Here are my thoughts about this week’s girls state basketball action and the boys regional tournaments:

*I think Walsh Jesuit could defeat defending Division II champion Shaker Heights Hathaway Brown in the 3 p.m. Thursday semifinal. The Blazers have had a weaker post season schedule, but are a veteran club and will be a heavy favorite. The key will be rebounding for the Warriors to keep Mylan Woods off the boards and stopping guard Alana Guy from hurting them with outside shots and penetration. I expect the winner to take the state title.

*Sophomore Ameryst Alston of Canton McKinley is the best guard in the state and to me any team that wants to stop the Bulldogs has to find a way to keeep her from going inside.

*Smithville is a team that fully utilizes senior star Jenna Pew. It will take a very quick team and/or a defense that can force the Smithies away from their normal patient halfcourt offense. Just wonder if they could have given defending champion Regina, ousted from the playoffs for use of ineligble player, a game or beat them.

*Steve Thomas’s 3-point shot that gave East a 63-62 win was a bit of justice. The referee clearly missed an over-and-back call right before Kent Roosevelt took the lead 62-60 on Marcus Wright’s basket with 9.7 seconds left.

East will need all its athletic talent and bench to stop Jackson Thursday night in the Division I regional semifinal at the JAR Arena in Akron. Most peole favor the Polar Bears. East coach Ross Fiorello said, ” They are bigger than us … maybe we should send Kent there.”

*If you doubt that St. Vincent-St. Mary and coach Dru Joyce are in Buchtel’s heads, go back to the Division II title game Saturday at the Canton Fieldhouse. Make it five straight times the Griffins have lost to the Fighting Irish in playoffs games since 2004 and frankly this was the most disappointing. I honestly thought Buchtel could win a state title.

Here is a schedule and notes for tonight’s football games that involve area high schools:

(All games are scheduled to start at 7 p.m.)

DIVISION I
Canton McKinley (8-4) vs. Massillon Washington (9-3), at University of Akron InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field

- A classic Stark County rivalry game.

- The Bulldogs defeated the Tigers 35-21 in Week 10 at Fawcett Stadium in Canton to conclude the 2009 regular season.

- McKinley’s top players: Sr. RB Bryce Wilder, Jr. DL Steve Miller, Sr. LB Jewone Snow, Sr. DL Jamaal McLain, Sr. OL Dakota Makowski, Sr. PK/P James Forsythe, Sr. DB Jamon McClain, Elijah Farrakhan, Angelo Powell, Doug Fernandez and Ronald Gillom.

- Massillon’s top players: Sr. QB Robert Partridge, Sr. DB-WR Bo Grunder, Jr. WR-DB Devin Smith, Sr. OL Jeff Myers, Sr. LB Spencer Leno, Sr. DB-RB Josh Remark, Jr. WR Justin Olack, Sr. OL Ben Doering, Soph. RB Alex Winters, Sr. DL Joe Studer, Tyler Miller and Danny Huhn.

- The Tigers lead the all-time series 65-50-5. The series started in 1894.

- Since 1999, the Tigers have won nine times and the Bulldogs have won four times.

- The two teams met twice in 2001 and 2005 and Massillon won both state playoff games. The Tigers won both matchups in 2001 and the teams split in 2005. Both regular season games were contested at Fawcett Stadium and the state playoff games were held at the Rubber Bowl in Akron.

- McKinley won 13 out of the first 14 games in the series, with the other game ending in a tie. The series evened up in 1950 at 25-25-5 following a Massillon win and the Tigers have held the advantage ever since. Massillon led the series by extending its edge in the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and 00’s.

DIVISION IV

Chagrin Falls (12-0) vs. Woodridge (10-2), at Twinsburg Tiger Stadium

- Woodridge has won its first two games in its inaugural trip to the state playoffs.

- Chagrin Falls defeated visiting Woodridge 32-26 earlier this year in Week 3 of the regular season.

- The Bulldogs defeated previously undefeated Girard last week.

- Woodridge features an explosive offense with senior running back Anthony Kelly, senior quarterback Anthony Westren and senior receiver Brandyn Peters playing key roles.

- Kelly and Peters are also important defensive backs for the Bulldogs.

- The Bulldogs’ starters along the offensive line are senior Brennan Owens, senior Jeremy Robinson, junior Dillon Shroyer, senior Andy Priddy and junior Jared Page.

- Key Woodridge defenders: Junior safety Sebastian Dodds, junior linebacker Marcus Thompson, senior linebacker Cameron Hilling, junior defensive end Bryan Peters, senior cornerback Zac Bickel, senior linebacker Dave Charles, junior defensive back Josh Conner and Owens at defensive end.

