That term when you get
more than what three or four text messages, I guess
it falls into the blowing up category. But it was

(07:02):
just phenomenal, just phenomenal last night. And I know a
lot of my friends are Guardians fans and scattered over
various and sundry parts of Ohio and the oh even
into the south and southeast, and I know they were
just hanging on the edge of their seat last night,
and I was too. I mean, it was just so
much fun to watch. I love those kind of pressure
packed baseball games, and that one had a little bit

(07:25):
of all. That had great defensive plays, it had great pitching,
It had obviously monumental hits in the game last night,
And again you have a team that, as I said,
I mean, it's the second time in the postseason they've
done this. You go back to the Detroit game in
the American League Championship Series. I mean they again, they
were about to that game against the Tigers. Game five

(07:47):
was tied one all and they were facing the almost
certain to be Cy Young Award winner in the American
League and Trek Schoubel and David Fry hits a Grand Slam.
It's just remarkable what they've done this point. But again,
as I said, that thing last night that was just
so much fun to watch and listen to. And I
don't know that tonight will equal that, but the Guardians

(08:10):
are going to try to win it and keep the
series alive. If they win, win or lose, there's a
game for tomorrow, then the series will take the day
off and resume on Monday. They're not going to play
the same day as the Browns would play at home
and this series, but it will be a game tomorrow
and then back on Monday for game number I guess

(08:32):
it would be only two. I guess it'd be game
number six if they get that far. So yeah, it
was again, it was just phenomenal last night just phenomenal
college football. Tomorrow, Higo State has their last bye week
of the year. The Black Eyes will return to play
the following week. There are a host of big games
on tap for tomorrow. There are one, two, three four
games tonight of note, including the second ranked team in

(08:55):
the country, the Oregon Ducks playing at Purdue. That one
kicks at eight o'clock. Florida State's at Duke. Oklahoma State
plays at number thirteen BYU that's a big twelve game.
Fresno States at Nevada. That one will kick at about
ten about ten thirty ors so tonight tomorrow. The day
is highlighted by what should be just a fascinating game

(09:17):
to watch. That's Texas and Georgia tomorrow in the Southeastern Conference.
That one will kick at seven thirty tomorrow night in Austin,
and that one will be a lot of fun to
watch as those two go out it. Texas has ascended
to the top spot. Many feel that they have become
the team to beat. Well, we'll find out, because they
have to beat a team that's won a couple of

(09:37):
national championships in the last three years, the Georgia Bulldogs,
two of the last three in fact, so that will
be tonight also tomorrow as tomorrow, I'm sorry, at seven
thirty tomorrow, in the afternoon tomorrow. Looking at some of
the other potential big games, well, it's always the third
Saturday in October. That's the way it's always referred to

(09:58):
in the Southeastern Conference. Ranked Alabama number eleven, Tennessee get together.
This year they'll meet at Knoxville, and again that one
will kick at about three to thirty. It's always a
huge rivalry day. Of course, Tomorrow is the Battle of
the Bricks, the one hundredth get together between Ohio and Miami,
and that one will kick at three thirty down in Oxford.
Thankfully the weather has cooperator. I think it's going to

(10:18):
be a great day tomorrow. I know a lot of
folks and when you talk about college football rivalries, a
lot of people think, wow, it's just a Mid American
conference game. It's just Ohio in Miami. I mean, this
is the one hundredth time these programs have met. The
two schools fall into that like minded category you hear
so often used by the folks at Michigan and Ohio State,
but it does apply to Ohio and Miami and Ohio

(10:41):
is four and two, part of a three way tie
for the lead in the MAC right now, traveling over
to face the defending champions, who got back up off
the matt last week with a win at Eastern Michigan,
and they find themselves at one and one and again
the MAC, like every other league, did away with divisions,
so every game has that that feel of importance. Ohio

(11:01):
head coach Tim Albins just simply refers to this now
as tournament time, and I think he's pretty accurate. You
could be one loss could knock you out of this thing.
So that's where these teams in this in the current
set up of college football find themselves. So that will
be tomorrow again down in Oxford. Looking forward to that,
Looking forward to seeing Steve Baker again as well to
the long time played by a play voice of the RedHawks,

(11:22):
recently inducted into the Miami Hall of Fame. So looking
forward to catching up with Steve tomorrow. So look forward
to that again. We'll have the game for you right
here on Fox Sports nine age, but we'll have the
Miami broadcast for you tomorrow at three thirty, so elsewhere tomorrow,
Number twenty four Michigan's at number twenty two, Illinois, let's
see anything else stand out. Nebraska's at Indiana tomorrow. Indiana

(11:43):
is rolling right along at six and oh under coach
under a coach Kurt Signetti. That one will kick at
noon over in blooming Ten. It's the Fox Big Noon
game of all things, Nebraska and Indiana. I don't think
anybody had that on their bingo card back in August
when you started thinking about five noon big games. Well,
I think on the third Saturday in October it will

(12:04):
probably be Nebraska Indiana. Anybody had that. So that will
kick off at about noon tomorrow. So that's probably the
highlights I guess of the college football schedule. Of course, Sunday, NFL,
we've previewed it for you a number of times. Bengals
and Browns Sunday afternoon in Cleveland, Nick Chubb has been activated.
The Browns have ruled out leading rusher Jerome four because

(12:28):
of a hamstring injury, so Chubb, who has been practicing
the last three weeks, is listed as questionable, but head
coach Kevin Stefanski does expect him to play. Of course,
Chubb undergoing a pair of knee surgeries after serving that
injury last year on Monday Night football against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Sefanski says the team does have a plan in place
for his workload. Offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey's saying they want
to make sure he's available for the long term. Chubb's

(12:51):
saying earlier in the week that he feels his knee
is ahead of his first game and it feels so
good rather getting ready for his first game and over year,
I'm ready to get with my team quote ready to
do whatever I can chubst I feel good. Browns also
have announced and Jimmy has them. The owner announced that
they're sticking with the dome plan to move the Browns
to Brook Park and build a dome, and that has

(13:12):
generated a great deal reaction as well too amongst Browns
fans and certainly the city of Cleveland, which is none
too happy with the decision to move the brown South.
But that's it has them can do what he wants
with the team. As we have seen over the years,
Bengals look to be about as healthy as they have
been maybe all season going into the game. Joe Burrow

(13:35):
was put on the injured list yesterday, nothing of any severity,
though just a minor bumping bruise from the game on Sunday,
back practicing feeling one today. So the Bengals about as
healthy as they can be and as they have been
probably all season long going into that one on Sunday

(13:55):
in Cleveland again. It will kick about one o'clock or so.
So that's pretty much what is happening in the world
of sports. That's what we have forty today. Let me
come back our conversation with Tony Gerdeman from Buckeye Huddle,
the lead beat writer who was in autsin stadium on
Saturday night and what many people have told me who
were there was absolutely the loudest environment they have ever
been in a college football game. We'll hear from Tony
when we come back. It's the press box Fox Sports

(14:17):
ninet eighty w do you go in.

Speaker 1 (14:18):
Eight get on the press box called Marty now at
nine to three seven by three one six, one seven
zero the press box on Fox Sports nine.

Speaker 3 (14:32):
Eighty WN and welcome back to the program here on
this Friday afternoon. Good to have you with us here
as we talk sports with you again right up until
four fifteen today. Shortened program again for you this afternoon
as we have our iHeart Football Radio Blitz coming up
for you don't forget as well too. There is college basketball.
Some exhibition games are on tap. A Sunday a date

(14:55):
will be in action as part of the Charity Exhibition
a series that is going on. The Flyers will take
on Xavier on Sunday afternoon at the UD Arena. Will
have a tip time at five o'clock tonight in Cincinnati,
Ohio State and the UC Bearcats are playing an exhibition
game this evening and that will take place at the
Third Arena. The game will the proceeds rather from the

(15:18):
game will benefit mental health awareness in the Cincinnati Columbus
and of course the Dayton area region. Tip off the
schedule for seven o'clock for that game tonight. The game
benefits mental health providers and charities within each school's footprint
along with Jay's Light. That's an organization that has been
started by Dayton head coach Anthony Grant his wife Chris
to help mothers, father's, teens, and young adults find the

(15:40):
resources to help with mental health struggles. So that game
will be tonight in Cincinnati. Then the Musketeers and Dayton
will play on Sunday. Afternoon the Ohio State UC game
again the Tips at seven. Of course, the black Eyes
played over ud last year against the Flyers. So as
I've said before, I'll continue to say, I think these

(16:01):
are great. Anything you can do to shed some light
and help in these situations are well done, and kudos
to everybody involved. It's a great, great thing. But it's
just a shame we can't play some of these games
in the regular season. I mean, I just and again
I'm not taking anything away. Just do not misunderstand what
I'm saying about all this. As I said, I think

(16:24):
why you're doing these exhibition games is fantastic, But darn it,
wouldn't it be fun to see these teams play in
a regular season game. It just would That would be
so much fun. But nonetheless, great cause, great reason, and
all this is a part of the again, the effort
to help Jay's Light, an organization to help mothers, father's teams,

(16:44):
and young adults find the resources to help and deal
with mental health struggles. All right, Three twenty one is
the time. As we continue along also big big night
of high school football. I run down some of the
big local games coming up here before we're done, and
again and then again. iHeart Football Radio Blitz comes your
way at about four fifteen today. There are some mammoth
mammoth games all across the southwest part of the state

(17:05):
of Ohio, so many unbeaten squaring off with one another tonight.
There's an enormous one next week. Should Xavier, should Zen,
you and Tip both us survive their games tonight, those
square off next week and what is basically the Miami
Valley League championship game. That would be a lot of
fun and hopefully both can survive tonight in advance to

(17:27):
that unblemished heading into that one next week. So lots
of high school football to get into as well too.
Again the baseball Mets and Dodgers at five o'clock, Guardians
and the Yankees a little bit after eight o'clock tonight.
All right, last Saturday night in Austin Stadium and Eugene, Oregon,
the Oregon Ducks handed Ohio State their first loss of
the season, edging the Buckeyes thirty two to thirty one.
Among the many many media members who were on hand

(17:48):
to cover the game, our friend Tony Gerdaman, the lead
beat rider from Buckeye Huddle Bluckeyes were losers for the
first time this season as they traveled out to the
West coast on Saturday and law to Oregon thirty two
to thirty one and what was really a heck of
a college football game. He was there the lead writer,
lead beat writer for Buckeye Huddle or friend. Tony Goerdman

(18:09):
visits with us this afternoon on the live line. Tony,
was it as loud as it appeared to be at
Austin Stadium on Saturday night? In fact, it was.

