Area high school football teams gear up for Week 5 matchups this Friday, with two classic rivalry games drawing particular attention. The Western Buckeye League will see Wapakoneta face off against St. Marys, while the Blanchard Valley Conference features a clash between Pandora-Gilboa and Leipsic. Lima Central Catholic (LCC) also continues its extended road trip, preparing to meet Allen East.
The Wapakoneta-St. Marys matchup rekindles a rivalry where St. Marys has been looking to snap a six-year losing streak against the Redskins. The Roughriders' last victory over Wapakoneta occurred during the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Wapakoneta coach Travis Moyer emphasized the importance of the game to both the program and the community, stating his team will need to "play well in all three phases of the game and compete at a high level" on Friday night.
Coach Moyer described St. Marys' offense as having a physical run game and effective play-action passing. He noted that Wapakoneta would need to perform well on early downs and secure third-down stops. Defensively, he observed St. Marys as physical upfront and athletic in the backfield, stressing the importance of capitalizing on opportunities for explosive plays. Wapakoneta is coming off a close loss last Friday to unbeaten Ottawa-Glandorf.
St. Marys, which defeated Defiance 35-21 in Week 4 after a loss to Celina, is preparing for what coach Bo Frye called a "fundamentally sound, well-coached football team" in Wapakoneta. Coach Frye highlighted Wapakoneta's consistent strong defense over the past decade and their capability to score both through the air and on the ground. For his team, Coach Frye underscored the need to limit mistakes, improve tackling, protect the football, and perform better on special teams, anticipating a "fun matchup between two physical football programs."
Another significant rivalry game pits Leipsic against Pandora-Gilboa in the Blanchard Valley Conference. Leipsic enters the contest with a torrid 4-0 start to their season, having outscored opponents 172-10, including back-to-back 50-point performances. Leipsic coach Joe Kirkendall acknowledged the rivalry aspect, advising his team to control emotions while maintaining intensity. He characterized Pandora-Gilboa as the "most balanced team we will have seen so far" and noted their considerable size on both offense and defense.
Coach Kirkendall outlined Leipsic's need to identify Pandora-Gilboa's defensive strategies, particularly upfront and in coverage, to avoid negative plays and hold up against pressure. He stressed the importance of consistent offensive execution. Pandora-Gilboa, coming off a 38-0 shutout victory over Riverdale in Week 4, has recorded losses this season to Columbus Grove (3-1) and Van Buren (4-0).
Pandora-Gilboa coach Matt Hershey recognized Leipsic as an undefeated, "talented, physical and fast football team" that plays with confidence. Coach Hershey stated that his team would need to play their best to have a chance at winning. He described their preparation as focused on being detailed, using film study to identify tendencies, and understanding where to be sound defensively. Coach Hershey emphasized that to win, his team must be nearly mistake-free, avoiding turnovers, preventing big plays, and eliminating penalties or missed assignments.
Lima Central Catholic continues its road stretch this week, heading to Allen East. This game is the third of five consecutive road contests for LCC, following an emotional 13-6 win over Columbus Grove in Week 4. The T-Birds are scheduled for further road games against Fort Loramie and Bluffton before returning home in Week 8 to face Delphos Jefferson.
LCC coach Colin Stolly anticipates a prepared Allen East team with strong players and significant community buzz around their program. Coach Stolly highlighted controlling the game as key to winning, which includes protecting the football on offense and creating turnovers on defense. He emphasized the need for LCC to be the more physical and disciplined team while executing at a high level. Allen East, which suffered its first loss last week to Bluffton, managed to limit Bluffton to 271 yards of total offense but was hindered by penalties and explosive plays.
Allen East coach Shane Wireman outlined his team's defensive goals, which include minimizing LCC’s explosive plays in both the running and passing games and getting off the field on third and fourth downs. He also stated the team needs to continue working on reducing penalties, improving special teams, and playing more consistently across all phases. Coach Wireman described LCC as a "very complete football team" with strong linemen and talented skill players, supported by a capable coaching staff, suggesting it could be Allen East's toughest game of the season.
