Fort Recovery to play the top-ranked Cavs

Fort Recovery Indians

Fort Recovery, 3-4

Coach: Brent Niekamp, 16th year

Conference: Midwest Athletic

Last week vs. Fairbanks: Four second-quarter touchdowns and 256 all-purpose yards from Gavin Thobe helped Fort Recovery thrash the Fairbanks Panthers 63-7 in the Indians’ first playoff game since 2017. Derek Jutte added two touchdowns in the first quarter, Troy Homan and Riley Hiser had a rushing TD apiece and Clay Schmitz threw a TD pass to Dillan Evers.

Season leaders: Passing — Clay Schmitz – 89-of-145 for 1,372 yards, 10 touchdowns and six interceptions. Rushing — Derek Jutte – 79 carries for 532 yards and 10 touchdowns. Receiving — Gavin Thobe – 29 catches for 411 yards and three touchdowns. Defense — Gavin Thobe – 76 total tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble.



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Coldwater?Cavaliers

Coldwater, 7-0

Coach: Chip Otten, 11th year

Conference: Midwest Athletic

Last week vs. North Lewisberg Triad: Coldwater raced out to a 29-0 lead in the first quarter in a 37-6 victory against Triad. Myles Blasingame had TD runs of 13 and 21 yards in the first quarter, Zack McKibben had a 10-yard touchdown run and an 85-yard kickoff return touchdown to begin the second half.

Season leaders: Passing — Myles Blasingame – 62-of-100 for 814 yards, 13 touchdowns and five interceptions. Rushing — Myles Blasingame – 95 carries for 603 yards and seven touchdowns; Zack McKibben – 47 carries for 411 yards and eight touchdowns. Receiving — Tyler Schwieterman – 15 catches for 271 yards and five touchdowns. Defense — Zach Hamberg – 57 tackles, one tackle for loss and two forced fumbles.



Last meeting: Coldwater scored 31 straight points, including 21 during the second quarter, on its way to a 54-37 home victory against Fort Recovery on Sept. 11. Myles Blasingame threw for 144 yards and three touchdowns — two of them to Tyler Schwieterman — and added 125 yards and another score on the ground for the Cavaliers. Derek Jutte had 117 yards and two scores for Fort Recovery, and Clay Schmitz threw TD tosses to Gavin Thobe and Cobe Wendel.

Game notes: This is the 21st meeting between Coldwater and Fort Recovery, with the Cavaliers having never lost to the Indians ... Coldwater is the top-ranked team in Division VI, and also holds the top seed in Region 24. Fort Recovery, meanwhile, is seeded eighth ... This is the quarterfinal round of the all-inclusive playoff format. Winner advances to the regional semifinal Oct. 31 against either No. 4 seed West Jefferson or No. 5 seed Covington ... Coldwater has set an OHSAA record by qualifying for the playoffs for the 24th consecutive season ... CalPreps.com lists Coldwater as 23-point favorites (44-21).