Speaker 4 (18:17):
I keep saying it's the most it's the most sustained
noise I've ever experienced at a football game. It was.
It was really really impressive, and the fans stepped up
every step the way, even when Oregon was facing some
big third downs. The Ohio State fans were trying to
give their all, and there's a good number of Buckeye
fans there. It was an incredible environment. And you know,

(18:40):
after the loss, I knew that the people in the
live shows weren't going to want to hear about it.
But it was a fantastic game, great environment. I would
encourage anybody to go catch a big game there because
it's not the biggest place, but it's just sustained noise
and it was fantastic.

Speaker 3 (18:56):
Tony. We've talked about this on our show a couple
of times since then. Was there a different and maybe,
for lack of a better term, a different feel about
this loss than if it occurred at this time last
year because of the expanded playoff format this year.

Speaker 4 (19:10):
That's a pretty interesting question, And I think, is that
how we have to start looking at stuff Now it's
about seating, you know, I think right now just it's
about winning or losing, and then after the fact it
becomes about seating. But I guess with his you know,
thirty thousand view on things, he's correct in that way,
and that this is a good win for somebody. And

(19:32):
still it's as they say in the SEC, it's a
good loss as well for Ohio State. But there's still
more to be done. The Big Ten Championship game will
be the ultimate seater of these. I think even I'll
say a twelve to one, Ohio State is still the
one or two seed overall. So I think it's too
early to be about seating. But Ohio State now can't

(19:54):
afford to, you know, certainly can't afford to lose to
Penn State. And really what there are a couple of
teams that could still go undefeated in the Big Ten
and keep a high state out of the Big Ten
championship game. But it'd be pretty surprising if somebody does it.
Like what I don't know, is it like Illinois and
somebody else may have an opportunity to do so. But yeah,
I mean it's it's seating a little bit, but I

(20:17):
think the ultimate seating is still to come.

Speaker 3 (20:19):
I think, yeah, you're probably spot on with that one.
Let's go to the game itself. What from watching it
again and having a chance to the overview, as you said,
now a couple of days afterwards, to look back at it,
what concerned you most about the way? If it's fair
to say, you know, you lose a one point game
with and have the ball with under a minute left,
But is there anything that concerns you about about Ohio

(20:41):
State in the loss?

Speaker 4 (20:43):
Yeah, I mean certainly giving up that many pass yards
and being I guess unprepared for Oregon attack, and and
what Oregon did with in the passing game was something
they really hadn't done. They went deep a lot, and
they went deep to the right sideline, which they hadn't
done I don't believe at all all season, and they
attacked whoever was over there, most specifically Denzel Berg. So

(21:04):
I think maybe the preparation in the game plan is
a concern. I know people are talking, certainly talking about
what the last five losses for Rroan Day, the defense
has not forced a punt in the fourth quarter. I
haven't gone back to verify all of those, but it
was certainly the case in this one, and then it's
been the case against Michigan. And not being able to
force punts in the fourth quarter and get off the

(21:24):
field when your offense is doing enough is a concern certainly.
But watching this one, there were times where it felt
like Ohio State was hanging over for dear life, and
then they would get up by a touchdown and it's like, well, okay,
you know, so they were able to overcome that, but
then Oregon would answer right back. And there's a way

(21:45):
this game is played and Ohio State loses by seventeen
just because they get stopped. They stop Oregon on the
goal line, they the cosmeric intersection slash catch turns into
a touchdown drive for Ohio State. Maybe that's an interception
you take seven points off the board you had Oregon
missing a field goal. They get a little funky with

(22:06):
their extra points, Like Oregon left some points off the
board and on the field, and so did Ohio State.
But I think there are so many just what ifs
for both of these teams that you play this game
ten times, you can have five different winners. Was two
different winners five different times?

Speaker 3 (22:24):
Yeah? Yeah? Exactly what was Oregon better than people maybe
gave them credit for, because obviously the way they struggled
early against Boise State in the Idaho game to start
the season, I think lolled a lot of Ohio State
fans into thinking, well, they're not that good. Were they
better than everyone thought? Yeah?

Speaker 4 (22:41):
I think so. Defensively, in terms of stopping Ohio State's run,
you know, the buck guys had two especially two long runs,
a fifty three yarder and a seventeen yard or back
to back that was seventy yards of their rushing in
the first or second quarter, and they had seventy the
rest of the game. I think they were twelve for
nineteen the second in the second half alone, So they

(23:02):
pretty much shut down the Ohio State running game and
then themselves throwing the ball as downfield as much as
they had. That was a surprise to Ohio State, and
the success that they had was even more of a surprise.
Ohio State had an allowed a thirty yard pass play
all season long, and they gave up four in this one. So,
you know, they a lot to learn from this one.

(23:24):
I think they certainly. It looks like they took doll
and Gabriel his arm strength or his deep shot ability.
They underestimated it and he made them pay. And there
are too many times where maybe Denzel Burke was a
little too aggressive and looking into the backfield and not
worrying about his receiver responsibility.

Speaker 3 (23:45):
Tony Gerdaman visiting with us. We're talking about the Ohio
State game on Saturday night where the Buckeyes were losers
at Oregon by the final of thirty two to thirty one,
and Tony visiting with a series. The lead writer, a
beat writer for Buckeye Huddle, has been covering a high
say for many many years and does a great job
covering the black Eyes from the Ohio State side of things.
What was there down like about the way Ohives State

(24:06):
played in the game Saturday.

Speaker 4 (24:08):
You know, I think the fact that they kept fighting,
they kept answering in a very hostile environment. Will Howard
was completed eighty percent of his passes three hundred and
twenty six yards two touchdowns, So I think that that
was good. And they were able to just continue to
move the ball and they didn't ever like I said,
they're holding it up for dear life. But they were
able to hold on and never got away from them,

(24:31):
So I think that's good. You saw Mecha Buk and
Jeremiah Smith. He saw them get the tight ends involved.
You know, the Quinn John Jenkins came in kind of
with a little bit of a hand injury, so I
don't know how much that impacted his ability. Eleven for
twenty three on the day that you would expect certainly
more than that. So I think getting to see what
you saw out of Will Howard. And it's funny we

(24:53):
went in saying that he has one to two plays
per game that he'd like to have back, and he
had those two in this one, and the last one
being the run at the end. But overall, I think
you can't be too upset with the way he played,
As I said, eighty percent and kept him ahead of
the chains and again, this was a really, really loud environment,

(25:16):
and it was it was a tough environment, and I
think he answered the call and just ran out of
that last one second. Basically.

Speaker 3 (25:24):
Yeah. The other thing about I think about it, too,
is it's okay to just admit that it was a
it was a heck of a college football game and
you came up one point short and let's move on.
I mean, I don't there's anything wrong with kind of
coming to grips with that, is there?

Speaker 4 (25:38):
No, there isn't unless you're a perfect human being and
you need you hold everybody else to the same standard
that you hold yourself, which is you know, that's that's
the majority of people that I'm hearing from, basically. But yeah,
it's it's a one point loss on the road in
a back and forth game. I Mean, I've said this

(25:58):
about the Ohio State Michigan situation, the rivalry that nobody,
no fan base is entitled to that series. Nobody is
entitled to a win every single year in the series.
And nobody, no Buckeye fan is entitled to big time
wins on the road randomly, you know, from from game
to game like this is all these are all college

(26:21):
kids playing and working towards this, and sometimes you win
and sometimes you lose, but then you know, you've got
to get back to practice the next day. They're not
giving up some Buckeye fans, maybe, but you know, a
one point loss on the road to what is now
the number two team in the nation. Yeah, that stuff happens.
It's nothing, it's it's not a fireable offense, exactly.

Speaker 3 (26:43):
Let's go back a little bit to surrounding the game now.
You would talked earlier about there is the likelihood that
these teams could probably see each other again at some
point because of the current format with the Big Ten
going away from divisions and whatnot, any other aspects of this.
Ohio State is one more loss, is it excusable or

(27:07):
not excusable, but is it survivable and then making the
college football playoffs?

Speaker 4 (27:14):
Yeah, well, you know, and you look at what that
loss would be and most likely would be at Penn State,
which will probably be number three when Ohio State plays
them in a couple of weeks. So yeah, two losses
against on the road against the number three team each
time they played will be will be enough to get
them in provided other things, you know, out of the

(27:35):
blue don't happen. I think you're gonna see plenty of
two loss teams, non conference title playing teams in the
playoffs for the foreseeable future. And if Ohio State loses
to Penn State and loses to Oregon, you're gonna be
hard pressed to find two better losses for a two
loss team. But one other thing I've said throughout this

(27:56):
is that the teams that don't make it to the
conference champ chips should not jump in over teams that do.
And say, you know, if a Penn State team gets
their second loss or you know, in the conference championship game,
they should still be ahead of a higher state or
even in the team of the conference championship game gets
their third loss, they should still be in the head

(28:18):
of the two loss team that didn't get in. You
should not be punished for making the conference championship game.
But I think Ohio State would still be fine barring
something completely unforeseen and somebody going for a ride and
you know, leaving like five one loss SEC teams right,
and then they get their pick of the letter there.

Speaker 3 (28:36):
And I think that opens up some very exciting possibilities
as far as some of these first round playoff games,
which that's an entirely different conversation for another time. But
the part about that, I know you're as big a
fan of this as I am. I mean, to me,
that's almost mouthwatering to think of Tennessee at Ohio State
or LSU at I mean, the possibilities are endless and

(29:00):
exciting to think about too, aren't they.

Speaker 4 (29:02):
Yeah, I mean that's we've all been clamoring for home
playoff games. At least they gave us the first round,
and so if that happens for Ohio State, I would
hope the fan base would would have un given up
on the season and be back in the shoe for that.
I think I think the majority of fans would. The
book of minority fans would just continue to complain from Twitter.

(29:22):
But yeah, I think it's it's going to be a
scene wherever it is for a number of schools, and
we're halfway through the season now. I'm not wishing anything away,
but I know we're all looking forward to what that
first round looks like because we have we have no
clue what it's.

