Football Hosts Crosstown Rival Clay on Friday in Third Round of OHSAA D-II State Playoffs

TOLEDO, OH — The Central Catholic football team will renew its rivalry with a familiar crosstown foe on Friday, November 13, when the Fighting Irish host Clay in the third round of the OHSAA Division II State Playoffs.  Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Gallagher Stadium.  The regional semifinal matchup will also be streamed live on the BCSN+ app.

The Fighting Irish (9-2 overall) enter Friday's contest as the No. 1 seed in Region 6, while the Eagles (9-2) are the No. 4 seed.

Friday's matchup marks the first meeting between the two programs in more than four years and their first-ever postseason encounter.  Central Catholic and Clay were longtime conference rivals, competing together in the Three Rivers Athletic Conference (TRAC) throughout the league's 12-year existence (2011–23).  The conference officially disbanded following the 2022–23 school year.

The last meeting between the two schools came on September 30, 2022, when Central Catholic rolled to a 45-7 victory over Clay at Gallagher Stadium.  That win marked the Fighting Irish's 19th consecutive victory over the Eagles.  Central Catholic has not lost to Clay since 2003, when the Eagles earned a 10-7 victory.

All tickets for Friday's postseason matchup MUST be purchased online in advance at OHSAA.org/tickets.  Fans should select Football, Division II, locate the Central Catholic vs. Clay matchup, and click "Get Tickets."

General admission tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for students. All students must purchase a ticket to attend Friday's game, with student-priced tickets available exclusively to Central Catholic and Clay students.

There will be NO RESERVED SEATING, with all seats available on a first-come, first-served basis.

For complete Game Day information, including directions and parking, please click HERE.

Fans unable to attend can listen LIVE on 100.7 FM The Ticket, with the "Voice of the Irish" Bill Clark, Bill Boyle, and Jackson Stricker providing coverage beginning at 6 p.m. The broadcast will also be available online at 1007theticket.com.

Central Catholic advanced to the regional semifinals with an impressive 35-7 victory over No. 8 seed Avon Lake on Friday at Gallagher Stadium.

Senior running back Jeremiah Fuller delivered a standout performance, scoring three first-half touchdowns to help the Fighting Irish build a commanding 28-0 halftime advantage over the Shoremen (6-6).

The two-time All-Catholic selection electrified the home crowd by returning the opening kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown before adding scoring runs of one and 57 yards.  Fuller finished with 128 rushing yards on just eight carries.

Sophomore quarterback Lincoln Sellers connected with senior wide receiver Amari Eliano on touchdown passes of 17 and 11 yards, helping Central Catholic establish a running clock for much of the second half. Sellers completed 9-of-15 passes for 131 yards, while Eliano finished with three receptions for 49 yards.

Defensively, freshman cornerback Troy Yharbrough recorded two interceptions to highlight another strong performance by the Scarlet & Gray.  The Fighting Irish also delivered a crucial first-half goal-line stand to keep Avon Lake off the scoreboard heading into intermission.

Through 11 games, Sellers has completed 86-of-147 passes (58.5 percent) for 1,666 yards and 14 touchdowns, directing a balanced Fighting Irish offensive attack.

Fuller has been equally impressive in the backfield, rushing for 1,487 yards and 31 touchdowns on 191 carries.  His 31 rushing touchdowns rank fifth in program history for a single season, while his 1,487 rushing yards stand 13th on Central Catholic's all-time single-season list.

The Fighting Irish also feature a talented group of receiving targets, led by junior David Yharbrough (27 receptions, 625 yards, 4 TDs), sophomore Robert Douglas III (28 receptions, 505 yards, 4 TDs), and senior Amari Eliano (26 receptions, 500 yards, 4 TDs).  Yharbrough's 625 receiving yards rank 11th in program history for a single season.

Clay, under second-year Head Coach Derek Pennington, competes in the Northern Lakes League (NLL) and enters Friday's matchup following a convincing 33-5 victory over No. 5 seed Fremont Ross in the second round of the Division II playoffs.

The Eagles bring a 9-2 overall record into the regional semifinal and will look to end Central Catholic's lengthy winning streak in the series.

Clay features a talented offensive backfield led by junior quarterback Landon Echelberry and junior running back Bryce Besgrove, who have played key roles in its success this season.

Echelberry, a dual-threat quarterback, leads an Eagles offense averaging more than 37 points per game.  The junior showcased his playmaking ability against Fremont Ross, scoring on a 57-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter before adding a one-yard scoring run early in the fourth to help Clay pull away from the Little Giants.

Besgrove has provided a strong presence in the Eagles' rushing attack, averaging more than 100 yards per game on the ground.  The running back scored twice against Fremont Ross, including an 18-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter that capped Clay's impressive postseason victory.

Friday's contest not only renews a longstanding crosstown rivalry but also raises the stakes considerably, with a trip to the regional championship on the line.

With a victory Friday, Central Catholic would advance to the OHSAA Division II Region 6 Final on Friday, November 20, at 7 p.m., against the winner of the other regional semifinal between No. 2 seed Olmsted Falls (9-2) and No. 3 seed Avon (9-2).

The regional championship will be played at a neutral site, with the location to be determined by the OHSAA.