Will Top Defensive Performances Translate into State Championships?

There’s an old adage in football that goes: Offense wins games, but defense wins championships.  So does one need to look no further than the teams with the great defenses in order to predict the eventual winners?  Maybe it’s as simple as that.  But maybe it’s not.  For, there is still a slew of teams with good records that have their goals set on taking home a state crown.

In the top two divisions there are 45 teams that have compiled records of 6-2 or better.  But, only about a third of them have given up two touchdowns or less per game, in spite of most possessing high-scoring offenses.  Here’s a look at the ones with the good scoring defenses.

Division 1 – Six of the 23 top teams in this division have good defensive numbers.  They are:

  • Lakewood St. Edward (7-1) – Average score, 33-13. Lost to Massillon (8-0).  Wins over Center Grove, IN (7-1) and Good Counsel, MD (5-1).  Finishes with Cincinnati Moeller (5-3) and Akron Hoban (8-0).
  • Gahanna Lincoln (8-0) – Average score, 34-9. No big wins recorded.  Plays Pickerington North (8-0) in Week 10.
  • Cincinnati Princeton (8-0) – Average score, 28-10. Wins over Lakota West (6-2) and Hamilton (6-2).  No challengers remain.
  • Westerville North (6-2) – Average score, 26-13. Lost to Westerville South (4-4) and Canal Winchester (8-0).  No challengers remain.
  • Centerville (7-1) – Average score, 24-13. Lost to Dublin Coffman (6-2).  Win over Miamisburg (6-2).  Plays Huber Heights Wayne (6-2) in Week 10.
  • Hamilton (6-2) – Average score, 22-13. Lost to Hamilton Badin (8-0) and Cincinnati Princeton (8-0).  No big wins.  Plays Lakota West (6-2) in Week 10.

Division 2 – Eight of the 22 top teams in this division have good defensive numbers.  They are:

  • Troy (7-1) – Average score, 35-4. Lost to Tippecanoe (6-2).  Win over Vandalia Butler (6-2).  No challengers remain.
  • Akron Hoban (7-0) – Average score, 40-7. Wins over Walsh Jesuit (7-1) and Cleveland Glenville (5-3).  Plays Lakewood St. Edward (7-1) in Week 10.
  • Cincinnati Winton Woods (6-2) – Average score, 23-7. Lost to Cincinnati Anderson (7-1) and Milford (8-0). Win over Trotwood-Madison (7-2).  No challengers remain.
  • Avon (8-0) – Average score, 40-8. Wins over Canton McKinley (7-1), Cleveland Glenville (5-3) and Olmsted Falls (6-2).  Plays Avon Lake (6-2) in Week 10.
  • Massillon (8-0) – Average score, 40-9. Wins over Valdosta, GA (5-2), Mansfield (6-2), Lakewood St. Edward (7-1), Middletown, DE (4-1) and St. John’s College, DC (3-3).  Plays Canton McKinley (7-1) in Week 10.
  • Canal Winchester (8-0) – Average score, 33-9. Win over Westerville North (6-2).  Plays Delaware Hayes (7-1) in Week 9.
  • Medina Highland (7-1) – Average score, 43-13. Win over Hudson (6-2).  Plays Aurora (7-1) in Week 10.
  • Uniontown Lake (6-2) – Average Score, 23-13. Lost to Alliance (4-4) and Canton McKinley (7-1).  Plays Green (5-3) in Week 10.

Will the eventual state champions come from these groups and thereby prove out the adage or will strong offenses rule the roost?  We’ll know the answer in another eight weeks.

dengelhardt

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