Lakeside Danbury seeking first playoff berth

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COLUMBUS (AP) — The final weekend of the regular season presents a variety of emotions for football players across Ohio.

For some, it’s the last time to wear the school colors. Others already know their teams have done enough to secure their playoff position in the computer ratings. For them there’s a sense of calm before the second season begins.

But for programs that have never made it to the postseason and are on the bubble, the final games will be filled with anticipation, excitement and anxiety.

Lakeside Danbury is one such team. The Lakers, with 18 players on the roster, beat West Unity Hilltop 40-20 on Friday to improve to 6-3, marking their first winning season since 1981. Danbury was 3-7 last year.

The Lakers enter their week 10 game at Toledo Christian in the eighth and final qualifying spot in Division VII Region 26, looking to make the playoffs for the first time in program history. But even a win for Danbury might not be enough. If Delphos St. John’s (5-4), 10th in Region 26, beats Coldwater (8-1), second in Division V, Region 20, St. John’s would vault Danbury.

“We’ve focused on what we can control,” Danbury coach Keith Mora told the Fremont News-Messenger. “In the back of our minds we’re Coldwater fans, but we have to take care of our business.”

STREAKS

Halfback Julius Fisher threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Seth Warniment, and Gabe Vandever kicked two field goals to lead St. Marys Memorial to a 13-7 win over Auglaize County rival Wapakoneta to take sole possession of first place in the Western Buckeye League. The win snaps the Roughriders’ six-game losing streak to Wapakoneta. The victory also ended Wapakoneta’s 33-game WBL win streak (started by then-Redskins’ coach and current St. Marys coach Doug Frye). The teams could meet again in the postseason. . Nelsonville-York has outscored the opposition 270-12 during a six-game winning streak, including 141-0 in the first half. The Buckeyes (7-2) have four shutouts in the past five games after beating McArthur Vinton County 41-0.. After starting the season 2-0, Minster lost its first four Midwest Athletic Conference games and appeared to have its two-year playoff appearance streak snapped. That changed quickly as the Wildcats upset defending Division V state champion Coldwater 33-18 on Oct.7, followed by a win over New Bremen to lock up a playoff spot in week 8. Minster beat Versailles 15-12 last week to move to 5-4 and can clinch a home playoff game with a win over Anna.

NOTABLES

Louisville senior Tyler Adams, who has committed to play football at Harvard, caught 13 passes for 298 yards, including touchdown receptions of 37, 69 and 74 yards; ran 50 yards for a touchdown and had two interceptions in a 46-27 win over Salem. . The Wellston Golden Rockets rushed for 531 yards in a 43-12 win at Pomeroy Meigs. Senior Nick Cox ran for 335 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries, while junior teammate Travis Jayjohn also added three TDs on 28 rushes for 194 yards. . Defiance Ayersville’s Dauson Dales was 18 for 25 passing for 395 yards and five touchdowns in a 34-6 win over Edgerton. Jacob Miller had five receptions for 226 yards and three touchdowns to become the first player in school history with more than 1,000 yards receiving. . Jay Kaufman ran for 296 yards and three touchdowns on 32 carries and completed 10 of 21 passes for 114 yards and two TDs helping Ottawa-Glandorf defeat Elida 42-35 in double overtime. . Donny Johnson ran for 244 yards and three touchdowns to lead Hamler Patrick Henry over Bryan 35-12, clinching at least a share of the Northwest Ohio Athletic League. . Sherwood Fairview’s Luke Breininger threw for a touchdown, ran for a TD and caught a touchdown in a 36-0 win over Holgate. . Brady Bumb had 230 yards on the ground and three scores in Defiance Tinora’s 38-7 win over Antwerp.

PASSING FANCY

North Baltimore sophomore quarterback Brady Rader completed 24 of 35 passes for 397 yards and eight TDs in a 60-27 win over Arcadia. Arcadia provided some fireworks as well, scoring its four TDs on 63- and 99-yard runs by Austin Bohn, a 73-yard run by Skyler Cramer and a 54-yard dash by Trevor Brubaker. . Grafton Midview (8-1) senior quarterback Dustin Crum completed 20 of 27 passes for 328 yards and five TDs, and rushed 20 times for 200 yards and three TDs in a 55-34 win over Avon Lake (6-3). Crum, a Kent State commit, holds all of his school records in passing and rushing and most of Lorain County’s passing records. . Carey quarterback Brayden Wentling completed just 7 of 9 passes, but four went for TDs covering 40, 59, 20 and 80 yards. He also ran for a touchdown in the Blue Devils’ 63-28 win over Bucyrus.

DOWN TO THE WIRE

Milan Edison (8-1) defeated Port Clinton (8-1) 28-14 win at home, forcing a three-way tie atop the Sandusky Bay Conference Bay division with Clyde (7-2). All have a 4-1 league record. . Bascom Hopewell-Loudon receiver Gauge Sadler caught 12 passes for 165 yards and four TDs, the last a 21-yard strike from quarterback Zach Kreais with 47 seconds left, as the Chieftains downed Findlay Liberty-Benton 36-29.

ON THE RUN

Dola Hardin Northern’s Nick Bame intercepted a pass and caught a pass in the Polar Bears’ 46-27 win over Lima Perry on Friday, then ran 3.1 miles on Saturday in qualifying for the Division III regional cross country meet.

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By Craig Merz

Associated Press

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