Speaker 5 (29:36):
Going to feel like.

Speaker 3 (29:38):
Tony Gerdaman, lead beat writer for Buckeye Huddle, and his
last comment I think very accurate. We have just no
idea what we're going to see when those matchups are
announced on Sunday, December the eighth. It is going to
be fascinating to watch. And as we said, the possibility
of Tennessee having to play at Penn State in December,
or Miami of Florida having to play in Columbus in December,

(30:01):
it's just from a college football standpoint, boit, it just
doesn't get much better than that. All right, three thirty
four is the time when we come back. We'll go
back and look at what happened last night in Cleveland,
and again speaking of dust, doesn't get much better than that. Well,
that fits with what happened last night. Just a phenomenal
baseball game won by the Guardians last night, an extra

(30:22):
inning seven to five, and thankfully Major League Baseball did
not allow and they changed the rules so we don't
have this ridiculous free runner on base to start the
top half of every inning in a extra inning play.
They took that out of the postseason. Rob Manford's done
a lot of things wrong. They got that right. Three
thirty five the press Box, Fox Sports nine eighty w

(30:43):
O name.

Speaker 1 (30:47):
Get on the press box called Marty Now at nine
to three, seven by three, one six, one seven zero
the press box on Fox Sports nine eighty WN.

Speaker 3 (31:01):
And we're back with you here on this football Friday.
But there's baseball in the air. The American and Nation
League Championship Series continue here on this Friday, the Mets
and Dodgers. The Dodgers can close out the series with
a win today at City Bank Field in New York,
while the Guardians have a chance to even up the
series with the Yankees in tonight's Game number four. Last

(31:21):
night's Game three again just goes. We'll go down as
one of I think one of the best baseball games
to come down the Pike in many many years in
the postseason, with the Guardians rallying to win at seven
to five. Guardians fans will tell you everywhere who listen
to Guardians games that the home run calls by Tom Hamilton,
the long time now legendary voice of the Guardians, are

(31:41):
just hair raising on They bring a chill to you.
You feel it from the moment the ball leaves the bat,
the way Hammy gets involved in it, and he has
been and is an icon in the city of Cleveland,
and Tom is just a top of everything. Tom's just
a great guy. And I think I've said this before
on the show about Hammy. I've had the chance to

(32:04):
and have the chance to and do call him a friend,
and he probably calls me a lot of different things.
I don't know, But nonetheless, his calls, his home run
calls are just simply legendary now in Cleveland, and last
night the two home run calls that he had fall
into that legendary category as well too. And here they are,

(32:26):
first of all, the home run hit to tie the
game and then the home run hit to win the game.

Speaker 6 (32:33):
You just knew something good was gonna happen those guys
coming up to the plate, and man, it's you know,
it's not the first time that he's come through in
a huge moment like that, right, So so happy for him.

Speaker 7 (32:44):
That was awesome.

Speaker 2 (32:45):
That was an incredible game on both sides. All the emotions,
ups and downs, back and forth, you name it. If
there was an emotion, we all felt it on both sides.
And I couldn't be more proud of our guys. Is
exactly who we are. We never quit and you know,
we get punched in the teeth pretty hard there in
the eighth, and our guys stepped up huge for the

(33:06):
guy that carried us all year long, and that was
really fun to see.

Speaker 8 (33:10):
Honestly, plays a really tough and bat, especially for Writy
with that sinker slider combo. The first or I guess
it was my second at bat off of Weaver was
no good at all, and I was just like, I
just told God. I was like, hey, man, take this
like it's a tough matchup, just to try to have
fun and you take the bat and got got behind

(33:30):
in the count and I just got to pitch up
in the zone and luckily it went out at.

Speaker 9 (33:34):
The Is it what we do the whole season?

Speaker 5 (33:38):
Rightly?

Speaker 9 (33:38):
I tried to get ready in the on the back
whenever the manager calls me, and I was trying to
get loose to give that so I was able to
execure my plan. They plan was to look pitches, you know,
close to my body, and I was able to get
one and execute it. So we're a team that don't quit.
We played twenty seven out, so that was kind of
like what happened today. It's always about the mindset. I know,
I try to play every single game, so I'm ready
to play every single game as it comes over always.

(33:58):
That's what he made a guess for me to prepare
on the go in and I was able to secure
the pitch that I was looking for.

Speaker 3 (34:05):
Okay, uh, well, okay, we're gonna try and get the
home run calls for you.

Speaker 5 (34:08):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (34:08):
Here in a couple of moments of the uh Tom
Hamilton home run calls. Uh and I'll let you hear
those of those were Guardians players though, talking about what
happened last night and manager Steven Vote about the way
the game played itself out last night and as I said,
just a phenomenal stuff last night in Cleveland, and it was,
uh yeah, it was. It was. It was fun to watch.

(34:29):
And again I'm a huge baseball fan. I just think that, uh,
you're you're you're short changing yourself. If you if you've
given up on watching these games because you don't like, well, say,
the the because the Guardians changed their nickname, I think
you just short changed yourself. And I don't think that's
that's that's wise. I mean, this is your team, isn't it.
I Mean, how can you just disregard it because of

(34:49):
something like that, which is really in the overall scheme
of things. It's kind of minor, I think, especially when
you're playing for a chance to go to the World
Series for goodness sakes, uh, for a team that and
let's be honest too, was not exactly thought to be
uh going into the season one, that would be in
this position right now, which is even more remarkable. So uh,

(35:13):
it's uh, I don't know. I I guess maybe maybe
I just look at it differently, and not having been
part of a team who's uh who went through a
nickname change. I just again because I have I have
a lot of fans, a lot of friends of mine
who are Guardians, fans who kind of feel that way
about now being called Guardians. They just can't deal with that.
And well, okay, I'm sorry. It's if you're not watching,

(35:35):
it's it's kind of your loss right now, isn't it. Uh?
But if you were listening, now we have Tom Hamilton
all he needs a couple of moments to kind of
gather himself to Tom because when you hear these home
run calls, you'll know, Uh, Heyvy got a little bit
excited last night. Here are the home run calls.

Speaker 10 (35:58):
Cleveland, John Kenzie Noel, a tape measure job to the
bleachers and left.

Speaker 11 (36:07):
We are tied at five. Ow what a game.

Speaker 10 (36:14):
A pinch it to run home run by John Kinzie
Noel two down in the ninth to tie it at five.

Speaker 11 (36:22):
Swinging hit high hit deep to left. Thursy goes Dad
oh walk up to run home run to the bleachers and.

Speaker 10 (36:39):
Left by David Fry, and the magical twenty twenty.

Speaker 11 (36:46):
Fourth season is not done by any means.

Speaker 10 (36:51):
Cleveland with a seven to five tenth inning win and
David Fry, who saved the season in Game four with
a pinchant to run the home.

Speaker 11 (37:04):
Run late in the game off, the Tigers has won it.

Speaker 3 (37:09):
And that again, as you can tell, it's still to
me as a play by play guy, that excites me
listening to that. I mean, goodness, sakes heat, just the
emotion involved in that. And we've had this discussion before
in the show about play by play and things along
those lines. And if you're around a team for so

(37:30):
long and you have the oh I guess the relationship
that Tom has or play by players like Tom or
Paul Keels with Ohio State falls into that. I think
Dayton Flyers fans have the same kind of feel with
Larry Hanskin. I know, right, State Raider fans have the
same feel with the great work that Chris Collins does

(37:51):
calling games. It's you as a play by play guy.
You you feel it mean you you're part of the team,
whether you're and it's a little different when you are
doing it at the level that Tom is at and
you're doing it because you're with the team now. Of course,

(38:12):
of late, al Michaels has been criticized a lot on
the Prime Games on Thursday nights because they say, well,
he's not excited, he's not this, he's not that. Well again,
keep in mind, al Michaels is not employed by the
Jacksonville Jaguars or the New York Giants. Tom Hamilton's employed

(38:32):
by the Cleveland Cleveland Guardians. He's with the team every
single day. So getting excited like that and it's fine.
And people people yell and screaming about Dave Laphama and
his calls on Bengals games. How he's yelling and screaming
over top of Dan Horde. Dave Lapham played in Cincinnati,
he played with the Bengals, and I think you even

(38:53):
if you ask Dan Horde about this, he would say
as well, too. Yeah, I can overlook that because it's
he's a Bengal and there's nothing wrong with that. And
I think sometimes that gets a little overlooked because people
don't understand that. Number One, Dave Lapham's not a professional broadcaster.
Dave Lapham is a former offensive lineman who is now

(39:16):
a broadcaster. There's an enormous difference in that, and that's
why things like last night with Tom Hamilton and the
calls are just to me are very special moments. And
I think for a fan base that has I mean,
they've gone through so much with this franchise, close losses.

(39:36):
You go back to twenty sixteen, the World Series loss
to the Cubs. There are a number of those heartbreaking
losses and to see them bounce back and win that
last night, that's pretty phenomenal. All right. Three forty seven
is the time. We will continue along here in the
press box with you up until about four fifteen this afternoon.
High School Blitz coming up. At about that time. We
will hear some comments from Miami head coach Chuck Martin

(39:57):
as they get ready for tomorrow's Battle of the Bricks Ohio,
and we'll also hear from Brown's defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz,
as well the press box Fox Sports nine eighty WNA.

Speaker 1 (40:10):
Get on the press box called Marty Now at nine
to three, seven by three, one six, one seven zero
the press box on Fox Sports nine eighty w O N.

Speaker 3 (40:28):
You shouldn't know Worth.

Speaker 12 (40:36):
Welcome back to for the Ladies, where we dive into
women's sports both local and abroad in the WNBA. The
finals are proving to be exciting basketball. On Wednesday night,
the Minnesota Links look to take the lead in the series,
leading almost the entire game, but they coughed up the
lead with less than two minutes left in the game,
and the New York Liberty would not be denied, especially

(40:58):
if Brianna Stewart had in thing to say about it.
She put up thirty points, eleven rebounds, and four blocks
on the night, but right after the Liberty went up
two points, the Links tied the game at seventy seven.
At that point, I really thought we were headed to overtime.
But but Sabrina Ionescu, who was just four of eleven

(41:18):
and two of seven from three at the time, had
the ball in the final seconds of the game and
called her own number from the logo Swish eighty to
seventy seven. The New York Liberty are now just one
went away from their first ever WNBA championship. It was
such a fun game. Game four is tonight at eight pm.

