Shawnee is making its 13th playoff appearance in program history. The Braves have qualified for the playoffs six straight seasons and will host a game for the fourth time in five seasons.
Shawnee has won six straight games since falling to CBC Kenton Trail champion London, which finished the season 10-0. In Week 10, the Braves beat Northwestern 41-7 to win their first conference title since 2011 — the same year the program advanced to the Division III state championship game.
“We’re super excited,” said Shawnee senior lineman Darian Dixon. “We worked really hard in the summer, and it paid off.”
The Braves senior class has advanced to the playoffs four straight seasons, including advancing to the D-V regional championship game in 2020.
“It’s not new to them so we’re just moving on to the next game,” Shawnee coach Rick Meeks.
Shawnee has won first-round games in back-to-back years but was knocked out in the second round by Taft (2021) and Cincinnati Wyoming (2022).
This year, the Braves want to keep playing as long as possible, said Braves lineman Thomus Morgan.
“We’re just going to keep working hard to make our way through the playoffs and hopefully make it to state,” he said.
Waverly, which is located in Pike County south of Chillicothe, has qualified for the playoffs for eight straight seasons.
“It’s going to be tough competition, so we’ve got to keep working hard,” Dixon said.
In Week 2, Waverly handed Unioto its only loss of the season. Waverly enters the playoffs having lost two of its last three games.
Waverly is led by senior running back Jase Hurd, the school’s all-time leading rusher with more than 4,000 yards. Hurd has rushed for 1,600 yards and 23 touchdowns this season.
“He’s really dangerous,” Meeks said.
Friday’s game could also be the last home game for Shawnee’s senior class.
“We’re all close friends and we work really hard,” Morgan said. “We want to go out with a bang. It’s our senior year and our one last shot.”
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