High school football Game of the Week: Princeton at Colerain

GMC play gets underway this week and the Colerain Cardinals are once again the team to beat inside the power conference. The Cardinals are off to a 3-0 start, including a huge 31-28 win over St. Xavier a week ago.

It's another one of our 9 On Your Sidelines Game of the Week matchups as the Princeton Vikings pay a visit to Cardinal Stadium. The Vikings are searching for answers after a 0-3 start to the season.

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
Tune-In: Pregame show on WCPO
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PLAYERS TO WATCH: Colerain quarterback Alfred Ramsby has emerged as one of the top players in Cincinnati. The senior has thrown for over 400 yards and five touchdowns in the last two games. He also averaged 77 yards per contest rushing. When the going gets tough the Cardinals will call on Jackson Sorn to pick up the crucial yardage they need. The versatile Detuan Smith averages over 10 yards per carry and almost 16 per reception. The defense really swarms to the ball and is led by linebackers Casey Lozier, Rudy Mirrizzi, Aric Johnson and junior Teagray Scales.

Princeton running back Demarco Thomas has been a very durable and productive performer. The senior notched the eighth 100-yard rushing game of his career last week against LaSalle. He has over 1,800 yards rushing, over 2,600 all-purpose with 19 touchdowns in his career. Quarterback Tyrell Gilbert, a transfer from Lockland, has made a big leap from being under center at a Division VI school to now a Division I program. Up front Mac Bosel clears the way for Thomas and Gilbert in the run game. Defensively, Jelani Parrish, Darian Tucker, William Blevins, Geno Madison and Darrell Davis provide senior leadership.

TEAM TRENDS: The two teams did not play in 2011 and Colerain has dominated the series in this century. The Cardinals have won the previous six meetings by an average score of 45-14. Despite averaging 354 yards a game on offense Princeton has only found the end zone seven times due to turnovers. Colerain is only completing six passes per game, but they are averaging almost 23 yards per reception with five touchdowns through the air.

PRINCETON’S KEYS TO VICTORY: The Vikings have played 12 quarters of football and have 11 turnovers. Taking care of the football and cherishing every down on offense is a top priority in this affair. The Vikings cannot afford mistakes as Colerain can convert those miscues rather quickly. If the defense can play without their backs up against the wall good things can happen all the way around for head coach Gary Croley and his squad.

COLERAIN’S KEYS TO VICTORY: This is one of the most balanced teams that Colerain has had in years. Continuing to spread the ball around to all their weapons is only going to aid the Cardinals as the season wears on. The Colerain defense has seen a wide array of offenses from their opponents. They are well equipped to handle anything that Princeton throws up against them.


PREDICTION: COLERAIN 42, PRINCETON 14