(41:41):
In related news, the WNBA has also announced that that's
starting in twenty twenty five, the finals will become a
best of seven series as opposed to the best of
five series happening now. The regular season will also add
four games, going two forty four from forty games a
season as they've played over the last two seasons. This

(42:02):
is the best the WNBA has been in terms of
growth of revenue, fans excitement, and the hope is that
it will all keep going up from here. The Pro
Women's Hockey League, which recently announced new nicknames and logos
for their six teams, announced that their second season starts
November thirtieth, and have expanded their season as well, from

(42:23):
twenty four games to thirty games. The Pro Volleyball Federation
announced that their draft will be on November twenty fifth.
The Columbus Fury traded their first round pick mid season
to Atlanta for Tory Dilford Stringer, but will be picking
third in the second round. The first pick of the

(42:43):
draft goes to the league's newest team, the Indie Ignite.
The new women's three on three league Unrivaled, has inked
a multi year TV deal with TNT that will have
game windows on tn T, True TV, and Max on Mondays,
Fridays and Saturdays. T and T has also become a

(43:05):
co owner of the new league. Locally, the Buckeyes women's
volleyball teams set a new attendance record with their very
first match at the Shottenstein Center. The eight thousand, eight
and forty four fans in attendance on Sunday were a
Ohio record for regular season collegiate matches Ohio like all

(43:30):
of the schools in Ohio, and the Ohio State basketball
team has ranked fourteenth in the AP preseason poll and
are listed third in their own conference, the Big Ten.
Ohio State begins the season on November fifth, hosting Cleveland State.
All right, more next week, Thanks for tuning into for
the Ladies on the press Box on Fox Sports nine

(43:52):
eighty wo and.

Speaker 7 (43:56):
Wow you should know work.

Speaker 3 (44:05):
Next week. Oh I'm sorry, I mean all right, Kelly,
I'll be back next week and another edition of Four
of the Ladies and I thank her for that as
always again. The baseball playoffs continue this afternoon with the
Dodgers and Mets playing game number five of that series,
with the Dodgers up now three games to one, and
then Guardian Yankees tonight with the Yankees up two games

(44:27):
to one in that series. There was an NFL game
last night and boy that was I mean, Denver just
thumped a New Orleans team that when you look back
at the start of the season, if they won their
first couple of games, I mean, they were putting points
on the board at a furious pace where the Saints
Derek Carr then got hurt and they have one sense.

(44:48):
They've lost five in a row and last night Denver
crushed them thirty three to ten. Last night, Spencer Rattler
is now the quarterback for the Saints and he was
twenty five of thirty last night, but it was thirty
three to three before the Saints got a late touchdown
and it was ugly last night. The Broncos are four

(45:11):
and three, and I don't know that Denver is a
playoff caliber team, but they are getting better each week.
And at four and three, heck, as a Bengals fan,
I'm sure as a Browns fan, both of us would
take four and three right now. But again that win

(45:32):
last night, again going to four and three and the season.
The Saints are now two and five after that defeat
last night. So updating you again on some of the
other things going on in the world of sports. Mike Tomlin,
the Steelers head coach, says that they are still waiting
to see who will be the starting quarterback. He has
said that they've made a decision, but he said he

(45:52):
would not release it until game day. Wide receiver George Pickens, though,
has as I said earlier, apparently has spilled them. I
guess it's According to Pickens, he's confirmed that Russell Wilson
will make the start against the New York Jets, Pickens
saying we've been on the same page after practice, throwing
more than usual because this is his first start, Pickens

(46:14):
said when asked about whether he's been working with Wilson
extra during practice this week. There you go. The thirty
five year old Wilson practice fully for the second week
in a row after dealing with a lingering calf injury
earlier in the week. Teammates confirmed Wilson took first team
reps but he also led the quarterback rotation and also
led the quarterback rotation in individual drills. The Fields, who

(46:34):
was four and two while Wilson was sidelined, was second
in the quarterback rotation during the drills. According to Tomlin,
Justin has been really good. We've been really good at times,
but not to be confused with great. This is a
competitive league. We're trying to position ourselves to be that team.
So it looks like it will be Russell Wilson. And
as I said at the top of the show, there's
no way this was gonna stay quiet, like Tomlin got

(46:57):
a foolig himself. But nonetheless, it looks like it will
be Russell Wilson. Of course, we have Steelers football for
you right here on Flock Sports nine eighty w gol
An Why the Steelers and Jets for you on Sunday night,
Top of the Hour coming up again, iHeart Football Radio
Blitz for Friday night. Getting ready for weekend or nine
of the high school football season is coming up next hour. Also,
here's some comments for Miami at football. Go to Chuck

(47:18):
Mark getting ready for tomorrow's one hundred meeting with the
Ohio Bodcast. In the Battle of the bridge. It's the
press box. Flock Sports nine eighty w go at any

(47:51):
time now for another edition of Dragons download. As we
continue talking with our friends of the Dayton Dragons baseball
postseason going on, but thoughts to the twenty twenty five
season for the Dragons, and Eric Deutsch visits with us
now and let's start with season tickets for twenty twenty
five right off the bat here, Eric, no pun intended,
as we talk a little baseball here right now, but
season tickets everyone looking ahead to the twenty twenty five
season right now, and season tickets are available.

Speaker 13 (48:12):
Yeah, we had a great season in twenty four of
the salad streak remained intact. Great weather, great crowds, great baseball,
great entertainment, new stadium features, field lights, sound so really
great season. Our core biggest fan base is through our
season ticket packages. We have an eight game plan, a
sixteen game plan, a half season plan, and a full

(48:33):
season plan. So really good for families, individuals, companies. And
we're taking deposits now to get people signed up for
next year.

Speaker 3 (48:40):
And it's always the great thing about Dragon's Baseball. Eric,
and you and I have had this discussion before, but
it's worth repeating from a dollar standpoint, it's a very
family friendly event and you can get your family out
to a game and still go home with some dollars
in your pocket, can't you.

Speaker 13 (48:54):
Yeah, it's affordable. There's some great perks and benefits that
we've included. Whatever you spend with us and any ticket package,
you get ten percent of that back on a gift card.
This good concession stands or the team store, so you're
first shopping experience at the concessions or at the team
stores on us. You get some free events so that
are private events just for season ticket owners to attend,
and then all the free gifts that we hand out

(49:14):
or reserved for season ticket holders. We have a great
season ticket exchange program, so if you miss a game
because you've got a conflict, under schedule, or you just oops,
you can always pick a game down the road to exchange,
so never any lost value. So really great program. We've
done more season tickets over in the twenty three and
twenty four season than we've done prior to the pandemic,

(49:35):
so it's been a really great program for us.

Speaker 3 (49:37):
As we wrap up our conversation, let's talk about the
Dragon's community. All Stars program presented by Flying Ace Express
car Wash. Tell us about that.

Speaker 13 (49:44):
Yeah, we created this program I think about ten years ago,
and one of the things that we were talking about
is that what makes the Dton area so great is
a lot of the people and the organizations in our
community that make the areas so great. So we created
this program to recognize organizations or individuals kind of once
a month at the ballpark. We're pretty good at telling
a story at about the third inning, bring them out

(50:05):
and explain, you know, what they were doing for our
program for our community. So this past year, we honored
the Dayton Twigs through Children's Hospital, the Norma Ross Foundation,
Children's Dyslexia Center of Dayton, Emerged Recovery and Trade Initiative,
and the Dayton Diaper Depot. So what we do is
we take nominations from our community and we'll vet those
nominations and pick five winners for next year. So you

(50:27):
can always start nominating for twenty five.

Speaker 3 (50:29):
Eric, always a pleasure. I appreciate your time.

Speaker 13 (50:31):
All right, thanks for having us on, Marty.

Speaker 3 (50:32):
That's today's Dragons download.

Speaker 1 (50:43):
Welcome to the press Box with Marty Banister. The latest
on all local sports from right State to the Dayton Flyers,
from the Reds and Buckeyes to the Bengals and Browns.
Called Marty now at nine to three seven buy three
one six, one seven zero the press box on Fox
Sports nine eighty woe.

Speaker 14 (51:05):
For us to get where we want to go defensively,
you know they need to get They need to get back.

Speaker 5 (51:11):
To playing consistent football the way that they.

Speaker 7 (51:14):
Have in the past.

Speaker 3 (51:15):
That's Brown's defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz talking about his defensive backs,
especially his cornerbacks, who again will have their hands full
on Sunday, hopefully with Joe Burrow in the Cincinnati Bengals.
Welcome back to the press box, Fox Sports ninet eighty. Woe.
I'm Marty Banister, good head with us here on this
football Friday still to come. In about ten minutes or so,
we will have Todd Walker, the voice of the Bowling

(51:37):
Green Falcons, will be along with iHeart High Schools Football
Blitz for this Friday night, the ninth week of the
high school football season. There are a number of big,
big games all across the region tonight up and down
on the I seventy five corridor. As we close in
on weeknumber nine of the high school football season, We'll
have a complete look around the state at some of

(51:59):
the games coming up tonight. In the Miami Valley League,
Tip and Xenia, as I mentioned, are both in action tonight.
Tip place host to Stebbens. Xenia goes to Greenville. The
GWOC has a three way tie for the lead with
three four and one teams. Two of those meet tonight
when Fairmont goes over to Clark County to take on Springfield.

(52:19):
The other four and one team is Centerville. They will
take on Springboro. Pair of five and zero teams share
of the three Rivers Conference lead Laymancatholic host Troy Christian.
The other is Northridge. They play host to Milton Union.
In the Southwestern Buckeye League, Valley View and Waynesville are
tied for the Buckeye Division lead. Valley View goes to Brookville.
Waynesville will host Eton and belbourt conclinch his share of

(52:40):
the Southwestern Division title they pick up a win at Oakwood.
In the Central Buckeye Conference, unbeaten London will win a
share of the Kenton Trail Division title if they knock
off knockoff second place Kenton Ridge, Indian Lake will gain
a share of the mad River Division title with a
win at second place Northwestern. If you go like that
Central Buckeye con and look at that Kenton Trail Division,

(53:02):
I mean, there are four pretty good football teams in there.
You have London, you have Kenton Ridge, all at seven
and one going into tonight. I'm sorry, London's unbeaten at
eight o KR seven and one or Banna, I think
it's six and two. And then you've got Bell Fountain
with tav in Saint Clair, the All Ohio and All
America recruit, the five star Ohio State quarterback recruit. I mean,

(53:25):
they've already pummeled a number of teams this year. I
think they're seven and one or six and two heading
into tonight's action. As well too, that Kenton Trail Division
that top four teams, that's a pretty tough gauntlet to
run through. And when that division in London so far
is unbeaten. Indian Lake will gain a share of the
mad River title if they win at second place Northwestern.