Ottawa-Glandorf (10-2) vs. Orrville (9-3), at Tiffin National Field at Frost-Kalnow Stadium

- The Red Riders hope to keep their state playoff run going.

- Orrville players to watch: Sr. LB Chase Hoobler, Sr. WR Sam Miller, Sr. DL Dennis Raber, QB Joe Besancon, RB Mason Monheim, OL Victor Monheim, OL Vincent Monheim, Jordan Thomas and J.T. Mosely.

The best prediction I made all year was on SportsTime Ohio’s high school football playoff preview. I said this would be the wildest playoff year ever and there is plenty of evidence to back it.

*Four No. 8 seeds remain as we head to the regional finals, including Canton McKinley. And who would think that McKinley and Massillon would meet again in the regional final after Week 8 when the Bulldogs were 4-4? 

Saturday night’s game at InfoCision Stadium in Akron could draw over 20,000 fans for the first high school football game in the new facility. Massillon’s offense has been shaky in both playoffs games, scoring  just 27 points. The Bulldogs have scored 82 points  in the playoffs (48 against GlenOak after losing 14-0 earlier this season) and 35 in the Week 10 game against Massillon.

If these two teams weren’t the oldest rivals in this state, this would be an easy pick with the Bulldogs mauling the Tigers. McKinley will be the favorite, but who knows how confident Massillon is.

*Defending state champion St. Ignatius looked like a bakery, turning out turnovers as if it was Christmas week as No. 5 Glenville whacked them, 30-13.

*Orrville came into the playoffs at 7-3 seeded No. 3 and just sent undefeated Genoa home for the holidays, 36-35. Big challenge for the Red Riders is stopping a high octane Ottawa-Glandorf that just destroyed Pemberville Eastwood 48-3.

*Woodridge’s first appearance in the playoffs has been terrific, scoring 80 points in two games. If the Bulldogs use their speed well Saturday night against Chagrin Falls in the Division IV regional final at Twinsburg Stadium, they have a very good chance to the Division IV state semfinal.

After Week One of the five weeks of football playoffs, here are my observations looking back and moving ahead.

*The Federal League rematch of Canton McKinley and Canton GlenOak will be a different game. The Bulldogs were the eight seed going into top seeded Toledo Whitmer and demolished the Glass City bunch, which did not surprise me, McKinley has found its swagger and I expect them to beat GlenOak this time.

By the way and for what it’s worth, I don’t think Hudson, the team edged out by McKinley for that eighth and final spot, could have won that game in Toledo.

*Massillon will be favored to beat Twinsburg, but I for one think Twinsburg can pull the upset.  Twinsburg’s defense must set the tone early on and stop Massillon’s running game and force quarterback Robert Partridge to run for his life.

*Just wonder how Garfield or Buchtel might have done in the playoffs. Something has to be done to get a City Series team in the post season with smarter scheduling and more home games.

*In Division II, Louisville, another No. 1 seed, was kayoed by No. 8 Columbus Marion-Franklin. One has to wonder if quarterback Bobby Swigert had stayed healthy how deep into the playoffs the Leopards go.

*Division III, Archbishop Hoban’s offense is killing them. They could surprise Poland Seminary at Uniontown Lake’s Blue Streak Stadium Friday night, but not if the offense is as bad as its been in big games.

Don’t be shocked if Northwest, a sixth seed, knocks off No. 2 seed Dover. I have Indian fever!

*One of the coolest stories of the year is Woodridge in Division IV. The Bulldogs put a whipping at Martins Ferry in their first playoff appearance in school history (49-28) and winning their first ever league title.  This team can light up scoreboards on on given night.

*Lest we not forget Mogadore. The Wildcats lone loss was to Woodridge and Saturday night I look for them to knock off Norwalk St. Paul at Medina’s Kenneth Dukes Stadium.

Here are my thoughts on this week’s playoff games:

*The best games - North Canton Hoover at Massillon in Division I and Ravenna at Lake Catholic in Division II.

The Vikings have a chance because in its two losses, the Tigers defense gave up far too many big plays. Hoover is tested and look for it to use  the passing game at time to surprise the home town Tigers.

Ravenna needs to get Pernell Taylor loose in the secondary to set up the star back in the running game.

*Rematches - Padua plays at Archbishop Hoban in a battle of two teams that struggle to score in big games. Knights won the last meeting, 10-6, and I expect the same. Ditto that for Brunswick at Twinsburg, which the Tigers win in Week 5 at Brunswick. Tigers are more experienced and the Blue Devils aren’t what they have been in recent years.

