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O H I O C A P I T A L C O N F E R E N C E- CA P I T A L
Overview
Division looks to pack another playoff punch
By JEREMY STEWART
ThisWeek Staff Writer
The OCC-Capital Division race
last season was too tight to have an
outright champion as four of the
league’s six teams made it to the foot-
ball playoffs.
New Albany High School was
fourth at 2-3, but ended up being good
enough to reach a Division III state
semifinal. Big Walnut and Watkins
Memorial tied for first at 4-1, ahead
of Olentangy Liberty (3-2), Dublin
Scioto (2-3), New Albany and
Franklin Heights (0-6).
Although none of the OCC-Cap-
ital teams were in Division I — the
only OCC division without a Divi-
sion I school — they were 10-2
against Division I teams last year,
which benefited New Albany in the
computer rankings after it lost to Big
Walnut 10-6 in the regular-season
is a very sound senior class (in the That win kept Big Walnut in first
Inside the division OCC-Capital). There are a bunch of
kids that are going to college at the
place for the first two weeks of the
league schedule. Then in the third
2006 STANDINGS New Albany at Franklin Heights next level.” week, it suffered its OCC-Capital loss
Team League Overall Watkins Memorial at Olentangy Liberty He said between two-a-day ses- at Liberty 7-0. Those two teams have
Big Walnut 4-1 10-3 Oct. 12
Watkins Memorial 4-1 10-2 Olentangy Liberty at Big Walnut sions Aug. 12 that he expected the accounted for seven OCC titles in the
Olentangy Liberty 3-2 8-3 New Albany at Dublin Scioto league race to look a lot like it did last 10 years. The Golden Eagles have
New Albany 2-3 9-5 Franklin Heights at Watkins Memorial last year, when there was a three-way the Patriots at home this year in a
Dublin Scioto 2-3 4-6 Oct. 19 tie for first until the next-to-last week game that will be the first of a two-
Franklin Heights 0-5 4-6 Big Walnut at Franklin Heights
Olentangy Liberty at Dublin Scioto
of the season with two other teams game road trip for Liberty, which has
2007 SCHEDULE one game out. Big Walnut, Liberty made the playoffs in each of the past
Sept. 28 Watkins Memorial at New Albany
Big Walnut at Watkins Memorial Oct. 26 and Watkins Memorial were 2-1, just three seasons. Last year’s win over
Franklin Heights at Dublin Scioto New Albany at Big Walnut ahead of New Albany and Scioto. Big Walnut, which advanced to the
Olentangy Liberty at New Albany Dublin Scioto at Watkins Memorial The OCC-Capital schedule begins playoffs in Division III, kept Liberty
Oct. 5 Franklin Heights at Olentangy Liberty
in the season’s sixth week and it starts tied atop the league standings until
Dublin Scioto at Big Walnut
with a game between last year’s co- losing 24-21 at home to Scioto in the
champions, Big Walnut and Watkins season’s second-to-last week.
finale, but had earned enough points line, a senior quarterback and the Memorial. Big Walnut won the last That was a tough loss because by
still to make the playoffs. team’s leading rusher — it appears year’s game at home 24-14 and that time a junior-laden Scioto, which
But what’s scary this year, New no one else seemed to have dropped returns nine starters on defense. returns 17 starters, already had
Albany coach Mark Mueller said, is off, either. Watkins Memorial can answer with severely diminished its chance at a
that even though he felt good about “We’re not going to take one week four returning seniors on its offen- league title by losing consecutively
all the starters he had returning — off,” Mueller said. “Any given night sive line blocking for a returning
four seniors starter on the offensive you can get beat in our league. This starter at quarterback in K.C. Weber. See OCC-CAPITAL, page 45

Big Walnut
Golden Eagles aiming
to defend league title
By PATRICK DOLAN
ThisWeek Staff Writer
With 13 starters back, the Big Walnut High
School football team appears to be primed to
defend the OCC-Capital Division championship
that it shared with Watkins Memorial last year
and make a return trip to the Division III play-
offs.
Those certainly are among the team’s pri-
mary goals, but 10th-year coach Scott Wetzel
is not thinking that far ahead.
“Our goal right now is not to go 0-10,” said
Wetzel, whose team opens Friday at Thomas
Worthington. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
Our goal right now is to win the first game. If
At a glance
BIG WALNUT GOLDEN EAGLES
Colors: Red and gold
Coach: Scott Wetzel, 10th season
Key players: Chris Franklin, Derek Jones, Logan Mead,
Mark Nelson, Joe Reed, Will Studlien, Jared Suvak,
Trevor Tutorow, Ethan Wetzel and Cory Wolfe
On the Web: bigwalnut.k12.oh.us/highschool/hs
2007 SCHEDULE
Aug. 24..............Thomas Worthington...........Away
Aug. 31..............Delaware ..........................Home
Sept. 7...............Chillicothe..........................Away
Sept. 14 ............Olentangy .........................Home
Sept. 21 ............Westerville Central..............Away
Sept. 28 ............Watkins Memorial...............Away By Paul Vernon/ThisWeek
Oct. 5 ................Dublin Scioto ....................Home
Oct. 12 ..............Olentangy Liberty ..............Home The Golden Eagles’ Steve McDaniel (left) is brought down by Nate Scarbury during a practice.

