PREP PREVIEW Division III football

HUBBARD vs. MENTOR LAKE CATHOLIC
Game time: 7 p.m. at Mentor High SchoolRadio: WBBG-FM (106.1)If you go: Take the Ohio Turnpike west and exit at Streetsboro (Route 14/I-480). Follow 480 west and merge onto I-271 north for 18 1/2 miles. I-271 merges with I-90 east. Follow 90 for 4 1/2 miles. Take Exit 193 toward Mentor/Kirtland and turn left on Route 306 (Broadmoor Road). Merge onto Route 2 east toward Painesville and take the Route 615 exit toward Mentor. Turn left onto 615 (Center Street) and proceed to the school.
HUBBARD (9-0)
34Cle. East043Struthers726Newton Falls021Liberty040Lakeview2153LaBrae648Champion056Girard2854Brookfield0
Eagles notebook: Coach Jeff Bayuk's team returns to the postseason after a one-year absence and will make its fifth appearance overall. The Eagles finished seventh in their region and 12th in the state poll. Quarterback Bryan Boyce directs an offense that thrives on the running game of Tony Giancola, who's carried 122 times for 1,350 yards and 14 touchdowns. Giancola is complemented by the running of fullback Ben Lane. Russell Hawkins has 23 catches for 295 yards and three touchdowns.
LAKE CATHOLIC (8-2)
21Euclid634Akron Hoban4119Cle. Benedictine2527Madison1334Walsh Jesuit1313Parma Padua1052Bedford Chanel1428Holy Name728Trinity726Chardon NDCL20
Cougars notebook: This program is no stranger to the postseason, having qualified for the 13th time while posting a 21-9 record in that period. The Cougars are hot, winning seven straight games after back-to-back losses early in the season to Akron Hoban and Cleveland Benedictine. Quarterback Rick Stanzi runs the high-powered offense.
WEST BRANCH vs. STEUBENVILLE
Game time: 7 p.m. at Harding StadiumIf you go: Take Ohio Route 11 south to East Liverpool. Follow Route 7 south into Steubenville. Take the University Boulevard exit and proceed west until University turns into Brady Avenue. Follow Brady until you reach the intersection of West Market Street. (Route 43 & amp; 22). Follow Route 43/22 west sign and go about 1/8 of a mile. The stadium will be on your left behind Harding Middle School on Calvin Jones Way.
WEST BRANCH (6-3-1)
7Southeast726Lorain Brookside2028Salem1012Canal Fulton Northwest267Carrollton4239Akron Springfield08Louisville1321Canton South724Minerva2055Marlington13
Warriors notebook: West Branch is making its first playoff appearance since 2001. The Warriors locked up the region's eighth spot by pounding Marlington last week. Eric Balputnis gives the Warriors a ground threat. He rushed for 197 yards on 29 carries and three touchdowns last week to surpass the 1,000-yard mark for the season. Quarterback Bobby Swallow passed for 155 yards and two touchdowns.
STEUBENVILLE (10-0)
34Cleveland JFK024Ursuline836Wheeling Park (W.Va.)051Niles728Brooke (W.Va.)315St. Joseph's Collegiate735Zanesville753East Liverpool026Canton Central Catholic018Rayen8
Big Red notebook: Steubenville won its second straight state poll title and finished first in the region. The Big Red are in the playoffs for the 17th time. Their win last week over The Rayen School proved to be the least productive offensively for coach Reno Saccoccia's team. Gary Stubbs still ran for 118 yards on 20 carries for Big Red. Quarterback Antonio Magnone threw for 145 yards and two touchdowns.
ALLIANCE vs. BEAVER LOCAL
Game time: 7 p.m. at Beaver Local Stadium
ALLIANCE (8-2)
27Minerva5429Poland32Canfield1421Salem2033Wilson654Struthers1423Rayen2028Howland754Canton Timken035Niles13
Aviators notebook: The Aviators defeated Niles last week to secure the Metro Athletic Conference championship. Kendell Davis is one of the state's best running backs. Last week against the Red Dragons, the senior ran for 303 yards and three touchdowns and has 1,108 yards for the season on 101 carries with 11 touchdowns. The Aviators will be without the services of four players, who were ejected from last week's game against Niles. Alliance hasn't been in the playoffs since the 1996 season when it competed in Div. II.
BEAVER LOCAL (10-0)
29Akron East328Carrollton856Campbell714East Liverpool056Bellaire1343Zanesville230Chardon2836Oak Glen (W.Va.)738Eastlake North669Edison19
Beavers notebook: Coach Rich Wright's team has recorded back-to-back 10-0 regular seasons. The Beavers, who finished second in their region and in the state poll, are in the playoffs for the fifth time. Quarterback Steve Mercer is a running threat, along with backs Jim Bowersock and Dan Kinsey. The Beavers ran up over 600 yards on the ground last week against Edison.
Vindicator staff reports