PREP PREVIEWS | This weekend's games

FITCH (8-0, 5-0)vs. CANTON GLENOAK (5-3, 3-2)
Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday at Fawcett StadiumLast meeting: Fitch won 28-20 last year.AP poll: GlenOak is unranked. Fitch is second in Division I.Computer ratings: Fitch is first in Region 1. GlenOak is 11th in Div. I, Region 2.Notebook: GlenOak has not been the same team since losing wideout Brian Hartline (an Ohio State recruit) to a broken leg early in the season. Hartline's brother, Mike, has gotten better each game, but he's still only a sophomore. The Golden Eagles would likely make it into the playoffs with wins over the Falcons and Massillon Perry. Fitch clinched a playoff berth and a share of the Federal League title with last week's 34-14 win over Uniontown Lake. The Falcons can win it outright by beating the Eagles or Boardman next week. Win both, and they'll have their first undefeated regular season in school history.If you go: Take I-76 east to I-77 south, exit at Fulton Road. Drive straight at stoplight. Stadium is a mile on the left.
SALEM (5-3, 3-2) vs. NILES (4-4, 3-1)
Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday at Bo Rein StadiumLast meeting: Salem won 10-7 last year.AP poll: Neither team is ranked.Computer ratings: Salem is 14th in Div. III, Region 11. Niles is 14th in Div. III, Region 9.Notebook: Salem needs a win to finish with its first winning season since 1994, which was also the last time the Quakers won a league title. The Quakers have just four winning seasons in the last 28 years. Niles, meanwhile, controls its own destiny in the Metro Athletic Conference race, needing wins over Salem and Alliance in the next two weeks to win its first league title since 2000. Both teams are longshots to make the playoffs -- Salem has never been to the postseason, while Niles hasn't gone since 2000 -- but a win would help build momentum for next season.
SPRINGFIELD (7-1)vs. COLUMBUS HARTLEY (5-2)
Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday at Springfield High stadiumLast meeting: First meetingAP poll: Hartley is unranked. Springfield is 19th in Div. V.Computer ratings: Hartley is ninth in Div. V, Region 20. Springfield is ninth in Region 17.Notebook: Bishop Hartley's two losses have come against Northridge and Jonathan Alder, who have a combined 15-1 record. Springfield, meanwhile, has quietly put together one of the area's best records, beating an underrated Jackson-Milton team 12-6 last Friday. Melio Rios had 181 yards rushing and a touchdown in the victory, while Andrew Schuler found Mike Kampfer for a 22-yard TD pass.
GIRARD (6-2, 3-2)vs. HUBBARD (7-0, 5-0)
Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday at Hubbard StadiumLast meeting: Hubbard won 33-19 last year.AP poll: Girard is unranked. Hubbard is 11th in Div. III.Computer ratings: Girard is 10th in Region 13. Hubbard is seventh in Region 9.Notebook: LaBrae snapped Girard's three-game win streak last week, surrendering 337 yards passing to Vikings quarterback Todd Rowan. The Indians face a different problem this week, as few teams have been able to slow Hubbard running backs Ben Lane and Tony Giancola. Girard quarterback Bobby Ovesny and running back Brett Dutton lead the Indians' high-powered spread offense that averages 41 points per game. Hubbard's defense, meanwhile, is surrendering just five points per game and has four shutouts. The Eagles, who won the league outright in 2001, can claim a share of the Trumbull Athletic Conference title on Friday with a chance to win it outright in Week 10 against Brookfield.
MOONEY (5-2, 0-1)vs. URSULINE (5-3, 1-0)
Game time: 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Stambaugh StadiumLast meeting: Mooney won 24-21 last year. Mooney leads the all-time series 31-15-3.AP poll: Mooney is ninth in Div. IV. Ursuline is unranked.Computer ratings: Mooney is eighth in Region 13 and Ursuline is ninth.Notebook: The Cardinals rebounded from their loss to Cleveland Benedictine with a crucial 19-14 win over Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary on Friday. With a date against Columbus Watterson, Mooney desperately needs to beat the Irish to keep pace in the playoff race. Ursuline, meanwhile, is chasing its first outright Steel Valley Conference title since 1975 and its first playoff berth since losing in the state semifinals two years ago. Quarterback Kyle McCarthy leads Mooney's offense, while Ursuline relies on running back Alex Allen.
MASSILLON (4-4)vs. WARREN HARDING (6-2)
Game time: 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Mollenkopf StadiumLast meeting: Harding won 31-15 last year.AP poll: Massillon is unranked. Harding is ranked 12th in Div. I.Computer ratings: Massillon is 14th in Region 2. Harding is third in Region 1.Notebook: Massillon has lost to four of the best teams in the state: Akron Buchtel, Cleveland Benedictine, Cleveland St. Ignatius and Lakewood St. Edward. Tigers junior Lanale Robinson had three touchdowns in last week's 72-6 win over (Washington D.C.) Friendship Edison. Massillon has lost to the Raiders three times in the past two years, including the state semifinal in 2002. Harding got back on track last Friday with a 28-6 win over Cleveland JFK after losses to Lakewood St. Edward, Ursuline and Cleveland St. Ignatius in recent weeks. Mario Manningham, the standout wideout headed to Michigan, may see some time in the backfield against the Tigers.
Vindicator staff report