One of central Ohio’s oldest high school football rivalries takes center stage Friday night when DeSales faces Watterson for the 72nd time.
The Week 6 matchup headlines a slate full of consequential games across the region as teams hit the midpoint of the regular season and playoff positioning comes into focus.
Elsewhere in the OCC-Ohio, Grove City and New Albany — both 4-1 — meet in a division opener with early control of the conference race at stake. Upper Arlington travels to Hilliard Bradley in another key league test.
The halfway point has also brought midseason honors. The Columbus Dispatch ranked the area’s top 10 players through five weeks, with Worthington Kilbourne quarterback Jackson Szabo earning the No. 1 spot after a standout first half of the season.
Week 6 often separates contenders from pretenders in central Ohio, where computer points and conference titles are decided in October. Coaches across the region say this is the stretch where depth and discipline matter most, with injuries mounting and the margin for error shrinking.
Friday night lights burn a little brighter when rivals meet this late in September. For DeSales and Watterson, 71 previous meetings have built a history neither side wants to add a loss to.
