Division I Elite Eight preview

Zac Jackson, OhioHSsports.com, November 20, 2009 3:22 p.m.

THE FAVORITE: Glenville. The biggest and fastest team in the tournament is the scariest. The Tarblooders turn tiny mistakes into big plays and put everything together in a 30-13 throttling of defending state champion St. Ignatius last week. Glenville can still be mistake prone, and the passing game has had some struggles. But there's enough defense here to make the Tarblooders a tough out against anyone.

THE CONTENDERS: Solon is unbeaten for a reason and won't back down from Glenville, but do the Comets have enough offense? Elder certainly seems to have enough offense and is back playing well after encountering some injuries and a midseason rut; the Elder-Anderson game pits two teams with plenty of November experience and reasons to think each can keep playing. Perhaps no one (besides Glenville) is playing better than Canton McKinley, which needed to beat Massillon just three weeks ago to sneak in the postseason. Now the Pups get a shot to do it again and punch their ticket to the state semifinals.

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...

Latwan Anderson, Glenville: He slammed the door on Ignatius last week with a 100-yard interception return. Anderson teams with Christian Bryant to quarterback the secondary and provide big-play pop in many ways for a team that can raise the trophy if it avoids self-inflicted mistakes the next three weeks.

Beau Grunder, Massillon: Speedy senior is a two-way threat and also excels in the return game. His biggest contributions this week, though, figure to come on defense as the Tigers need Grunder to both contribute to the run defense from his safety spot and be on alert for the deep ball that pushed McKinley to victory in the first meeting.

Mark Miller, Elder: Miller is in the rare position of having started a state championship game, and he now has the chance to start another. He's approaching 2,200 yards passing and already has 20 touchdowns on the year, proof that he can create the big play and keep the Panthers moving.

BEST REGIONAL FINAL GAME: Either Massillon-McKinley or Coffman-Davidson. Both are regular-season rematches, and both figure to come down to the wire again. McKinley got the run game going in its first win over the Tigers but also made a host of big plays. Massillon will look to limit those and establish a consistent running game. Points figure to be at a premium in Columbus as both teams have excellent defenses.

THE SHAKEDOWN: Anderson won the Div. II title in 2007 and lost the Div. II title game last season. The Redskins are still unbeaten and still playing despite losing Ohio State recruit and two-way tackle Andrew Norwell to a midseason injury. Senior RB Kyle Slater leads Anderson with 1,688 yards and 26 TD...Glenville has the best overall team speed, but McKinley's defense has been playing at a speed its opponents simply haven't matched the last three weeks. The Pups' biggest test this week will be slowing Massillon's fastest player, Devin Smith, who loves to catch deep balls from Robert Partridge...A tip of the hat to Coffman, still unbeaten despite playing without linebacker Brett Buehler, the district Defensive Player of the Year, out with a broken foot and starting quarterback Cole Stoudt, who's been out because of a broken leg since Week 8.