Division III Elite Eight preview

Zac Jackson, OhioHSsports.com, November 18, 2009 3:08 p.m.

THE MATCHUPS:Region 9:Youngstown Mooney (12-0) vs. Poland Seminary (11-1) at Austintown Fitch Falcon Stadium; Region 10:Columbus Watterson (9-3) vs. Columbus St. Francis DeSales (9-3) at Dublin Coffman; Region 11:Steubenville (11-1) vs. Dover (11-1) at Canton Fawcett Stadium; Region 12:Springfield Shawnee (9-3) vs. Cincinnati Wyoming (12-0) at Dayton Welcome Stadium.

THE FAVORITE: Mooney. The Cardinals have run laps around their competition in the first two weeks of the playoff, dominated a top-notch schedule during the year and might be as talented as any team in the state, regardless of division. That's not to say this race is over, because this is a quality field. But Mooney is certainly as heavy a favorite as there is in Ohio's six football divisions at this point.

THE CONTENDERS: Steubenville has an experienced leader in Dwight Macon, plenty of big-game experience and the Big Red aren't comfortable taking a back seat to anyone. The survivor of Steubenville-Dover will certainly have earned its way to the Final Four. Columbus DeSales also plays top-notch competition and has plenty of November experience.

THREE HORSES: Three players whose performances will go a long way towards determining which team ultimately raises the trophy on the first weekend of December...

Dwight Macon, Steubenville: If it seems like he's been leading playoff runs forever, well, you're not far off. But Macon is back to health for his last go, and he can make big plays with his feet and his arm. Can he make enough of them to help Big Red win another state title? Stay tuned.

Braylon Heard, Mooney: WVU recruit is the lead horse in a stable of talented Mooney runners. He's averaging almost 9 yards per carry and has scored 16 touchdowns on the season while sharing the ball and sitting out the playoff opener two weeks ago.

Adam Griffin, DeSales: Griffin is running like you might expect Archie's son to, combining his quickness with some punishing blocks from a powerful offensive line to keep the chains moving and keep the Stallions piling up points.

BEST REGIONAL FINAL GAME: Tough call here between DeSales-Watterson, which is always a slugfest no matter the circumstances, and Steubenville-Dover, the continuation of what's become a November rivalry between two blue-collar towns who love the game and look forward to measuring themselves against one another. Six or seven weeks ago, the Big Red would have been the popular pick to win this one easy. Now? Expect a close, high-scoring shootout that's decided in the final quarter.

THE SHAKEDOWN: Mooney is in the playoffs for the seventh straight season and is looking for its seventh state title. The Cardinals won two of the four Div. IV title games they played earlier in the decade... DeSales blocked two punts and scored 24 points in the first quarter of a 54-14 rout of Tipp City Tippecanoe last week. The Stallions defeated Watterson, 17-10, during the regular season and will be looking for their fourth victory over their rivals in the last two seasons...Watterson's other two losses came to Mooney and Cincinnati Winton Woods, one of the favorites to win the Div. II title...Springfield Shawnee made the playoffs as Region 12's eight seed and is still playing...Mooney and Steubenville split meetings the last two years in the Div. IV playoffs.