Sunday Morning...
9:30 am
PHILLIPS, IL 50
Pickerington Central, OH -13'
Pickerington Tigers Div 1 State Champs after going 14-1 have a MaxPreps Rank #22 and take their 12 game win streak to the test against Illinois Public School, Wendell Phillips Academy, sporting a undefeated 14-0 Season and a State Champ in 5A. Wildcats climbed to fame by winning the Class 4A State Title in 2015 becoming the Chicago's 1st Public School to win a State Championship..... Team is on a 14 game win streak...
Pickerington Central made its own history ly by capturing the State Div 1 for its 1st Crown which is interesting considering the teams Dynasty Record 153-31 and had won the League every year starting in 2006-2017....Tigers attempt to be 1st team since 1998 to win Div 1 back-to-back.
Returning QB Jr Demeatric Crenshaw (6'2" 205) set a Ohio Div 1 State Title Game Record by recording 6 TDs to help beat Mentor 56-28....He currently has 7 major offers (Indiana, Georgia Tech, BC, Kentucky, Louisville, etc) Demeatric is one of the top dual threat QBs in the state (rushed for 1,379 yards w/24 TDs and passes for 1,609 yards w/13 TDs more).... While Demeatric provides needed experience, the team does have to replace an O-Line and the loss of 2 TEs...
The strength of the Tigers will be there Defense.... DT Dewayne Carter (Sr 6'3" 270 lbs) and DT Karter Johnson (Sr 6'3" 300 lbs)*Transfer, makes the trenches a very dangerous place... Dewayne is heading to Duke while Karter is a TCU commit..... The 2 together might be the strongest bookend DTs in the state..... CB Sr Jaquwan Crawford (5'11 175 lbs)and S Jason Beas (6'1" 190) give Tigers strength in the secondary.....
On D, the 2017 version averaged 17.9 ppg and it should be better this year. The team as a whole has some shoes to fill.... They lost 26 Seniors (including 5 1st Team All-Central District Players (2 of these were All State Ohio)... 5 earned Div 1 Scholarships and another player is at a Div 2 school.
Phillips Wildcats are riding high after a 14-0 campaign and a 5A Crown... They are ranked #3 in the State of Illinois... 5 Offensive Starters return as does 6 Def Starters... Top OL and WR returns and the Top Defender... Dynasty record is 98-61 (51-29 in League)...The strength is with the Defense and skilled positions on Offense.
QB Leonard Smith came over from Hubbard High where he shined but only in front of a couple of hundred people as he was in a small school and wanted recognition... The jury is out on his leadership and trying to bring the team back to the State Final...... Helping him is Alabama commit, Sr TE Jahleel Billingsley (6'5" 225 lbs) had 431 yards ly w/7 TDs *1st Illinois player to sign with Alabama in 2 years.... Also, Sr WR Fabian McCray (6'2" 180 lbs) had 621 yards w/7 TDs... The Illinois commit is instant offense and helped last years team to average 35.9 ppg
On Defense, another Illinois commitment Sr Joseph Thompson (5'11" 170 lbs) is a top DB... Soph DT Dominic Bass is getting accolades as he may end up being the most highly recruited player in Public School history of Illinois.... The 6'4" 250 lb freak already has offers from Power Programs like Auburn, LSU, Florida, and Ohio St.... Another Jr OL Demerick Morris is destined to be the best OgLineman the schools ever had....
So both programs come in with young lines, New QBs, Talented Defenses, and coming off State Title with significant win streaks on the line.... Sky High expectations for both squads should make this one exciting and fairly evenly matched..... While I have a lean towards Phillips and the points, I think the Under here is doable as long as there are no turn-overs into a short field.
2 units Under 50 LOSS
Lean to Phillips +13
Gluck
