The Northwest Central Conference (NWCC) championship game between Hardin Northern (6-2) and Upper Scioto Valley (7-1) is set to be a high-stakes matchup. Upper Scioto Valley is currently leading the NWCC with an unbeaten 6-0 conference record, while Hardin Northern trails closely with a 5-1 conference record. While USV currently sits at the top of the NWCC standings by themselves, Hardin Northern is looking to win at home and have a chance to share the title with Upper Scioto Valley. The winner of this game will likely secure a top seeding position for the OHSAA playoffs.
Upper Scioto Valley has shown dominance on both sides of the ball this season, averaging 31.5 points per game, with strong performances from players like Max Underwood who has over 1500 all purpose yards this season and has found the endzone 21 times both passing and rushing. Running back Ryan Roberts is also likely to eclipse 1000 rushing yards by the end of this game to go along with his 10 TDs. Their defense has also been solid, allowing just 95 points over eight games.
Hardin Northern, while slightly behind in overall performance, is still a formidable opponent. The Polar Bears only conference loss this season came from Ridgemont a few weeks ago. Their offense, led by their ground game, has put up impressive stats with an average of 25.2 points over eight games behind strong performances from players like Nolan Hopson, who averages 198.6 rushing yards per game. They will need to capitalize on their home-field advantage and limit mistakes to challenge Upper Scioto Valley .
According to Drew Pasteur’s Fantastic 50, Upper Scioto Valley is favored to win this game, giving them a high chance of a deep playoff run in Division VII . Both teams are poised to secure playoff spots regardless of the result, but a victory here could significantly impact seeding and momentum heading into the postseason. Expect a tightly contested game with playoff implications, as both teams fight for the NWCC title on Lima Sports Radio 93.1 The Fan!
-David Mansell