South Range-Columbiana head this week’s list;
Mineral Ridge is next.

By TOM WILLIAMS

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

After watching his Mineral Ridge High football team pull out a 14-13 win over Crestview in the final 20 seconds, Rams coach Dom Leone reflected on how crucial the victory was to his resurgent team.

“This season is far from over,” Leone said. “We’re excited about the position we’re in right now, obviously, but we don’t know if 8-2 will get us in the playoffs.”

The win keeps the Rams (6-1) alive in the Inter Tri-County League race and the playoff chase. The Rams jumped up to seventh in this week’s Division V Region 17 ratings and meet East Palestine this week.

Mineral Ridge has a 3-1 league record and is a game behind South Range (7-0, 4-0) and Columbiana (6-1, 4-0) in the league race.

Friday, Dan Yeagley’s Raiders, who haven’t lost a regular-season game since Week 8 of the 2004 season, travel to Columbiana to meet Bob Spaite’s Clippers.

The winning team will control its destiny in the ITCL race. The losing team will remain a playoff contender and need help to share the crown.

Last fall, the Raiders needed overtime to beat the Clippers in North Lima.

“Our league is tough,” said Leone, whose Rams lost to the Clippers in Week 6. “Every week, there’s a battle.

“It seems Columbiana has a jinx with South Range and we have it with Columbiana,” Leone said. “We just get over that hump. But it just shows the parity in the league.”

This week, South Range is second in the computer ratings in Region 17. Ahead of them is Ursuline (6-1), which plays Beaver Local (1-6) on Friday. The Irish close the season with unbeaten Mooney and unbeaten Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary (who play each other on Friday in Akron).

In Week 9, South Range will travel to Mineral Ridge in a game that will go a long way in determining the league championship. The Raiders will be studying film of the Rams against Crestview.

For most of the game, the Rams offense was powered by the legs of senior tailback A.J. Zitello, who rushed for 161 yards on 34 carries.

But trailing 13-7 late in the fourth quarter, the Rams came out throwing.

“When A.J. runs the ball, it opens everything up so they don’t expect the throw,” Rams quarterback Joey Miller said. “Everyone thinks we’re just a run team, but we can pass, too, because A.J. opens everything up for us.”

Zitello said the rally was almost overwhelming.

“So many emotions [were] going through our heads, like did this really happen?” Zitello said. “It was an all-around effort.”

Another huge game in settling a different competitive league race is the Poland at Howland contest.

The Tigers (7-0) and Bulldogs (6-1) are undefeated in their Metro Athletic Conference games. Both have one tough MAC game remaining on their schedule (Canfield at Poland, Howland at Niles, both in Week 10).

Friday’s loser will need help in the final week to create a tie for the crown.

Some teams have big games that have no effect on league standings. The Mooney-SVSM game could be a preview of a playoff matchup as both teams are in Div. IV’s Region 13.

East (6-1), one of this season’s most pleasant surprises, takes its traveling show to Warren for a “home” game at Mollenkopf Stadium against unbeaten Canton Central Catholic. CCC also is a member of Region 13 and a potential playoff opponent for Mooney or SVSM.

Despite its fine record, East is playing a must-win contest as far as the postseason goes. That’s because the Panthers are in the ultracompetitive Div. II Region 7 and needs every point it can muster to have a chance.

In the Trumbull Athletic Conference, first-place Lakeview (5-2) travels to Newton Falls (1-6). The other three TAC games should be closer on the scoreboard: Champion (4-3) at Hubbard (4-3), Liberty (5-2) at Brookfield (5-2) and LaBrae (3-4) at Girard (4-3).

williams@vindy.com