we do that, that just means we won’t go 0-10.”
Big Walnut is coming off one of its best sea-
sons. It finished 10-3 overall and defeated
Napoleon 31-20 in a regional quarterfinal and
St. Marys Memorial 34-20 in a regional semi-
final before falling to Kettering Alter 28-0 in
a regional final.
The only other time the Golden Eagles
advanced past the first round of the playoffs
was in 2001, when they lost to Bellevue 42-35
in a regional final. Big Walnut went 4-1 in the
OCC-Capital to tie Watkins Memorial.
Big Walnut returns nine starters on defense
in seniors Chris Franklin (DL, 6-foot-2, 210
pounds), Derek Jones (DB, 6-0, 175), Mark
Nelson (LB, 6-2, 210), Joe Reed (DB, 6-4,
200), Jared Suvak (LB, 6-2, 230) and Ethan
Wetzel (LB, 6-2, 205) and juniors Nick Hei-
den (DB, 6-0, 175), Logan Mead (DL, 5-10,
205) and Will Studlien (LB, 6-3, 225).
Last season, Wetzel was first-team all-dis-
trict, Suvak and Reed were second-team all-
district and Nelson and Studlien received hon-
orable mention. Studlien, Suvak and Wetzel
were first-team all-league and Nelson and Reed
were second-team all-league.
Reed is the strong safety and Jones and Hei- the field,” coach Wetzel said.
den are cornerbacks. Wetzel played free safety
last year but will be used as a roving linebacker. time on defense are seniors Zach Rife (DL, 5- senior running back Cory Wolfe (6-0, 195). the season.
August 22, 2007 • Central Ohio High School Football Preview ’07
Oct. 19 ..............Franklin Heights..................Away
Oct. 26 ..............New Albany.......................Home 10, 210) and Anthony Zarcone (DB, 5-10, Last year Wetzel passed for 854 yards and
2006 RESULTS 185), juniors Kalven Baer (DL, 5-11, 230), rushed for 421 yards.
(10-3 overall, 4-1 OCC-Capital)
Lima Shawnee..........................................W, 14-7
Jacob Deltedesco (5-10, 165) and Travis Mead The Golden Eagles had to replace their entire
Delaware..................................................W, 37-0 (6-2, 230) and sophomore Brad Beltram (DB, offensive line, as center Josh Cumberledge,
Chillicothe................................................W, 28-7 5-8, 150). guards Jonard and Kyle Rader and tackles Bur-
Olentangy ......................................L, 21-18 (3OT) Zarcone and Deltedesco are vying for the well and Ryan Workman graduated. Cum-
Westerville Central......................................W, 7-6 starting spot at free safety. berledge was second-team all-league and Work-
Watkins Memorial...................................W, 24-14
Dublin Scioto .........................................W, 16-10
The two defensive starters lost to gradua- man received honorable mention.
Olentangy Liberty ........................................L, 7-0 tion were linemen Alex Burwell (6-0, 285) The line likely will consist of senior Shane
Franklin Heights........................................W, 29-0 and Taylor Jonard (6-0, 230). Burwell was Hubbard (5-10, 205) at center, Studlien and
New Albany ..............................................W, 10-6 first-team all-state and all-district as an offen- junior Nate Scarbury (6-2, 225) at guards and
PLAYOFFS sive lineman but, according to coach Wetzel, senior Chad Williams (6-2, 225) and junior Jon
Napoleon ...............................................W, 31-20 was equally as good on defense. Jonard made Smith (6-2, 225) at tackles.
St. Marys Memorial ................................W, 34-20 special mention all-state and first-team all- Also vying for playing time on the line are
Kettering Alter ...........................................L, 28-0
district. Both were first-team all-league, with Baer, Logan Mead, Travis Mead and Rife.
Jonard sharing OCC-Capital Player of the Another starter lost to graduation was full-
BE THE ONE to
champion Year honors with Liberty linebacker Ridge back Ugo Akusoba, who made second-team
Riebold. all-district and first-team all-league. Taking his
life for patients in need. “We lost two kids who are pretty hard to spot is senior Trevor Tutorow (5-10, 195), who
1-800-GIVE-LIFE replace up front,” Wetzel said of Burwell and was the backup a year ago.
BloodSavesLives.org Jonard. Others expected to see significant playing
Their departures, coupled with the Golden time are Reed and senior Jared Hogg (6-1, 170)
Eagles’ speed on defense, prompted Wetzel to at wide receiver and senior Garrett Koehler (6-
“That gets Ethan more involved in the defense change his base defense from primarily a 50 2, 185) at quarterback.
and allows us to put another skilled player on scheme to a 3-4 scheme. Because of all the personnel changes on
Big Walnut returns four starters on offense offense, Wetzel said the defense will be counted
Others expected to get significant playing in Wetzel (QB), Jones (WR), Suvak (TE) and on even more, particularly in the early part of
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