By Spencer Waugh
Logan Daily News

CHILLICOTHE — What a difference a year can make.

A year ago, Logan and Chillicothe entered their week-10 matchup with undefeated SEOAL records while jockeying for playoff seeding.

A year later, the Chieftains are 9-0 again, but the Cavaliers have lost eight straight games following a season-opening win over winless Hamilton Township (17-9).
The Cavs’ losses have come against Big Walnut (33-10), Wilmington (42-20), Zanesville (14-7), Portsmouth (34-21), Ironton (56-17), Gallia Academy (27-10), Jackson (20-0) and Warren (22-6).

The lone bright spot for the Cavaliers is kicker Drew Basil (6-1, 191, senior). Basil, an Ohio State University commit, leads the Cavs in scoring with 31 points, including seven field goals.

Needless to say, the Chillicothe offense has struggled this fall, averaging only 12 points per game and only scoring two or more touchdowns in a game three times all season.

The Ross Countians have playmakers in the backfield and speed at the receiver positions to go along with a big offensive line. But when Caleb Knights — a four-year starter at quarterback — graduated last spring, the Cavs had to start over on offense.

That means it’s no surprise that Chillicothe’s biggest question mark has been at quarterback, where both Shay Netter (6-2, 237, senior) and Casey Oates (6-1, 174, junior) have split time.

Netter has completed 86 of 159 passes for 883 yards with five touchdowns and nine interceptions while Oates has completed 31 of 59 passes for 282 yards with one touchdown and four interceptions.

Oates leads the ground gainers with 89 rushes for 340 yards and two touchdowns while Brandon Whittaker (6-0, 182, junior) is close behind with 306 yards on 66 carries, most coming in the second half of the season.

Oates also leads the CHS offense with 35 catches for 331 yards and a touchdown. Donta Thompson (6-0, 174, senior) is next with 24 catches for 308 yards and a pair of touchdowns while Whittaker has 18 catches for 129 yards.

Isaac Beverly (6-1, 165, junior) adds 16 catches for 238 yards and two touchdowns, D.J. Harris (5-9, 154, senior) has seven catches for 59 yards, with Marty Dunn (5-10, 157, senior) rounding out the receiving corps with six catches for 36 yards and a touchdown.

Up front, Skylar Mallow (6-0, 254, junior) and J.T. Gray (5-10, 299, senior) are the tackles, Ryan Ferguson (5-10, 217, senior) and Danny Demick (6-0, 272, senior) are the guards, and Tyler Holz (5-9, 223, senior) is at center. The Blue and White average 253 pounds per man from tackle to tackle.

Despite allowing over 28 points per game this season, Chillicothe’s defense is a solid group that has had to overcome bad field position and a losing battle in time of possession almost every week.

Netter, a three-year starter, leads the defense from his linebacker post. Whittaker, Oates, and Logan Reynolds (6-0, 194, senior) join Netter in the linebacking corps.

Up front, the CHS five-man defensive line is led by end Dylan Osborne (6-0, 183, junior) and Gray at noseguard. Demick and Mallow are the tackles, with Jai Cutter (6-0, 215, senior) playing the end opposite Osborne.

In the secondary, Harris and Beverly are the cornerbacks with Troy Netter (5-10, 160, senior) and Kenny Doles (5-10, 163, junior) at safety.

Oates and Harris return kicks and punts while Basil handles punting and kicking.

Spencer Waugh of loganfootball.com offers his scouting report of the Chiefs’ opponent every week in The Logan Daily News.