HIGH SCHOOL PREVIEW Football playoffs

DIVISION III
HUBBARD (9-1) vs. STEUBENVILLE (8-2)
Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday at Steubenville's Harding Stadium.
Record in playoffs: Hubbard (3-3); Steubenville (21-13).
Last meeting: This will be the first.
Notebook: This is Hubbard's fourth straight appearance, but Steubenville's 15th appearance. It's Region 9's fifth-seeded team vs. No. 4 seed. Hubbard has outscored opponents 309 to 158. Its only loss was to Girard, 27-7, for the Trumbull Athletic Conference championship. Senior QB Gabe McKee has led the team, passing 38-for-79 for 314 yards, five touchdowns and five interceptions. TB Shaun Lane has 195 carries for 1,849 yards. Ben Lane is the top tackler with 80 stops, followed by John Dominic with 68 and Tony Frazzini with 67. McKee is also the leader in interceptions with four followed by Adam Jablonski and Shaun Lane with three apiece. The Eagles have rushed for 2,842 yards and passed for 314 while opponents have gained 1,365 on the ground and 927 in the air. Hubbard's wins were over: Bedford Chanel (7-0), Cleveland East (47-20), Struthers (21-6), Newton Falls (41-21), Liberty (21-14 OT), Lakeview (35-28), LaBrae (67-14), Champion (35-14) and Brookfield (28-14).
Radio: WBBG-FM (106.1).
DIVISION IV
EAST PALESTINE (9-1)
vs. SULLIVAN BLACK RIVER (8-2)
Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday at East Palestine's Reid Stadium.
Record in playoffs: Sullivan Black River is in the playoffs for the sixth time, the last in 1999 when the Pirates lost in the regional final to Bedford Chanel. This is East Palestine's first trip.
Last meeting: This will be the first.
Notebook: East Palestine, guided by third-year coach Brian Blevins, has a powerful, no-huddle offense within a virtual two-platoon system led by senior FB J.D. Powers and senior QB Smitty Kendrew. Powers has rushed for 1,265 yards in 209 carries and 17 TDs, while Kendrew has 800 yards in 115 carries and 11 TDs, and is 64-for-122 passing for 888 yards, seven TDs with five interceptions. Senior SE Pat Brennan has 26 catches for 398 yards and five TDs, while senior flanker Chris Clark has 25 receptions for 309 yards. Parker and Clark also double at linebackers to lead the defense. Powers broke a toe in last week's game, but still is slated to play both ways. Black River, under coach Al Young in his 13th year, has a balanced attack led by junior QB Kyle Clark with almost 1,100 yards passing, and senior FB Brett Hastings with 1,200 yards rushing.
GIRARD (9-1) vs. PERRY (8-2)
Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday at Arrowhead Stadium.
Record in playoffs: Perry (2-5); Girard (2-3).
Notebook: Girard junior QB Matt Zuppo (5-foot-11, 185 pounds) has 1,696 yards passing with 15 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. He's hit on 111-of-176 aerials (63 percent) and has run for 564 yards for 2,260 total yards. The top WR is senior Dustin Helle (5-9, 152) with 31 catches, 681 yards (22-yard average) and 10 touchdowns. Senior center Jake Racick leads the blocking for the Indians. Massive senior DT Paul Cole (6-4, 295) has 53 stops, while LB Nick Shirey (6-2, 208) has 72 tackles for coach Bud McSuley's Indians. Perry features QB Jeremy Goldizan, a 6-foot-2, 210-pound junior. He's got 12 touchdown passes and 1,219 yards with just nine interceptions.
URSULINE (5-5)vs. MANCHESTER (10-0)
Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday at Manchester's France Stadium.
Record in playoffs: Ursuline (11-9) is making its 11th appearance. Manchester is 8-12 all-time.
Last meeting: Ursuline beat Manchester in the regional semifinals en route to winning the 2000 Division IV state crown.
Notebook: 8th seed vs. top-seed matchup. First-time appearance for first-year coach Dan Murphy, who was an assistant at Massillon Washington last season. Manchester has eight shutouts. The Panthers have allowed only six points since the first quarter of their season-opener. Manchester is also an excellent ball-control team. The Panthers have a whopping 33 takeaways and just six giveaways. Manchester is led by RB Aaron Neely (1,178 yards/209 attempts) and RB Justin McCraney (403 yards/102 attempts). Neely has scored 20 touchdowns and has 26 tackles at linebacker. QB Ryan Swain has completed 53 of 108 passes for 819 yards (6 TDs, 3 INTs), while WR Josh Feesler has 21 catches for 363 yards. Nick Manson has five interceptions. Ursuline's offensive line includes C Kyle Brubaker, LG Colin Brubaker & amp; RG Andrew Edmonds, LT Brandon Braxton, RTs Juan Vega & amp; Matt Maizel, TE Louis Irizarry. The skill players are QB Daryll Clark, RBs Terrence Graves and Delbert Ferguson, FB Brad Turnbull, WRs Isaiah Poindexter & amp; Walt Lacey. Return men are Lacey (21.6 avg. on kickoffs) and Poindexter (18.3 avg. on punts). Nick Royer is the kickoff, extra point and field goal machine. He's made 31 PATs and three FGs for 40 points. Ferguson (143 rushes/1,117 yards) and Graves (72 attempts, 479 yards) are the top ground-gainers. Clark is 73 of 131 for 1,457 yards, 14 TDs and 5 INTs. Irizarry has 25 catches for 660 yards with Poindexter snaring 21 passes for 310 yards. Lacey has 10 receptions for 236 yards. Ahead of Royer in scoring are Ferguson (78 points) and Irizarry (48). Vega has five sacks and Maurice Jiles has three. Derrick Stewart has picked off three passes and Terrell Washington two. Alex Allen and Joe Lovell have both recovered two fumbles while Turnbull and now-injured LB Brad Borghetti have one apiece. The Irish have been penalized 66 times for 511 yards compared to opponents' 31 for 214.
Radio: WNIO-AM (1390).
DIVISION VI
LOWELLVILLE (10-0)vs. LEETONIA (7-3)
Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday at Lowellville High stadium.
Last meeting: Lowellville won 26-8 in 1998.
Record in playoffs: Lowellville is 0-2; Leetonia is 0-1.
Notebook: This pits the second seed (Lowellville) and seventh seed (Leetonia) in Region 21. The Rockets, coached by John Protopapa, are making their second straight trip to the playoffs, having lost 45-6 to Mogadore in the first round last season. They also made it in 1995. This year, Lowellville thrives on an option ground attack led by QB Mike Palumbo and RBs Andy Peterson and Jeff Peterson. Andy Peterson leads the team with 1,479 yards rushing and 18 TDs, while Palumbo has 808 yards and Jeff Peterson 693 yards and 13 TDs. Palumbo has completed 29-of-56 passes for 591 yards and has accounted for 10 TDs. Anthony Donatelli has nine catches for 143 yards and a TD, while Bryan Meehan has seven catches for 167 yards and four TDs for the Rockets, ranked sixth in the state. Leetonia's last postseason appearance came in 2000, a 21-0 loss to Portsmouth Notre Dame. The Bears, coached by Art Altomare, lost three games this season by six points. Leetonia also likes to run the ball, behind the efforts of RBs Joey Jenkins and Aaron Merrill and QB Matt Custer. TE Freddie Gray is one of the Bears' top targets.
TV/Radio: FOX 17/62 Game of the Week (tape delay at 10:30 p.m.); WBBW-AM (1240).
-- Vindicator staff reports