Hours after the Rocky Grove boys captured the D-10 team title in Titusville, just down Route 8 a piece the Oil City Oilers hoisted their third straight trophy overhead after a convincing win 51-14 over the Harbor Creek Huskies.

​Here are a few photographs from tonight's game, more will be posted

I also got a chance to work with my friends at the Erie Times-News and explorevenango.com on this game so check out their sites for photographs and stories.

Conneaut Area Senior High senior Meaera Shannon easily captured the stop spot in the girls AA District 10 race, finishing the Titusville course in 18:34. 

In the boys AA competition, Max Dillaman, a freshman from Meadville High School, crossed the finish line in seventh place, which was good enough to qualify for the state competition as the top contender from Crawford County. 
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A bit like a broken record. The game was over in the first two minutes in Friday's semi-final game against Conneaut Area. The Oilers are just that good. Their defense is stifling and the offense can score almost at will. Assistant coach Ritt Smith put it best, "They are focused and play well together."

Cam Russell touched the ball three times in those first two minutes. He uncharacteristically fumbled the ball away on his second touch, but the Oilers quickly got it back. At 62 yards away from the end zone, he took the ball from QB Holden Stahl for the third time and put the Oilers on the scoreboard. He redeemed himself from the earlier mishap.

It turned out being the only score they needed as the Oilers defense shut down CASH all night.

The Oilers of course scored more. By the end of the first half it was 37-0. The second half was more of the same with the running clock perhaps helping to keep the score down, The Eagles played tough against Oil City earlier in the season, but a collarbone injury to their quarterback last week left them without one of their best weapons.

But it likely wouldn't have mattered. Oil City is a very good football team on both side of the ball.

Oil City will take on the winner of Meadville versus Harborcreek  contest scheduled for Monday. The game day, time and location to be determined. But it won't likely be next Friday night because there won't be enough days in between for Meadville or Harborcreek.
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​Here are more photos below and even more can be found at this link.

Post updated 10/18/2020 to reflect new playoff information and more photos.

​Oil City will host Conneaut Area and not General McLane as previously speculated. The District 10 Class AAAA semi-final will begin at 7 p.m. Friday on the Oil Field. Oil City is looking for a three-peat.

No determination has been made yet on the number of spectators that will be allowed or if the band will be performing. Those details will be released early in the week.

Region 8 champion Oil City finished the season unbeaten with a 75-0 romp over their Route 8 rivalry Franklin. It was 142nd meeting of the two schools and second of the season.
This game had no effect on either team's region records.

Click here to see who was crowned homecoming queen.

View more photos at ​sayerrich.zenfolio.com/p824541309

Nadalie Latchaw passes the finish line excited with her personal record and second fasted time recorded by a Franklin girls cross country runner in history. She trailed Oil City's Olivia Mumford for most of the race, but over took her opponent winning fairly easily. "I said this is my course and no she is not beating me on my home course," she told her family who congratulated her on her best time.

This was my favorite moment from covering the Cross Country meet behind Sandy Creek Elementary School. Oil City's Jack Mumford took first for the boys edging out Cael Zigler.

To view more photos from the varsity and Junior high meet please visit:
https://sayerrich.zenfolio.com/p471139554

Franklin football has had a long season, but first year head coach Matt Turk seems to concentrate on successes. He ran up to press on the sidelines after a score to state that a freshman was responsible for the score. Looking to the future, Turk is a positive dude excited for the small things despite how they've struggled to score all season. Friday against Conneaut they crossed the goal line three times. Turk was happy each time.

Defensively and special teams were not as successful giving up another 60 point game.

Next week the Knights won't have it any easier traveling up route 8 to face the region champion Oil City Oilers for a second time this season. The first go round wasn't very good for the Knights.

For years I covered the Meadville Bulldogs when I worked for the Tribune. The years I covered the dawgs they weren't very good. I left the Crib to go to The Derrick and those were the Journey Brown years and they have been pretty good overall ever since.
​They have a pretty solid team again this year and Ray Collins has some pretty talented running backs  that were tearing it ups gainst Franklin, who is struggling under first year head coach Matt Turk.

Franklin started out pretty decent getting a first down in their first possession before having to punt. The snuffed the Bulldogs on their first play, but the second play resulted in a long run and a touchdown. Just over four minutes and two plays, the Bulldogs scored enough to win the game. Franklin then never could get on track. It only took the Bulldogs one more play to go up 14-0

The Bulldog's defense was pretty stingy stopping most runs for little gain or a loss. The Knights passing game wasn't much better as the dogs hounded the Franklin quarterbacks forcing quick off-balance throws.

By the time half-time rolled around the Bulldogs were nearing the 50 point mark. The kickoff to start the second half set the tone that the game wasn't about to suddenly change with a 91 yard scamper.

​The Knights fall to 1-3 on the season with their only win coming in week two against Titusville.

It was nice to see some old friends like cheerleader coach Tammy Moore who has been taking care of the squads for over 20 years in some capacity.