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Ohio high school football: Columbus area OHSAA live scores, updates from Week 9
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- Ohio high school football: Columbus area OHSAA live scores, updates from Week 9
Teams that have bounced back from 2023 struggles highlighted our live Week 9 high school football coverage.
Frank DiRenna was at Olentangy Liberty, which hosted Hilliard Davidson in an OCC-Central battle of teams that hope to make deep runs in the Division I postseason. Liberty went 4-8 last season, while Davidson finished 5-6. Liberty entered the game at No. 2 in the Region 3 computer ratings, and Davidson was No. 5 in Region 2.
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Dave Purpura was at Reynoldsburg, where the Raiders hosted Newark in OCC-Buckeye play. Reynoldsburg went 1-10 last fall and Newark finished 2-9. A year later, both have already clinched Region 3 playoff berths, according to JoeEitel.com.
Scott Gerfen was at Gahanna Lincoln, which hosted Grove City in an OCC-Ohio contest. Gahanna didn't struggle much the past two seasons – it won Region 3 in 2022 and won its first 12 games last fall – but it started 1-2 this year. Grove City has matched its win totals of the past two seasons; the Dawgs were 6-5 in 2022 and 6-6 last fall. Entering the game, Gahanna was seventh in Region 3 and Grove City was ninth. The top eight teams host first-round playoff games.
Reynoldsburg takes the field for Friday night's game against visiting Newark.
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OHSAA scores, updates from Week 9 of Ohio high school football season
In central Ohio, Week 9 got underway Thursday with three City League games: East beat Centennial 34-17, Linden-McKinley beat Mifflin 57-0 and Walnut Ridge beat Briggs 34-8.
'It's just a natural thing': Get to know versatile Walnut Ridge QB/LB Marquis Lucas
Follow along with the action all evening as this live blog grows.
Gahanna Lincoln defeats Grove City 35-7
Gahanna wins its sixth in a row, improving to 7-2 and 4-0 in the OCC-Ohio. Grove City drops to 6-3 and 1-3.
Newark hangs on to beat Reynoldsburg
Drayson Peterson intercepts Justin Heckman with 1:30 left to seal Newark's 21-20 win at Reynoldsburg. The Wildcats improve to 6-3 and 3-3 in the OCC-Buckeye. The Raiders drop to 4-5 and 3-3.
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Newark defense makes stand
Newark made a gigantic defensive stand inside the red zone, aided by several Reynoldsburg penalties, and Reynoldsburg turns the ball over on downs with 5 minutes left. Newark leads 21-20.
Rachal helps Gahanna Lincoln increase lead
Kellen Rachal is getting a lot of second-half carries for the Lions, including a 72-yard touchdown that gives Gahanna a 35-7 lead over Grove City with 8:30 left. Rachal has 123 yards on eight carries.
Olentangy Liberty blows out Hilliard Davidson
Liberty defeats Davidson 32-7 to improve to 7-2 and 3-1 in the OCC-Central. Davidson drops to 6-3 and 2-2.
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Hilliard Davidson avoids shutout
Davidson averts the shutout on Keevin Gibbon's 4-yard touchdown run with 1:12 remaining. Olentangy Liberty leads 32-7.
Newark grabs lead against Reynoldsburg
Newark starts fast in the fourth quarter. The Wildcats' first two plays were an 11-yard pass from Bodie Smith to Fink Cooper on third-and-6, then a 32-yard TD pass from Smith to Drayson Peterson. The Wildcats lead 21-20 just 14 seconds into the fourth.
Gahanna Lincoln now rolling against Grove City
Gahanna's offense is in high gear in the second half. JP Butler's 34-yard touchdown pass to Taizaun Burns gives the Lions a 28-7 lead with 17 seconds left in the third quarter.
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Andrew Leonard continues huge game for Olentangy Liberty
The Liberty quarterback now has four touchdown passes. His 34-yarder to Jonah Lloyd pushes the lead to 32-0 midway through the fourth quarter.
Newark claws closer against Reynoldsburg
An uneven third quarter has included one turnover for each team, but Newark capitalized on its takeaway. Alexander Irvin-Royster intercepted Justin Heckman near midfield, and four plays later Irvin-Royster weaved his way into the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown to get Newark within 20-14 with 5:03 left in the third.
Gahanna Lincoln returns interception for touchdown
The Lions get a pick-six to make it 21-7 with 6:07 left in the third quarter. Terrell Holcomb intercepted Carson Welsh and ran it 32 yards for the score.
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Olentangy Liberty leads Hilliard Davidson 25-0 after three quarters
Sean Hendricks' 27-yard field goal with 6:07 left in the third provided the only points of the second half so far.
Grove City gets on the scoreboard
Grove City goes 76 yards in eight plays to cut Gahanna's lead to 14-7 with 7:38 left in the third quarter. Carson Welsh connects with Owen Steele on a 31-yard TD pass.
