CINCINNATI — Friday marks the quarterfinal round of high school football action in both Ohio and Kentucky.

Several local teams are playing for a ticket to the semifinals on both sides of the river.

MOELLER VS. LAKOTA WEST:
The Game of the Week was a matchup between Moeller and Lakota West. West advanced to its second straight regional final by defeating St. X last week, but came up short to Crusaders. Moeller won 21-17 in front of 4,300 people — including 2008 grad and Milwaukee Brewers reliever Brent Suter.

Moeller advances to state semifinals, first time since 2014

RELATED: Moeller football team wins Division I, Region 4 title

WINTON WOODS VS. PIQUA:
Winton Woods got some words of wisdom from Tennessee Titans linebacker David Long Friday. The alumnus encouraged the 7 seed to "play for something bigger than yourself" ahead of their game against top-seeded Piqua. It appears Long's words worked as coach Chad Murphy continues to truck in his first season with the team. The Warriors won 38-17.

Winton Woods knocks off top-seeded Piqua

WESTERN BROWN VS. GRANVILLE:
Top-seeded Granville won a shootout with Western Brown, defeating the Broncos 57-49.

Granville wins a shootout with Western Brown

BADIN VS. BELLBROOK:
Badin High School, the top seed in their region, went down 9-0 to start their game against Bellbrook, but immediately worked their way back on top. The Rams scored 21 unanswered points to win 21-9. They play Granville next week with a ticket to Canton on the line.

Badin scores 21 unanswered to beat Bellbrook

CLINTON MASSIE VS. MCNICHOLAS:
Clinton-Massie won a close game over McNicholas Friday, 28-27. The Falcons, who do not love to throw the ball, continued to stay grounded in the win. This is the first time Clinton-Massie has moved on to the semifinals since 2007.

Clinton-Massie wins close game against McNicholas

SCOTT VS. BOYLE COUNTY:
The only 3 seed left in Kentucky's quarterfinals, Scott, was a big underdog against Boyle County. Despite an impressive playoff run, nothing went the Eagles' way. Scott was eliminated in a 51-14 loss.

Scott's playoff run ends with loss at Boyle Co.

BEECHWOOD VS. WALTON-VERONA:
Walton-Verona made the short drive up I-75 to Fort Mitchell Friday, playing Kentucky's gold standard of small school football, Beechwood. The Bearcats tried to be aggressive in the beginning on 4th and 2, but fumbled and the rest was history. Beechwood (13-0) won 50-6. All but one game has been decided by three touchdowns or more.

Beechwood rolls to state semifinals, stays unbeaten

TRINITY VS. RYLE:
Trinity took the trip up I-71 to NKY, rolling past Ryle 38-18. Ryle is the first team to score on Trinity in the postseason.

Ryle falls to Trinity, 38-18

OTHER SCORES:
- Bishop Brossart saw its undefeated season end on Friday with a 48-7 loss at Raceland.
- Newport Central Catholic made the long road trip to Russellville in Western Kentucky, but fell 21-0.
- Covington Catholic lost 28-14 at Woodford County.

MIKE DYER JOINS THE FRENZY TO BREAK DOWN FRIDAY'S BIG GAMES:

Mike Dyer breaks down Friday's high school football action

OHIO BRACKETS: Click here to see all the statewide brackets in Ohio
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Ohio's 2020 high school football season will be comprised of just six games beginning Aug. 24 with every team eligible for the playoffs, according to a message from the Ohio High School Athletic Association's interim executive director, Bob Goldring, on Friday.

If the plan is approved by Gov. Mike DeWine, all teams will enter the playoffs beginning Oct. 9, and state championship games will be played no later than Nov. 21.

"Schools also will be afforded the opportunity to play 10 total regular-season contests — whether they continue regular-season games after they are eliminated from the playoffs or should they decide not to enter the playoffs — as long as they complete their season by November 14," Goldring's announcement read.

OHSAA's board approved the measure unanimously Friday.

