Fate of area football teams hinges on Week 10

Pigskin prognosticator projects four area squads making postseason plans.

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By Rick Cassano, Staff Writer Updated 8:48 AM Thursday, October 29, 2009

MIDDLETOWN — And then there were four.

Shuck’s Projections publisher Steve Shuck is picking a quartet of area prep football teams to make the playoffs: Middletown in Division I, Monroe in Division III, and Valley View and Carlisle in Division IV.

The regular season ends this weekend. Here’s the region-by-region breakdown:

Division I, Region 4

Shuck has Middletown (8-1) finishing eighth in the region, earning a first-round road contest against Moeller.

He is projecting the Middies to win at Princeton (5-4) on Saturday, Oct. 31, but Middletown is in a precarious position.

One game is especially vital to the Middies and Colerain, which Shuck has finishing just out of the playoff field in ninth place — Fairfield (5-4) at Hamilton (2-7).

Shuck is picking the Indians to win that contest, which boosts Middletown. If HHS wins and Shuck’s other projections are right, Colerain and the Middies would switch spots in the final Harbin computer standings.

Lebanon (7-2) also remains alive, and Shuck thinks the Warriors will win at Miamisburg (1-8) on Friday and place 10th in the region. LHS will need some help to qualify.

Springboro (7-2) is expected to beat visiting Fairborn (6-3) on Friday. The Panthers are still in the hunt mathematically, but realistically, their season will probably end this weekend.

Division III, Region 12

Shuck sees Monroe (7-2) finishing sixth in the region and heading to Circleville Logan Elm in the first round.

The Hornets will be heavily favored to end the regular season with a victory over visiting Dayton Northridge (1-8) on Friday. But this is a very tight region, and an upset here or there could have a major effect on the final standings.

Case in point: Franklin (6-3) is projected to win at Dayton Oakwood (1-8) on Friday and place 10th in the region. But Shuck sees the Wildcats finishing less than a point behind sixth-place Monroe.

Division IV, Region 16

The situation is simple for Valley View (6-3) and Carlisle (7-2). If the Spartans beat visiting Brookville (5-4) and the Indians win at home against Dixie (5-4) on Friday, they will be in the playoffs.

Shuck has both teams winning. He believes Valley View will finish fifth and travel to Kenton in the first round, with Carlisle placing sixth and visiting North College Hill next weekend.

The Spartans have a pretty good shot at qualifying even with a loss. The Indians may not have that luxury.

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