(53:45):
In the Ohio Heritage Conference, West Liberty say them in
Fairbanks are both three and zero in the South Division,
I'm sorry. As the North Division, West Liberty plays at
Triad Fairbanks will host West jeff And in the South Division.
Greenview clinches the title outright if they beat spring Bill
Catholic Central tonight, and the Dayton City League schools will
be in action as well too, as we hit week
number nine of the high school football season. Tomorrow. Down

(54:07):
in Oxford, it's the one hundredth meeting between the Miami
RedHawks and the Ohio Bobcats, the annual Battle of the
Bricks matchup. Earlier in the week, Miami head coach Chuck
Martin took a few minutes to recap the red Hawks
win at Eastern Michigan over the weekend and look ahead
to tomorrow's game with the Bobcats.

Speaker 15 (54:23):
Coach, you mentioned Eastern countered the you know, Brett Gabbert
baumb to Virgil, But how how much did that impact
your guys' mindset and could we see more aggressiveness from
the offense from from.

Speaker 14 (54:38):
That standpoint, Yeah, I'd say it's a huge play. Anytime
you get off to a good start and get your
head up and you get feeling good about yourself, you know, offensively,
you know defensively, you get a big play, specially whatever
whatever it is, getting a big play. So again, just
gets somebody feeling good like and when you feel good
in your comment, no matter what you're doing, you're doing
yard work, and you feel good in your confident, you're

(54:58):
probably going to do a heck of a down. They
are like it does. That's that's just life like and
how you feel and how your where your confidence levels
is everything, you know. So for the whole team, it's
just a great way to start on the road and
and and and make a big play. And again, yeah,
we want to be aggressive offensively. Again, we we got
him on a play fake. I was anticipating throwing the

(55:18):
over like we had thrown the post, I said, all
and we had throw the post wed to post over.
Everybody in the world runs post over. Wasn't a magical
play like rampaction post over like everybody runs, you know,
and they do a good job of keeping a high
hole guy in the high hole. For whatever reason, he
wasn't there, so we had thrown the over. All week,
I thought, we're gonna throw the over for hopefully a
big junk play, not a touchdown, but hopefully a you know,
a chunk pass off the start and get off the

(55:39):
good start.

Speaker 7 (55:39):
And but the high.

Speaker 14 (55:41):
Whole guy was on the over and created one to one.
Good job by Brett, even though we had showed him
what we thought they were going to do all week.
He read it out and there was one on one.
He took his one on one shot. So was it
designed to get seventy? Probably not, but I we'll take it.

Speaker 15 (55:54):
You know, coach, your past rushes started to get home
a little more.

Speaker 5 (55:59):
And yet three sacks this week? How important is that?

Speaker 13 (56:02):
Then this week leading into a mobile quarterback opponent that
gets toll high.

Speaker 14 (56:05):
Yeah, it's huge because tremendously mobile, Like he can run,
he's fast, he's twitch, he's athletic, he loves to run,
loves to scramble. They have some zone read, they have
some Q design runs, but he's very dangerous running scrambling. Obviously,
rush lanes are going to be huge this week. So
obviously as you get your pass rus going, obviously it

(56:27):
affects everything you know, and coverage effects pass rus, pass
rus effects coverage. I think our coverage is a little better.
I think we took away some first reads, gave our
guys a little more time and give him all the
time to get home. You know, they get home quickly
went off the covers lot, so it all works together.
And then also playing from the lead. You know, you
get to twenty eight to fourteen, now they're still running,
but they're throwing it more often, you know, I mean,
and then you get to the fourth quarter, Now they

(56:48):
got to throw it in again. We haven't played with
many leads this year, you know, so it's like part
of like there's there's a lot of things we need
to do better and are working hard to better, but
some of the two game dictates too, and you're playing
from behind, Like, what's the matter I get any socks
this year? Well, we're not, we're not up, we're not
in the lead, and they're throwing and we're teeing off.

(57:10):
The end of the game, it looked pretty good because
we knew they had to throw in our guys.

Speaker 7 (57:13):
You know.

Speaker 14 (57:14):
So if you can get leads and get them to
be one dimensional, uh, certainly helps the pass rush also.

Speaker 16 (57:22):
Uh, coach, I know you've got a lot of people
banged up at the stage. To put it mildly, what
about people like Virgil with the big hit and nank
and and that, any any ideas first impressions.

Speaker 14 (57:37):
Yeah, we're hopeful With Reggie, we're going through like everyone.
The nice thing there's there's a nice protocol in place
to figure out when it's safe to return. So we're
hopeful with him. It's still too early. He's got to
pass it. There's a you know, just a there's an
every day something that you have to clear to get
to the next day. So but he's doing well, like
he's doing well. So he's he's he's a name. We're

(58:00):
still waiting to see his His will be probably harder
to get him back ready for this week. I know
his mind he's gonna be back ready for this week.
I know the trainer's minds. His will be you know.
But again, the nice thing with him is if he
can get like Tie, like Ti didn't do anything, but
tis playing enough football if you feel good on Saturday morning,

(58:23):
you know, it's not like some young guy that hey,
if you don't practice all week. Yeah, we can say
he's ready to play, but he's not ready to play
where Pete or Chuck's been here forever and played a
ton of football and really knows. So if we can
get him, you know, by Saturday, by three point thirty,
if he's feeling good enough, we'll get him out there.

Speaker 16 (58:40):
I'm not sure if it was related to the protection
or what, but this looked like a little bit of
bread of old. He really seemed to be in form Saturday.
How'd you feel about him?

Speaker 14 (58:51):
Yeah, definitely feels exactly what you said. I feel like
he looked like himself. You know, he hasn't. He's looked
like himself in spurts this year and at our times,
he hasn't looked like himself, and he looks like he's
close to himself. I don't know that he's totally felt
like himself. I think in different times and games, I
think he has. I think he's gotten a good place
and gotten a good rhythm. But yeah, no, the whole game,

(59:12):
he just he managed the game good. He saw you know,
whether it be a protection check or whatever it was,
he managed the game really good from from mental standpoint,
which he's made some mistakes in that air, which he
never makes. But again that just tells you that there's
other things going on in his head too, you know.
And then just the time of the pat like, guys
are open, there's some tight windows breath thrown ball and

(59:33):
tight window like that's never been an issue of breath,
throwing the ball, and tight windows. You know, he threw
the ball, you know, some of the inside vercals, they
weren't most people don't even throw those balls. He's thrown
them in. They're easy for big, big plays for us.
So time was really good. He ran good, he scrambled
like I don't know, he just I'm with you. He
looked looked like himself, and he has he's looked close
to himself, but he hasn't looked exactly like himself yet.
And we've been and I know he's been trying to

(59:55):
get there and frustrated, you know, because he has such
a high expectation of himself and he knows the level
he's played at for a long like I said, long
before he got to the Miami, he was you know, he's
a guy that played mistake free football. He's a guy
that made great decisions, guys that always compete. Now he's
competed as hard as he ever has competed, but just
everything else has just been, you know, just just a

(01:00:16):
hair off, you know. So it was nice to see.
We got in good rhythm, gott in good time. And
he's ten for thirteen, you know, and two or twenty
two yards and four touchdowns and threw it to you know,
throw it to a bunch of different guys, you know,
and throws it, you know, when he's on he throws
at the open guy. He don't care, he's not he's
not staring at receiver, just trying to throw the ball
to Kate or Javon or he just still throw the ball.
They were doubling Kid from the get go. They double Kid,

(01:00:39):
not every snap the whole game, but they double Kate
a ton. Well, there's ball Bretts Doesn't's just okay, you're
double him. The ball's got to go with the guy
that's won on one, you know, the guy that's opened.
So it was it was this very very good day
from that standpoint.

Speaker 15 (01:00:52):
Coach, you're approaching Brandy Walker fifty nine. I think you
got fifty eight wins. Can you comment on that and
the significant of, you know, your next win if you
wanted to kind of hoon in on that.

Speaker 14 (01:01:03):
I've been here a long time, you know, that's probably
the biggest thing. Like pretty cool would be the second
thing for me. I'm a huge football fan. I'm a
huge Randy Walker fan. I didn't really know Randy I
knew I coached against him as a as a coach,
opposing coach as an assistant coach, and knew how his

(01:01:26):
teams were tough and physical. And I always like, me
and Tammy have got to know each other really well,
and she's been amazing support of not just me Miami football,
minam University. She's alum. She loves this place, you know.
And again I always try to say, I think, like
when we're playing good and like we're playing the way
we were capable playing, I would say, like the MAC

(01:01:48):
championship game, she hit me right after the game and
it was like, I think Randy would have approved today,
you know, I think like of how we not to win.
Of course, Randy and Tamia will all be happy Miami
wins are both and Danny's up there watching us, you know,
and you're like, but I think he improved, how you know,
Like when we're like and she says, yeah, your team's

(01:02:09):
remind remind me of his teams how they play, And
so to me, that's pretty huge compliment coming from Randy
Walker's wife. So so it'd be pretty pretty cool.

Speaker 3 (01:02:20):
Chuck Martin the head football coach at Miami, and that's
one spot on to get that kind of honor and
that kind of reaction from the late Randy Walker's wife
about his football team, it's pretty special. Uh, he'll have
a chance to equal Randy Walker tomorrow. It's uh uh,
I like Chuck a lot. We've known each other for

(01:02:40):
a long long time. But I hope he waits one
more week to do it, so just to be just
to be one hundred percent accurate. All right, now do
it for today's Listen to the program. We're back with
you on Monday with overreaction Monday, so much going on
this weekend. Baseball will probably know the National League World
Series team. Imagine the Dodgers will close this thing out.

