By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

Two regular-season games to go.

Final playoff seedings are within reach.

League championships nearing clarity.

Minutes are ticking away from the last moments of high-school careers.

Do.

Not.

Blink.

Tonight, I will be in Palmyra for the Southeast Pirates’ Portage Trail Conference showdown with the Rootstown Rovers.

Both teams still have their sights on winning the PTC title.

Last week, the Mogadore Wildcats knocked back the Pirates’ hopes with a resounding 47-6 victory.

Southeast must win tonight, then have Rootstown defeat Mogadore next week to stay in the title mix.

Rootstown controls its own destiny. A win tonight followed by a win at home against the Cats in Week 10, secures the outright crown.

Good luck to all teams on Friday.

WEEK 9 SCHEDULE

Aurora at Barberton

Crestwood at Kirtland

Field at Norton

Crestview at Garfield

Kent Roosevelt at Tallmadge

St. Thomas Aquinas at Mogadore

Woodridge at Ravenna

Rootstown at Southeast

Springfield at Streetsboro

Lowellville at Waterloo

Windham at Mathews

Cloverleaf at Coventry

Warren JFK at Cleveland Central Catholic

FRIDAY NIGHT’S FORECAST

We have been very lucky to have great weather all season (except for Week 1), but it may catch up to us tonight.

Rain is in the forecast.

At kickoff, the rain is set for 75 percent, with temperatures in the low 50s.

The temperatures will hover around the same low-50s all game, but the rain should become less likely as the night progresses — down to 30 percent by the time of the fourth quarter.

If there is a steady rain during the early portions of games, those playing on real grass, could find themselves in a muddy mess by the game’s end.

PLAYOFF RANKINGS

Note: The top-16 teams qualify for the postseason.

DIVISION III, REGION 9

4. Aurora (control own destiny)

22. Kent Roosevelt

DIVISION III, REGION 10

2. Norton (clinched playoff spot)

19. Cloverleaf

DIVISION IV, REGION 13

3. Streetsboro (clinched top eight and home playoff game)

18. Field

19. Ravenna

T24. Coventry

T26. Springfield

DIVISION V, REGION 17

5. Garfield (clinched playoff spot)

19. Crestwood

DIVISION VI, REGION 21

2. Rootstown (clinched playoff spot)

3. Mogadore (clinched playoff spot)

15. Southeast

19. Waterloo

DIVISION VII, REGION 25

21. Warren JFK

T24. Windham

T28. St. Thomas Aquinas

STATS CORNER

   • This week’s statistical leaders.

   • This week’s Pigskin Picks.

   • This week’s Associated Press state poll.

STANDINGS

METRO ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

Norton 8-0, 5-0

Streetsboro 7-1, 4-1

Woodridge 4-4, 3-2

Field 3-5, 3-2

Ravenna 3-5, 3-2

Cloverleaf 3-5, 1-4

Coventry 1-7, 1-3

Springfield 0-8, 0-4

PORTAGE TRAIL CONFERENCE

Rootstown 7-0, 2-0

Mogadore 7-1, 2-0

Southeast 6-2, 1-1

Warren JFK 2-5, 1-2

St. Thomas Aquinas 0-8, 0-3

SUBURBAN LEAGUE

AMERICAN CONFERENCE

Aurora 7-1, 5-0

Highland 7-1, 5-0

Barberton 5-3, 4-1

Kent Roosevelt 4-4, 2-3

Tallmadge 3-5, 2-3

Revere 3-5, 1-4

Cuyahoga Falls 2-6, 0-5

Copley 0-8, 0-5

MAHONING VALLEY ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

GREY DIVISION

Garfield 8-0, 5-0

Crestview 4-4, 4-1

Brookfield 4-4, 3-2

LaBrae 4-4, 3-2

Liberty 3-5, 3-2

Newton Falls 3-5, 1-4

Campbell Memorial 1-7, 0-5

Champion 0-8, 0-5

MAHONING VALLEY ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

SCARLET DIVISION

New Middletown Springfield 6-2, 5-0

Lowellville 7-1, 4-1

Western Reserve 6-2, 4-1

Jackson-Milton 6-2, 3-2

McDonald 5-3, 2-3

Mineral Ridge 4-4, 1-4

Waterloo 2-6, 0-5

CHAGRIN VALLEY CONFERENCE

VALLEY DIVISION

Kirtland 7-1, 3-0

Cardinal 5-3, 2-1

Berkshire 4-4, 2-1

Painesville Harvey 4-4, 2-1

Crestwood 4-4, 0-3

Grand Valley 2-6, 0-3

NORTHEASTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

Pymatuning Valley 5-3, 2-0

Fairport 3-5, 2-1

St. John School 3-5, 1-2

Mathews 1-7, 1-2

Windham 2-6, 0-2

WEEK 10 LOOK-AHEAD SCHEDULE

Aurora at Highland

Crestwood at Grand Valley

Woodridge at Field

Brookfield at Garfield

Revere at Kent Roosevelt

Mogadore at Rootstown

Ravenna at Norton

Warren JFK at Southeast

Streetsboro at Coventry

Waterloo at Bridgeport

Pymatuning Valley at Windham