GWOC teams sweep five GMC matchups, go 13-3 overall

Greater Western Ohio Conference teams had an outstanding collective effort during Friday’s Week 2 high school football games. The 20-team mega conference went a combined 13-3 in non-conference or non-crossover matchups.

That included a five-game sweep of Greater Miami Conference opponents by Fairmont, Centerville, Springboro, Northmont and Springfield.

Eight GWOC teams are 2-0, including all but Wayne in the National East. GWOC teams flexing 2-0 records are Sidney and Tippecanoe of the American North, Trotwood-Madison in the American South, Beavercreek, Centerville, Fairmont and Springfield in the National East and Miamisburg in the National West.

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West Carrollton (1-1) snapped an eight-game losing skid over two seasons and presented first-year coach Derek Hauk his first win, a resounding 41-6 defeat of visiting Northridge. Tommar Coles scored twice for the Pirates, including an 80-yard interception return. Jordan Joseph also scored twice.

That win is significant because West Carrollton is 3-37 over the last four seasons. The Pirates host another Southwestern Buckeye League opponent in Preble Shawnee in Week 3.

• Wayne (1-1) earned a much-needed 17-0 win at Columbus suburb Olentangy Liberty. A quality opponent, Liberty was 13-1 last season, losing only to Cleveland St. Ignatius in a Division I state semifinal.

Wayne junior quarterback Rashad McKee heated up, completing 24 of 38 passes for 228 yards and a 6-yard touchdown pass to Austin Mullins with 4:37 left to secure the victory. Senior receiver L’Christian “Blue” Smith, who committed to Ohio State University last week, had nine catches for 98 yards.

Pine-Richland (Pa.), which humbled Wayne 42-0 in a Week 1 nationally televised ESPN game, defeated rival Pittsburgh Mt. Lebanon 53-29 in a Week 2 shootout. Pine-Richland QB Phil Jurkovec, a Notre Dame commit who wrecked Wayne by accounting for six scores, had 435 yards passing and three touchdowns. Mt. Lebanon receiver Aiden Cain had a state-record 25 catches for 348 yards.

Wayne hosts Clarkson North (Ottawa, Canada) in Week 3.

• Senior running back Ra’veion Hargrove rushed for 205 yards and scored four touchdowns in Trotwood-Madison’s 42-35 shootout defeat of host Piqua. Hargrove scored on runs of 55, 14 and 6 yards (twice) to power the Rams’ running attack. Three of those scores were in the decisive second half.

Piqua QB Austin Davis was just as effective, completing 20 of 31 passes for 284 yards and three scores. Indians receiver Hayden Schrubb had 10 catches for 140 yards, including a 33-yard TD catch from Davis with 3:10 left that completed scoring.

This might not be the last time these teams play. Both are in Division III, Region 12 and have great playoff shots.

• Dayton City League member Dunbar (1-1) responded from a Week 1 beating by Belmont to shut out Ponitz 32-0 at Welcome Stadium.

Ponitz coach Jim Place guided the Golden Panthers to a program-best 7-3 record (including one club win) last season and was thinking playoffs this year. That all changed when the Ponitz roster took a significant offseason hit.

A new Ohio High School Athletic Association ruling meant that all Dayton Early College Academy students had to play for their neighboring schools. At least 13 mostly key former Ponitz players who attended DECA were affected, most reassigned to Meadowdale.

Belmont dodged Fenwick 12-0 on the road and Thurgood-Marshall was thumped 35-0 by Alter. Meadowdale was scheduled to play a non-OHSAA game against Middletown Christian’s club team on Saturday.

• Coldwater suffered a rare non-conference, regular-season loss by falling 24-14 at Clinton-Massie in the first meeting of the proprams. Massie’s Christian Poynter had 163 yards rushing and scored twice for the Falcons (2-0).

Coldwater last lost to a non-Midwest Athletic Conference team in the regular season way back in Week 1 of 2013, falling 22-2 to Kenton. Coldwater (1-1) hosts Marion Local (2-0) in a Week 3 conference opener showdown that could decide the MAC championship.

• There are two Thursday games this week: Bellbrook at Tecumseh (ABC 22 / FOX 45, Ch. 45.2, Ch. 995 Spectrum, mytvdayton.com) and Dayton Christian vs. Ponitz at Welcome Stadium. Both are at 7 p.m.

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