#2 St. Xavier Squares Off With Backyard Rival

It's the battle of Cincinnati tonight as #2 St. Xavier squares-off with Elder. Up until a couple of weeks ago, this match-up looked like it would have national implications.

That was three weeks ago when Elder snapped Independence's (Charlotte, NC) 109-game win streak at the Ohio Vs. USA Challenge. However, after two straight losses to La Salle (28-19) and St. Edward (10-7), St. X comes in as a heavy favorite in the match-up that began back in 1923.

Sincere 2002, these two have combined for three Division I state titles (Elder '02, & '03, St. Xavier '05).

To read a previous of this game from the Cincinnati Enquirer, please click here.

#4 St. Xavier (OH) Tops #1 Team In Kentucky

If there's one way to name a top team in the country, you MAY be able to do it based on schedule. If that's the case, St. Xavier (Cincinnati) has a great argument for being Numero Uno!!

Last night, the Bombers (4-0) erased an 11 point third quarter deficit on it's way to defeating Trinity High, the #1 6A team in Kentucky, 47-31. St. X has now beaten the top team in Kentucky, one of the top teams in Ohio in Glenville and finally DeMatha (Hyattsville, MD), which was ranked #5 in the nation by USA Today in its pre-season poll.

Quite a three week run!!

To read about the comeback, please click on our headline "#4 St. Xavier Tops #1 Team In Kentucky".

#4 St. Xavier (OH) Downs #5 DeMatha (MD)

St. Xavier of Cincinnati scored 21 unanswered points on its way to a 28-7 win over DeMatha from Hyattsville, Maryland in Sunday's showdown between national powers in the Kirk Herbstreit Ohio Vs. USA Challenge III. The loss snapped DeMatha's 22-game win streak.

St. X, which entered the game ranked #4 by USA Today, was playing without its star running back Darius Ashley, who sprained his ankle in the team's season opener. In Ashley's absence quarterback John Hurley threw three TD passes, while Patrick Berning rushed for 99-yards and one touchdown.

The St. Xavier defense was awesome allowing just 132 yards in total offense. Meanwhile the DeMatha "D" was really tested. In fact, the 28 points allowed was the more than it allowed in the Stags first seven games combined in 2006.

To read a complete game wrap from the Washington Post, please click on our headline "#4 St. Xavier Downs #5 DeMatha".

#9 Poly (CA) D's It Up Against Glenville (OH)

It's wasn't the offensive shootout that everyone expected when #9 Poly from Long Beach, California took-on Glenville in the Ohio Vs. USA Challenge III on Saturday in Canton. Instead it was a battle of two very good defenses, with Poly taking the honors 21-13.

Glenville actually had the upper hand in offensive yardage with 225 yards in total offensive to the Jackrabbits 200. Poly, which was playing it's first game of the season, is ranked #9 by USA Today. Glenville falls to 1-1 on the season.

For a complete game wrap-up, please click on our headline "#9 Poly D's It Up Against Glenville".

Independence NC) Takes Its 109 Game Win Streak On The Road To Face Elder

For only the second time in its 109-game win streak Independence will venture outside of North Carolina looking for a win. The 7-time defending state champs will take-on Elder from Cincinnati Saturday night in the Ohio Vs. USA Challenge III. The only time that Independence has played outside of the Tar Heel State during its win streak was in 2003 when it won at Spartanburg, South Carolina.

For a preview of the game, please click on our headline, "Independence Takes Its 109 Game Win Streak On The Road To Face Elder".

Preview #4 St. Xavier (OH) vs. #5 DeMatha (MD)

Ohio versus USA Challenge III has eleven big games, but maybe none bigger than Sunday's showdown in Cincinnati where St. Xavier, ranked #4 by the USA Today, takes on DeMatha of Hyattsville, Maryland, ranked #5 by USA Today.

It will be a national stage for DeMatha head coach Bill McGregor, who since taking over the reigns of the program in 1982 is 239-32-3!!

To read more about McGregor and a preview of Sunday's game from The Enquirer, please click on our headline "Preview #4 St. Xavier vs. #5 DeMatha".

Kirk Herbstreit Ohio Vs. USA Challenge III

Year three of the Kirk Herbstreit Ohio versus USA Challenge should be the best ever with 11 games in two days in two cities, featuring the best Ohio has to offer against national powerhouses.

“Every year the teams get better, the matchups more attractive and the national rivalries more intense,” said
ESPN College Football Analyst Kirk Herbstreit. “There are numerous Division I players in this year’s event who are being recruited by and have verbally committed to such top schools as Ohio State, Michigan, UCLA, USC, Florida, and Notre Dame. It’s
these players, their teammates, the coaches, fans, competition, sense of community and pageantry that make high
school football a passion for me and make me proud to have my name on this event.”

Here's the schedule for the games in Canton and Cincinnati

September 1: Pro Football Hall of Fame Field - Canton, OH

11:30 EST Grove City vs. Buford (Georgia)
2:15 EST Cleveland Glenville vs. Long Beach Poly (Calif.)
5:00 EST Youngstown Cardinal Mooney vs. Gateway (Pa.)
7:45 EST Canton McKinley High vs. (Tulsa) Union High (OK)

September 1: Nippert Stadium – Cincinnati, OH

11:30 EST Cincinnati LaSalle vs. Cathedral (Indianapolis)
2:15 EST Cincinnati Colerain vs. Hoover High (Ala.)
5:00 EST Cincinnati Moeller vs. Mission Viejo High (Calif.)
7:45 EST Cincinnati Elder vs. Independence High (Charlotte, NC)

September 2: Nippert Stadium – Cincinnati, OH

12:00 EST Cincinnati St. Xavier vs. DeMatha (Md.)
3:00 EST Clayton-Northmont vs. Central Catholic (Pitt.)
6:00 EST Trotwood-Madison vs. Highlands (Ky.)

In 2006, over 60,000 fans attended the two day event. To check out more on the teams that will be playing, please click on our headline "Kirk Herbstreit Ohio Vs. USA Challenge III".

The High School Football Huddle will have game previews throughout the week.