With Springfield High School crashing the OCC's party in the Division I, Region 3 football playoffs, Dublin Coffman is the only area team that will have to do some significant scouting this week.

Top-seeded Coffman, which wrapped up the fifth perfect regular season in program history with a 21-12 win over Upper Arlington last Friday, plays host to Springfield at 7 p.m. Saturday in the first round. The Shamrocks have played or scrimmaged five of the other six teams that qualified for the postseason in Region 3, but they have no history with Springfield. In fact, Springfield has only existed as a single high school for two years. Springfield North and Springfield South merged in 2008.

"It's a little bit more fun probably when you're playing somebody that you're not familiar with," coach Mark Crabtree said. "You've got a little more homework to do because you don't know much about them, but that's the exciting part, I think."

Springfield slipped into the playoffs despite a 40-13 loss to Huber Heights Wayne last Friday, finishing 6-4 overall and 2-3 in the Greater Western Ohio Conference-Central Division. The Wildcats have had some impressive wins, including a 20-13 overtime win over Trotwood-Madison on Sept. 25 and a 21-18 win over Clayton Northmont on Oct. 9, and they played Pickerington Central tight in a 28-19 loss on Sept. 4.

Coach Rick Robertson said his young team is still a work in progress, with just six seniors, but they have played much better overall in the second season since the merger.

"(Last year), our kids had to learn a new offense, a new defense, new terminology," said Robertson, who took over at Springfield last year. "It's been more positive this year from the standpoint of knowing everything. We're just still so young that we've got to try to find a way to minimize our risk of turnovers and mistakes."

Springfield is led on both sides of the ball by junior Trey DePriest, who starts at both inside linebacker and running back. The 6-foot-1, 217-pound DePriest is being recruited by Ohio State, Alabama and Virginia Tech.

Offensively, DePriest is joined in the backfield by sophomore quarterback George Walker, whom Crabtree described as "very, very slippery." Walker is the team's leading rusher with more than 800 yards. The Wildcats have struggled in the passing game because of an inexperienced offensive line, but 6-2, 160-pound wide receiver Lamar Davenport does have big-play capability.

Robertson said Coffman's physicality on defense is a concern. The Shamrocks have allowed just 43 points on defense and have scored five touchdowns on defense or special teams.

DePriest heads the Wildcats' defense, which is based in a 4-4, but also switches to a 3-4 occasionally. Hayden Davis joins DePriest at inside linebacker, and three-year starter Desmond McCowan leads the defensive line. The defensive backfield is led by cornerback Alex Gaskins, a Division I state qualifier in the 110 meter hurdles last spring.

Coffman has scored at least 30 points in eight of 10 games, largely because of offensive balance. Running behind a veteran offensive line, Shaun Jones has gained more than 950 yards with 10 touchdowns. Colton Caldwell has played well in place of injured starter Cole Stoudt, throwing six touchdowns in the past three games. Caldwell also has rushed for 182 yards and three touchdowns since taking over midway through a 37-0 win over Reynoldsburg on Oct. 9.

Although the Wildcats enter Saturday's game as an underdog, Robertson has experience with playoff upsets. He was the coach at Springfield North in 1988 when his team upended top-seeded Lima Senior 17-14 in the first round.

"The biggest thing we're selling to the kids is that we're not happy just to be here," Robertson said. "Our goal is to win... It's the same thing here with us (as it was with North in 1988). Why not us? Why not now?"

Coffman quarterback Colton Caldwell breaks free from Upper Arlington's Jonathan Staker last Friday to score a touchdown in the fourth quarter of the Shamrocks' 21-12 victory.

Next game

SPRINGFIELD at COFFMAN

•When: 7 p.m. Saturday

•Last meeting: First time played

•Springfield (6-4) to date: Defeated Hamilton 35-28 (OT); lost to Pickerington Central 28-19; def. Vandalia Butler 34-0; def. Piqua 47-26; def. Trotwood-Madison 20-13 (OT); lost to Centerville 38-6; def. Clayton Northmont 21-18; lost to Kettering Fairmont 19-14; def. Beavercreek 29-14; lost to Huber Heights Wayne 40-13

•Coffman (10-0) to date: Def. Olentangy Liberty 52-0; def. Courtice (Ontario) Holy Trinity 56-13; def. Brook-haven 33-0; def. Reynoldsburg 37-0; def. Groveport 51-7; def. Thomas Worthington 48-3; def. Hilliard Darby 30-7; def. Hilliard Davidson 10-7; def. Worthington Kilbourne 35-0; def. Upper Arlington 21-12

•Key Wildcats: Lamar Davenport (WR), Hayden Davis (LB), Trey DePriest (RB/LB), Alex Gaskins (DB), Desmond McCowan (DL) and George Walker (QB)

•Key Shamrocks: Brett Buehler (LB), Colton Caldwell (QB/TE), Shaun Jones (RB), Sam Schulte (OL), Conner Viers (DB/WR) and E.J. Williams (WR)