Future Buckeye Roundup: Notable Commits from Friday's Action
There was some regular-season play, some postseason action and, overall, just nice high school football across the state and country Friday night for Ohio State commits.
Plenty of in-state future Buckeyes suited up for round two of the OHSAA playoffs, while many others continued pushing along in various parts of the country.
Within state lines, almost everyone advanced to the next round while elite 2022 linebacker Gabe Powers (Marysville) unfortunately saw elimination in a wild 48-41 game vs. Clayton Northmont. With rising receiver Markus Allen lining up on the opposite side, Northmont held a 34-24 lead entering the fourth quarter until Marysville scored 17 unanswered, the last sequence being a 35-yard TD on a halfback pass with 3:24 remaining…
Northmont rallied with two touchdowns in the closing minutes, however, as Allen finished the night at 10 catches for 151 yards and three touchdowns. Powers ran 10 times for 87 yards and a TD, caught four passes for 44 yards, threw a score and also played defense.
Aside from that, blowouts were in order for other future Buckeyes in OHSAA brackets….
Wide receiver Jayden Ballard and Massillon Washington stomped Walnut Ridge, 56-0, as Ballard opened the scoring with a 63-yard touchdown grab. Defensive lineman Michael Hall (Streetsboro) returned from a hand injury as his Rockets blasted Niles McKinley, 41-6. Hall was right back to his old self, chasing McKinley QB Zack Leonard from sideline to sideline. Offensive lineman Ben Christman and Richfield Revere kept Medina Buckeye off the scoreboard in a 27-0 shutout, while Jaylen Johnson (and defending D2 champs) Cincinnati LaSalle pulled away from Little Miami 41-14.
In the 2022 cycle, athlete C.J. Hicks and Dayton Archbishop Alter posted a 35-0 victory over Dayton Dunbar. Hicks put the finishing touches on Alter’s scoring output by carrying a pair of defenders into the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown with 3:32 remaining.
Cornerback Jyaire Brown and offensive lineman Tegra Tshabola spearheaded top seed Lakota West to a 31-14 triumph of rival Lakota East in Division 1, region 4. The Firebirds remain unbeaten this fall.
Moving to other states, 2021 cornerback Jordan Hancock and the North Gwinnett defense extended its scoreless streak to 10 quarters with a 31-0 win over Mill Creek. Hancock, making his season debut, paced the defense while adding 32 yards on three offensive touches.
“It was great to see (Hancock) back out there,” head coach Bill Stewart told the Gwinnett Daily Post. “I think energy-wise, bringing some more energy and obviously he’s super talented. I think our kids had a lot of fun having him back and he had fun. That was the cool thing.”
Class of 2021 athlete Denzel Burke helped Saguaro HS deliver a ridiculously lopsided 70-14 final over Maricopa out in Arizona. The Sabercats are now 2-0 after a lengthy wait to start playing this season.
Future linebacker/safety Dasan McCullough continued doing a bit of everything for Blue Valley North down in Kansas, catching a third-quarter touchdown to put the Mustangs ahead 28-21. However, Blue Valley West rallied for a 31-28 victory down the stretch, culminating on a field goal with 20 seconds remaining.
More future Buckeyes will be on the field Saturday night. Reid Carrico will lead top-seeded Ironton into the second round of its postseason against New Lexington while Kyle McCord and Marvin Harrison Jr. also lace back up.
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