Gahanna Lincoln football coach Bruce Ward was matter-of-fact with his players after Monday's practice, the first of four leading up to one of central Ohio 's biggest regular-season games in recent memory.
Nothing less than a second consecutive OCC-Ohio championship, the Lions' second 10-0 regular season in a row and potentially the top seed in Division I, Region 3 are on the line when Gahanna hosts Pickerington North in a showdown between unbeaten league rivals.
"I find that the more honest you are with kids, the more they embrace it and understand it and take on the mentality you want," Ward said. "It's no secret. There's a lot at stake this week, not just 10-0 but winning our second (consecutive league) title and jockeying for position in the region. All that stuff matters. I want to be up front with our kids as to what the expectations are and what we're going after."
North is ranked third in this week's state poll , three spots ahead of the Lions.
The Panthers are second (27.101 points) in Region 3, almost four points behind 9-0 Hilliard Bradley (30.95) and 2.7 points ahead of third-place Gahanna (24.4), which last year reached its first state semifinal in 40 years .
This is the first game pitting 9-0 teams from central Ohio since Heath-Johnstown in 2016.
For his part, North coach Nate Hillerich and his players heard anticipatory chatter as early as mid-September.
"At the time, we were only 4-0," Hillerich said. "We're fortunate to play in big games throughout the year. Our kids will be ready."
Here is how both teams reached this showdown:
Although Gahanna has scored 46 or more points five times, a 10-5 win at Mason to start the season set a tone.
A stingy defense led by linebackers Quan Rhodes-McKee (72 tackles, 11 for loss, 2 interceptions) and Domiyon Jones (60 tackles, 10.5 for loss), lineman Elijah King (51 tackles, 12 sacks) and defensive back Cameron Frazier (4 interceptions) has allowed seven points or fewer six times.
Relatively close league wins over New Albany (20-7 on Sept. 29) and Westerville Central (17-0 on Oct. 6) kept Gahanna unbeaten, and the Lions outscored Grove City 35-14 in the second half last week to win 56-28.
"We've been in some battles, and the way we've come back and faced adversity has been really special," said junior quarterback Brennen Ward, the coach's son, who has passed for 1,825 yards and 16 touchdowns with four interceptions.
West Virginia commit Diore Hubbard , a 2022 Mr. Football finalist and last year's district Offensive Player of the Year, anchors the ground game with 1,220 yards and 18 touchdowns. Jalen Scott leads the receivers with 34 catches for 737 yards and 10 touchdowns.
"We've won games different ways," Bruce Ward said. "You have to know how to win close games. You have to handle the blowouts, know how to handle back-and-forth games and (when) you don't play well. We've handled all that well."
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Panthers quarterback Landon O'Connell believes he has grown quite a bit since a year ago, when North lost 42-2 to Gahanna in Week 10 .
The senior's 1,588 passing yards and 18 touchdowns pace a unit averaging 35.9 points to Gahanna's 36.6. He has thrown only three interceptions.
"Definitely understanding defenses more, being able to watch more film and understand where guys will be, not just anticipating," O'Connell said. "I didn't know as well last year where guys would be defensively when they dropped into coverage, and this year, it's made a huge difference knowing pre-snap what they would do."
O'Connell has worked with an array of backs and receivers throughout the season. Michael Taylor (86 carries, 588 yards, 9 TDs) and Dorian Hamilton (78 carries, 414 yards, 6 TDs) pace the Panthers ground game, and Preston Bowman's 34 catches for 576 yards and eight touchdowns make him O'Connell's top target.
North's defense has scored in six games. Linebacker Kaiyin Lyles' 46 tackles lead the way for that unit, and the most recent of defensive back Kelly Jackson's team-best three interceptions came in last week's 21-17 win over New Albany. North trailed 14-0 in the first half.
"We know how to watch film better (than last year), and we DBs know our coverages," Jackson said. "I think it helped us playing New Albany first. They're a very physical team, and it's important going to Gahanna because they're also a big, physical team."
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Gahanna, Pickerington North primed for football battle of unbeatens
