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“There’s a lot of similarities,” said Channell, whose Vikings beat the Trojans 21-17 in the final minute. “Both were down (in football) for a long period of time. Now, we’ve both been able to re-establish great pride and winning in the community. What they’ve done mirrors what we’ve done and that’s something that can be looked very positively on.”
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Miamisburg and Troy are two of four Greater Western Ohio Conference teams still in the playoffs. They’ll meet in a rematch at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Northmont in the Division II, Region 8 semifinals. The other Region 8 semi features Cincinnati Turpin (11-0) vs. two-time defending state champ Cincinnati La Salle (9-2) at Lakota West.
Also representing the GWOC are Wayne and Trotwood-Madison. Wayne (10-0-1) plays Dublin Coffman (9-2) in a D-I, Region 3 regional semi at London on Friday. Trotwood (9-2) is paired against New Richmond (10-1) at Mason on Saturday.
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Miamisburg opened the playoffs last week with a 28-24 defeat of visiting Kings. Troy held off Anderson and its superb junior quarterback Jay Volpenhein, 41-35. Volpenhein completed 43 of 74 passes for 404 yards and five touchdowns. Troy countered with five scores from running back Josh Browder.
Anderson and Troy combined for more than 1,000 yards of offense, but a goal-line stand in the final minute clinched Troy’s rematch with Miamisburg.
“I don’t know if we’ve thrown 74 passes for the season,” said Channell.
Troy extended a remarkable one-season turnaround after going 2-8 in Burgbacher’s first year. Troy defeated Piqua in Week 10 to earn an outright GWOC American North title and has mounted a six-game win streak.
Miamisburg tied Springboro for the four-team GWOC National West title and is on a four-game win streak.
“There’s not too many people who thought Troy would be 10-1 right now, but we are and we’re very proud of it,” Burgbacher said. “These guys have earned it.”
• The Milton-Union (8-3) vs. Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy (11-0) D-V, Region 20 semifinal at Miamisburg (7 p.m. Saturday) will be shown live on Time Warner Cable channels 1311 (HD), 311 and 99.
Milton-Union advanced with a 55-18 rout of Cincinnati Aiken. CHCA, the regular-season state poll champ, blew out Blanchester 42-0.
• Top-ranked Colerain (D-I) and St. Henry (D-VI) have never lost a playoff opener. Colerain is 19-0, although the Cardinals forfeited all their games in 1995. St. Henry is 16-0 and one of five Midwest Athletic Conference teams to pass first-round games. Joining the Redskins in the regional semifinals are Coldwater (D-V), Marion Local (D-VI) and Fort Recovery and Minster (D-VII).
• Newark Catholic (35) has the most playoff appearances by any program, closely followed by Moeller and Ironton (33). On the flip side are 63 teams that have never qualified for the postseason.
• There were five No. 8 seeds that defeated No. 1 seeds last week, none involving area teams.
• Tickets are available at all participating schools. A portion of the presale proceeds is returned to the school.
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