WEEK 4: Area teams hitting the road

Of the 12 area high schools that play 11-man football, just four are at home this week. Bellevue, Port Clinton, Huron and St. Paul won't have to hit the road Friday. All four are also overwhelming favorites to win their games. St. Paul will play a Firelands Conference game, but most of the area other teams are finding it harder to find quality games in weeks 3 and 4, as most leagues around the area are into league play. "It has been tough to find a local game during these weeks that most teams are entering their league play," said Edison coach Jim Hall, whose team will make the nearly two-hour trek to Johnstown Northridge High School. Clyde will make its second trip to Toledo in three weeks. The hour-plus drive to the Glass Bowl on the campus of the University of Toledo to play St. Francis comes one week after Perkins made the same trip. The Fliers went to Toledo Waite last year and Toledo Start in 2022 and 2023. "It is very hard to get local games," Clyde coach Ryan Carter said. "We have been having trouble with this for years at Clyde. I think playing teams in our area has benefits that help all schools." Perkins makes the longest Week 4 trip for a game against Harvest Prep in Canal Winchester. The Pirates will bus nearly three hours to take on the Division V power. "We're leaving school early and doing a walk-through at Capital University," Perkins coach Jalen Santoro said. "That aspect is cool because the kids get a good experience and check out a new school. We get the team together for a while and focus on the task at hand." A look at the area games in Week 4: Sandusky at Parma Padua The Blue Streaks (1-2) look to make it two wins in a row when they travel to Parma Padua Franciscan (0-3) for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff. Sandusky picked up its first win of the season last week, dispatching Lorain 32-20. Dante Shipp Jr. had a receiving touchdown and two pick-6 interception scores. For the season, Dale Johnson has completed 18 of 49 passes for 307 yards and three touchdowns. The Blue Streaks have just 129 yards rushing through three games. Padua was limited to three points in Week 1 and lost 7-0 in Week 2. Last week, the Bruins lost in overtime to Bedford. Perkins at Harvest Prep After two losses all of last season, the Pirates suffered their second loss this season last week against Toledo St. Francis, 30-24. Perkins (1-2) had possession down six points, but turned the ball over on downs. Sam Schweinfurth had been solid at quarterback for the Pirates, completing 37 of 69 passes for 600 yards, seven touchdowns and no interceptions. Perkins has only 147 yards rushing so far. Harvest Prep enters at 1-2, having won 47-12 last week against Purcell-Marian. The Warriors gave Perkins one of its toughest games last year with the Pirates escaping with a 28-22 win in Week 4. Margaretta at Willard Sandusky Bay Conference River Division action gets underway as the Crimson Flashes (2-1) host Margaretta (2-1). When the two teams played last year in Castalia, the Polar Bears came away with 50-14 win in Week 10. Margaretta has been led by its ground game as Judah Keller has 36 rushes for 274 yards and two touchdowns while Jake Bouy has totaled 25 carries for 254 yards and six scores. Willard's offense revolves around quarterback Jake Rothhaar. He has completed 37 of 58 passes for 608 yards and five touchdowns while running 66 times for 433 yards and seven scores. Norwalk at Bellevue SBC crossover play takes place at Bellevue Athletic Field when the Redmen (2-1) host Norwalk (1-2). The two teams have met 125 times with Bellevue winning the last five meetings. The Redmen enter after a 49-6 loss to Shelby, the No. 1 team in Division IV. Ike Brown had completed 19 of 32 passes for 280 yards and five touchdowns while rushing 12 times for 112 yards. Norwalk opened the season with a 17-14 overtime win at Toledo Start, but has lost to Ontario (36-6) and Galion (41-0) the last two weeks. Vermilion at Elyria Catholic The only undefeated 11-man team in the area at 3-0, the Sailors head east to take on Elyria Catholic, which enters at 0-3 against a challenging schedule. After missing Week 1, Vermilion's Evan Kuhns has been a man amongst boys the last two weeks. He's amassed 38 rushes for 604 yards and nine touchdowns. The Panthers have lost to Bishop Hartley (55-42), Mayfield (28-13) and Midview (41-20), which are a combined 8-1. Collinwood at Port Clinton The Redskins (2-1) play their first home game of the season when Collinwood, a member of the Cleveland Senate League, comes to True-Lay Stadium. Port Clinton lost 35-20 to Oak Harbor in Week 3. Landon Leis has completed 30 of 68 passes for 499 yards and 10 touchdowns. Malakii Pinkelton has rushed 52 times