“To both ensure we can offer students the opportunity to participate in education‐based athletes but do so with their best interests in mind, we believe this modified plan offers a positive solution by addressing many of the concerns of our member schools,” said Jeff Cassella, president of the OHSAA Board of Directors and athletic administrator at Mentor High School. “Those that are able to start their seasons on time will be able to do so. Those that are starting later can still have a season. Add in the option of all schools entering the playoffs and the possibility of schools still being able to play 10 regular-season contests, and this plan is helpful to virtually all of our schools.”

In a recent OHSAA membership survey, the highest number of responses to one of the questions posed of superintendents, principals and athletic administrators indicated that nearly 60% (890 of 1,498 respondents) favored reducing the regular season and maintaining full OHSAA tournaments, or maintaining the full regular season and maintaining full OHSAA tournaments.

In 2020, the number of playoff rounds will be dependent upon the number of schools entering the playoffs in each division. Schools eliminated from the OHSAA playoffs or that choose not to enter the OHSAA playoffs will have the option to schedule additional regular-season contests through Nov. 14, with a maximum of 10 regular-season contests permitted.

Here's what the 2020 season will look like:

• Regular season Week 1: Week of Aug. 24
• Regular season Week 2: Week of Aug. 31
• Regular season Week 3: Week of Sept. 7
• Regular season Week 4: Week of Sept. 14
• Regular season Week 5: Week of Sept. 21
• Regular season Week 6: Week of Sept. 28
• Playoffs begin Friday, Oct. 9
• State finals end no later than Saturday, Nov. 21

Read more in the viewer below:

20200807 Administrator Update by WCPO Web Team on Scribd

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Penn. — After defeating South Dakota Saturday, Hamilton West Side will take on Michigan's Taylor North Little League Sunday for the Little League World Series championship.

"Seeing what they're doing here, for that to pay off, that's an amazing feeling for the coaches, parents," Keith Clay, the father of Cooper Clay, said.

Hamilton (West Side) has been to the Little League World Series four times prior to this year, but has never won more than one game in South Williamsport, Penn.

Michigan beat Hawaii Saturday afternoon 2-1.

This is not the first time Hamilton has played Michigan. The teams faced-off in the Great Lakes Region championship, where Michigan won 9-1.

"I think we play better as a team being in the losers bracket and coming back," Bryon Baumann, father of Brady Baumann, said. "We have great pitching across the board. When it's time to hit, or when we're in clutch situations. These kids pull through... It's just what we do."

You can watch the championship game of the Little League World Series Sunday at 3 p.m. on WCPO.

WAXHAW, N.C. — For Sreethan Gajula, playing the clarinet takes practice.

It also takes practice to earn a spot as a finalist in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

“It's just really humbling,” he said. “I was ecstatic, along with my family.”

Sreethan is now one of the 11 finalists in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Canceled last year because of the pandemic, it’s back this year. It is scheduled to take place at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, near Disney World in Florida, on July 8.

“I believe the difference between a good speller and really mastering the art of spelling is their comprehension of language rules,” Sreethan said.

It’s been a whirlwind journey for Sreethan, who will be the first finalist in the bee from North Carolina in decades.

“I've gotten so much support from my community, my teachers, my friends, my school, my county, just from random people all over North Carolina and over the nation,” he said.

He also got a message from one special NFL player for the Carolina Panthers.

“Then Christian McCaffrey, he showed up on the screen,” Sreethan said, “And I was just in utter disbelief and shock. I mean, the best running back in the NFL had just said my name and yeah, I mean, it was so amazing!”

A thousand miles away, near Dallas, Vivinsha Veduru is counting down the days to the bee.

“It feels really exhilarating,” she said. “When I was in third grade and I placed third in the regionals, I got motivated and I started researching and I got this far.”

And far, she’s gone: at 10 years old, Vivinsha is the youngest of the 11 finalists in this year’s spelling bee.

“I know this is my first turn, and whatever I do is a bonus,” she said.

In addition to her hobby of creating her own comic books, there’s been a lot of spelling practice involved.

“My mom helps me by coaching and my dad and my sister also quizzes me, too,” Vivinsha said.

Now, both students, and the nine others who will join them, will put all they’ve learned to the ultimate test, in the hopes of earning that champion trophy.

There are a few changes to this year’s spelling bee.

