Olmsted Falls vs. Amherst tonight

I will be covering high school football tonight at Steele High School in Amherst, Ohio as the Comets host the Olmsted Falls Bulldogs. You can tune in to 1320 AM or listen online (replay will be available online as well). I'll be working with play-by-play announcer Bob Karlovec and sideline reporter Darrin Goats.

The two teams are moving in opposite directions. Olmsted Falls (5-2, 4-0 SouthWestern Conference) comes into the game on a five-game winning streak after dropping the first two games of the season while Amherst (1-6, 0-4 SWC) is on a four-game losing streak.

Olmsted Falls returned only six starters from last year's 9-4 play-off team. They graduated Jeremy Ortiz (1400 yards rushing in 2010) and made a switch offensively from a running attack to the spread offense. The results speak for themselves:

• Brennan Laird (Sr.; QB/CB): 150-248-60%-1738 passing, 12 TDs, 5 INTs; 101-249 rushing, 7 TDs
• Drew Mekata (Jr.; SE): 38-553 receiving, 5 TDs 
• Eric Meehan (Sr.; TE/FS): 33-287 receiving, TD 
• Evan Rieke (Sr.; RB/OLB): 67-297 rushing, 7 TDs; 14-131 receiving, TD 

The Bulldogs have been a model of consistency.

• 17 straight years of winning record overall and the SWC.
• 5 conference championships during that time
• 11 play-off appearances
• State Championship in 2000 and another Final Four appearance in 2002

Amherst like Olmsted Falls graduated a lot of seniors from last year - only four returning starters. Expectations were still high given the return of QB Brennan Hosier. However, he went down with an injury giving way to Junior Eric Lamb.

The Comets have struggled particularly on defense and turnovers. In the current four-game losing streak, Amherst has had a 2 touchdown or more halftime deficit. The Comets 1-6 record ensures their first losing season since 2007.

The two teams meet every season as part of the SWC schedule. Olmsted Falls won last year 17-14 snapping an Amherst two-game winning streak. The Bulldogs prior to that had won five of six games. From 2007-2009, the final score was decided by an extra point kick.