(01:03:01):
Maybe tonight Guardian Yankees. This thing could go all seven
right now with the way it's surging towards the Guardians.
Of course, on Saturday, Bobcats and Red Hawks. Sunday, it's
the one hundred and second meeting between the Bengals and
the Browns. And yeah, I'm still nervous. Nothing has changed.
So we'll talk to you on Monday. Have a great weekend.

(01:03:22):
Thanks to Sea Bass for all of his help putting
the show together. We're back with you on Monday from
three to five. It's the press Box, Fox Sports nine
eighty W and EVY.

Speaker 1 (01:03:50):
This is the Friday Night Blitz from iHeartRadio of pretting
you up. Tonight's section across the Buckeye State. Now your host,
Tod Walker.

Speaker 5 (01:04:01):
Here we go. Week number nine is here on the
Friday Night Blitz. My name's Todd Walker. Good to be
with you. We're going to head around the state. We
start at Lima in West Central Ohio and of the
Northwest Conference. Tonight it's eight and no. Columbus Grove entertaining
Lima Central Catholic. This game will be on eleven fifty
e WYMA and on the IR radio app. Columbus Grove's
won twenty five straight at home. They're rated number two

(01:04:23):
in the state Division seven. LCC comes in six and two,
rated number sixteen in D seven. Blufton, also undefeated, is
home for Allen East. Columbus Grove and Bluffton are set
to play next week at Bluffton. Both will try to
stay perfect on the season with wins tonight. Meanwhile, then
the Western Buckeye League Wapakanetta has already clinched at least
a tie for what would be their seventh straight Western

(01:04:45):
Buckeye League championship. The league did not crown a champ
in the COVID year of twenty twenty. Walpauk at eight
and oh is rated number six in the state and
Division three. If won fifteen straight league games. Tonight, they
host bath. The Wildcats blanked Defiance last week. Their title
hopes alive. Two other teams have two league losses as well,
Salina they're at Defiance tonight, and Saint Mary's they visit

(01:05:07):
Elaida in the Mac Monster showdown with Mister at Marion Local.
Of course, Marion Local number one of the state. Undefeated,
they've won fifty six straight games. They win tonight with
tie Delpha Saint John's all time Ohio record of fifty
seven in a row. Minster enters the game at number
four in the state and Division seven. The only blemish
on their record a narrow loss to Coldwater. The eight

(01:05:28):
no Cavaliers are number two in the state and Division six.
They're at for Sales tonight. Turning to the BVC, Liberty
Benton is out front. They have not lost in league
play to this point. They'll be heavy favorites tonight against Arcadia.
Two teams are five and one, a game behind them,
and they meet tonight in Pandora as the PG Rockets
host eight in the NWCC Big Game. Tonight is USV

(01:05:50):
at Harden and Northern Rams are six and zero in conference.
Polar Bears are five and one. Ridgemont is also five
and one in league play. They're at Corey ross And
tonight and Alima c Your last week beat Weight seventy
nine to nothing and Jenias Hall through ten touchdown passes,
setting a new Ohio high school record in the process.
Lima Senior moved to eight and oh on the season.

(01:06:11):
Tonight they are at Scott the Spartan center of the game,
rated number fourteen in the state and Division two. A
win tonight when Mick Lima Senior nine and oh for
the first time in school history. The Spartans visit Start
next week. Lima's already clinched a playoff berth according to
our friends at Joe I Tel and Fantastic fifty, and
the Spartans will likely host a game in the first

(01:06:33):
round if they went out. Speaking of the playoffs, eighteen
teams from this area have already clenched playoff berths. In
addition to Lima Senior Those are Wapakanetta, Liberty, Benton, Bath, Lufton, Coldwater, Anna, Columbus, Grove,
usv Ada, Arden, Northern Lima, Central Catholic, Arlington, Pandora, Gilboa, Lipsick,

(01:06:53):
Marion Local, Minster and Ridgemont. Also a handful of teams
have already clenched home games, those being wapd Canetta, Coldwater, Columbus, Grove,
Marion Local, and Minster. This is the Friday Night Blitz.
When we come back, we'll see what's happening in Northwest
Ohio and Eastern Ohio as Week nine continues here on iHeartRadio.

Speaker 1 (01:07:22):
Now for a look around the state and tonight's biggest matchups.
It's the Friday Night Blitz with Todd Walker.

Speaker 5 (01:07:29):
Down to the next to last week of the high
school football regular season. Here for the state of Ohio.
My name is Todd Walker. Good to be with you
for another edition of the Friday Night Blitz. We continue
our look around the state now heading up to Northwest Ohio.
We're joined by Dave Klek.

Speaker 17 (01:07:46):
With two weeks to go. In Northwest Ohio, a number
of conference races are up for grams. Let's go to
the NWOL where Front Running, Liberty, Center is eight and
Ozer taking on one of the top challengers, the Delda Panthers.
It's around nine Rivalry eight and oh Liberty Center on
the road at six and two Delda. I guarantee this
will be one of the first games done. Both love

(01:08:08):
to run the football. Archbold invades Patrick Henry in another
pivotal game in the NWAL. The Patriots are six and two,
Archbold five and three. Patrick Henry and Deldar the only
teams a game back of Liberty Center in the league race.
Other nWo al matchups include Washion, Brian and Swanton at

(01:08:28):
Evergreen Over in the Green Meadows Conference, Tenoris the front
runner after five straight wins, but they have their toughest
assignment of the year. The Rams head south to Paulding
to take on the Panthers, who are just one game
back in the standings at six and two. The Defiance
Bulldogs saw their five game winning streak snap. They'll host

(01:08:48):
the Salina Bulldogs in a battle of five and threes
in the WBL, and it's a matchup of unbeatens in
eight man football. Holgate is six and oh Toledo Christiani.
They'll play this game on a Friday night, at Toledo Bowser,
but Sandusky Saint Mary's is another unbeaten in that eight
man conference, and a big game in the Northern Buckeye

(01:09:11):
Conference features two unbeaten state ranked teams. The Eastwood Eagles
are eight and OH taking on the Rockets of Bolcarb
at eight and OH. As well. Lots of fun in
week number nine in Northwest Ohio, We're headed eastbound next
to check in with Bob Gavalier.

Speaker 18 (01:09:29):
We begin Week nine with a Mahoning Valley Athletic Gray
Tear matchup as seven to one Garrettsville Garfield plays at
seven to one Cresview, both teams coming at five and
oh in the conference. These teams are also in Division
five Region seventeen, with Cressfie at number seven and Garfield
at number nine in the Scarlett tier of the Mohoning
Valley Conference six and two. McDonald plays at six and
two Springfield. Springfield comes in atop of the conference at

(01:09:50):
five and OH. McDonald is one game back at four
and one. The Northeast Athletic has the two top teams
playing at seven OH. Windham plays at six and one
PI Valley. This game will win the Northeast Athletic Conference.
En Buckeye Athletic Conference also has the two top teams
meeting as eight no. West Branch plays at sixty to
two Carrollton. Both teams come in with three and OH records.

(01:10:11):
The Chagrin Valley Lake Division has six and two Madison
playing at seven to one Geneva. This is also another
matchup with both teams at three and oh in the league.
Playoff positioning is also a focus, as Geneva since number
eight and Madison at number ten in Division three Region nine.
The Chagrin Valley Chagrin Division has four and four Painsville
Harvey traveling to six and one Gatesville Hawkin. Hawkin leads

(01:10:32):
the Chagrin Division with a three and OH record. Hawkin
is at number four and Harvey is at number eighteen
in Division three Region nine, and the Chagrin Valley Valley
Division has eight no. Kirtland playing at five and three
Crestwood Kurtlin can wrap up the Valley Division with a win.
The Metro Football Conference has a Portage County matchup as
eight no. Streetsborough plays seven to one Field Streetsborough comes

(01:10:54):
in at number four and field Since at number seven
in Division four Region thirteen. Other important games has five
and three Strongsville playing at eight No Matter Enter is
number one and Strongsville's number eight and Division one Region
one six and two. Massline Washington travels to six and two.
Warren Harding Bo teams are in the seventh spot with
Masslin in Division two Region nine and Harding and Division

(01:11:14):
two Region five and finally five and three. Notarame Cathedral
Latin plays at four and four. Padawa Franciscan Cathedral Latin
is number eleven in Division four Region thirteen and Padawa
Franciscan sits at number nine in Division three Region ten.

Speaker 5 (01:11:29):
Thanks to Bob Gavalier, also to Dave Kleck. We're done
with this segment, but more to come coming up. Next
we'll head to the Mansfield area also Columbus Dayton, Southeast
Ohio as we continue with the Friday Night Blitz on iHeartRadio.

Speaker 1 (01:11:51):
Kickoff is coming up. Let's look around the state and
find tonight's key matchups. Here's Todd Walker.

Speaker 5 (01:11:58):
Great to be with you on another football of Friday Night.
Todd Walker. Here the Friday Night Fliz coming to your
way on iHeartRadio. We continue our look around the state.
Now we head over to the Mansfield in Ashland area
and we're joined by Aaron Hines.

Speaker 19 (01:12:13):
Thanks Todd. There are still a handful of teams unbeaten
here in the Mansfield, Ashland area as we enter tonight,
second to last Friday of the regular season. The game
of the night here in Richland County has two state
ranked an unbeaten teams meeting in Shelby as the Whippets
play host to the Ontario Warriors. Both Right and oh
they're both undefeated at five to zero in the Mid
Ohio Athletic Conference. The winner Lynch is a share of

(01:12:35):
the league title. The game featuring the two top offenses
in the league better than thirty five a game, the
two top defenses each allowing less than two touchdowns per game,
and two quarterbacks that can score any single time they
touch the football via the ground or the air. As
Ontario is led by senior quarterback bod Pin Miller, who's
actually committed to play wide receiver next year for Ohio State.