In 2019, it ended with a record eight winners as champions. To prevent a repeat of that, organizers created some new rules. They’ve added vocabulary questions to the competition and a tie-breaker spell-off.

As Christian Eriksen lay unconscious on the field, his pulse slipping away, Denmark team doctor Morten Boesen quickly realized there wasn’t a second to lose.

“He was breathing, and I could feel his pulse. But suddenly that changed,” Boesen said Saturday. “And as everyone saw, we started giving him CPR.”

The next 10 minutes were among the scariest to ever unfold during a match at soccer's European Championship. Several medics worked frenetically to give Eriksen chest compressions while his teammates choked away tears and formed a circle around the midfielder to shield the scene from public view.

And finally, the eerie silence that had descended around Parken Stadium was replaced with massive cheers.

“We managed to get Christian back,” Boesen said. “And he spoke to me before he was taken to the hospital.”

Eriksen was awake and in stable condition Saturday night after being taken to a Copenhagen hospital, the Danish soccer federation said.

His collapse, which came in the 43rd minute of the match against Finland, led to the game being suspended for about 90 minutes before both teams made the decision to play on. Finland went on to win 1-0 after Joel Pohjanpalo scored in the 60th minute and goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky later saved a penalty.

But in the end, the result seemed merely an afterthought.

“Of course you can’t play a game with such feelings,” Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand said. “What we tried to do was incredible. It’s incredible that the players managed to go out and try to play the second half.”

UEFA said both teams had held an emergency meeting before deciding to continue playing. The players came back out onto the field to a huge ovation as they started warming up for a second time.

Hjulmand said the teams were given the option of finishing the game on Saturday or resuming on Sunday.

“The players couldn’t imagine not being able to sleep tonight and then having to get in tomorrow, get on the bus and play a game,” Hjulmand said. “Honestly, it was best to get it over with.”

Eriksen had just played a short pass when he fell face-forward onto the ground. His teammates immediately gestured for help and medics rushed onto the field.

Eriksen’s partner, Sabrina Kvist Jensen, went onto the field and was comforted by Denmark captain Simon Kjaer and goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel.

The Finland players huddled by their bench and eventually walked off the field while the Inter Milan midfielder was still getting treatment, as did the referees.

Eriksen was eventually carried off to a loud ovation, with his teammates walking next to the stretcher.

Inter Milan team physician Piero Volpi told The Associated Press that the Italian club was in contact with the Danish soccer federation.

“We’re in contact with the Danish federation, the team manager, the team physician. But we still don’t know anything yet,” Volpi said. “We heard what UEFA said and we’re all happy that he’s been stabilized. But that’s all we know.”

Volpi added that Eriksen never contracted COVID-19, has no medical conditions that he’s aware of and has passed every medical exam without problem since joining Inter in January 2020 from Tottenham.

“But we’ll talk about that when the time is right,” Volpi added of Eriksen’s medical history. “Right now, the important thing is that he recovers.”

Eriksen is one of Denmark’s biggest stars and the incident brought an instant sense of shock to the Parken Stadium, where about 15,000 fans fell into hushed silence. Some supporters could be seen crying and hugging in the stands.

The game was broadcast widely, including on ESPN in the United States, which later responded to online criticism that its telecast lingered too long on the scene before cutting away. ESPN said it didn't have its cameras on the scene and was using a worldwide feed supplied by the Union of European Football Associations.

“Once it was clear the world feed was going to take a more aggressive approach to covering the situation, we should have moved quicker to a static wide shot of the stadium or returned to the studio,” ESPN said in a statement.

As the fans in the stadium were waiting for updates, Finland supporters started chanting “Christian! Christian,” which was then answered by the Danish fans shouting “Eriksen! Eriksen!”

A huge roar then went up from all supporters when the stadium announcer said Eriksen was “stable and awake.”

The incident brought back memories of other soccer players who have collapsed on the field, including Marc-Vivien Foe and Fabrice Muamba. Foe died while playing for Cameroon during the 2003 Confederations Cup in France, while Muamba needed CPR in 2012 when he collapsed in a match between Bolton and Tottenham at White Hart Lane in north London.

Muamba, who fully recovered, wrote ”Please God” on Twitter as Eriksen was taken to the hospital.