High School Football Roundup: Northmont, Troy roll to playoff victories

Northmont High School senior quarterback Miles Johnson went 20-for-23 for 318 yards and three touchdowns as the Thunderbolts erupted for 21 second-half points to beat visiting Hilliard Darby 42-20 in a Division I, Region 3 quarterfinal game on Friday night.

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The second-seeded Thunderbolts (10-1) will play sixth-seeded Pickerington Central (9-2) in a Region 3 semifinal game at 7 p.m. Nov. 9 at a site to be determined. The Tigers beat Hilliard Bradley 14-13 in a quarterfinal game.

The Thunderbolts led 21-14 at the half, but third-quarter TD passes from Johnson to Drake Hickman and Jazz Keys put the game out of reach.

Hickman caught seven passes for 118 yards and two scores, while Keys caught five passes for 140 yards and a touchdown.

Northmont’s Michael Franklin rushed for 96 yards and two TDs for the Thunderbolts, who won their sixth straight game.

Division II

Troy 48, Harrison 7: Senior Jaydon Culp-Bishop carried the ball 31 times for 356 yards and six touchdowns — both Troy playoff records — as the 10-1 Trojans advanced to the D-II, Region 8 semifinals.

Culp-Bishop now has 2,237 rushing yards this season, becoming the third player in school history to break the 2,000-yard barrier.

The Trojans will play Anderson (9-2) at a site to be determined next week. The Redskins beat Kings 42-35 on Friday night.

Division III

Badin 33, Butler 22: The Rams scored 20 points in the second half to advance to the Region 12 semifinals.

The Aviators took a 16-13 lead on Mason Motter’s 17-yard TD run in the third quarter. But the Rams responded four minutes later on a 2-yard run by Alex DeLong.

The Rams extended the lead to 27-16 when Zach Switzer found Davon Hartmann-Starks on a 30-yard TD pass with 10:17 remaining. Badin sealed the victory

Badin (8-3) will play Alter in a semifinal game next week. The Knights beat Badin 17-7 in Week 8.

Ryan Martin rushed for 113 yards and a TD for Butler, who finished the season 6-5. Motter had 70 yards rushing and two scores.

Wapakoneta 24, Trotwood-Madison 21: Luke Beach's 31-yard field goal with 4:56 remaining lifted the Redskins into the Region 12 semifinals.

The Rams led 21-14 at the end of the third quarter, but the Redskins tied the score on a 1-yard run by Evan Kaeck with 8:18 remaining.

Trotwood had eliminated Wapakoneta in four of the last five playoff appearances.

Fenwick 28, Chaminade-Julienne 7: The Falcons (9-2) led 21-0 at the half and cruised into the D-III, Region 12 semifinals. They'll play Wapakoneta next week at a site to be determined.

Chaminade-Julienne finished 7-4.

Division VI

Marion Local 55, Spencerville 7: Nolan Habodasz had three rushing TDs and Nate Bruns threw for three scores as the Flyers (10-1) cruised to a Region 24 quarterfinal victory.

They’ll play Lima Central Catholic, a 40-18 winner over Covington, at a site to be determined next Friday.

Coldwater 49, Deer Park 14: The Cavaliers (9-2) led 35-0 at halftime en route to a Region 24 quarterfinal win.

Coldwater will play St. Henry next week at a site to be determined. The Redskins, who beat host Mechanicsburg 37-7, defeated the Cavaliers 28-7 in Week 8.

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