Clinton-Massie had no trouble defeating Dayton Dunbar in the first round of the playoffs.
But Greater Catholic League Co-Ed teams are not Dayton City League teams and therefore McNicholas presents a much more difficult challenge this week.
“They’re record is very deceiving,” Clinton-Massie head coach Dan McSurley said. “They played in the GCL and had a brutal non-conference schedule. It will take a great team effort to move forward.”
Kickoff for Massie versus McNicholas is 7 p.m. tonight at Frank Irelan Field.
Clinton-Massie remained unbeaten with the 50-12 triumph over Dunbar but lost a second running back to a season-ending injury, McSurley said. Peyton Warren, who had replaced injured Logan Chesser in the Falcons backfield, was lost to injury against the Wolverines.
“We will try and develop another back this week to replace him,” McSurley said.
Chesser, a junior, had 1,198 yards and 17 touchdowns in seven games this season and Warren, just a freshman, was motoring along with a 45-574-9 rushing line. So this one stings, too.
Cooper Carmack was more than capable last week with 102 yards and two touchdowns and fullback Eli Muterspaw matched his season-high with 14 rushing attempts as well.
With two top rushers on the sideline, will Clinton-Massie throw the ball more?
OK, you’re right, dumb question. Just kidding.
McNicholas this week brings “the most explosive offense we have faced all year,” McSurley said.
Last week, quarterback Braden Bobo shredded the Eaton defense with 20-for-26 passing, 341 yards and 5 touchdowns. He also ran for 94 yards and another score. Kyle Naumann was the top target with a 4-165-4 receiving line.
SPECIAL TEAMS: McSurley said CMHS kicker Ean McGuinness will “go down as one of many great kickers that I’ve coached over the past 28 years.”
McGuinness has five field goals and 54 extra points this season but more importantly is a weapon on kickoffs. McSurley said McGuinness has more touchbacks on kickoffs than any kicker he’s coached.
“A lot of people that don’t understand football may not realize all of the hidden yardage he has saved for our team with touchbacks and punts,” McSurley said.
RECORDS: Clinton-Massie is 11-0. McNicholas is 6-5 but as McSurley said the Rockets play a “brutal” schedule. Losses are to 9-1 Beechwood (Ky.), 7-3 Wheelersburg, 9-2 Bishop Hartley, 8-3, Archbishop Alter and 11-0 Badin.
PLAYOFFS: The Rockets opened with a 41-20 win over Eaton in the first round of the playoffs.
COMMON FOE: Goshen is the only common opponent this season between Clinton-Massie and McNicholas. The Rockets defeated the Warriors 35-7 in Week 3. The Falcons defeated the Rockets 50-0 in Week 7.
ALL-TIME: Clinton-Massie is 3-0 all-time against the Rockets, with the most recent victory a 28-27 barnburner in 2021 in Week 14. Massie also won 28-14 in 2014 and 52-14 in 2013.
NEXT UP: The winner of this game will play either Indian Hill (9-2) or Alter (8-3) 7 p.m. Nov. 10 at a neutral site. While all games leading up to the state championship game in each division will be at a neutral location after this week, games will still be initially scheduled for Friday nights.
BEYOND THAT: The other two games in Region 16 are: Urbana (8-3) at Springfield Shawnee (10-1) and Cincinnati Wyoming (10-1) at Cincinnati Taft (9-2).
DOWN THE ROAD. There are eight teams remaining in each of the other three regions in Division IV including top seeds Canton South (Region 13), Sandusky Perkins (Region 14) and Steubenville (Region 15).
