• Upper Arlington (8-0 total, 3-0 OCC-Central) so far: Def. Reynoldsburg 42-41; def. Toledo St. Francis 37-14; def. Springboro 38-7; def. Westerville Headquarters 42-0; def. Middle intersection 31-0; def. Hilliard Bradley 35-6; def. Olentangy Liberty 41-24; def. Olentangy Orange 35-10
• Dublin Coffman (3-5 in total, 1-2 OCC-Central) so far: Lost to Warsaw, Indiana 48-23; lost to Cincinnati Turpin 35-7; lost to Cincinnati Princeton 44-14; def. Dublin Jerome 49-42 (OT); def. Groveport 41-20; lost to Liberty 34-7; def. Orange 34-28 (2OT); lost Hilliard Davidson 43-28
On October 15, Dublin Coffman coach Geron Stokes will lead his team for the first time in the OCC-Central Division rivalry against the visit to Upper Arlington, but his familiarity with Golden Bears coach Justin Buttermore dates back several years when Buttermore was at Dresden was Tri-Valley and Stokes was in the Munster.
“I love what Coach Buttermore does. I’ve always respected him as a football coach, and a really, really good one, ”said Stokes. “I’ve sat in a lot of clinics where he spoke and I was a young trainer trying to learn. He was always helpful. I chose his brain and learned a lot. “
Coffman is more on track now than he was at the start of the season after losing 3-2 from a 3-0 start, but Stokes expects the Shamrocks to have their hands full against an undefeated and sixth-placed Bears- Team that has scored at least 31 points each week and has only made two turnovers in the last six games.
Bears running back Carson Gresock has 1,413 yards and 22 touchdowns at 156 carries and has caught 12 passes for 183 yards. Quarterback Simon Monnin is 85-for-135 pass for 1,216 yards with 14 touchdowns and one interception.
“UA is tough. You are physical. They have an electric back (in Gresock) and the supportive cast around it on either side of the ball is excellent, ”said Stokes. “You play solid, physical football. You are task-oriented and tackle well. We have to earn everything we get against them. “
Shamrock’s quarterback Mason Maggs has proven to be a double threat, going 104-for-160 for 1,140 yards with nine touchdowns and two interceptions, while storming 445 yards and eight touchdowns with 121 carries. Jarel Heard rushed 67 times for 407 yards and four scores, and Trey Hedderly caught 35 passes for 431 yards and five touchdowns.
Coffman leads the series 13-12, including a 24-14 win last year, and is aiming for his ninth straight win against UA.
dpurpura@thisweeknews.com
@ThisWeekDave