for 243 yards and two scores for the Redskins. The Railroaders (0-2) had a bye in Week 1 before shutout losses to East Technical (44-0) and Shaw (59-0). Edison at Johnstown Northridge Coming off their first loss of the season, the Chargers (2-1) head to Johnstown Northridge (1-2). Edison is familiar with the Vikings, having defeated Northridge twice last year — 36-0 in the regular season and 42-0 in the first round of the playoffs. The Chargers are expected to be without standout running back/linebacker Bryson Wittmer due to an injury. He's been a focal point of the Edison offense with 45 carries for 360 yards and eight touchdowns. Cole Leimeister has completed 30 of 44 passes for 390 yards and four scores. Trailing 14-0 to Hopewell-Loudon last week, Leimeister threw a pair of touchdown passes just 14 seconds apart to tie the game. The Chieftains responded with a fourth-quarter touchdown to win. Ridgedale at Huron Despite having the highest-scoring offense in the area, the Tigers are 1-2 and are averaging 42 points a game. Huron wasn't able to finish off Genoa last week despite leading by 11 points in the second half. Landon Hohler has completed 66 of 88 passes for 860 yards and nine touchdowns while running 32 times for 124 yards and six scores. Caleb Staley has 16 catches for 281 yards and four touchdowns. The Division VII Rockets (1-2) won in Week 1, but have scored just seven points in each of their last two games. Clyde at Toledo St. Francis The Fliers are 0-3 for the first time since 2011. Clyde was tied in the second half with Ashland (3-0) last week, but the Arrows scored a pair of second-half touchdowns to pull away. Jonathan Lantz is 46 of 83 passing for 524 yards, but has thrown six interceptions. Adam Young leads the Fliers' ground game with 77 carries for 392 yards and four touchdowns. St. Francis (2-1) topped Perkins last week, 30-24. Monroeville at South Central Monroeville (1-2) mustered just a fourth quarter safety in a 14-2 loss to Seneca East last week. The Eagles opened the season with a 46-20 thumping of McComb, but lost to Tiffin Calvert in Week 2, 35-21. The Trojans (0-3) have lost to Willard (46-12), Buckeye Central (34-7) and Rittman (14-12). Plymouth at St. Paul The Flyers (1-2) broke into the win column last week when Nate Griffin made a go-ahead field goal with three seconds left to top Calvert 22-20. Grant Kuhnle has completed 48 of 90 passes for 712 yards and five touchdowns while Nick Pocos has carried 30 times for 116 yards. Plymouth's defense has struggled in losses to Lucas (51-0), Willard (50-28) and Wellington (22-6). 8-MAN Danbury at Holgate Coming off a 36-0 Northern 8 Conference win over Stryker, the Lakers (3-0, 2-0) head to Holgate (2-0, 1-0). Tommy Dean is 11-for-15 passing for 337 yards and seven touchdowns while rushing 49 times for 256 yards and four scores. Drake Turinsky adds 35 attempts for 263 yards and three touchdowns for Danbury. Holgate hasn't played since a 40-14 win over Camden-Frontier (Mich.) on Aug. 28. Stryker at SMCC (Sat.) St. Mary Central Catholic (3-0, 2-0) hosts Stryker (0-2, 0-2) for its second home game of the year. Bryan Gibson has been a big part of the undefeated start for the Panthers. He's racked up 28 rushes for 370 yards and nine touchdowns. Grant Swain and Josh Will each have two rushing scores for SMCC, who beat Kennedy Catholic (Pa.) 31-0 last week. --- SBC Lake Team Conf. All Columbian 0-0 1-2 Perkins 0-0 1-2 Norwalk 0-0 1-2 Sandusky 0-0 1-2 Clyde 0-0 0-3 Friday, Sept. 12 Clyde at Toledo St. Francis Columbian at Bishop Watterson Norwalk at Bellevue Perkins at Harvest Prep Sandusky at Parma Padua SBC Bay Team Conf. All Vermilion 0-0 3-0 Bellevue 0-0 2-1 Edison 0-0 2-1 Port Clinton 0-0 2-1 Huron 0-0 1-2 Friday, Sept. 12 Collinwood at Port Clinton Edison at Johnstown Northridge Norwalk at Bellevue Ridgedale at Huron Vermilion at Elyria Catholic SBC River Team Conf. All Hopewell-Loudon 0-0 3-0 Lakota 0-0 3-0 Woodmore 0-0 3-0 Gibsonburg 0-0 2-1 Margaretta 0-0 2-1 Northwood 0-0 2-1 Willard 0-0 2-1 Calvert 0-0 1-2 Friday, Sept. 12 Calvert at Hopewell-Loudon Gibsonburg at Northwood Margaretta at Willard Woodmore at Lakota Firelands Conference Team Conf. All New London 0-0 2-1 Western Reserve 0-0 2-1 Crestview 0-0 1-2 Mapleton 0-0 1-2 Monroeville 0-0 1-2 St. Paul 0-0 1-2 Plymouth 0-0 0-3 South Central 0-0 0-3 Friday, Sept. 12 Mapleton at Western Reserve Monroeville at South Central New London at Crestview Plymouth at St. Paul Northern 8 Team Conf. All Danbury 2-0 3-0 St. Mary CC 2-0 3-0 Chalker 1-0 2-0 Holgate 1-0 2-0 Fremont SJCC 2-1 2-1 Sebring McKinley 0-2 1-2 Stryker 0-2 0-2 Cardinal Stritch 0-3 0-3 Friday, Sept. 12 Danbury at Holgate Saturday, Sept. 13 Chalker at Fremont SJCC McKinley at Cardinal Stritch Stryker at St. Mary CC