Perkins part of stacked final four in Region 14

Whoever advances to the state football semifinals out of Region 14 will have earned it. The loaded Division IV regional — which includes Perkins — features four teams with a combined record of 41-2. One of those losses was to another team in the regional. The Pirates, seeded No. 3 in Region 14, travel to second-seeded Shelby on Friday in a blockbuster regional semifinal. "We're definitely excited for the challenge — two undefeated teams at their place," Perkins quarterback Grant Kuhnle said. "It's a great challenge, but we'll be ready." Perkins and Shelby both are 11-0. The Pirates were state runners-up two years ago and Shelby was a state runner-up last year. Perkins knocked off Bellevue 42-14 last week while Shelby eliminated Firelands 42-3. Kuhnle completed 18 of 21 passes for 313 yards and four touchdowns in last Friday's win. For the season, he's thrown for 1,760 yards, 24 touchdowns and only two interceptions. Senior linebackers Boden Ballinger (111 tackles) and Landon Flores (90 tackles) lead a stout Perkins defense. The Whippets are led by quarterback Michael Shepherd. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound senior, who is committed to play tight end for Miami (Ohio), has thrown for 1,861 yards, 19 touchdowns and two interceptions despite missing three games with mononucleosis. Shelby wide receiver Brady Bowman has caught 61 passes for 1,013 yards and 12 touchdowns. Clear Fork (9-2) travels to Ottawa-Glandorf (11-0) in the other Region 14 semifinal. One of Clear Fork's two losses this season was a 28-21 setback against Shelby in Week 7. Ottawa-Glandorf and Shelby tied for No. 2 in Division IV in the final AP state poll of the season. Perkins was ranked No. 4 while Clear Fork was No. 14. Indian Valley is the top-ranked team in Division IV. The Braves are 11-0 after a close 35-28 win last week over West Muskingum. Indian Valley hosts No. 11 Claymont this week. There are 28 regions across seven divisions in Ohio and the only ones that rival Region 14 in the rankings are Region 7 in Division II and Region 17 in Division V. Region 7 includes No. 1 Bishop Watterson, No. 2 Big Walnut and No. 3 Massillon Washington. Region 17 includes No. 2 Perry, No. 3 Barnesville, No. 4 Girard and No. 10 Garfield. Of the 112 remaining playoff teams, 23 are undefeated. Five defending state champions are still alive in the playoffs. Olentangy Orange (Division I) lost last week and Glenville (Div. IV) was not allowed to play in the postseason after the OHSAA said it discovered paperwork discrepancies involving dozens of Glenville players. Division II includes two defending state champions — Avon and Watterson, which moved up from Division III. Division VI also has two defending champs — Liberty Center, which moved down from Div. V, and St. Henry, which moved up from Div. VII. Regional finals will be played Friday, Nov. 20 at sites to be determined. REGIONAL SEMIFINALS (Pairings include regional seeds. All games at 7 p.m. Friday.) Division I Region 1 No. 5 Hudson (9-3) at No. 1 Lakewood St. Edward (10-1) No. 7 Canton McKinley (9-3) at No. 3 Mentor (9-2) Region 2 No. 8 Hilliard Darby (8-4) at No. 4 Huber Heights Wayne (7-4) No. 3 Perrysburg (10-1) at No. 2 Springfield (9-2) Region 3 No. 4 Powell Olentangy Liberty (7-4) at No. 1 Gahanna Lincoln (11-0) No. 6 Pickerington North (9-3) at No. 2 Upper Arlington (9-2) Region 4 No. 4 Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller (8-3) at No. 1 Cincinnati Princeton (11-0) No. 6 Cincinnati St. Xavier (7-5) at No. 2 Cincinnati Elder (9-2) Division II Region 5 No. 4 Mayfield (11-0) at No. 1 Medina Highland (10-1) No. 3 Macedonia Nordonia (10-1) at No. 2 Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit (8-2) Region 6 No. 4 Oregon Clay (9-2) at No. 1 Toledo Central Catholic (9-2) No. 3 Avon (9-2) at No. 2 Olmsted Falls (9-2) Region 7 No. 4 New Albany (9-2) at No. 1 Columbus Bishop Watterson (10-0) No. 3 Massillon Washington (10-1) at No. 2 Sunbury Big Walnut (11-0) Region 8 No. 5 Troy (10-2) at No. 1 Cincinnati Anderson (10-1) No. 3 Trotwood-Madison (8-2) at No. 2 Harrison (9-2) Division III Region 9 No. 12 Hunting Valley University School (7-4) at No. 8 Youngstown Ursuline (8-4) No. 3 Garfield Heights (9-2) at No. 2 Chardon Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin (10-1) Region 10 No. 4 Wapakoneta (8-3) at No. 1 Celina (10-1) No. 6 St. Marys Memorial (9-3) at No. 2 Ontario (10-1) Region 11 No. 5 Dover (10-2) at No. 1 Steubenville (9-2) No. 3 Columbus East (10-1) at No. 2 Newark Licking Valley (11-0) Region 12 No. 5 Washington Court House Miami Trace (11-1) at No. 1 Bellbrook (11-0) No. 3 Cincinnati Archbishop McNicholas (9-2) at No. 2 Tipp City Tippecanoe (10-1) Division IV Region 13 No. 5 Chesterland West Geauga (10-2) at No. 1 Streetsboro (9-2) No. 3 Beloit West Branch (10-1) at No. 2 Rocky River (11-0) Region 14 No. 4 Bellville Clear Fork (9-2) at No. 1 Ottawa-Glandorf (11-0) No. 3 Perkins (11-0) at No. 2 Shelby (11-0) Region 15 No. 5 Uhrichsville Claymont (11-1) at No. 1 Gnadenhutten Indian Valley (10-0) No. 3 Millersburg West Holmes (9-2) at No. 2 New Lexington (10-1) Region 16 No. 9 Springfield Kenton Ridge (10-2) at No. 5 Urbana (9-3) No. 3 Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy (10-1) at No. 2 London (9-2) Division V Region 17 No. 4 Garrettsville Garfield (11-0) at No. 1 Perry (11-0) No. 3 Girard (11-0) at No. 2 Barnesville (11-0) Region 18 No. 4 Archbold (10-1) at No. 1 LaGrange Keystone (10-0) No. 10 Coldwater (8-4) at No. 3 Pemberville Eastwood (10-1) Region 19 No. 5 Wheelersburg (9-3) at No. 1 Ironton (10-1) No. 3 Gahanna Columbus Academy (8-3) at No. 2 Beverly Fort Frye (10-1) Region 20 No. 4 Waynesville (9-2) at No. 1 St. Paris Graham Local (10-1) No. 6 Middletown Bishop Fenwick (7-5) at No. 2 Williamsburg (10-1) Division VI Region 21 No. 4 Jeromesville Hillsdale (10-1) at No. 1 Kirtland (10-1) No. 6 Hanoverton United (10-1) at No. 2 Canfield South Range (10-1) Region 22 No. 4 Columbus Grove (10-1) at No. 1 Liberty Center (11-0) No. 11 Delta (9-3) at No. 7 Carey (8-4) Region 23 No. 4 Woodsfield Monroe Central (8-3) at No. 1 Hannibal River (11-0) No. 7 Sugarcreek Garaway (9-3) at No. 6 Waterford (9-2) Region 24 No. 12 Versailles (8-4) at No. 9 St. Henry (9-3) No. 6 Mechanicsburg (10-2) at No. 2 Cincinnati Deer Park (10-1) Division VII Region 25 No. 4 New Middletown Springfield (8-3) at No. 1 McDonald (10-1) No. 3 Mogadore (9-2) at No. 2 Cuyahoga Heights (10-1) Region 26 No. 5 Sycamore Mohawk (11-1) at No. 1 Leipsic (11-0) No. 3 McComb (10-1) at No. 2 Hopewell-Loudon (11-0) Region 27 No. 5 Shadyside (10-2) at No. 1 Willow Wood Symmes Valley (11-0) No. 3 Toronto (10-1) at No. 2 Danville (11-0) Region 28 No. 4 Minster (8-3) at No. 1 Maria Stein Marion Local (11-0) No. 7 New Bremen (7-5) at No. 3 DeGraff Riverside (9-2)