OHIO — While all roads in Ohio high school football lead to Canton, where the OHSAA state championships are played, the school that calls Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium home hits the road in week eight of the OHSAA Game of the Week on Spectrum News 1.
Canton McKinley is search of a third straight Federal League championship and can clinch at least a share with a win at Uniontown Lake on Friday.
The Bulldogs (4-0 in league play, 5-2 overall) currently sit fourth in the Region 1 computer points, primed to host one, possibly two playoff games. McKinley’s losses are to a strong Avon team (by one touchdown), and to Cass Tech, annually one of the top programs in the Detroit area.
The Blue Streaks also sport a 5-2 mark but are 1-2 in league play. Lake is currently ninth in Region 5, with losses at the hands of Massillon Perry and Massillon Jackson.
Canton McKinley leads the series 16-4, including nine straight wins, with the most recent a 29-22 decision a year ago. The Blue Streaks last victory in this match-up was in 2014 (25-22).
Moving to Central Ohio, another 5-2 squad (Delaware) hosts Dublin Scioto in an Ohio Capital Conference (Capital Division) battle.
The Pacers opened with a three-game winning streak and have won two straight coming into this contest. Delaware is still carrying momentum from an 8-2 regular season a year ago, resulting in just the fourth playoff appearance in school history (third in a row).
On their way to another postseason, the Pacers are eighth in Region 3.
The Irish (1-6) have their work cut out for them to make the playoffs in Region 7, currently 21st. But with their three remaining games against teams with winning records (Big Walnut & Westerville North), opportunity to make up ground exists.
Scioto has won eight of the previous nine meetings, but it was Delaware a 48-21 winner a year ago.
In the Greater Miami Conference, Princeton ended Lakota West’s three-year run as league champion a year ago. The Vikings backed that up by beathing the Firebirds again in 2024. Those two defeats at the hands of Princeton are West’s only two GMC losses since 2019.
While both of those teams are tied atop the current standings, they have company in the form of Lakota East. The Thunderhawks are 5-1 in league play (only loss to Princeton), and 5-2 overall.
East will get its crack at rival West next week, but the Hawks can’t look past Sycamore (1-6) on Friday. Currently sixth in Region 4, Lakota East is in great position to make the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
The Thunderhawks are coached by 14-year NFL quarterback Jon Kitna, who spent five of those years (2001-05) with the Bengals. Son Jamison (JT) has committed to play that same position next year in college at the University of Alabama-Birmingham.
The all-time series is a tight one, with Lakota East holding a slim, 12-11 advantage. The Aves won last year’s meeting, 38-30.
All three games begin at 7 p.m. on Spectrum News 1 and the Spectrum News App.
Stay with Spectrum News 1 all season for the OHSAA Game of the Week, including live playoff action beginning Nov. 1, and the state championship games in Canton Dec. 5-7.