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C I T Y L E A G U E- SO U T H
Overview

Warriors, 76ers take aim at Red Devils

By SCOTT GERFEN loss to visiting Uniontown Lake in a to have to be a playmaker as well as
ThisWeek Contributor Inside the division regional quarterfinal.
Eastmoor also reached the play-
a decoy, but we’re really like a fam-
ily this year and we’re going to take
With 14 consecutive league victo- 2006 STANDINGS Briggs at South offs at 7-4 overall, but fell to New it one game at a time because you
ries the last two seasons and three Team League Overall Walnut Ridge at Eastmoor Lexington 42-14 in a Division IV can’t go 10-0 without going 1-0 first.”
Marion-Franklin 7-0 9-2 Marion-Franklin at West
consecutive Division II playoff Eastmoor 5-2 7-4 Oct. 5 regional quarterfinal. Independence, a team that’s
appearances, the Marion-Franklin Independence 4-3 4-6 South at Africentric “We tell our kids every year that endured three consecutive losing sea-
High School football team remains South 4-3 6-4 Walnut Ridge at Briggs we expect to win the city,” Marion- sons at 4-6, looks to be the most expe-
the team to beat in the City League- Walnut Ridge 3-4 4-6 Eastmoor at Marion-Franklin Franklin coach Brian Haffele said. rienced group with the return of 24
West 3-4 3-7 West at Independence
South Division. Africentric 2-5 4-6 Oct. 12
“To do that we’re going to have to seniors and a supporting cast to sur-
The Red Devils’ streak has been Briggs 0-7 0-10 Africentric at Walnut Ridge beat Eastmoor and Independence, round Nicholas.
quite impressive under third-year 2007 SCHEDULE Marion-Franklin at Briggs and everybody knows who they have. The only question mark is the
coach Brian Haffele, but there’s talk Sept. 14 Independence at Eastmoor They’ve got the two big backs back.” offensive line, said coach Alan Jones,
of there being a new champion at the West at Africentric South at West Senior Luther Nicholas of Inde- whose team will play at Eastmoor on
Briggs at Eastmoor Oct. 19
end of October. South at Independence Briggs at Africentric pendence was the only junior to make Oct. 12 and at Marion-Franklin on
“I think the South is wide open and Walnut Ridge at Marion-Franklin Eastmoor at West first-team all-state last year when he Oct. 19.
I don’t think there’s one dominant Sept. 21 Independence at Marion-Franklin rushed for 1,942 yards on 304 car- “I think we’ll be a lot more com-
powerhouse this year,” South coach Marion-Franklin at Africentric Walnut Ridge at South ries and 14 touchdowns. Eastmoor petitive than we have been the past
Jeramie Carter said. “With Marion- Independence at Briggs Oct. 26 senior Isaiah Pead was the Division three years and a lot of it has to do
Eastmoor at South Africentric at Eastmoor
Franklin running the table the last West at Walnut Ridge West at Briggs IV district Player of theYear after he with the maturity factor,” Jones said.
two years, I don’t think that’s going Sept. 28 Independence at Walnut Ridge rushed for more than 1,800 yards “I know Marion-Franklin lost a lot
to happen again. I think the league Africentric at Independence Marion-Franklin at South (10.1 yards per carry) and scored 23 of kids, but they’ve got a lot of kids
experienced the loss of a number of touchdowns. coming back. Coach Haffele has set
graduates, so I think it’s wide open Marion-Franklin finished 7-0 last 4), Walnut Ridge (3-4), Africentric “I feel like there might be some up a real nice rich tradition with those
and I think coaching is going to play year, ahead of Eastmoor (5-2), South (2-5) and Briggs (0-7). It closed the weight on my shoulders to carry the
a big role.” (4-3), Independence (4-3), West (3- season at 9-2 overall with a 16-13 team,” Pead said. “I’m definitely going See CITY-SOUTH, page 68

