CINCINNATI - With the Greater Miami Conference starting league play this weekend, we wanted to fill you in on the facts you should know.
> Colerain won its 15th consecutive Greater Miami Conference title in 2014. The Cardinals have 45 consecutive victories in GMC play. The last time they lost a conference affair was on Oct. 3, 2008 at Middletown, 42-39.
Monalo Caldwell of Colerain
> In the last five years the GMC has earned 16 playoff berths (at least three in each season). Five teams have made multiple appearances in that span - Colerain (5), Lakota West (2), Lakota East (2), Sycamore (2) and Middletown (2). Fairfield, Mason and Hamilton have made one trip to the playoffs since 2010. The conference is a combined 9-9 in post-season play over the past three campaigns.
> The GMC has registered some very big wins during non-conference games this season with Colerain over St. Xavier and Warren Central the biggest. Mason has wins at Springboro and Winton Woods. Sycamore beat Mount Healthy. Fairfield's victories over Centerville and Dublin Coffman could end up being large as the season moves on. Lakota West’s lone win was against a Glenoak squad that has been victorious the last two Fridays.
> Seven GMC players have more than 1,000 yards rushing in their careers – Deshaunte Jones (Colerain – 1,994); Allante Simmons (Middletown – 1,739); Ra’von Bonner (Sycamore – 1,504); Clarence Dawson (Sycamore – 1,497); T.J. Jemison (Lakota East – 1,199); Monalo Caldwell (Colerain – 1,102) and Tyler Glen (Lakota East – 1,077). For junior Glenn, Friday night’s game against Hamilton will be just his eighth at the varsity level. He has run for two touchdowns in each of the last four contests.
> Bonner has run for four touchdowns three times in his last seven starts. Jones has found the end zone at least three times in four of his last 10 games.
> Fairfield quarterback Hunter Krause became the school’s all-time leader in career passing yards last week at Northmont. The Indians senior has thrown for 3,118 yards with 33 touchdown tosses and counting. Krause also set the school record for touchdown passes in a season a year ago with 19.
> In just his third start, sophomore quarterback Jacob Woycke (Why-key) put his name in the Oak Hills record book. He threw for a school best 402 yards, completing 45 of an eye-popping 72 attempts in the Highlanders' 45-14 loss to Loveland last Friday. In head coach Evan Dreyer’s wide-open spread offense you can bet Woycke’s assault on the numbers is just beginning with plenty more to fall.
> Expect some high scoring affairs over the next seven weeks. Five teams - Mason, Lakota West, Hamilton, Middletown and Oak Hills - are allowing between 375 and 445 yards per games. Hamilton and Oak Hills are also in the GMC’s top four offenses in total yards.
> Great news for coaches as teams are protecting the ball. Eight GMC schools are averaging less than two turnovers per contest. A big reason for Princeton’s 2-1 start is that the Vikings have only one turnover. On the flip side, Lakota West is the only defense to be averaging at least two takeaways per contest.
