Football Set to Tackle Mansfield Senior in Region 10 Semifinal of OHSAA Division III State Playoffs
The Central Catholic football team will battle Mansfield Senior on Friday, Nov. 10 in the regional semifinal of the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) Division III State Playoffs. The opening kick against the Tygers is slated for 7 p.m. at Robert J. Bishop, Jr. Stadium on the campus of Clyde High School (1015 Race St., Clyde, 43410).
Tickets for Friday’s post-season contest MUST be pre-purchased online at OHSAA.org/tickets (Division III, Region 10). All playoff tickets are General Admission. Tickets will cost $9 for students and $12 for adults.
For those fans unable to attend Friday’s neutral-field matchup, it can be heard live on The Ticket l 100.7 FM with the “Voice of the Irish” Bill Clark & Jim Oswald, starting at 6:30 p.m. or streamed online HERE.
The Fighting Irish (12-0) are the No. 1 seed in Region 10, while Mansfield Senior (10-2) is the No. 4 seed.
Central Catholic advanced to the regional semifinals for a 12th-consecutive season and extended its school record winning streak to 27 games following a hard-fought 41-26 victory against No. 9 seed Defiance (8-4) at Gallagher Stadium.
Junior RB Tyler Morgan led the Scarlet & Gray with a season-tying best 4 TDs against the Bulldogs, including a 97-yard kickoff return for a score in the opening quarter. Morgan finished with 14 carries for a season-high 139 yards on the ground, topping the century mark for the 2nd-time this fall. His previous-best effort was 113 yards at Findlay in the season opener.
The reigning D-II state champions also received a 65-yard kickoff return for a TD from junior RB Jacob Spears on the game’s opening play, along with a TD catch by junior WR Levelle Stokes to help them remain unbeaten on the season.
Through the air, senior QB Terry Collins, Jr. completed an efficient 14-of-17 passes for 147 yards. Collins’ favorite target was senior WR Jaylen Watson, who hauled in 5 receptions for a season-high 124 yards. Watson’s previous-best total was 119 yards vs. Detroit Cass Technical in last month’s Prep Bowl at Field Ford in Detroit.
Overall this fall, Collins is 100-of-148 passing (67.6%) for 1,509 yards and 10 TDs, senior RB Marquan Braswell has rushed for 1,367 yards on 185 carries (7.4 ypg) and 27 TDs, while Watson has caught 53 catches for 894 yards and 6 scores.
Braswell’s 1,367 yards rushing is 11th most in school history in a single season, while his 27 TDs are the 7th highest mark. Along those same lines, Watson’s 53 catches are tied for the 4th most in program history, while 894 yards receiving is the 5th most.
A member of the Ohio Cardinal Conference, Mansfield Senior enters Friday’s matchup on a roll, posting 8-consecutive wins. The Tygers have claimed postseason victories against No. 13 seed Lexington, 30-13, and most recently No. 5 seed Rocky River, 55-21. Under the leadership of Head Coach Chioke Bradley, MSHS is making its 5th-straight appearance in the state playoffs and 13th overall. In 2019, they finished runner-up in D-III, losing to Trotwood-Madison, 14-7, in overtime at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.
CCHS, which ranked No. 1 in the final Associated Press Ohio D-III state poll, will square off against Mansfield Senior on the gridiron for the 1st time.
Should the Fighting Irish advance to the Region 10 Finals, they would face either No. 7 seed Medina Buckeye (10-2) or No. 3 seed Tiffin Columbian (10-2) on Friday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. at a neutral site.