(01:12:58):
He's accounted for over twenty four hundhundred yards and twenty
five touchdowns. On the other side, shlby junior quarterback Bradon DeVito,
He's actually expected to be nominated for Ohio's Mister Football Award.
He's racked up thirty four touchdowns and better than three
thousand yards in eight weeks. Both of Aardy clinched to
a playoff spot, will have the game tonight at seven
on my one hundred point one. Last year, Shallby won

(01:13:20):
this game thirty seven thirty one on a hook and
lateral play with under a minute to play. Elsewhere in
the Ohio Cardinal Conference, the eight no Ashland Arrows can
clinch a share of the OCC title with a win
at two and six Worcester tonight. Ashland their quarterback Nathan Bernhardt.
He has an offer from Penn State. What a week
last Friday at West Holmes eight touchdowns, four rushing and

(01:13:41):
four passing. The Arrows of Aardy clinch to playoff spot
Hillsdale they're perfect eight and oh they're at four and
four Ritmen this evening. The Northmore Knights, near the Galleon
area unbeaten their home for three and five Cardington Lincoln
in Lexington. They have one loss in the OCC. A
win tonight at home over Madison would set up a
week ten game at Ashland where they would play for

(01:14:04):
a chance for the OCC title. And that's a look
at week nine of high school football here in the
Greater Mansfield, Ashland area. Now let's send it to Jared
Cox down in Chillicothee.

Speaker 20 (01:14:16):
Week nine in Southeast Ohio has one league championship game
and a few other really good games that set up
for league championship implications in week ten. First, in the
Ohio Valley Conference five and two, Coal Grove travels to
seven and one Fairland, who's already clinched a playoff spot.
Elsewhere in the OVC five and three, Chesapeake travels to
six and two Oak Hill, and six and two Portsmouth

(01:14:39):
travels to one and seven South Point. In the Southern
Ohio Conference five and three, Waverley travels to four and
four Northwest. One in seven, Minford travels to four and
four Wheelersburg and six and two playoff bound Portsmouth West
travels to one and seven Oak Hill. Whillersburg and Portsmouth

(01:15:01):
West will look to stay locked in for potential Week
ten SEC championship game. In the Tri Valley Conference, Nelsonville,
York and Athens appear to be on a collision course
for a Week ten TVC Ohio championship game, as Nelsonville
travels to three and five Vinton County and O to eight.
River Valley travels to eight and O Athens. Five and

(01:15:22):
three Welston travels to three and five Megs as both
teams look to keep their playoff hopes alive. In the
Mid State League. Three and five Circleville is looking to
get in the win column and league play as they
travel to two and six Liberty Union and the five
and three Logan Elm Braves hosts three and five Alexander
in the Frontier Athletic Conference six and two Jackson looks

(01:15:43):
to solidify its playoff resume as they host three and
five Hillsborough and six and two Miami Trace travels to
one and seven Chilicothy in the Sideta Valley Conference four
and four Zane Trace looks to rebound off their loss
to Unyoda last week as they host one in seven
Southeastern five and three piked In travels to three and
five Adena, and the game of the week in Southeast

(01:16:06):
Ohio is seven and one Paint Valley traveling to seven
and one un Yoda.

Speaker 5 (01:16:11):
If u Nyoda is able to pull.

Speaker 20 (01:16:12):
Off the wind, they will clinch the SVC championship, but
if Paint Valley gets the road win. It sets them
up with another league championship matchup against Saint Trace in
week ten. Now we'll check on Central Ohio with Todd Bell.

Speaker 21 (01:16:25):
When fans look at Region two standings, most will take
a double take. The Westland Cougars are seven to one in.

Speaker 3 (01:16:31):
Lead the region.

Speaker 21 (01:16:32):
Now, why is this unusual? Even in the expanded era
of the playoffs. Westland has only made one appearance in
the postseason, all the way back in two thousand and six.
They've already locked themselves in, virtually locked up a home game,
and now they have their sights set on winning the
OCC Capitol Division. They are currently tied with Big Walnut
and they meet next week. First, they have to worry

(01:16:52):
about a six and two Delaware team that has one
of the top backs in Central Ohio and favor a
key as they'll look to play the role of spoiler
in this conference game. The Grove City Greyhounds handed Westland.
They're only lost this season, and they were unbeaten through
Week five, but they've dropped two of their last three
and they've got a big road test this week at Gehanna.
The Golden Lions are gaining momentum, winning five straight after

(01:17:13):
a rash of injuries hit them in the front half
of the year. Gehanna is leading the OCC Ohio and
they've got a chance to win the division next week
if they can escape a slumping Grove City this week.
Pickerington Central picked up a big win last week over
Groveport to remain unbeaten in the OCC. Buckeye Tays Valley
is in its first year in the OCC enter six
and two, but both of those losses have come within

(01:17:34):
the division. Now they can play the role of spoiler
on Friday night in a game that will be featured
as the Central Ohio Game of the Week on Spectrum
News one and you can join myself and Chris Wallace
for the call beginning at seven pm. Now, let's check
in with Marty Banister with what's going on in Southwest Ohio.

Speaker 3 (01:17:50):
A number of division titles and conference championships are on
the line, as we had the week number nine in
the southwest region of the state. Well start in the
Cincinnati area, where a pair of state ranked teams battle
for the lead in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference. Went Woods
number two in the state, and Division one visits Anderson,
ranked number three in Division two. Both teams are eight
to no, and the winner clinch is at least a

(01:18:10):
share of the East CC title. The two teams have
combined outscore their opponents this year by a total score
of six hundred and fifty to eighty one. There's a
three way tie atop the Greater Miami Conference. The two
of those schools meet Friday, Lakota East makes the short
trip to Lakota West. Those two, along with Princeton, are
all six and one in league play. Princeton plays at
Middletown in the Cincinnati Hills League. Division four to third

(01:18:32):
ranked Wyoming shares the lead with Indian Hill, those who
are each five and zero, and they meet at Indian Hill.
Southwest Ohio Conference leader Harrison steps out of league play
and has a stiff test awaiting as they travel to
Division three's top ranked team, Columbus Bishop Watterson in the
Southern Buckeye Athletic Conference. The American Division lead is up
for grabs as league unbeaten's Batavia and Clinton Massey meet
at Clinton Massey. The National Division lead is also at

(01:18:54):
stake as three and oh teams Williamsburg and Betheltate meet
at Williamsburg Bowler, which has won the GaCl South title,
hosts three time defending Division one state champion Lakewood Saying
Edwards Saturday afternoon. In the Cincinnati Metro Athletic Conference with
Row clinches a share of the Red Division title if
they win at Hughes Friday night. Cincinnati College Prep does
the same in the Blue Division if they win at
Gamble Montessori on Saturday. Let's move up to the Dayton

(01:19:17):
area and start in the Miami Valley League. Typical New
and Xenia are the respective division leaders. Both are unbeaten
and state ranked and have their eyes on their Week
ten showdown. Tip Friday host Stebbins. Xenia goes to Greenville.
In the Greater Western Ohio Conference, three four and one
teams are tied for the lead. Two of those three
meet Friday as Fairmont travels to Springfield. The other four
and one team is Centreville they go to Springboro. A

(01:19:38):
pair of five and oh teams share the three Rivers
Conference lead. One is Ley Mccatholic they host Troy Christian.
The other is north Ridge, who plays host to Milton
Union in the Southwestern Buckeye League. Valleyview and Waynesville are
tied for the Buckeye Division lead. Valleyview goes to Brookville,
while Waynesville hosts Eton. Belburke clinches a share of the
Southwestern Division title with a win at Oakwood. In the
Central Buckeye Conference, unbeaten London clinch is a share of

(01:19:59):
the Kenton Trail Division title if they beat second place
Kenton Ridge, while India Lake gains a share of the
mad River Division title with a win at second place Northwestern.
And finally, in the Ohio Heritage Conference, West Liberty, Salem
and Fairbanks are both ree and zero and the north
West Liberty plays at Triad Fairbanks host West Jefferson.

Speaker 5 (01:20:16):
Thanks Marty, and thanks to all of our correspondents. As
the Friday Night Blitz continues. As we countdown to kickoff
with coverage of your game tonight here on iHeartRadio, We're
turning the corner here on Friday Night Blitz, about to
head down the backstretch, but still a lot to get to.
We'll check in in detail all the biggest games in
each region of the state when you come back. The

(01:20:38):
Friday Night Blitz continues on iHeartRadio.

Speaker 1 (01:20:42):
The countown to Kickoff continues with o Friday Night Blitz.
Here's Todd Walker.

Speaker 5 (01:20:47):
This is the place to be Friday Night Blitz on iHeartRadio.
My name's Todd Walker. Next to last week of the
regular season, and some monster games all around the state.
We're going to get into some of those right now,
starting in Lima and West Central Ohio area. In the
MAC it's Merry and Local hosting Minster. Of course, Mary
and Local looking to tie the all time wins record

(01:21:08):
as far as consecutive wins, they're looking for number fifty
seven in a row tonight when they host Minster. They
are seven and one. This is a top four matchup
in Division seven. Minster coach Seth Whiting says while Merry
and Local is certainly tough to be, his team has
played them very tough the last two times they've met,
and they're confident they can pull the upset.

Speaker 7 (01:21:29):
Oh absolutely.

Speaker 22 (01:21:30):
You know we are our last two games that these guys,
we're fourteen to seven at halftime. You know, we're fourteen
to seven going into fourth quarter last year in the
playoff game. So you know, our kids know we can
play with them. We just we got to execute and finish.
Yank I looked at the last two games last year,
they were in the red zone six times and scored
all six times. We were in the red zone six
times and only scored twice. So you know, we got

(01:21:51):
to finish drives and we got to set them down
a little so our kids know they are capable of winning.

Speaker 5 (01:21:57):
We continue our look around the state. We head up
north a little bit to the northwest part of the
state and see what's up with Dave Klek.

Speaker 17 (01:22:03):
The ninety ninth season of the Nwoal is headed to
a photo finish and all the big dogs are going
head to head in week number nine. Unbeaten Liberty Center
state ranked is on the road at Dela, one of
the front runners along with them at six and two.
Both teams love to use the ground attack. Wayland rents
the top rusher for Liberty Center and it's Landed Lindter

(01:22:24):
Moot for Delda. Who can stop the run and who
can get the ground game going will put this team
in first place. And Archbold is at Patrick Henry. The
Patriots are still alive in the league, chase their home
with the Archbold Blue Streaks. Patrick Henry bounced back from
a loss to Liberty Center and won big over Delda
last week. That's the matchups to watch for on a

(01:22:45):
football Friday night. From WNDYH and Napoleon. I'm Dave Klek.

Speaker 5 (01:22:50):
Thanks Dave. Let's head east and see what's going on
on that side of the state.

