High school football powerhouses across Southwest Ohio stamped their tickets to the regional semifinals on Friday night, delivering a mix of lopsided statement victories, milestone milestones and tight battles to set up explosive postseason rematches, The Enquirer reported.
St. Xavier rolls past Lakota West in dominant rematch
In the most lopsided shocker of the regional quarterfinals, St. Xavier dismantled Lakota West 51-14 to avenge an opening-week defeat. The Firebirds had beaten the Bombers 20-7 in August, but St. Xavier seized total control by triggering a continuous running clock in the third quarter, according to The Enquirer.
Junior running back Aiden Graham fueled the offensive explosion, piling up more than 250 rushing yards and scoring five touchdowns. Graham, who entered the contest with five touchdowns on the year, doubled his season total on 30 carries. Head coach Steve Specht credited his offensive front and Graham’s emergence as an indispensable workhorse, telling The Enquirer,
“I told them three weeks ago I thought we were this close to being a good football team and I told them tonight after this game, I said we’re not close anymore. We’re a good football team.”
Defensively, the Bombers stifled Lakota West star Kenyon Norman, holding the Northwestern commit to 26 yards on eight rushing attempts to close the Firebirds’ season at 9-2.
Elder, Moeller and Princeton lock in semifinal showdowns
St. Xavier will travel to The Pit next week to take on archrival Elder in the Ohio Division I, Region 4 semifinals. Elder shook off a slow start against Springboro, pulling away in the second half for a 37-20 triumph. Elder quarterback Kaden Estep carried the attack, generating over 300 yards of offense and four total touchdowns while completing 21 of 25 passes, The Enquirer reported. Panthers receiver Andrew Lyman added 100 yards and a score, though head coach Doug Ramsey acknowledged his eligibility remains uncertain following a court settlement earlier in the year.
On the other side of the regional bracket, Moeller relied on a suffocating defense to handle Winton Woods 24-7. The Crusaders yielded zero first downs on the ground until the second quarter. Tight end Jayden Davis sparked the offense with a 53-yard screen reception that set up a touchdown before hauling in a scoring strike of his own in the second half, according to The Enquirer.
Moeller now advances to face Princeton at Jake Sweeney Automotive Stadium. Princeton rebounded from a sluggish start against Middletown, turning a 6-5 deficit into a 27-6 victory thanks to three fourth-quarter scores. Running back Jordan Hall led the late push with 156 yards and two scores on 18 carries. Princeton previously topped Moeller 31-24 during the opening week of the regular season.
Historic milestones for Deer Park and St. Henry
Beyond the Division I heavyweights, two area squads celebrated historic achievements on Friday night. Deer Park routed Covington 44-10, earning its first postseason victory since 2021 and clinching the program’s first 10-win season since 1981, The Enquirer reported.
Across the river in Kentucky, second-year varsity program St. Henry captured its first-ever postseason win by defeating West Carter 25-22 in the Class 2A opening round. St. Henry advances to face statewide title contender Beechwood, while Ohio contenders prepare for regional semifinal clashes next week.
