Week Nine preview for area high school football teams

Adena Warriors (3-5, 2-3 Scioto Valley Conference) at Huntington Huntsmen (4-4, 2-3 SVC)

Adena needs a pick-me-up. It took a beatdown from Piketon last week, during a game in which it gave up 52 points and gained just 236 total offensive yards. Huntington, on the other hand, escaped disaster late last week after a last-second touchdown run by Quinton Puckett inched it ahead of Westfall.

The Huntsmen have picked up steam in the latter half of the season, while the Warriors have lost three of their last four games. It's not out of the question for the Warriors to pick up another win, but they'll be hard-pressed to compete with a surging Huntsmen squad that's looking to close the year out with a winning record.

Chillicothe Cavaliers (6-2, 2-1 Frontier Athletic Conference) at Hillsboro Indians (3-5, 0-3 FAC)

The Cavaliers were knocked down a peg after a loss to Washington last week, but they've got a chance to blow off steam this week. The Indians have been blown out by their first three conference opponents, and has given up over 45 points on average in that span.

Chillicothe, while being shut out of the first half last week, still put up a fight. It almost took hold of the lead after two consecutive scoring drives in the fourth quarter and was able to slow the highest-scoring offense in the FAC to a crawl. It should have little trouble dealing with Hillsboro.

Paint Valley Bearcats (5-3, 4-1 SVC) vs. Zane Trace Pioneers (8-0, 5-0 SVC)

The Bearcats, with their undefeated conference winning streak broken by Unioto, will now have to line up against the team to beat in the SVC. The Bearcats have the tools to compete. Braylon Robertson and Dom Chambers have solidified themselves as a potent rushing duo, while Cavan Cooper finds frequent success when passing to wide receiver Carson Free.

Still, Zane Trace is undefeated for a reason. Carter Langley is still surpassing his previous performances, while Daniel Barnhart and Blake Phillips continue to shine as top-tier running backs. Plus, its defense has held three different opponents scoreless this season. Zane Trace is a tough nut to crack.

Piketon Redstreaks (4-4, 2-3 SVC) vs. Westfall Mustangs (2-6, 1-4 SVC)

Piketon has found a groove. It's come alive in its last two games, and it scored more points in that span than it had in its first six games combined. A 52-19 blow out over Adena last week only helped solidify its resurgence on offense. The rushing corps has never looked better, and quarterback Luke Gullion has shown steady improvement this season.

Westfall, on the other hand, has fallen short of victory in its last two games. It almost defeated Huntington last week, but it gave up a touchdown in the waning seconds of the game. Westfall isn't hapless. It's shown that it can hang around conference opponents. All it needs is to lock down late.

Southeastern Panthers (1-7, 0-5 SVC) vs. Unioto Shermans (7-1, 4-1 SVC)

The Panthers were held to just 150 yards of total offense against the Pioneers last week, and they've got another high-caliber opponent lined up for Friday. The Shermans harassed the Bearcats in the second half last week, and their rushing corps scored all six of their touchdowns in the win.

Southeastern has struggled to stand up to its conference opponents this season, and hasn't won a conference game since 2020. Unioto has been on a roll this season, and Southeastern's losing streak might extend another week.

Waverly Tigers (3-5, 1-2 Southern Ohio Conference) at Minford Falcons (5-3, 1-2 SOC)

The Tigers got waxed by Wheelersburg last week, despite solid performances from quarterback Mason Kelly and running back Jase Hurd. They hit another offensive slump and didn't score until well after halftime.

Sure, it's a tough loss, but it also came against one of the top teams in the SOC. Waverly might have another shot at evening out its record when it travels to face Minford on Friday. The Falcons lost to Wheelersburg 42-0 to open up conference play, and their only conference win came against Oak Hill last week.

Waverly was shaken up by Wheelersburg last week, but it can come away with another win if it reignites the offense that it had against teams like Portsmouth West and Valley.

This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: Week Nine preview for area high school football teams