Week Five preview for area football teams
Adena Warriors (2-2, 1-0 Scioto Valley Conference) at Paint Valley Bearcats (2-2, 1-0 SVC)
The Warriors began conference play on the right track by blowing out Southeastern while on the road. Now, they've got a bigger challenge on their hands. The Bearcats manhandled Westfall last week, and their offense isn't going to slow down soon. If the Warriors want to tack on another win, they'll need to find a way to either stop the Bearcats or keep pace.
It won't be easy either way. The Bearcats score quickly, often and without remorse. They dropped a season-high 59 points on Westfall last week, and they might do so again if the Warriors aren't prepared.
Chillicothe Cavaliers (3-1) at Logan Chieftains (1-3)
Chillicothe has proven time and time again that it's not a team to be trifled with. A major win over Waverly last week emphasized that point. But the final week of Chillicothe's nonconference schedule will serve as a bit of a warm-up when it travels to face Logan on the road.
The Chieftains are a small hurdle to jump over. They've been held to eight points or less in all of their losses this season, and two of those losses came from Teays Valley and Jackson. Plus, their only win came as a three-point victory over Warren last week. If there's any game for the Cavaliers to take easily, it will be their game against the Chieftains.
Huntington Huntsmen (2-2, 0-1 SVC) at Zane Trace Pioneers (4-0, 1-0 SVC)
The Huntsmen are looking for a rebound after being nearly shutout by Unioto last week. They only scored once and were shut out entirely in the second half.
They won't find any respite this week. The Pioneers are just as capable of knocking down opponents as the Shermans. They held Piketon back and cruised to a solid victory in Week Four behind the rushing duo of Daniel Barnhart and Blake Phillips. The pair accumulated 257 combined rushing yards on 19 carries. If the Pioneers can keep up the offensive pressure, they'll have their fifth win in the bag.
Piketon Redstreaks (2-2, 0-1 SVC) vs. Unioto Shermans (4-0, 1-0 SVC)
The Redstreaks are jumping from one undefeated team on their schedule to another. Although they were overrun in the second half against Zane Trace last week, the Redstreaks still have plenty of positives to hold on to. The defense forced two turnovers in the first quarter alone, and the quarterbacks unit showed depth when Brent McGuire and Luke Gullion spent time under center.
But the Shermans have that as well, and an explosive offense to boot. They've dropped 48 points or more in their last three games, and they held Huntington scoreless for the entirety of the second half last week. Their receiving corps is as strong as ever and their other skill positions are just as solid.
Southeastern Panthers (1-3, 0-1 SVC) vs. Westfall Mustangs (1-3, 0-1 SVC)
Both the Panthers and the Mustangs are trying to recoup after a hard loss in the first week of conference play.
Southeastern, while only putting up 16 points against Adena, still performed to a decent degree. R.J. Cartwright racked up 116 receiving yards on two receptions last week, and Ryan Peters rushed for 115 yards and one touchdown. The Panthers have the tools necessary to gets points on the board, and they have a chance to do so against the Mustangs.
Westfall, on the other hand, is in a similar situation. It's fresh off of a blowout loss to Paint Valley, but there are still positives to take away from the loss. Bryce Wickline is forming a solid backbone on offense, and Westfall dropped 25 points on a strong Paint Valley defense.
Waverly Tigers (2-2) at Johnson Central Golden Eagles (2-2)
The Tigers are going out-of-state for their final nonconference matchup. They'll be heading two hours south to Paintsville, Kentucky, in order to face Johnson Central.
The Golden Eagles have only faced one other team from Ohio this season. They hosted Ironton last week and were halted in a 32-21 loss. The Tigers have the offensive potential to match those numbers, but they've been held under 30 points in their two most recent losses. Jase Hurd can run the ball as effectively as ever, but there's only so much he can do to keep the Tigers offense going.
This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: Week Five preview for area football teams