*Upset special - No. 8 Canton McKinley will upset top seed No. 1 Toledo Whitmer in Division I, Region 2.

*Who will show up? – The Fighting Irish of St. Vincent-St. Mary can look one minute like world beaters, the next like the Cleveland Browns – nah, check that – Ohio State in big bowl games the past few seasons. Running back Mark Murphy needs a big game.

*Best wishes- We wish the Wiita family well and hopefully his Highland teammates will bring him back a playoff victory at Warren Howland. Also think it would be great for neighboring Woodridge and Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy to win on the road, especially a Bulldog team that has reached the playoffs for the first time.

When you are a writer, you see things from different angles than the public, particularly fans that follow one high school team.

On Saturday, Canton McKinley defeated Massillon, 35-21, which is always special in and of itself. Here were the Bulldogs, a team that had blown a 34-2 lead two weeks earlier in a 38-34 loss to North Canton Hoover, reaching the playoffs on third level points.

It was a glorious moment for McKinley coach Ron Johnson, who has been roasted this season by Bulldog fans as if he was the most evil character a writer could concoct. After the game, he told me that the players never quit and that is what made him so proud of the kids.

So McKinley heads to Toledo Whitmer Saturday hoping to pull off another upset and go further into the playoffs.

For Hudson players and fans, the McKinley victory was a crushing loss because the Explorers were the team bumped out of the playoffs. On the face of it, this is ridiculous. Hudson is 8-2 and McKinley is 6-4.

What killed the Explorers were some opponents who just had awful seasons. Jackson, normally a .500 team at least, took the pipe and was 0-10. Lakewood, the worst Division I program in Northeast Ohio and frankly is a waste of time watching, had its usual one win season. The Rangers were Hudson’s opponent in Week 10, giving virtually nothing in computer points to the Explorers.

Hudson coach Tom Narducci, quarterback Richie Piekarski and the Explorer seniors

People talk about win or go home themes for the playoffs. As Hudson now knows, sometimes you go home early when you win because you lose. Life is not always fair.

It is Week 10 and there is no room for bad play or flu. In many cases, it is essentially  a playoff week for teams, meaning win or go home. Unlike other sports, football pairs down the number of post season schools to only one out of seven. The top eight teams in each region qualify for the playoffs with the first four teams hosting a home game. Here are some of the big games for area teams:

*Massillon (7-2) at Canton McKinley (5-4)- The Tigers sit pretty at the No. 2 spot in Division I, Region 2. McKinley, with coach Ron Johnson on the hot seat, is in the 13th spot in the region.  The state’s oldest rivalry bold down to this – Massillon win ensures home field; McKinley win gives them a shot with some help, of reaching the post season.

The Bulldogs need help, such Perry upsetting GlenOak, and ditto that with Brunswick, Hudson,  Sylvania Southview, Amherst Steele, and Perrysburg (7-2) to lose to Maumee (8-1), as well Toledo St. John’s to Toledo Central Catholic.

*Springfield (6-3) at Ravenna (7-2) - The Spartans have their first winning season since 1998. Though they won’t make the post season, Springfield can knock the teetering playoff hopes of Ravenna out in Division II, Region 5 with a win over the Ravens. Even if Ravenna wins, they need help in Division II, Region 5 because they are in the ninth spot coming into this week. Sitting one spot back is Walsh Jesuit, who faces Division I LaSalle, which has four wins.

*Coventry (0-10)  at Field (6-3); Garfield (6-3) vs. Buchtel (6-3) at InfoCision Stadium - By losing to Ravenna, Field now sits at No. 8 in Division III, Region 9, with Bay Village one spot back. While Garfield has been mathematically eliminated from any post season hopes, they can win the City Series championship and douse Buchtel’s hopes to return to the playoffs.

Hey everyone! This is my column that’s running in the Akron Beacon Journal Friday, but it’s posted on Ohio.com now, as you can see. Thanks to everyone who submitted votes for their favorite high school nicknames. If there are other crazy nicknames from out of state, post them so we can all get some laughs. Thanks again!

Canton McKinley senior LB Jewone Snow will reportedly visit Purdue this weekend, according to Rivals.com.

Purdue plays host to Notre Dame on Saturday.

Canton McKinley senior LB Jewone Snow has reportedly scheduled an official visit to Purdue on Sept. 26, according to ESPN.com.

Snow also reportedly told an ESPN affiliate that he wants to take an official to West Virginia.