Edison seeks bounce back at upstart Western

COLLINS — The Edison football team will make the short 10-mile trip to Collins on Friday to face the upstart Roughriders in the final non-league game of the 2019 season for Western Reserve.The Chargers (1-1) enter the game coming off a 40-20 loss at Seneca East (2-0) last Friday in Attica. Edison fell behind 13-0 early, and never got closer than a 13-7 deficit in the first quarter.The Chargers beat up on Firelands, 40-25, in the Aug. 30 season opener in Milan.Western Reserve opened the win with a 42-34 win at Wellington on Aug. 30, then responded to a 12-7 halftime deficit at Margaretta last week by outscoring the Polar Bears 22-0 in the second half of a 29-12 victory.It was the second straight win by the 'Riders in Castalia, as they also posted a thrilling 29-28 win at Margaretta in 2017."Edison is a physical team that plays really hard," Western Reserve coach Ty Stevenson said. "They execute very well on both sides of the ball and will take advantage of any weaknesses you have. They present a great challenge for us."Since the Edison-Western series resumed in 2015, it's been all Edison. The Chargers won 42-0 and 49-14 in 2015 and 2016 when they advanced to back-to-back Division V state semifinals.In 2017, the Chargers won by a 24-7 score in Collins, and cruised to a 48-13 win last season in Milan. In the four recent meetings, Edison has a 162-34 scoring advantage (41-9 average score).The two teams were in the Firelands Conference together from 1968-1985 until Edison's move to the Sandusky Bay Conference. The Chargers went 15-3 against the 'Riders in those FC matchups.The Chargers and 'Riders played again from 1993-96 with Edison winning three of the four. Edison leads the all-time series, 22-4. Monroeville (1-1) at Margaretta (0-2)The Eagles and Polar Bears will meet for the sixth straight season on Friday at the 'Duck Pond' in Castalia.The short series has seen a little bit of everything, with Monroeville holding a slight 3-2 edge. There have been blowouts and close games spread throughout, with the Eagles winning in 2015 (14-8), 2016 (28-16) and last season (46-16).Monroeville opened the season with a 31-7 loss at home to perennial playoff regular Tiffin Calvert on Aug. 30. The Eagles rebounded with a resounding win over Portsmouth Notre Dame (0-2) on Saturday, a 41-0 victory at Marsh Field.On the road for the first time this season, the Eagles face a Polar Bears team desperate to find the win column. Margaretta lost to another playoff regular, 35-6, at Seneca East in Week 1.Last week, the Bears were unable hold a 12-7 halftime lead in a 29-12 loss to Western Reserve.Margaretta's two wins over Monroeville were in 2014 (45-13) and 2017 (35-12). Seneca East (2-0) at Willard (0-2)It's already been a tough opening to weeks to start the season for the Crimson Flashes.Willard gave up 46 points to both South Central (46-14) and Plymouth (46-12) from the FC. Up next is a Seneca East program that is not only coming off a Div. VI state semifinal appearance in 2018, but a Tigers team that has its sights set on a fifth straight playoff appearance overall.The Tigers have handled Margaretta (35-6) and Edison (40-20) from the SBC River and Bay divisions prior to Friday's game at Willard for the Flashes' home opener.The matchup with Seneca East replaces longtime Northern Ohio League and nearby rival Shelby after 91 consecutive meetings between the Flashes and Whippets.Willard QB Cooper Parrott is 21-of-44 passing for 265 yards and a TD, while also rushing 25 times for 73 yards and a score. Wellington (1-1) at New London (0-2)The Wildcats are inching closer to getting back in the win column after last week's 22-20 loss to Cardinal Stritch at Recreation Park.New London fell behind 22-6 in the first quarter, only to score twice and come up a 2-point conversion shy of tying the game.The Wildcats have lost 19 straight games dating back to the 2017 season, which coincidentally was over this week's opponent — a 34-8 win over Wellington on Sept. 8, 2017.New London QB Payton Wilson is 30-of-55 passing for 260 yards with a pair of TDs through the season's first two games. Parker Ruble has 12 catches for 152 yards and both touchdowns for the 'Cats. South Central (2-0) at Keystone (1-1)The Trojans will have their first road game of 2019, and it's a test when they visit the host Wildcats on Friday in LaGrange.Keystone lost a tough opener to Div. III playoff regular Bay (26-20), then posted a 29-21 win last week over Div. III Cloverleaf. After opening last season 0-4, the 'Cats won five of their last six games to finish 5-5. Overall, Keystone has won six of its last eight games dating back to Week 5 of 2018.The Trojans blew out Willard (46-14) and Oberlin (48-12) for two wins in Greenwich. For South Central, Evan Legg is 17-of-33 passing for 333 yards with 5 TDs and an interception, with David Lamoreaux catching seven passes for 141 yards and 4 TDs. Timmy Jayes has five catches for 92 yards, while Trey Beverly leads the rushing attack with 203 yards and 2 TDs on 27 attempts. Plymouth (2-0) at Buckeye Central (0-2)The Big Red has also opened 2019 with a bang, running their way past both Cardington-Lincoln (48-18) and the Crimson Flashes (46-12) for two big performances.Across the two games, Plymouth has ran the ball 96 times for 606 yards and 12 TDs.The backfield of Josh Stevens (20 attempts, 178 yards, 3 TDs) and Lukas Montgomery (26 attempts, 134 yards, 4 TDs) has led the way thus far.After beating nearby rival Willard, another rival in form of the Bucks awaits this Friday as the Big Red will make the short 13-mile trip to Buckeye Central.The Bucks were shutout by Crestline, 12-0, in the Aug. 30 season opener. Last week, they were routed at Dalton, 41-7.Plymouth won last season's meeting, 47-7. The Big Red also won big in 2016 (39-19) and 2017 (34-14) and seek a fourth straight win in the series. Bellevue (2-0) at Mansfield Madison (0-2)The Redmen have cruised by two opponents to equal half of last season's win total from a rare down year at 4-6. They will also be heavy favorites to improve to 3-0 for the first time since the 2012 season when they reached the Div. III state championship game.The host Rams have opened the season with losses by 30 and 25 points to visiting Shelby (50-20) and at River Valley (39-14). Madison was 1-9 last season, 0-10 in 2017 and 2-8 in 2016.The Rams are 3-29 over that span entering Friday's game with Bellevue.Meanwhile, the Redmen opened the season with resounding wins at Port Clinton (35-0) and vs. University School (49-14).Western Reserve's Luke Wyers takes down a Margaretta runner during a Sept. 6 game in Castalia. The Roughriders (2-0) entertain Edison (1-1) in their home opener on Friday.Monroeville's quarterback Isaac Roeder passes on the run to Isaiah Scheid coming during the first half of Saturday's game vs. Portsmouth Notre Dame at Marsh Field.Willard's Hayden Meisner gets focuses on the ball coming his way for a catch during the first half of a Sept. 6 game at Plymouth.