High school football: Week 9 storylines in Butler County

Two weeks remain in the high school football regular season, but a few conference titles could be determined Friday night.

Four area teams have a chance to at least secure a share of a title, while a couple others still remain in the hunt with a little help.

Here are five storylines to watch:

1. Don’t stop now

Another week meant another win for Fairfield (8-0, 6-0 Greater Miami Conference) and New Miami (8-0, 5-0 Miami Valley Conference), as they edge closer to completing the goal of a perfect season. Both need to be careful not to overlook opponents this week that on paper appear to be likely wins.

Fairfield needs to beat winless Oak Hills (0-8, 0-6 GMC) at home Friday to set up a much-anticipated showdown with perennial power Colerain (7-1, 6-0 GMC), which has won 19 straight GMC titles and 81 consecutive conference games. Mason nearly beat the Cardinals last week, but Lakota East gets the next shot before the Indians face them.

»RELATED: Week 9 Schedule

New Miami hosts Cincinnati Country Day (2-5, 1-4 MVC) on Friday, and a win there would assure the Vikings at least a share of the title. They won their first league championship since 2008 last year. Two teams have one loss in the Gray division.

2. Titles on the line

Franklin (7-1, 4-0 Southwest Buckeye League) can secure at least a share of the Southwestern Division title with a win over Brookville (6-2, 3-1 SWBL) on Friday. Bellbrook is the only other team with one loss in the division so a win for Franklin and a loss for the Golden Eagles would give the Wildcats the title outright, but it seems most likely that decision won’t come until Week 10.

Brookville is coming off a 41-0 loss to Bellbrook last week and still could at least tie for the title. Bellbrook won the division last year, and Franklin is seeking its first league championship since 2016.

»RELATED: This week’s state football poll

In the Buckeye division, Madison (5-3, 4-1 SWBL) can keep its title hopes alive with a win over Monroe (1-7, 1-4 SWBL) on Friday, which would clinch at least a share of the crown. That could potentially set up a division showdown with Waynesville (7-1, 4-0 SWBL) in Week 10.

3. Big Blue bounces back

Hamilton (4-4, 2-4 GMC) bounced back from a two-game skid last week to beat Middletown and still has a shot at its first winning season since 2010 with wins in its last two games against Sycamore (4-4, 2-4 GMC) and Lakota East (4-4, 3-3 GMC) to do so. The Big Blue went 5-5 in 2016 but that’s the best they’ve managed since they went 7-3 to make the playoffs in 2010.

Right now, Hamilton is in position to potentially make the playoffs for the first time since then, as the Big Blue sit in the eighth spot in the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division I, Region 4 computer ratings.

Kaleb Johnson rushed for a career-high 229 yards and four touchdowns in the 41-24 win over Middletown last week.

4. Still a chance

Fenwick looks to bounce back from its 34-6 loss to rival Badin and has a chance to really shake things up in the Greater Catholic League Co-Ed division. The Falcons (4-4, 2-1 GCLC) play league leader Chaminade Julienne (7-1, 3-0 GCLC) on Friday with the title still on the line.

If Fenwick beats CJ, there would be a three-way tie for first, as Badin (5-3, 2-1 GCLC) and Carroll (4-4, GCLC) meet Friday as the only other teams still in the mix. Alter and McNicholas both have three losses in conference play and have already been eliminated from title hopes.

Badin won a league title last year, but Fenwick hasn’t claimed on since 2015.

In Southwest Ohio Conference play, Talawanda (6-2, 2-2 SWOC) and Ross (6-2, 3-2 SWOC) need some help from Mount Healthy and Northwest beating Harrison (7-1, 4-0 SWOC) to have a chance at a piece of the title. Talawanda and Ross meet in the finale, but the Braves still have Northwest to face this week in league play.

5. Seeking a strong finish

Monroe earned its first win under coach Bobby Mullins last week, beating Oakwood 35-14 at home, and now the Hornets look to build on that for a strong finish to the 2018 season.

The Hornets were coming off two losses decided by 10 points or less but finally got the offensive output that has been missing while they have averaged 16.8 points per game. Finishing strong won’t be easy with Madison and Bellbrook still left to play.

WEEK 9 SCHEDULE

Sycamore at Hamilton

Middletown at Mason

Lakota West at Princeton

Oak Hills at Fairfield

Lakota East at Colerain

Edgewood at Little Miami

Northwest at Talawanda

Madison at Monroe

Brookville at Franklin

Cin. Country Day at New Miami

Thurgood Marshall at Ross