Marion-Franklin
Red Devils motivated
by narrow playoff loss
By SCOTT GERFEN
ThisWeek Contributor At a glance
After every practice, the Marion-Franklin MARION-FRANKLIN RED DEVILS
Colors: Red and white
High School football team huddles together Coach: Brian Haffele, third season
and shouts, “Fourth-and-1.” The words even Key players: Desmond Barnett, Terrell Hale, Robert
appear on players’ T-shirts. Harris, Roy Harvison, Jeremy Hill, Chris Johnson,
It serves as a reminder of last season’s 16- James Lunsford, Tyrell Massey, Travonn Moore, Chris
Taber, Deon Taylor and Glen Wilson
13 loss to Uniontown Lake in a Division II On the Web: marionfranklin.homestead.com
regional quarterfinal after the Red Devils 2007 SCHEDULE
entered the playoffs as the top-seeded team Aug. 24..............Trotwood Madison .............Home
ahead of eventual state runner-up Pickering- Aug. 31..............Mifflin ................................Away
ton Central, Watkins Memorial, Watterson, Sept. 7...............Northland .........................Home

August 22, 2007 • Central Ohio High School Football Preview ’07
Sept. 14 ............Walnut Ridge ....................Home
Chillicothe, Alliance and Canfield. Sept. 21 ............Africentric...........................Away
“We haven’t forgotten that loss on our home Sept. 28 ............West..................................Away
field,” senior quarterback Jeremy Hill said. Oct. 5 ................Eastmoor..........................Home
“I think it was our first loss at home in 15 Oct. 12 ..............Briggs ................................Away
Oct. 19 ..............Independence...................Home
games. We’ve still got a chip on our shoulder Oct. 26 ..............South.................................Away
By Karen Carter/ThisWeek
for that.” Red Devils quarterback Jeremy Hill threw for 811 yards and 15 touchdowns last season.
2006 RESULTS
Coach Brian Haffele has made sure his team (9-2 overall, 7-0 City-South)
doesn’t forget as it expects to make its fourth Groveport..................................................L, 29-7 started, including six who played on both are seniors Terrell Hale (6-foot-4, 250) and
consecutive appearance in the postseason and Mifflin ......................................................W, 12-2 sides of the ball. James Lunsford (6-2, 260). Senior Roy Harvi-
earn yet another City League-South Division Northland.................................................W, 20-0 “For us, it’s going to be about our young son will play tight end.
Africentric ................................................W, 40-6
championship. West........................................................W, 34-6 offensive line and if they can come off the Senior Chris Johnson (6-6, 230), an end
The Red Devils, who finished 9-2 overall Eastmoor ...............................................W, 31-18 ball,” he said. “If they can, we’ll be in the mix who was all-district and all-City, is expected
last year, never have made it past the first Briggs ......................................................W, 44-6 this year because the skill kids we have are to be a leader on a defense that will include
round of the playoffs, with losses to Watter- Independence ..........................................W, 33-0 going to be pretty good.” Harris and Hale up front, Harvison and Bar-
Walnut Ridge..........................................W, 21-14
son in 2005 and Pickerington Central the year South ....................................................W, 21-13 The offense averaged better than 26 points nett at linebacker and Tyrell Massey, Deon
before. PLAYOFFS per game, second to City leader Eastmoor Taylor and Travonn Moore in the secondary.
They squandered a second-half lead against Uniontown Lake ......................................L, 16-13 (35). Last year’s defense, which was tops in the
Uniontown Lake. Hill is back as one of the league’s top passers City, held opponents to a little more than nine
“It was late in the game and we went for it BE THE ONE to after he completed 44 of 86 passes for 811 points per game.
on fourth-and-1,” said Haffele, whose team
will open Friday at home against Trotwood
champion yards and 15 touchdowns. He’ll be looking
to throw to senior Glen Wilson.
Haffele has seen nothing but total com-
mitment from his players in the offseason.
life for patients in need.
Madison. “If we would’ve got it, I think we In the backfield, senior Robert Harris (6- “We had 60 guys in the weight room all
1-800-GIVE-LIFE
could’ve run the clock out. They stopped us BloodSavesLives.org foot-2, 210 pounds), a transfer from South, winter and spring and I tell the team that’s
and hit two big plays, and the next thing you and junior Desmond Barnett should provide where you win your championships,” he said.
know, they beat us.” plenty of power for the running game. Har- “You don’t do it August through November.
Marion-Franklin won the City-South at 7- Ridge (3-4), Africentric (2-5) and Briggs (0- ris missed all but one game last season with You do it January through August. Our kids
0 last year ahead of Eastmoor (5-2), South (4- 7). an injury. have bought into that system and we’re stronger
3), Independence (4-3), West (3-4), Walnut Haffele must replace nine graduates who Along the line, the two returning starters than we were last year.” 57