Pickerington and Powell were buzzing this weekend as Week 3 of the 2024 Ohio high school football season was in full swing. On Friday night, Pickerington North faced off against Pickerington Central in a game full of excitement and community passion. North came out on top with a 38-27 victory, continuing their winning streak from last season when they defeated Central 39-34.
Penned in Powell, Olentangy Liberty shined brightly as they remained unbeaten after crushing Gahanna Lincoln 31-0. This was quite a turnaround for Liberty, who had been defeated 46-28 by Gahanna in last year’s encounter. The game showcased Liberty’s strength right from the start, with Grayson Davis scoring a 1-yard touchdown just minutes into the first quarter, setting the stage for a commanding performance.
In the eventful running time on the field, there were reports of several games starting late due to storms, but that didn’t dampen the excitement. On Thursday night, City League teams kicked off activities with East beating Toledo Scott 32-0, West defeating Millersport 47-12, and South narrowly falling to Dayton Belmont 18-17.
Liberty’s victory was particularly notable as they are now 3-0 for the first time since 2019. In the game, quarterback Andrew Leonard connected with Jake Struck for multiple touchdowns, and the Defense held Gahanna at bay, preventing them from registering significant yardage early on.
The thrill wasn’t limited to Powell; back in Pickerington, the rivalry game started with a weather delay, but North quickly established dominance, thanks in part to standout player Michael Taylor, who rushed for an impressive 264 yards, breaking the school record for rushing in a single game.
Meanwhile, DeSales took the field against Africentric, winning 35-14. In a game streamed live, DeSales executed well defensively and offensively thanks to quarterback R.J. Day, who managed to connect for several successful passes, leading his team to a solid victory.
Overall, Week 3 was a showcase of talent and resilience as teams battled not just against each other, but also the unpredictable weather. As the season progresses, fans are eager to see how these teams will develop and what surprises lie ahead.
