"Everyone's watching, to see what you will do
Everyone's looking at you, oh
Everyone's wondering, will you come out tonight
Everyone's trying to get it right, get it right"
There will be plenty of people watching two games in Lawrence County this week.
The first of those games will involve two Ohio Valley Conference teams, who will be trying to keep pace for a chance to win the league.
And just miles away, the second game will have teams from all over the state of Ohio checking in to see if both teams are contenders or pretenders as we reach the midpoint of the season.
And while Loverboy is working for the weekend, you can most certainly bet that the area teams have been working for Friday night.
On a side note, Symmes Valley's was previously scheduled to play West Union on Friday. However, that game has now been cancelled.
Chesapeake Panthers (3-1, 0-1 OVC) @ Grandview Heights Bobcats (4-0)
Time: Friday, September 20, 7:00 PM
Where: Bobcat Stadium, Columbus, OH
Saying this game is important is an understatement. Lots and lots of computer points are at stake this Friday. The Bobcats are undefeated and poised to win a lot more games this season. The Panthers can really boost their postseason plans with a win this week.
Chesapeake
Size Advantage The Panthers will have size advantage up front. The offense will need to use that to their advantage and open holes for the backs.
Play In Space The defense will be tasked with containing Grandview's atheltes on the outside. Staying focused and playing mistake-free ball will be crucial.
Grandview Heights
Double Trouble The Bobcats will look on their two backs, Henry Ohlinger and Owen Nugent, to set the pace on Friday. Expect to see their numbers called a lot.
Swarm The Ball The defense cannot allow the Panthers speed to run wild. They'll need to close down the run lanes and contain the outside.
Green Bobcats (1-3) @ Fairview, KY Eagles
Time: Friday September 203, 7:30 PM
Where: Eagle Stadium, Westwood, KY
Green tries to snap their losing skid by picking up a win in the Bluegrass State on Friday. The Eagles proved they can score a lot of points in last weeks' win, but also showed they can give up a lot of points. The Bobcats will try to slow this one down and grind it out.
GREEN
Get Physical The Bobcats' should have the edge on physicality up front. Establishing the line of scrimmage will be a big part of their success.
Big Plays The defense will need to come up with a big play or two on Friday. Either a turnover or a couple defensive stops will allow the Bobcats extra possessions and a chance to control the game.
Fairview
Light It Up The Eagles will need to keep their offense rolling with their passing attack. Getting the ball in space and executing playcalls will be key.
Stop The Run The defense will have to slow down Green's rushing attack. This means forcing the Bobcats into long down and distance plays and force passing situations.
Fairland Dragons (4-0, 1-0 OVC) @ Gallia Academy Blue Devils (0-4, 0-1 OVC)
Time: Friday, September 20, 7:00 PM
Where: Memorial Field, Gallipolis, OH
The Dragons continue their road trip across the Tri-State this week with a trip to the French City. The young Blue Devils team has had its struggles so far this season and things don't seem to get any easier this Friday.
Fairland
Attack, Attack The Dragons will look to keep their offense rolling. So expect to see them attack the defense will the deep ball to stretch things out and open run lanes.
Give Nothing The defense will need to shut down the Blue Devils offense early and provide no hope of hanging around for 4 quarters,
Gallia Academy
Keep Away Sometimes the best defense is the offense. The Blue Devils will need to keep the ball for as long as possible to shorten the game and give themselves a chance.
Extra Possessions The defense will have to find a way to force a turnover or two. The extra possessions will give the Dragons less chances to score and maybe keep the Blue Devils in the game longer.
South Point Pointers (1-3, 0-0 OVC) @ Rock Hill Redmen (3-1, 0-1 OVC)
Time: Friday, September 20, 7:00 PM
Where: Redmen Stadium, Pedro, OH
Both teams head into Friday's game in different directions, with Rock Hill coming off their first loss of the season and South Point coming in after winning their first game. Both teams will try to use their skill and speed to get an advantage. So don't be surprised to see a track meet this Friday night.
SOUTH POINT
Get Established The offense was able to establish itself early in last weeks' win. Getting into rhythm as quickly as possible will be crucial.
Field Position Battle Rock Hill can take advantage of a short field. So gaining yards, moving the chains and forcing long drives will be key.
Rock Hill
Bounce Back The Redmen will be tasked at shrugging off their first loss of the season. Just getting back to basics will help get over last week.
Halt Hanshaw The defense has to find ways to not only pressure QB Brayden Hanshaw, but also not allow him to use his legs to hurt them running.
Portsmouth Trojans (3-1, 1-0 OVC) @ Coal Grove Hornets (3-1, 1-0 OVC)
Time: Friday, September 20, 7:00 PM
Where: Lemaster Stadium, Coal Grove, OH
After convincing wins in their league openers, both Coal Grove and Portsmouth will battle it out on Friday in the race for the OVC title. This series has been very competitive, with 5 of the last 7 contests being decided by one score. This game will also feature two run-heavy football teams and should be a physically demanding game.
Portsmouth
Hand It To Heiland The Trojans will rely on their workhorse running back, Chase Heiland. The offenses' success will rely on his performance.
Control The Game Both teams are going to try and control the tempo with their style of play. The Trojans must establish themselves early and control the game.
Coal Grove
Grove Yard Gang The offensive line was able to get movement and open holes last week. They'll be a big key factor this week against Portsmouth's stout defense.
Other Ways The Hornets have been able to make big plays this season that don't involve the offense. They'll need a big kick return, force a couple turnovers, or something else to help make the difference on Friday.
Bishop Hartley Hawks (3-1) @ Ironton Fighting Tigers (4-0)
Time: Saturday, September 20, 7:00 PM
Where: Tanks Memorial Stadium, Ironton, OH
The Hartley Hawks make their return to Tanks Memorial for the first time since the 2014 season. For Ironton, this matchup will be looked at by a lot of teams across the state of Ohio in Division 5. As for Hartley, they'll have plenty of teams checking for score updates in a very tough Division 3, Region 11. While both teams will sport plenty of athletes, this should be a battle of contrasting styles. Hartley will look to be physical and methodical. Ironton will be explosive and fast-paced.
Bishop Hartley
Dominate The LOS The Hawks are known to be a ball control team and are probably aware of what happened to St. Francis last week. So establishing the line of scrimmage and controlling the tempo early will be crucial.
Corral The Big Play Ironton will make plays, that's a given. But can the Hawks limit those plays to a minimum? That'll be the big storyline on Friday.
Score First Ironton has not trailed very much this season. So getting those first points could help to swing the momentum and loosen up the Hawks.
Ironton
Fast Attack The offense has managed to start fast in every game this season. One way to get Hartley out of their comfort zone is to get a quick lead and keep the pedal to the metal.
Big And Bad The defensive line for the Tigers will be tasked at plugging the holes on Hartley's ground game. The Hawks will be a much more physical team than anyone they've seen to this point.
No Room For Error This will be a much tougher test than the past 4 games. This means not allowing Hartley a chance to take advantage of any slip ups.
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