By Dan Ramey
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Division II/Region 8's #2 Winton Woods (9-1) will host #7 Chillicothe (8-2) Friday to open the OHSAA Football Playoffs this Friday.
It's the first gridiron meeting between the schools.
Following .500 season (5-4 in 2015 and 5-5 in 2016) the Warriors enjoyed success with a talented senior class which has earned its stripes the hardway. Coach Andre Parker told www.cincinnati.com much of the class had started as sophomores and have reaped the benefits this season, which included an 18-15 win over La Salle which finished #1 in the Region.
Offensively, the Warriors resemble athletic talent similar to Marion Franklin. Quarterback Kenny Mayberry (6-3/210) with a beefy offensive line including Maurice Chapman (6-0/300), Brendon Lowry (5-9/276), Paul McKnight (5-11/270) and Marcellus Hughes (5-11/256). Defensively, linebacker Gianni Gamble (6-1/175) had a big game Friday with a blocked punt, interception and fumble recovery... each resulting in touchdowns and during a two-minute stretch.
It's no secret, Chillicothe's Branden Maughmer is the motor that makes the Cavaliers move. Maughmer is responsible for 249 total offense yards per game in 2017.
The Cavaliers, fresh from claiming the inugural Frontier Athletic Conference Football title, are in search of their first playoff win under head coach Ron Hinton. With the win over Jackson Friday, Chillicothe earned its fourth post season appearance in the Hinton era. The Cavs fell at Brookhaven 29-27 in 2013, 56-7 at DeSales in 2015 and last season 19-6 at Hamilton Township.
Winton Woods has averaged 34.4 points per game to Chillicothe's 34.8 and has allowed 15.3 ppg while the Cavs have yielded 20.8 ppg.
Chillicothe's opponents finished 2017 55-35 and Winton Woods' 53-45. Three of the Warriors' opponents (Northmont, West Clermont and LaSalle) also qualified for the playoffs as have three of the Cavaliers' (Marion Franklin, Bishop Hartley and Jackson).
Winton Woods' only loss this season came in a 35-34 overtime loss to Cincinnati Elder while the Cavs two losses were to Marion Franklin and Hartley. Click to see Winton Woods schedule and Chillicothe schedule.
The Cavaliers are 6-10-1 lifetime against Cincinnati area teams (see more below).
Other participants in Division II/Region 8 are #8 Harrison at #1 LaSalle, #6 Troy at #3 Anderson and #5 Belmont at #4 Sidney.
Radio coverage: Begins at 7:10pm Friday on News Radio WBEX.
Travel to the game: US 35 to I-71 South to I-275 West to the Winton Road Exit south then west on Kemper Road.
Tickets: Ticket information will be released Monday.
Chillicothe in the Playoffs: (2-8)
1986: L to Worthington 42-0
1987: L to Gahanna 17-7
1999: W vs Dayton Carroll 14-7; L to Trenton Edgewood 34-21
2006: L to Bishop Watterson 18-7
2008: W vs Canal Winchester 13-7; L to Logan Elm 28-14
2013: L to Brookhaven 29-27
2015: L to DeSales 56-7
2016: L to Hamilton Township 19-6
2017: at Winton Woods
Chillicothe's history versus Cincinnati area schools:
Winton Woods (1st meeting)
Aiken (1-0): (2005) W 16-14
Colerain (0-2): (1991) L 20-0; (1992) L 31-7
Elder (0-4): (1958) L 14-0; (1959) L 42-0; (1960) L 28-0; (1961) L 37-6
Walnut Hills (2-1-1): (1902) L 11-5; (1902) W 18-0; (1903) T 0-0; (1903) W 5-0
Western Hills (1-0): (1952) W 20-6
Withrow (2-3): (1932) L 47-0; (1933) W 7-0; (1934) L 20-0; (1935) L 33-3; (1947) W 34-20