PDT Sports Report

Minford has faced stiff challenges for seven straight weeks, answering each with a victory.

In game number eight, the Falcons could be facing their stiffest competition all season as they travel to Wheelersburg in a crucial SOC II game that will knock either team from the ranks of the conference unbeatens. This is the longest Minford has started a season unbeaten since 2003 when the Falcons started 7-0. In their eighth game, they lost to West 34-20 and started a four-game losing streak that included a first round exit from the playoffs to end the season.

Unbeaten streaks also haven’t been two kind for Minford going into Ed Miller Stadium. In 2010, the Falcons were 5-0 before the Pirates handed them a 45-13 loss. Two years earlier, Minford was 6-0 but left Wheelersburg with a 14-7 defeat.

Both teams enter Friday’s game 2-0 in SOC II play after victories last week. The Falcons soundly defeated Northwest 54-7 in McDermott while the Pirates left Waverly with a 48-26 decision over the Tigers.

Entering this week’s action, Minford, Wheelersburg and Valley all stand atop the conference with similar SOC II marks and a combined overall record of 20-1. That will all change in the final three weeks as the Pirates travel next week to Lucasville and the Falcons make the same trip in the regular season finale.

According to JoeEitel.com, both Minford, which is 13th in the latest Division IV Associated Press poll, and Wheelersburg, sitting in 17th in Division V, are holding the No. 3 seed in Regions 15 and 19 respectively.

After winning last year’s encounter 21-6 on the road, the Pirates have won two-straight and seven out of the last eight in the series. The exception came in 2009 when the Falcons squeaked out a 16-15 win at home.

Green (3-4, 0-1) at Notre Dame (5-2, 0-1)

Coming off their final road game of the regular season, the Notre Dame Titans return to he friendly confines of Spartan Stadium for the first of a three-game homestand Saturday night when they entertain Green.

Notre Dame (5-2, 0-1) will try to shake off last week’s 30-7 loss at Oak Hill. The Bobcats return to SOC I play a week after losing 20-12 to Waterford.

Postseason hopes for both teams are still alive in Division VI, Region 23 as the Titans are controlling the No. 7 seed and Green is in 21st. Last season, Notre Dame won in a 35-0 shutout in Franklin Furnace.

Oak Hill (6-1, 2-0) at Symmes Valley (6-1, 2-0)

For the third time in four seasons, the winner of the Oak Hill-Symmes Valley contest could determine who wins the SOC I.

The two teams will battle Friday night in Willow Wood with similar records both overall and in conference. If the Oaks — who won the contests in 2010 and 2009 — are victorious, they clinch at least a share of the regular season championship with a chance to win it outright either in two weeks at Green or with a Viking loss next Saturday at Notre Dame.

Symmes Valley, the defending SOC I champion, takes a share of the SOC I with a win at home and outright with a victory next Saturday against the Titans. Last week, Oak Hill defeated Notre Dame 30-7 and the Vikings blew by East 56-14.

In last season’s meeting in Jackson County, Symmes Valley won 32-14. Friday’s meeting will be a critical computer points game for both sides as the Oaks are atop Division V, Region 19 and the Vikings are holding down the No. 6 spot in Division VI, Region 23.

Grove City Christian (3-4) at East (3-4)

It’s Senior Night at Allard Park as East plays host to Grove City Christian in a nonconference match-up between the two schools.

For the Tartans, they will try to send their seniors out on a high note and end a four-game losing streak. East fell 56-14 in last week’s SOC I home contest with Symmes Valley.

The Eagles are looking to make it back-to-back wins after last week’s 49-6 home win over St. Bernard-Elmwood Place ended a four-game skid of their own. Both teams hope a win will catapult them right back into the race for a playoff spot in Division VI, Region 23.

Entering Friday’s action, the Tartans are 13th while Grove City Christian is 20th. Last year, East won a highly-entertaining 44-35 affair in Franklin County.

Valley (7-0, 2-0) at Northwest (0-7, 0-2)

Valley will look to extend its 17-game winning streak Friday with a trip to McDermott to face a Northwest squad looking for its first victory in its last 14 attempts.

The Indians, voted 12th in this week’s Division V AP poll and sitting in fourth in the Region 19 computer standings, are coming off a 30-0 win at West. The win put Valley coach Darren Crabtree in a tie former Wheelersburg coach Ed Miller for the most conference wins all-time with a single school.

For the Mohawks, it was back to the drawing board after last week’s 54-7 setback to Minford. The Indians took last year’s match-up 42-7 in Lucasville.

West (2-5, 0-2) at Waverly (1-6, 0-2)

When West and Waverly set to do battle Friday night, both teams will be looking for their first SOC II victory of the season.

The Senators are hoping to put last week’s 30-0 home shutout loss to Valley in the rear view mirror. Meanwhile, the Tigers are wanting to erase a three-game winless streak after they were handed a 48-26 loss last week by Wheelersburg.

In the meeting between the two schools on the West Side last fall, West shrugged off an early Waverly response with a 48-7 win.

Piketon (5-2, 3-1) at Paint Valley (4-2-1, 2-2)

The first of three road games to conclude the 2012 regular season for Piketon starts Friday night with a trip to Bainbridge to face Paint Valley.

The Redstreaks are fifth in this week’s Region 15 computer rankings after they beat Unioto 48-21. They still sit a game back in the loss column to Westfall in the race for the SVC championship.

The Bearcats are believing this two-game homestand will be 2-for-2 as they defeated Adena a week ago 35-33. Paint Valley recorded a tie in Week 3 when its road game with Cedarville was suspended and eventually called because of weather-related issues. At the time, it was a 7-7 tie.

Columbus Bishop Hartley (7-0) at Ironton (5-2)

The road to the playoffs isn’t going to get any easier for Ironton Friday night as the Fighting Tigers host Division IV AP No. 1 Columbus Bishop Hartley on Senior Night.

Ironton will try to end a two-game downspell after last Friday’s 42-8 showing a week ago when Columbus Bishop Watterson came into town. The Hawks are unbeaten after they took care of Fort Wayne (IN) Bishop Luers 40-7.

Hartley is led by Toledo commit Ja’Waun Woodley, who has 979 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns on 114 carries. Last season in Gahanna, the Hawks won 34-16.

Ashland Paul Blazer (7-1, 3-0) at Greenup County (0-7, 0-2)

With last year’s 54-16 loss as a reminder, Greenup County will try to pull off one of the biggest shockers in recent memory as the Musketeers welcome Ashland Paul Blazer Friday night into Lloyd.

Greenup County is still searching for its first win in the Chris Mullins era after last week’s 59-12 loss last Thursday at Paintsville Johnson Central. The Tomcats are two games away from recording a perfect district mark after winning 35-20 on Senior Night over Belfry.