MOUNT VERNON — As Knox County rivalries go, it doesn’t get any more even than the grudge match between Danville and Centerburg.
The Blue Devils and Trojans will renew hostilities Friday in Centerburg in a game rife with Knox Morrow Athletic Conference championship and playoff implications. Danville (7-0, 4-0) is alone atop the KMAC standings. Centerburg (4-3, 3-1) is one of three teams just a game back.
Centerburg has won the past four meetings between the schools and seven of the past nine. Before that, Danville won seven of the previous 10.
In the past 20 years, the series is even at 9-9 (the teams did not play in 2014 or 2015).
Danville (7-0, 4-0) at Centerburg (4-3, 3-1): The Blue Devils roughed up Cardington 61-21 last week and are averaging 49.7 points a game. Running back Cole Delaughder leads the KMAC in rushing with 856 yards and 13 touchdowns on 110 carries. Dual-threat quarterback Walker Weckesser has rushed for 383 yards and nine touchdowns and completed 53-of-82 passes for 766 yards and 11 TDs. Bryer Boeshart has 12 catches for 213 yards and two TDs and has four returns for touchdowns (three punt returns and a kickoff return). Defensively, Josh Byers leads the way with 62 tackles. Caleb Lucas ranks second in the KMAC with six sacks, while Jacob Hackman has a team-high four interceptions.
The Trojans have won three straight after last week’s 28-11 victory over Mount Gilead. Quarterback Jesse Rings has rushed for 350 yards and four touchdowns on 90 carries and completed 65-of-126 passes for 751 yards and seven TDs. Rings also is tied for the KMAC lead with five interceptions. Mason Turske leads Centerburg with 17 catches for 283 yards and three touchdowns. Carson Ross leads the defense with 32 tackles
Fredericktown (3-4, 2-2) at East Knox (4-3, 3-1): The Freddies held off Loudonville for a 28-14 win last week. Quarterback Blake Sipes tossed a 29-yard touchdown pass to Gavin Toombs late in the fourth quarter to seal the victory. Sipes has thrown for 670 yards and and seven touchdowns on 42-of-82 passing and rushed for 500 yards and four scores on 106 carries. Toombs has caught 15 passes for 204 yards and four TDs, while Brode Davis has 11 catches for 172 yards and a score. Grant Hartley has just nine receptions on the season, but three have gone for touchdowns. He averages 29 yards a catch, tops in the KMAC among receivers with at least one catch per game. Lane Warner and Cirk Parker ranks among the top tacklers in the conference. Warner has 67 tackles, while Parker has 65.5 stops.
The Bulldogs saw their three-game winning streak halted after last week’s 27-6 loss at Northmor. Blake Elliott ranks second in the KMAC with 728 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on 97 carries. Quarterback Jax Lester has completed 56-of-110 passes for 733 yards and seven touchdowns. Bracen Davis leads the KMAC with 27 receptions. His 370 receiving yards and five TD catches also rank among KMAC leaders. Elliott leads the conference with 87 tackles while Bryar Householder has a league-leading eight sacks.
Madison (0-7, 0-4) at Mount Vernon (2-5, 1-3): The Rams gave New Philadelphia a scare before falling 21-10 last week. Quarterback Cameron Kuhn tossed a 58-yard touchdown pass to Grayson Sasis in the first half. Madison led 7-6 at the half and 10-6 in the third quarter before the Quakers scored a pair of second-half touchdowns to secure the win. Madison has has been competitive in three of its four OCC losses. The Rams fell to three-time defending Ohio Cardinal Conference champ West Holmes 56-35 in Week 5 and lost 27-14 at Wooster in Week 4.
The Yellow Jackets are riding high after last week’s 35-28 win at Wooster, Mount Vernon’s first ever win over the Generals. The Jackets built a 21-7 halftime lead highlighted by Mason Richards’ 75-yard touchdown run on a reverse in the second quarter. Richards finished with 148 yards and two TDs on 11 carries, while Jonny Askew rumbled for 69 yards and a pair of scores. Quarterback Jake Taylor completed 3-of-8 passes for 108 yards. Mount Vernon’s defense forced five Wooster turnovers. Sophomore linebacker Luke Mullins had a big game with 18 tackles and an interception. Defensive end Reece Schonauer preserved the win with an interception late in the fourth quarter.