photo by: Kim North

Union Local quarterback Colby Carpenter (5) throws a pass during a game from earlier this season as Brody Perzanowski (15) and Ryder Gainer (29) protect. The Jets travel to Columbus on Friday to meet Africentric in an Ohio Division V, Region 19 playoff game.

MORRISTOWN – Union Local learned a lot in last year’s Ohio High School Athletic Association playoffs. The Jets are hoping for a repeat performance, and then some.

In 2024, Union Local finished 11th in the Ohio Division V, Region 19 ratings, drawing a first-round game at No. 6 Nelsonville-York. The Jets flew back home with a 23-13 victory and then nearly upset perennial powerhouse Wheelersburg before falling, 28-23.

Friday night, head coach Bernie Thompson and the No. 11 Jets (7-3) will load up the buses and head west on I-70 to Columbus to meet No. 6 Africentric Early College (7-3) at CAEC Stadium in a Division V, Region 19 first-round matchup. Kickoff is set for 7.

“The expectations have changed here at Union Local. After last year, not only getting in, but winning that first game, that’s what we expect now,” Thompson said. “We expect to get in the playoffs every year and win in the first round. Friday night we have to go on the road against a talented team.

“It won’t be easy, but at the same time, I think last year proved that once you’re in, you’re in and anything can happen. Now, with only 12 teams advancing, to be a part of those 12 is special, but we’re not satisfied,” Thompson added. “We want to win the first one and the second and so on. For us, this is rare. We’re excited. We have big goals here.”

Union Local is coming off a 34-0 defeat at the hands of western Belmont County rival Barnesville for the coveted “Milk Bucket Trophy,” but Thompson doesn’t see it being hard to get the back re-focused.

“For us I don’t think it’s that tough because we are all in,” he stressed. “We have a group of young men that are dedicated week-in and week-out. Our coaching staff sets the tone for that, so I know everyone is ready to get back to work and get ready for Africentric.”

One thing that hurt the Jets last week was untimely penalties.

“Can’t have the penalties that put us behind the chains,” he admitted. “We did that numerous times on Friday and it bit us. After looking at the film though, our performance wasn’t as bad as the score reflects. There were a couple of big plays here and there. We’ve done a great job during the second half of the year in eliminating penalties, but we kind of reverted back to that last week.”

Union Local is led by its high-powered rushing attack. Junior Brody Perzanowski has become the program’s all-time leading rusher (4,439) and career leader in rushing touchdowns (41) after an all-Ohio campaign as a sophomore. He has 1,518 yards and 17 touchdowns in 10 games this season and is averaging 10 yards a carry.

When the Jets take to the air, senior Colby Carpenter has completed 55 of 110 passes for 872 yards, nine touchdowns and six interceptions. His favorite targets are senior Max Duncan (13-349-3tds) and juniors Ayden Graham (11-166-2tds) and Eli Rogers (10-92-td).

Defensively, the Jets are paced by seniors Gunnar Bethel (65 tackles) and Ryder Gainer (43.5). Perzanowski has logged 40.5, one more than Duncan. Junior Koleton Snyder leads the team with five quarterback sacks that resulted in minus 26 yards. Junior Brody Kerns had team highs of 18 QB hurries and 12.5 tackles for losses. Nine different Jets have intercepted one pass each.

Junior Gavin Fowkes has booted 30 PATs.

Union Local averages 30 points an outing and gives up 12.4. The 34 scored by Barnesville was a season-high allowed by the Jets. They have three shutouts and allowed three points in another game.

Africentric comes into the contest on a two-game losing streak after winning five straight through the midpoint of the season. It averages 37.4 points a game, with a season-high 72 in week 1 against Woodward. It has scored 50-plus twice and 48 another time. Defensively, the Nubians are giving up 13.3, with four shutouts. However, they yielded 28 last week to Eastmoor Academy and 26 the week before to Walnut Ridge.

“Very athletic,” is how Thompson described the Nubians. “This is going to be a different animal than we’ve faced all year. They like to spread you out on offense and try to beat you 1-on-1 with a couple of talented kids on the outside. Their quarterback is really good, too, and they run out of the wildcat some to try and get their athletes in space.

“We’ll have to play really disciplined on defense and play that Ohio Valley brand of football, try to ground-and-pound and slow the game down some. We’re excited for the challenge. Anytime you go play a team that you’ve never played before is a very intriguing thing … an exciting thing.”

Senior quarterback Josh Smith (6-5, 196) has thrown for 1,745 yards and 25 touchdowns on 88 of 136. He has been picked off four times. He has also run for 541 yards and nine touchdowns on 65 carries. His favorite receivers are 6-4, 210-pound senior Derron Gray Jr. (35-624-10TDs), 5-8-165-pound senior Caleb Anthony (33-739-8tds) and 6-1, 185-pound junior Will Carlisle (16-294-4tds). Sophomore Larell Hairston has run for 444 yards and three TDs on 89 carries, while Anthony has 394 and three TDs on 39 attempts. Anthony has racked up 1,701 all-purpose yards, which includes 270 on six interception returns and 202 on kickoff returns.

Union Local is 2-8 all-time in the postseason. They have been in the playoffs every year since 2020. This will be the first-ever meeting between the two schools on the gridiron.