Bishop Watterson Eagles (12-1)
Location: Columbus
Head Coach: Brian Kennedy
League: Central Catholic League
Playoff Games:
Round 1 South 45-0
Round 2 Miami Trace 44-7
Round 3 Bloom-Carroll 20-10
Playoff History: 27th appearance; 2x State Champion (2002, 2010); 3x State Runner-Up; 8x State Final Four
Playoff Record: 47-24 (includes this season)
Scoring 36 points per game while allowing 9 points per game (4 shutouts)
Top Players:
QB AJ McAninch has thrown for 2,797 yards, 34 TDs, and 7 INTs
WR Jake Uhlenhake has 55 receptions for 912 yards and 12 TDs
Dominic Purcell leads the defense with 90 tackles and 4 sacks
Bellefontaine Chieftains (11-2)
League: Central Buckeye Conference
Head Coach: Jason Brown
Playoff Games:
Round 1 John Glenn 49-7
Round 2 London 35-28
Round 3 Granville 29-21
Playoff History: 14th appearance; 3rd appearance in the Regional Final
Playoff Record: 8-13 (includes this season)
Scoring 36 points per game while allowing 18 points per game (1 shutout)
Top Players:
QB Tavien St. Clair 2,931 yards with 36 TDs and 4 INTs
RB Chris Fogan has rushed for 1,298 yards and 18 TDs
WR Riley Neer has 104 catches for 1,789 yards and 21 TDs
LB Jayden Temple leads the team with 127 tackles (21 TFL) and has 5 sacks
LB-Carter Caudill has 115 tackles
Kicker Alex Crabill is 50 for 56 in extra points and has not attempted a field goal this season
Previous Playoff Matchups:
1999 Regional Final Watterson 31 Bellefontaine 28
2000 Round 1 Watterson 27 Bellefontaine 13
2009 Round 1 Watterson 26 Bellefontaine 0
*Bellefontaine beat Watterson in 2021 14-7 in a regular season game
The Bellefontaine football team is scheduled to leave BHS at 1:30 p.m. Friday.
If you want to help send off the Chieftains here’s their route out of town:
- South on Harding Street to
- East on East Lake Avenue to
- South on Ludlow Road to BMS then
- North on Beth Harman then up the hill to BES, back down the hill, and continue
- West on East Lake Avenue to
- North on South Main Street to
- East on East Sandusky Avenue to
- North on Madriver Street to
- West on East Williams Avenue to
- North on North Park Street (past BIS) to
- East on Palmer Avenue to
- East on Iroquois Road to
- East on Dakota Road to
- South on Allison Avenue to
- East on Sandusky Avenue / State Route 540 to US State Route 33
The Division III Regional Final game will be played at Marion Harding High School.
Kickoff will be at 7:00.
Live coverage begins at 6:40 on 107.3 The Drive with Dave Bezusko and Brandon Stockton.
If you are going to the game, parking will be $5 and the Chiefs fans will sit on the home side of the stadium.
