Just three weeks remain in the high school football season and the landscape became clearer as far as league title races over the past weekend.
Although nothing is completely ironed out yet, a couple showdowns may have determined the ultimate champions in the Northern Lakes League and the Northern Buckeye Conference.
And, some of the area's top individuals took steps forward toward potential postseason honors.
Here is a look at what we learned from Week 7, a quick 10 items that especially stood out:
Perrysburg atop NLL: With its 38-28 victory in front of a record crowd of 5,953 at Anthony Wayne, Perrysburg's Yellow Jackets (6-1, 4-0) grab control of the NLL title chase.
The Jackets' potent offense, highlighted by a trio of seniors — quarterback T.J. Takats, running back Connor Walendzak, and receiver Jack Borer — proved to be the difference in avenging last year's 42-20 loss to Anthony Wayne.
The Jackets of second-year coach Dirk Conner, who are averaging 41.6 points per game, have three very winnable league tests remaining against Northview (4-3), Springfield (1-6), and Maumee (0-7).
The Generals (6-1, 3-1), who were playing with their third starting QB (Cadence Carswell) of the season because of injuries to the first two, will now have to point to the Division II playoffs as their new mission with an NLL title likely off the table.
Extra point: Despite the loss to Perrysburg, Anthony Wayne senior running back Joe Caswell did nothing to diminish his status as the reigning NLL player of the year.
With a Yellow Jackets defense focused on stopping him, and AW having little in the way of a passing threat to sway that focus, Caswell ran 24 times for 235 yards, including touchdown runs of 66, 74, and 6 yards in keeping the Generals in the game until late.
Eastwood gets a Boos-t: Last season, coach Craig Rutherford's Eastwood Eagles were just a few key plays away from a Northern Buckeye Conference title and a deeper Division V playoff run in tight losses to Wood County rival Elmwood (56-49), and twice to eventual NBC repeat champion Otsego (38-35 and 35-28).
Each of those defeats were heart-breakers for the 2021 Eagles, who were close down the stretch of all three.
Current Eastwood senior quarterback and defensive back Case Boos did his best last year, including in the shootout loss at Elmwood, when as a receiver he caught 12 passes from his brother Lake Boos for 207 yards and four scores.
At his new offensive position, Boos was not to be denied last Friday at home against the Royals.
He rushed 29 times for 210 yards, including TD runs of 61, 10, and 7 yards, and was 3 of 4 passing for 63 yards and a score.
But it was on defense that he made his biggest play, deflecting a two-point conversion pass from Elmwood QB Hayden Wickard, intended for Micah Oliver with 1:37 remaining, that preserved Eastwood's thrilling 49-48 victory.
The win over the Royals, ranked No. 8 in D-V, put the Eagles in the driver's seat for the NBC title.
Eastwood has conference games left against Rossford (3-4), Fostoria (0-7), and Otsego (5-2).
Another extra point: Coming into the 2022 season, many in northwest Ohio were well aware of the talents of Elmwood senior running back Mason Oliver, who earned first team All-Ohio honors in D-V last year after rushing 199 times for 2,300 yards, catching 23 passes for 207 yards, and scoring 32 total touchdowns.
Oliver has been solid again this year carrying 102 times for 1,322 yards and 15 scores.
But, emerging as another star in the Royals' backfield has been 6-foot-4, 200-pound senior quarterback Hayden Wickard, who was superb in the 49-48 loss at Eastwood. Wickard was 22 of 34 passing for 395 yards and four touchdowns, and ran 16 times for 62 yards and a score.
On the season, Wickard is 88 of 134 for 1,511 yards and 17 scores.
Most complete team: It is perhaps no surprise given its track record the previous 22 years under coach Greg Dempsey (227-53 record) , but Central Catholic appears to be the most complete team that is best prepared for a deep playoff run this season, which is the final one for the Three Rivers Athletic Conference.
The Fighting Irish (6-1, 4-0), ranked No. 8 in the latest Division II state poll, have reeled off six straight dominant wins after a season-opening 23-20 loss at perennial Ohio big-school state power Lakewood St. Edward, the winner of four D-I state titles since 2014, including last year.
In those six wins, Central has topped foes 250-41, an average of 41.7 to 6.8. The latest victory was a 45-7 home win over much-improved Clay (5-2) last Friday.
