Football

Watterson at St. Charles

At a glance

WATTERSON at ST. CHARLES

*When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19

*Last meeting: 2011, St. Charles 23-13

*Top Eagles: Andy Elberson (QB), DeAndre Golden (RB), Walter Green (RB/DB), Andrew Lorenz (OL/DL), Matt Stafford (LB) and Michael Vlahakis (WR/DB)

*Top Cardinals: Ryan Bailey (QB), Evan Brown (WR), Sean Fitzmartin (RB), Joe Flynn (DB), Phil LaFleur (LB) and Jonathan Radney (RB)

*Watterson (5-3 overall, 1-0 CCL-Silver) to date: Defeated Whitehouse Anthony Wayne 28-14; def. Hamilton 21-3; def. Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit 13-7; lost to Cincinnati Winton Woods 21-14; lost to Cincinnati LaSalle 35-16; lost to Hartley 28-14; def. Ironton 42-8; def. DeSales 24-21 (3OT)

*St. Charles (5-3 overall, 0-1 CCL-Silver) to date: Lost to Pickerington North 50-22; def. Eastmoor Academy 27-23; def. Beechcroft 20-18; def. Toledo Rogers 41-0; def. Columbus Crusaders 37-13; lost to DeSales 28-16; def. Canal Fulton Northwest 37-21; lost to Kings Mills Kings 21-17

Thursday October 18, 2012 6:17 AM

St. Charles has lost to DeSales 36 consecutive times but snapped a 10-game losing streak against Watterson a year ago with a 23-13 win. The Eagles hold a 37-9 advantage in the all-time series. The teams did not play from 1964-72 but have met other every year since 1957.

The Cardinals have used the running of Sean Fitzmartin to set up a short-yardage passing game for Ryan Bailey. Fitzmartin has rushed for 1,051 yards and scored 12 touchdowns.

Watterson features a running-back-by-committee offense, with DeAndre Golden and Walter Green getting significant carries and Elberson mixing his running and passing skills.

The Eagles are competing for a playoff berth in Division III, Region 10. The Cardinals likely need to win out to have any chance of securing a playoff berth in Division I, Region 3.

Cody Calhoun, who also has been a key running back and defensive back for Watterson, sustained a leg injury against DeSales on Oct. 12.

*LAST WEEK -- Watterson got a 2-yard touchdown run from Golden to tie score at 7 and force overtime against DeSales. Elberson then hooked up with Michael Vlahakis for a 23-yard touchdown pass in the first overtime and scored on a 3-yard run in the second overtime. Michael Harper made a 21-yard field goal in the third overtime.

Fitzmartin rushed for 231 yards and two touchdowns, including a 67-yard score with 50 seconds left, against Kings but the Cardinals fell short. The Knights gave up 380 total yards to St. Charles and didn't complete a pass but rushed 35 times for 314 yards. Nick Collado ran for 240 yards and three touchdowns to lead Kings.