Football Tangles with Lexington in Region 10 Semifinal of OHSAA Division III State Playoffs
The Central Catholic football team will square off against Lexington on Friday, November 15 in the regional semifinal of the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) Division III State Playoffs. The opening kick against the Minutemen is slated for 7 p.m. at Frost-Kalnow Stadium (300 South Monroe St., Tiffin, 44883).
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 $5 for students and $11 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 (11-1) are the No. 1 seed in Region 10, while Lexington (7-5) is the No. 12 seed.
CCHS is making its 21st-straight playoff appearance under Head Coach Greg Dempsey and 26th overall in school history. Central Catholic has a 53-17 post-season record under Coach Dempsey with 5 state titles (2005, ‘12, ’14, ’22, ‘23) and a state runner-up finish (2015). They are looking to become only the 12th school in Ohio history to secure 3 straight state titles.
Central Catholic advanced to the regional semifinals for a 13th-consecutive year and extended its postseason winning streak to 14 games following a 48-0 victory against No. 9 Revere (7-5) at Gallagher Stadium.
CCHS found the end zone on each of its 1st 6 possessions against the Minutemen, helping the 2-time reigning state champions play the entire 2nd half with a running clock.
Central Catholic posted a massive 456-33 edge in total yards, finishing with 277 rushing yards and 179 passing yards. As a team, CCHS averaged a whopping 8.94 yards per carry. The 456 yards is their 2nd-highest total this fall, surpassed only by 524 yards vs. Findlay in the season opener on August 23.
Junior RB Jeremiah Fuller sparked CCHS with a season-high 93 yards rushing and 2 TDs. In total, 5 of the 7 scores came on the ground.
In addition to a strong running attack, Central Catholic was sensational through the air. Senior QB Isaiah Fox (10-of-14, 148 yards, 1 TD) and sophomore QB Ali Beyboun (3-of-3, 31 yards, 1 TD) combined to complete 76.5 percent (13-of-17 passes) of their passes.
Defensively, Central Catholic limited Revere to less than 5 1st downs, posting its 2nd shutout this fall. Through the 1st 2 rounds of postseason play, Central Catholic has held the opposition to 120 total yards, including a mere 22 yards rushing.
Overall this fall, senior RB Tyler Morgan has registered a team-high 1,092 yards rushing on 193 carries (5.7 ypc) and 12 TDs, followed by junior RB Anthony Sylvester with 514 yards on 79 attempts (6.5 ypc) and 10 TDs. Through the air, Fox has completed 98-of-147 passes (66.7%) for 1,540 yards and 14 TDs. Junior WR Preston Fryzel has been Fox’s favorite target, hauling in 34 catches for 574 yards and 6 scores, followed closely by the trio of junior Sharard Vaughn III, senior Levelle Stokes III, and junior Jerome Davis V with 28, 26, and 23 receptions, respectively.
CCHS, which ranked No. 3 in the final Associated Press Ohio D-III state poll, will battle Lexington on the gridiron for the 2nd time. Back in 2016, Central Catholic defeated the Minutemen, 19-0, in the 3rd round of the state playoffs on November 19 at Tiffin Columbian High School.
The Minutemen enter Friday’s postseason action on the heels of road victories against No. 5 seed Maumee, 28-14, and most recently No. 4 seed Rocky River, 49-29. A member of the Ohio Cardinal Conference, Lexington is appearing in the state playoffs for the 4th time in the last 5 years and 9th time in program history. They are led by 1st year Head Coach Jamie Masi.
Should the Fighting Irish advance to the Region 10 Finals, they would face either No. 3 Cleveland Benedictine (10-2) or No. 7 seed Parma Padua Franciscan (7-5) on Friday, November 22 at 7 p.m. at a neutral site.
