High School Football Notebook: It’s the start of teams’ second season as league play begins
admin_news
LANCASTER — Heading into Week 4 of the high school football season, teams are beginning to find their identity, which is a good thing.
For most area teams, this marks the start of their second season as league play commences. Seven of the nine area teams will begin conference play Friday in the Ohio Capital Conference-Buckeye Division, as well as the Mid-State League-Buckeye and Cardinal Divisions.
Six teams picked victories in Week 3, including Amanda-Clearcreek, Fairfield Union and Millersport, all winning their first games of the season.
As the season inches closer to the halfway point and conference play begins, teams will need to start racking up wins to battle for league titles as well as picking up important computer points for the playoffs.
Here is a closer look at last week and a look ahead to Week 4.
Led by Burkhardt, Falcons get untracked
It was a rough couple of weeks for Fairfield Union, but the Falcons, who are playing their first four games of the season on the road, were able to make the long trip to Fairland in Week 3 and came away with a 39-6 victory.
Running back Lane Burkhardt led the charge by rushing for 242 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries. Quarterback Dean Clark added 89 yards on the ground and a touchdown on 12 carries, and he went 4-for-7 through the air for 114 yards and two touchdown passes.
The Falcons finished with 460 total yards, including 346 on the ground. They will begin league play this week on the road at undefeated Hamilton Township.
Lakers pick up rare shutout win
Millersport not only picked up its first win of the season, but the Lakers recorded their first shutout since 2015 in their 35-0 win over Federal Hocking.
Four-year senior starter Jason Wells played a tremendous role in the victory. He carried the ball eight times for 105 yards and a touchdown, returned five punts/kickoffs for 184 yards and a touchdown, and had another touchdown return called back. Defensively, had an interception, forced a fumble and had three tackles.
This week’s games
Friday
Teays Valley (2-1) at Lancaster (1-2)
Bloom-Carroll (1-2) at Amanda-Clearcreek (1-2)
Fairfield Union (1-2) at Hamilton Township (3-0)
Liberty Union (2-1) at Lakewood (0-3)
Fisher Catholic (2-1) at Fairfield Christian Academy (2-1)
Miller (3-0) at Berne Union (2-1)
Tuscarawas Central Catholic (1-2) at Millersport (1-2)
Last week’s results
Marysville 30, Lancaster 21
Fairfield Union 39, Fairland 6
Jonathan Alder 14, Bloom-Carroll 10
Amanda-Clearcreek 25, Zane Trace 7
Liberty Union 56, Meigs 21
Berne Union 35, Lakewood 13
Fairfield Christian Academy 41, East Clinton 13
Millersport 33, Federal Hocking 0
Portsmouth Notre Dame 34, Fisher Catholic 6
Tom Wilson is a sports reporter for the Lancaster Eagle-Gazette. Contact him at 740-689-5150 or via email at twilson@gannett.com for comments or story tips. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter twil2323.
This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: High School Football Notebook: It’s the start of teams’ second season as league play begins
