H.S. Football Notebook: Bloom-Carroll looking to clinch seventh straight MSL championship

LANCASTER – As we head into Week 9 of the regular season of high school football, teams still have much to play for.

Several teams continue to fight for playoff berths, which makes these final two regular season games important.

Bloom-Carroll, Amanda-Clearcreek, and Fairfield Union are all ranked in the top 8 of their respective regions, and if they hold those spots, they would each host first-round games. Lancaster, Fisher Catholic, and Fairfield Christian Academy are the other three teams that ranked in the top 16 and would qualify for the playoffs, but each of those teams needs at least one more win to ensure their spots in the postseason.

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Reynolds is not playing like a sophomore

Lancaster sophomore linebacker Jackson Reynolds has been a bright spot on the Golden Gales’ defense, and in the last couple of weeks, he has started to come into his own.

At 6-foot-3, 185 pounds, he does a great job of stopping the run inside and is quick enough to run down ball carriers from side to side.

Against Logan, he had 21 tackles, including five tackles for loss and recovered a fumble, and last week against Reynoldsburg, he finished with 17 tackles, including 12 solos, two tackles for and recovered a fumble.

On the season, Reynolds has racked up 103 total tackles, including 55 solos, 17 tackles for loss, an interception, and two fumble recoveries.

Can the Bulldogs make it seven in a row?

Bloom-Carroll suffered a rare defeat last week when it lost a 44-38 nonconference heartbreaker on the road at Hartley. However, the Bulldogs still have a lot to play for as they head into Week 9.

Bloom-Carroll sits atop the Mid-State League-Buckeye Division standings with a 4-0 mark. They will have a chance to clinch an outright league title on Friday when they host Hamilton Township, which has a 3-1 league mark. Every other team in the MSL has it at least two league losses.

Bloom-Carroll, led by senior quarterback Ethan Thanthanavong, who passed for 299 yards and four touchdowns last week, will be going for their seventh consecutive MSL-Buckeye Division championship.

Aces and Falcons should be a good one

Amanda-Clearcreek will travel to Fairfield Union for a big league showdown. The Aces are 5-3 and the Falcons are 4-4 overall. Both teams love to run the football, and both have outstanding running backs, so it should be a good one.

The Aces are led by the junior due of Bodie Martin and Tommy Stai. In several games, both have rushed for more than 100 yards in a game, so it is hard to key on just one back.

The Falcons will counter with outstanding senior running back Owen Ruff, quarterback Hunter Clark, as well as Isaiah Saleh. In last week’s win over Circleville, Saleh rushed for 244 yards on 23 carries and two touchdowns, Ruff had 120 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries, and Clark added 80 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 12 carries.

Standings

Ohio Capital Conference-Buckeye Division

Pickerington Central, 6-2, 5-0

Canal Winchester, 6-2, 4-1

Teays Valley, 5-3, 3-2

Groveport, 5-3, 3-2

Newark, 5-3, 2-3

Reynoldsburg, 4-4, 2-3

Lancaster, 3-5, 1-4

Reynoldsburg 4-4, 2-3

Logan, 1-7, 0-5

Mid-State League-Buckeye Division

Bloom-Carroll, 6-2, 4-0

Hamilton Township, 5-3, 3-1

Logan Elm, 5-3, 3-2

Fairfield Union, 4-4, 3-2

Amanda-Clearcreek, 5-3, 2-2

Circleville, 3-5, 0-4

Liberty Union, 2-6, 0-4

Mid-State League-Cardinal Division

Grove City Christian, 7-1, 4-0

Miller, 6-2, 3-1

Zanesville Rosecrans, 5-3, 2-2

Berne Union, 2-6, 2-2

Fisher Catholic, 3-5, 1-3

Fairfield Christian Academy, 2-6, 1-3

Fisher Catholic, 3-5, 1-3

Millersport, 2-6, 0-4

This Week’s Games

Friday: Week 9

Canal Winchester (6-2) at Lancaster (3-5)

Hamilton Township (5-3) at Bloom-Carroll (6-2)

Amanda-Clearcreek (3-5) at Fairfield Union (4-4)

Circleville (3-5) at Liberty Union (2-6)

Fisher Catholic (3-5) at Berne Union (2-6)

Millersport (2-6) at Fairfield Christian Academy (2-6)

Last Week’s Results

Reynoldsburg 26, Lancaster 23; Amanda-Clearcreek 42, Logan Elm 12; Hartley 44, Bloom-Carroll 38; Fairfield Union 50, Circleville 22; Hamilton Township 47, Liberty Union 20; Grove City Christian 41, Berne Union 7; Fisher Catholic 35, Millersport 6; Miller 21, Fairfield Christian Academy 14.

Tom Wilson is a sports reporter for the Lancaster Eagle-Gazette. Contact him at 740-689-5150 or via email at twilson@gannett.com for comments or story tips. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @twil2323.

This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: H.S. Football Notebook: Bloom-Carroll looking to clinch seventh straight MSL championship