The first SBAAC National Division showdown is Friday night at Barbour Memorial Field as Williamsburg visits Blanchester.
WHS is 5-1 but has yet to play a division game. BHS is 4-2 with a 1-0 division record.
“This game will be a four quarter slugfest,” Blanchester head coach Jon Mulvihill said. “Our scheduled to this point has gotten us ready for Friday’s game. Coach (Nick) Ayers is a good guy that I’ve know for quite a while. I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at BHS.
Blanchester has won six straight in this long rivalry, including 49-13 last season and 42-0 in 2020. The last Williamsburg win, 27-20, came in 2015.
But Williamsburg seems to be a better team this season than year’s past.
“Burg scores points in bunches and they are skilled in many positions on offense,” Mulvihill said. “Defensively they have cycled through some players in various positions due to injury and/or performance. (Trysten) Gries is their go-to playmaker on offense and their quarterback JJ Miller is very good. Alex Ervin and Toby Humphries are both big targets in the pass game. Defensively, I expect them to line up in a 5-2 or 5-3 and play man to man coverage. They will crowd the line and try to stop the run. Their special teams return teams have scored multiple times so we look to limit their ability to have an impact on the game.”
In a game of this magnitude, confidence and momentum are big allies to have on your side.
“Football is a game of momentum,” Mulvihill said. “Battling to keep kids on an even keel is always something we try to do. I feel like the majority of our kids are ready for the challenge that Williamsburg is going to bring.”