Speaker 18 (01:22:54):
Was Bob Gavalier in our thirteen ninety am I hire
a game of the week. We have an All American
Cons matchup with the five and three boardon Spartans taking
on these six and two Fitch Falcons. Bordman comes in
off a win thirty five to seven over Holland, and
they have won two out of their last three games.
Fitch last last week to Ierry McDowell thirty eight thirty five,
and have lost two out of their last three games

(01:23:16):
after starting the season five to Ohero. Both these teams
earned Division two Region five Fitch since at number four
and Boordman at number eight. You catch Jim Evans on
the call by downloading the iheartapp to your electronic device
and typing in thirteen ninety Am, Youngstown.

Speaker 5 (01:23:31):
That's Bob Gavalier reporting from Youngstown. Now we're going to
head over to the excellent and Mansfield area as we
welcome in Aaron Hines.

Speaker 19 (01:23:39):
The Game of the night here in rich Slim County
is one of the biggest games across the state as
it comes from the midd Ohio Athletic Conference. Is Shelby
hosts Ontario, both state ranked eight no, high powered offensive,
stingy defenses, and tremendous quarterback play. Ontario coach Aaron Eckert
on Shelby quarterback Brayden DeVito.

Speaker 7 (01:23:58):
Without sticking football player, probably going to be a candidate
for Mister Football in Ohio. He just got all the
statistics and one of the things that he does so
well is throw with anticipation. You know a lot of
people see athletic kids and he takes off the runs.
But he's a really good quarterback.

Speaker 19 (01:24:12):
You're Shelby coach Rob Mahaney on Ontario QB bod Pin Miller.

Speaker 17 (01:24:16):
He's going to make.

Speaker 10 (01:24:16):
Plays because you know, there's a reason he's going to
Ohio State.

Speaker 6 (01:24:19):
And he's a really really good football player.

Speaker 4 (01:24:21):
And this year, man, he's just he got even more
explosive and he is a really dangerous with.

Speaker 6 (01:24:26):
The ball in his hand.

Speaker 19 (01:24:27):
The winner of tonight's game, Ontario at Shelby clinch is
a share of the MOAC title.

Speaker 5 (01:24:33):
Thanks Aaron, we head to Southeastern Ohio now and check
in with Jaren Cox.

Speaker 20 (01:24:38):
Week nine brings an SVC Championship matchup at Unyoda High
School the seven to one Sherman's host of seven on
one Paint Valley Bearcats. For un Yoda, the formula is simple,
win and you are the SVC Champions. For Paint Valley,
they need to win and then beat Zane Trace in
Week ten. Both these teams have capable player a breaking

(01:25:00):
a big play at any time. Cody Braden, Blake Hoops,
Caden Cuttwright and Levi Beam for un Yoda. Brayln Robertson,
Carson Free, Jeremy Rice and Preston Fober for Paint Valley.
After watching Unyoda last week outscored Zane Trace twenty one
to seven in the second half, I believe the difference
in this game is going to be the offensive and

(01:25:21):
defensive line of un Yoda. The hag Molly's up front
Bryce Jarvis, Marcel James Landon, Caruth, Ben Griffin, and Aiden
Perry improved as the game went on and opened up
big holes for emerging running back Cody Braden on the
offensive side, and defensively limited Zaan Trace to sixteen plays in.

Speaker 5 (01:25:40):
The second half.

Speaker 20 (01:25:41):
They've been rock solid all year and I look for
that to continue this Friday Night.

Speaker 5 (01:25:46):
My prediction is Junio to twenty four.

Speaker 20 (01:25:48):
Paint Valley twenty one.

Speaker 5 (01:25:50):
Joining us now to check in on the big game
in Central Ohio. This is Todd Bell.

Speaker 21 (01:25:54):
The deepest division of the OCC this year is easily
the Central. Currently on Tan Orange is the only unbeaten
Upper Arlington, Hilliard Davidson and ol In Tangi Liberty all
have one loss. Now those latter two will square off
this week at Liberty. Davidson has won six of seven
with a lost to Orange. Liberty is one three to
four with a loss to Upper Arlington. But for the Patriots,

(01:26:17):
a win this week sets up a matchup next week
at their rival ol On Tangy Orange.

Speaker 5 (01:26:22):
Thanks to Todd Bell and all of our correspondence, the
Friday Night Blitz continues. After a break, we'll check in
with Jared loganvill from Prepredzone Ohio. They'll talk about the
top rated sophomores in the state. You keep it here
on iHeartRadio.

Speaker 1 (01:26:39):
Back to the Friday Night Blitz from iHeartRadio. Here's your host,
Todd Walker.

Speaker 5 (01:26:45):
This is the Friday Night Blitz. Todd Walker with you.
Thanks for hanging out now, welcoming into the program. Jared
Loganviill from Prep Red Zone, Ohio, and we're talking about
the top sophomores and their rankings. Jared, let's jump right
in at number five.

Speaker 23 (01:27:00):
Swan Higgins Junior. Antoine Is a is a sophomore at
Anderson High School in the Cincinnati area. Was a big
part of their defense last year that went to the
Final four. Antoine Is is an outside linebacker edge rusher
type six four two fifteen two twenty. Already possesses a

(01:27:20):
great size and a frame for his position. He has
a great get off. He has a great athleticism and
ability to bend off the edge, which is kind of
one of those unique and special traits that you look for,
but also has the ability and athleticisms to drop into coverage. Really,
he could go either way. I think he could grow
into a full time defensive end. I think he could

(01:27:43):
he could stay at linebacker. Really just kind of depends
physically how he ends up maturing. But already has offers
from schools like Michigan, Tennessee, Oregon, so really high level talent.

Speaker 5 (01:27:56):
So that was Antoine Higgins junior at number five, who
is yournumber four.

Speaker 23 (01:28:01):
So at number four we have Jalen Mercer for Winton
Woods High School down the game in the Cincinnati area.
Last year as a freshman, Jalen started getting some playing
time more as a week side defensive end. At six
foot five and thirty five pounds, is already kind of
a man child really when you look at it physically,

(01:28:24):
but again, he possesses a quickness and a lateral quickness
that you don't really see for defensive ends. His side
and his age athletically kind of possesses that profile of
a player who can hold up against the rush but
also has the athleticism to get to the quarterback. Offers

(01:28:44):
from again Oregon, Penn State, Michigan State schools that play
power five at a high level. So Jalen Mercer is
our number four ranked player in the twenty twenty seven class.

Speaker 5 (01:28:57):
And at number three, we're going to move to the
offensive line and go from Southwest Ohio to Northwest Ohio.

Speaker 23 (01:29:02):
Right Perrysburg guy, Yes, read Gurkin and reads a fun study.
Six five and ninety pounds already Red has really good feed.
That was the first thing that really stuck out to me.
And you know, sometimes you get the young guys who
are big and strong, but they they're not as advanced
in their their technical skill and feet. Read is one

(01:29:25):
of these kids that already has the ability to move
his feet to stop a strong edge rush, which now
more than ever, you have to be able to pass
the block at the highest level. And then he's got
the size and the strength to be versatile in the
run game as well. We really can do it all.
And at that size, he really doesn't need to have

(01:29:47):
that much more weight.

Speaker 5 (01:29:48):
Well, now you're number two sophomore for preps on Ohio.
Is a wide out from Wayne High School.

Speaker 23 (01:29:54):
Give me your number two, Yes, Jamiir Brown from Wayne
High School. Jamir as a burner. He plays wide receiver.
He's sixty to one hundred and seventy pounds. He is
an elite track guy. He actually in the indoors, competed
at the national level for track in the indoor and

(01:30:15):
he's a sub for those who know the track game
and indoors, it's the sixty meter dash as your your
big time track event for that and he runs under
a seven second sixty meter which is just excellent. In
one hundred. He runs sub eleven, so he's running in

(01:30:36):
the ten sevens. I believe not only possesses the elite
track speed, but on the football field to convert. Sometimes
you see kids, while while they're fast in tracks, maybe
they're not as fast as a wide receiver as you
would think. For him, it transitions. He can get open
with his long speed, but he's also able to run

(01:30:57):
your intermediate and short routes a high level where it's
not just his ability to explode and get deep and
get vertical. He can set up defenders with the short
routes and then once he lulls them in, he gets
deep and just creates tremendous separation. And Jamiir has offers
a game from Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State.

(01:31:19):
He's going to continue to grow and get stronger. I
told him, you know, I've talked to him personally about
just continuing that physical maguration. We all know he's fast.
If he can get stronger and win at the line
of scrimmage with his strength, he's going to be unbeatable.
Because really that's the next level. A lot of kids
they can they can get open and don't coverage when

(01:31:41):
he can get open against man man versus man coverage
at the line of scrimmage with that bump and run
type coverage. When you can do that, that's when you
take your game to just a whole other level.

Speaker 5 (01:31:53):
And what's your number one sophomore in the state of Ohio.

Speaker 23 (01:31:57):
So number one we have Ashton Alston actually is another
Anderson reptor. We have him at five to ten one
hundred and sixty pounds. He may be more in one
hundred and seventy pound range. That was as of our
last publication for our for our rankings. But Ashton again
has has offers from Oregon, Tennessee, Wisconsin, getting interest from

(01:32:20):
schools like Ohio State and Michigan and many more. And
so but he is he's that that bump and run
corner that can play that man man versus man coverage.
And and just like I talked about a wide receiver's
ability to beat man coverage and bump and run, to
be able to play that at the high school level

(01:32:41):
on the other side is an elite trade because you'll
have a lot of guys who can who are comfortable
lining up in his own coverage and playing off me
and where they aren't afraid to get beat beats. Ashton
can play at the line of scrimmage. He has that
wiry strength already. He can play physical and get his

(01:33:02):
hands on receivers and really stop them up to where
you know, he can get them out of their timing
routes and that sort of thing. But also has the
ability to turn and run at a high level and
basically can run with your high level, faster receivers. And
so he's really just a well rounded defensive back and

(01:33:23):
corner at this young age of you know, being a sophomore,
which you don't really see all that often.

Speaker 5 (01:33:30):
That's Jared loganvill with Prep Breds on Ohio. That's going
to wrap it up for the Friday Night Blitz for
week number nine. We'll head out to the stadium for
your game next Remember to join us at halftime for
the halftime Huddle and join us back here next week
for another edition of the Friday Night Blitz on iHeartRadio.

Speaker 1 (01:33:46):
Thanks for listening to those Friday Night Blitz from iHeartRadio.
Kickoff is coming up.