CINCINNATI — Turpin football coach Kent McCullough understands Friday night’s win at Kings wasn’t pretty. He is OK with that fact.
The undefeated Spartans made clutch plays when the game was on the line after trailing by three points at halftime.
Turpin had 475 yards of offense including 326 yards rushing in a 27-24 win.
“I am very proud of this group of young men,” McCullough said. “Watching their hard work during the week paying off on Friday nights is very rewarding to me.”
Turpin (5-0, 2-0 Eastern Cincinnati Conference) is undefeated at the halfway point of the regular season for the first time since 2016.
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RELATED: Turpin coach Kent McCullough on the WCPO High School Insider
Senior running back Reece Evans rushed for a career-high 288 yards and four touchdowns Friday night. His 288 yards rushing is third-best in program history, according to McCullough. It was the second time this season Evans rushed for more than 200 yards.
“Reece was a warrior tonight and the offensive line was tremendous,” McCullough said. “Reece knows if it wasn’t for the offensive line he couldn’t have the success he is getting.”
Senior quarterback Justin Silverstein was 16 of 24 passing for 149 yards. Junior Kaidan Naughton had six receptions for 70 yards.
“Justin did a great job being the leader of this offense and team and making plays,” McCullough said.
Turpin is ranked No. 2 in the Division II, Region 8 computer points standings entering Saturday.
The Spartans play at Walnut Hills (3-2, 1-1 ECC) Oct. 4.
Win streak continues: Wyoming won its 36th consecutive regular season game Friday night with a 21-0 win at Mariemont. That regular-season winning streak is tops among any program in the state, according to Drew Pasteur.
Wyoming, the reigning Division IV state champion, has not lost a regular-season game since Oct. 23, 2015 at Reading (28-20). The Cowboys have won 20 consecutive games overall, which is also tops in the state.
“They just keep working and performing,” Wyoming coach Aaron Hancock said. “Our defense is playing lights out right now.”
Wyoming outscored its opponents 86-14 on the road the past three weeks. Wyoming (5-0, 2-0 CHL) plays host to Madeira (4-0, 1-0) Oct. 4.
Kiner climbs records list: Roger Bacon junior running back Corey Kiner rushed for 255 yards and three touchdowns in the Spartans’ 36-13 win over McNicholas.
Kiner, rated the nation’s No. 6 running back in the 2021 class by 247 Sports, became the second player in Roger Bacon history to rush for 50 career rushing touchdowns, according to assistant athletic director Brandon Spaeth.
Kiner moved up to No. 2 in all-purpose yards in program history after earning 337 yards Friday. Roger Bacon improved to 4-1 which is its best start since 2010, according to Spaeth.
Roger Bacon (4-1) plays host to Purcell Marian (2-3) Oct. 4.
Successful trip: La Salle junior quarterback Zach Branam accounted for five touchdowns (three passing and two rushing) in the Lancers’ 48-0 win over St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute in Buffalo Friday afternoon.
The Lancers had 400 yards of total offense. Branam was 11 of 12 passing for 189 yards.
“Zach is doing a great job spreading the ball around and most importantly making good decisions,” La Salle coach Pat McLaughlin said. “Where we are right now is a testament to the staff and leadership of our players.”
La Salle was stuck in traffic a bit and arrived at the game two hours prior to the 4:30 p.m. kickoff.
“All three phases played well,” McLaughlin said. “Our staff and players handled the trip great.”
La Salle (5-0) plays Moeller (1-4, 0-1 Greater Catholic League South division) Oct. 4 at Princeton.
Victorious Vikings: Princeton snapped a two-game losing streak with a 28-24 win at Lakota East Friday night.
The Vikings (3-2, 1-2 GMC) are No. 5 in the Division I, Region 4 computer points standings, according to Joe Eitel.
“The boys kept fighting,” Princeton coach Mike Daniels said early Saturday morning. “It’s hard to win GMC games so I’m proud of the boys.”
Princeton plays at Middletown (1-4, 0-3 GMC) Oct. 4.
Speaking of Vikings: New Miami improved to 5-0 for the first time since 1978 with a 39-6 win over visiting Clark Montessori. New Miami plays host to Cincinnati College Prep (4-1) Oct. 4. Entering Saturday, New Miami was No. 2 in the Division VII, Region 28 computer points standings while Cincinnati College Prep is No. 3.
Panthers pounce: Little Miami senior quarterback Brody Reder accounted for five touchdowns as Little Miami defeated visiting Talawanda 41-19 in a key Southwest Ohio Conference game. Little Miami (4-1, 1-1 SWOC) had 438 yards of offense. Reder rushed for three touchdowns and threw for two. It was the first loss of the season for Talawanda (4-1, 0-1).
Milestone meeting: The Elder (4-1) and St. Xavier (5-0, 1-0 GCL South) football programs will meet for the 100th time in the series Oct. 4 when the Greater Catholic League South division teams play at Ballaban Field.
Elder leads the all-time series 51-42-6, according to both schools.
Two of the area’s most storied football programs started the series in 1923. The Panthers and Bombers have met four times in the postseason, with the most recent playoff game in 2009.
College recruiting: The University of Cincinnati offered a scholarship to Colerain junior defensive tackle Dontay Corleone the morning of Sept. 21. UC became the first offer for Corleone.
Corleone, who is listed at 6 feet 2 and 285 pounds, had four tackles including a sack and a fumble recovery Sept. 20 in the Cardinals’s 23-14 win at Princeton.
- Ohio State offered a scholarship to Winton Woods senior running back Miyan Williams Sept. 21. Williams, an Iowa State commit, was the 2018 Ohio Mr. Football runner-up.
Extra points: Steve Shuck’s first postseason projections this season will occur the week of Oct. 7. Shuck, the Greater Miami Conference commissioner, projects playoff qualifiers in all seven division for WCPO. He has formally made the projections since 1996.
- Lakota West coach Tom Bolden won 77 consecutive Greater Miami Conference games prior to Friday night’s 33-7 loss to visiting Fairfield. Bolden, the former longtime Colerain coach, is in his first season at Lakota West after spending 12 seasons with the Cardinals.
- Milford junior wide receiver Vince Ringland had five receptions for 173 yards and three touchdowns – all in the first half – as Milford defeated Loveland 42-13. Milford (3-2, 1-0 Eastern Cincinnati Conference) plays host to Anderson (3-2, 2-0) Oct. 4.
- Elder had 517 yards of offense in 49-7 win over visiting Ryle. Senior quarterback Matthew Luebbe was 10 of 10 passing for 174 yards and four touchdowns. Senior tight end Joe Royer (Ohio State) had seven receptions for 161 yards and four touchdowns. Junior running back Cooper Johnson had 11 carries for 101 yards and two touchdowns.
- Senior quarterback Matthew Rueve threw for 341 yards and three touchdowns in St. Xavier’s 27-24 win over Moeller at Nippert Stadium. Junior Liam Clifford had 13 receptions for 173 yards and two touchdowns.
- Winton Woods (4-0) plays host to Lakewood St. Edward (3-1) at 3 p.m. today in the first-ever meeting between the programs. Winton Woods, a Division II program, has won 13 consecutive regular season games. St. Ed's is the reigning Division I state champion.