Gahanna Lincoln takes two-possession lead on Grove City
Gahanna goes up 14-0 on another touchdown run from Avion Brown. This one a 20-yard score on the Lions' opening possession of the second half.
Check out this Upper Arlington touchdown
Great moves from WR Wally Swiney on this touchdown pass from QB Kyle Cox.
QB Brennen Ward isn't playing for Gahanna Lincoln
Gahanna's star senior quarterback hasn't taken a snap against Grove City. We'll be asking coach Bruce Ward, his father, about this after the game. Brennen Ward is a Kentucky commit.
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Olentangy Liberty's second touchdown follows questionable call
Liberty's second touchdown of the first half followed a second Davidson fumble, which appeared to actually be an incomplete pass.
Reynoldsburg goes into halftime with lead
After T.J. Green 's kickoff return for a score, Reynoldsburg recovered a pooch kick and took over at Newark's 39. Nine plays later, quarterback Justin Heckman scored on a 1-yard keeper but Drayson Peterson blocked the extra point. Reynoldsburg took a 20-7 lead into halftime.
Gahanna Lincoln breaks through against Grove City
Avion Brown's 15-yard touchdown run puts the Lions up 7-0 late in the first half. Gahanna recovered a fumbled punt at the Grove City 13-yard line to set up the short scoring drive. Brown has 74 yards on 15 carries.
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Olentangy Liberty widens lead on Hilliard Davidson
Liberty again takes advantage of a turnover as Andrew Leonard hits Christian Moulton for a 14-yard touchdown and a 22-0 lead with 7 seconds left in the second quarter. Liberty takes that lead into halftime. Leonard has three TD passes.
Olentangy Liberty takes advantage in wild sequence
Liberty capitalizes on a second Hilliard Davidson fumble as Andrew Leonard connects with Christian Moulton for an 18-yard touchdown with 27 seconds left in the first half. A botched extra-point attempt leads to Tyler Thornton's two-point conversion. Davidson then fumbles the ensuing kickoff and Liberty recovers at the Davidson 17.
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Newark, Reynoldsburg swap touchdowns late in first half
A defensive stand for Newark in Reynoldsburg territory gave the Wildcats the ball at the Raiders' 37 late in the second quarter, and six plays later Bodie Smith tossed an 8-yard touchdown pass that was tipped by Newark's Daniel Cutcliff but caught by Drayson Peterson to tie the game at 7. But Reynoldsburg's T.J. Green returned the ensuing kickoff 93 yards to put the Raiders back in front, 14-7, with 3:02 left in the half.
Olentangy Liberty breaks scoreless tie
After stopping Hilliard Davidson on downs near midfield, Liberty opens the scoring on Andrew Leonard's 13-yard touchdown pass to Jake Struck with 2:56 left in the second quarter. The Patriots lead 7-0.
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Newark blocks Reynoldsburg field goal attempt
The Raiders' 15-play drive stalled inside the red zone thanks to a holding call and solid Newark tackling, and the Wildcats' Drayson Peterson blocked a 33-yard field goal attempt for Josiah Montgomery to keep Reynoldsburg's lead at 7-0 with 10:25 left in the first half.
Gahanna Lincoln keeps Grove City out of end zone
Gahanna's defense gets a big stop on fourth-and-goal at the Lions' 5 yard-line. Grove City quarterback Carson Welsh was held short with less than a yard to go. It's scoreless at the end of the first quarter.
First quarter ends in Newark at Reynoldsburg
Reynoldsburg ended the first quarter with a 7-0 lead and will start the second with the 12th play of a drive that started at its own 17.
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Hilliard Davidson, Olentangy Liberty move to second quarter
The first quarter ends with Liberty on the move. The game remains scoreless. Liberty reaches the Davidson 32, but loses the ball on downs early in the second.
Fumble ends Hilliard Davidson drive
Davidson moves deep into Liberty territory on a Johnny DiBlasio to Keevin Gibbon connection, but the Wildcats fumble on the next play and Olentangy Liberty recovers.
Reynoldsburg strikes quickly against Newark
Powered by a 41-yard pass from Adam Lubaya to Damon Griffin, the host Raiders needed five plays to score first against Newark. Griffin evaded several tacklers on a 15-yard touchdown run to make it 7-0, one play after Newark's Tyler Hurd bobbled and dropped a potential interception at the goal line.
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Hilliard Davidson, Olentangy Liberty exchange early punts
A promising Davidson drive that began at its 3-yard line ends near midfield following a pair of sacks. The Wildcats are forced to punt after running more than 6 minutes off the clock. Liberty goes three-and-out on its opening possession.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Central Ohio high school football scores, OHSAA Week 9 updates
