PDT Sports Report

The Orange and Black will be out in full force Friday night as Wheelersburg (7-2, 3-1) travels to West (4-5, 2-2) for the SOC II and regular season finale for both squads.

The Pirates, already playoff-bound despite a 9-7 loss at Valley (9-0, 4-0) a week ago, will look to lock up a home playoff game with a win. The Senators, who shut out Northwest (0-9, 0-4) 33-0 last week, will look to send their nine seniors out on a winning note.

Last week was a relatively quiet night offensively for Wheelersburg quarterback Eddie Miller. He ran for 82 yards and threw for another 66 but was responsible for both Pirate turnovers and was called for an unsportsmanlike penalty. The West ground game was hitting on essentially all cylinders as five different players accounted for rushing touchdowns, led by Austin Bricker’s 132 yards on 22 carries.

In last year’s encounter, the visiting Senators left with a 40-14 win. Not only did the victory give West solid playoff footing, it also removed any chances the Pirates had of making the playoffs.

East (4-5, 1-2) at Notre Dame (6-3, 1-2)

Last year, East ended Notre Dame’s playoff hopes and season with a 20-3 result.

The Tartans went on to the playoffs and the Titans started dreaming of next year. Fast forward a year later, one part of the storyline remains:

Notre Dame needs a win to stay alive.

The Titans are currently ninth in the latest Division VI, Region 23 standings. A report surfaced earlier in the week that Reedsville Eastern had to forfeit three of its wins because of an eligibility issue and had been pushed behind Notre Dame in the computer rankings. While it’s one more team in the Titans rear view mirror, they still need help.

Presently, the top half of the region has clinched playoff berths. With four spots remaining, Notre Dame needs a win and at least a Hannibal River loss to New Matamoras Frontier to clinch the final spot and possibly losses by Lancaster Fairfield Christian Academy and Symmes Valley to build its playoff resume. A loss by North Robinson Colonel Crawford would help as well. If all four teams win, fans of Notre Dame could be cheering for the 2012 team team for the final time Friday.

East’s chances of making back-to-back playoffs are gone despite defeating Green 50-37 last Friday for a two-game season sweep of the Bobcats. Although a Week 11 is not in the Tartans future, the role of being a Titanic spoiler is still in the goal.

It is also the Swan song for seven East seniors, headlined by last year’s Division VI Special Mention All-State performer Justin Crager.

Although being held in check during the team’s five-game losing streak, Crager went off last week against Green, accounting for 235 yards on the ground.

Piketon (7-2, 5-1) at Adena (3-6, 2-4)

If Piketon wants to make it to the playoffs for just the second time in school history, the plan is simple.

Win, and for the first time since 1997, the Redstreaks are in for an 11th week of football. Standing in their way is a trip to Frankfort to take on Adena, a team they lost to last season 36-9.

Piketon, which is fifth in Division IV, Region 15, maintained its upward trend after last week’s 47-21 win at Chillicothe Southeastern. A win Friday night by the Redstreaks could also create a tie for the SVC if Chillicothe Huntington is able to upset Westfall. Currently, the Mustangs are the only team in the conference to clinch a playoff berth as they will be playing in Division IV, Region 16.

Two years ago the SVC did not send a representative to the playoffs in any division. After this weekend, there potentially could be as many as six teams from this eight-member association to advance with Adena and Southeastern being the only ones mathematically eliminated. Outside of Piketon and Westfall, Zane Trace (3-6) is ninth in Region 15 and Unioto (5-4) is 11th.

Buffalo (WV) (7-1) at Symmes Valley (7-2)

Symmes Valley increased its chances of clinching its fourth-straight playoff appearances last Saturday with a 26-13 road win at Notre Dame.

The Vikings can make it official Friday night when they host Buffalo. Symmes Valley enters the game sixth in Division VI, Region 23.

While focus may be on the game in Willow Wood, Symmes Valley fans will have an interest on the Oak Hill-Green contest. A loss by the Oaks gives the Vikings a share of the SOC I.

Portsmouth (1-8, 0-4) at Chillicothe (3-6, 2-2)

Along with Ironton and Wheelersburg, one of Portsmouth’s most storied rivalries in the region has been against Chillicothe.

Friday night, the Trojans and Cavaliers will meet for the final time as members of the SEOAL when they collide at Herrnstein Field.

Next fall, Chillicothe will join the South Central Ohio League for the second time in the program’s history after being a charter member. The exodus will leave the SEOAL with five members.

Portsmouth will look to avoid a winless league record after chance No. 4 to crack the win column turned into a 28-14 home loss to Warren. The defeat marked the first time since 1995 the Trojans finished a season winless at home.

The Cavaliers put a wrench into Jackson’s plans of playing for a league title outright last Friday with a 14-13 decision. The Ironmen have to beat host Gallia Academy Friday night to split the league crown.

Portsmouth pulled a thrilling 31-24 win in last year’s meeting between the two schools for the Trojans first victory of the 2011 campaign.

Oak Hill (7-2, 2-1) at Green (3-6, 0-3)

Already with at least a share of the SOC I wrapped up, visiting Oak Hill will try to claim the conference title outright tonight as the Oaks travel to Franklin Furnace to take on Green.

Despite taking a lump in the form of a 28-0 home loss to Ironton, Oak Hill will also be entering the contest with a chance to secure a home game for next week’s playoffs. The Oaks are second in Division V, Region 19, just points behind another SOC champion, Valley.

It will be the final home game for a Bobcats squad that wants to surpass last year’s win total of three. Oak Hill won last year’s contest 20-12.

Waverly (1-8, 0-4) at Northwest (0-9, 0-4)

Pride and an SOC II victory will both be the items Waverly and Northwest will play for when the two teams take the field Friday night in McDermott.

The Tigers are coming off an emotional 48-7 loss at Minford, days after freshman Beau Szoke was killed in an automobile accident. The Mohawks, stuck in a 15-game losing streak dating back to last year, will try to put last week’s 33-0 loss to West behind them.

Waverly won last year’s meeting 55-20, aiding in Northwest’s current nine-game SOC II losing streak. The last time the Mohawks defeated an SOC II team was when they defeated the Tigers 30-27 to close out the 2010 season and force Waverly into a winless year.

Whitesburg Letcher County Central (1-8) at Greenup County (0-9)

Greenup County’s final attempt to get its first win in over two seasons takes place Friday night when Letcher County Central comes into Lloyd.

The Musketeers are hoping to bounce back from a 47-7 loss to Ashland Boyd County while the Cougars lost 55-19 in their home finale to Williamsburg Whitley County.