Friday Games to Watch

A look into the top games in the area on Friday and which ones have the biggest conference title implications

With the tournament draw behind us, seeds and future postseason matchups are already locked. However, there are still things to play for on Friday in Central Ohio. Let’s take a look at the top games in the area.

New Albany (16-3) at Pickerington North (16-3)

OCC-Ohio league standings: Pickerington North (7-1), New Albany (6-2)

The OCC-Ohio is on the line tonight as New Albany travels to Pickerington North. The Eagles put themselves in second place when they lost the second of two games to Gahanna Lincoln on Jan. 31. The winner takes all tonight, as Pickerington North lost its only league game at the hands of New Albany on Jan. 11. A win for New Albany locks both teams in at 7-2 in the league, with the Eagles holding a tie-breaker due to the sweep. This is as important as it gets tonight.

Reynoldsburg (19-1) at Newark (17-3)

OCC-Buckeye league standings: Reynoldsburg (12-0), Newark (10-2)

Reynoldsburg has all but wrapped up their second-straight OCC title. To officially lock it in, the Raiders need a win tonight on the road. Newark played Reynoldsburg closer than anyone else in the division in their last matchup and will for sure have a rowdy crowd on hand tonight. Reynoldsburg is putting together a very impressive resume heading into the tournament and will add another signature win to its belt if they’re victorious on the road. The path to a 14-0 record in league play will come at the hands of the best two competitors in the league in Newark and Pickerington Central, who the Raiders host next Friday to wrap up the regular season.

Hilliard Bradley (6-13) at Olentangy Orange (18-2)

Olentangy Liberty (17-3) at Hilliard Davidson (9-11)

OCC-Central league standings: Olentangy Orange (8-0), Olentangy Liberty (7-1)

Two potential trap games lay in the way of Olentangy Orange and Olentangy Liberty, the teams that have thoroughly dominated the OCC-Central. With a 15-1 combined record, these squads have nearly doubled the win production of the rest of the division, with the other four remaining teams having nine combined league wins. If Orange and Liberty are both victorious tonight, it will set up an OCC championship game next Friday. A win for Liberty next week will force a tie in the league and give the Patriots great momentum heading into the tournament. For Orange, a win tonight locks up a share of the league title heading into next week’s rivalry matchup.