The Irish have top-notch talent at quarterback and running back with seniors Ty'Waun Clark (74 of 122 passing, 956 yards, 9 TD) and Chris Edmonds (132 rushes, 921 yards, 17 TD), a talented receiving corps, a big and solid offensive line, strength at all three levels of the defense led by University of Toledo DB recruit Braden Awls, and an above-average kicking game.
Central takes a 29-game TRAC winning streak into Friday's first-place conference showdown at Whitmer (5-2, 4-0).
Since the TRAC began play in 2011, the Irish are 131-22 overall, 73-5 in TRAC play, and 33-9 in playoff games, including state titles in 2012 and 2014, a state runner-up finish in 2015, and three other advancements to the state semifinals.
Stingiest defense: The Liberty Center Tigers (7-0, 4-0), ranked No. 4 in Ohio's latest Division V state poll, have been the area's the best defensive squad thus far in 2022.
Coach Casey Mohler's Tigers have recorded shutouts against three teams that were league champions last year — Tinora (31-0), Otsego (9-0), and Northwest Ohio Athletic League rival Archbold (16-0).
After a 49-7 romp at Bryan last Friday, Liberty Center has outscored its opposition 222-34 (31.7 to 4.9 per game). The Tigers are yielding just 52 rushing yards and 86 passing yards per game.
Leading the way has been an imposing defensive line led by 6-4, 266-pound senior Owen Box (11 tackles for loss, 7 sacks), and and 6-3, 260-pound junior Landon Bockelman (12 TFL, 5 sacks). Each has 27 total tackles.
Topping the team in tackles have been senior linebacker Matthew Orr (35) and the Tigers' junior triplets — linebackers Trenton Kruse (46) and Colton Kruse (31), and DB Landon Kruse (33).
Quick hitters
■ Oak Harbor (6-1, 2-0) needed a successful two-point conversion pass from QB Michael Lalonde to Carson Ridener to eke out a 29-28 overtime win over Huron on Friday, and keep its hope of Sandusky Bay Conference Bay Division title on track.
Lalonde was 17 of 27 passing for 260 yards and two touchdowns in the win, and Ridener rushed 40 times for 142 yards. The Rockets have another key division test this Friday at Milan Edison (5-2, 2-0).
■ Whiteford (6-0, 3-0) stayed perfect with a lopsided 68-6 Tri-County Conference win at Sand Creek, and have now topped foes 290-64 (48.3 to 10.7 per game).
Fourth-year starting QB Shea Ruddy was 7 of 7 passing for 121 yards and two touchdowns, and rushed for 76 yards. Michigan's top-ranked Division 8 team, the Bobcats broke the game open with a 32-point second quarter.
■ Whitmer (5-2, 4-0) appeared out of sorts after back-to-back nonleague losses in Weeks 2 and 3. The Panthers fell against Dublin Jerome at home, 36-30, and at Anthony Wayne, 28-10.
But coach Ken Winters' Panthers responded with four straight TRAC wins, topping St. Francis, 41-7, Findlay, 38-14, St. John's, 31-28, and Lima Senior, 55-6, to set up a first-place TRAC showdown against visiting Central Catholic this Friday.
Senior running back Teron Crawford has paced the Whitmer offense with 966 yards on 148 rushes and 11 touchdowns. Sophomore QB Brady Ford is 62 of 105 passing for 1,210 yards and 12 TDS.
■ McComb (6-1, 5-0) took sole possession of first place in the Blanchard Valley Conference standings last Friday with a late touchdown in a 27-20 win at Arlington (6-1, 4-1).
Braxton Althauser scored on a 3-yard run with 45 seconds remaining to lift coach Kris Alge's Panthers to the win. Althauser, who rushed 12 times for 110 yards, had earlier scored on runs of 23 and 9 yards, and on a 96-yard interception return. McComb's Andrew Swisher rushed 18 times for 108 yards.
McComb and Arlington shared the No. 8 spot in the latest Division VII state poll. The Panthers will have a showdown at home on Oct. 21 against Liberty-Benton (5-2, 3-1), which earlier lost at Arlington, 16-13.
First Published October 2, 2022, 9:49 p.m.
