Top headlines and performances from Week 8 of Greater Cincinnati high school football

The 2025 high school football season has entered the home stretch!

A few league races are coming down the wire and the playoff picture is becoming clearer.

Here's everything we learned, and which players impressed us, in Week 8 of the 2025 season.

High drama in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference

In a prime example that every game matters at this time of the season, two ECC games went to multiple overtimes.

The Lebanon Warriors survived a high-scoring affair with Turpin, escaping 41-38 in double-overtime. After Turpin led 17-14 at halftime, the teams combined for 45 points in the second half, including a Turpin touchdown with 54 seconds left. After both teams missed field goals in the first overtime, Ari Sizemore's interception set up Logan Lane's game-winning field goal. Of note, Lebanon quarterback Luke Faler broke the school record with 505 passing yards and tied the single-game record with five passing touchdowns. The Warriors are now 6-2 overall and 5-2 in the ECC. Turpin drops to 4-4 and 4-3 in the conference.

Over in Loveland, Chase Martin had one of the best games of his life. He scored three rushing touchdowns, including the game-winner in a 37-34, three-overtime win over Little Miami. After the Panthers scored to take a 21-14 lead with less than two minutes left, Martin returned the ensuing kickoff to the 27-yard line to set up Jewel Vorbroker's game-tying score. A much-needed win improves Loveland to 3-5 overall and 3-4 in league play. Little Miami drops to 1-7 and 1-6 in the ECC.

Harrison ends Talawanda's unbeaten run

Harrison won a defensive struggle over Talawanda 14-0 to take control of the Southwest Ohio Conference race and hand Talawanda its first loss. The Wildcats held Lance Cantrell, who entered the game with more than 1,700 yards rushing, to 59 yards on 18 carries, and the Braves offense to 248 yards. David Baldock led Harrison with nine tackles, Cooper Rotert eight and Brycen Deller seven.  

Talawanda kept the Wildcats offense in check, as they had one touchdown in each half and 290 total yards. Brady Lawhon threw for 108 yards and Preston Flick rushed for 101.

Defenses win Northern Kentucky rivalry matchups

The Newport crosstown rivalry is as intense as it is lopsided, as Newport Central Catholic has now won 26 straight against rival Newport to retain the Firemen's Bell Trophy. The Thoroughbreds defense allowed just one Newport score late in the game to secure a 27-7 win.

In the Battle for the Paddle it was Bellevue's defense paddling Dayton. The Tigers shut the Greendevils out in an 18-0 win, improving their all-time record to 99-51-3 in Kentucky's oldest rivalry.

The four teams will swap partners heading into next week, as Bellevue faces Newport and Dayton hosts NewCath.

Unbeaten update

Eight Greater Cincinnati teams stayed unbeaten this week.

∎ Elder reached 8-0 for the first time since 1991 with a dominant 40-16 win over Highlands, one of the top teams in Northern Kentucky. The Panthers' four-week run against St. Xavier (Louisville), St. Xavier, Moeller and Highlands gives them one of the best resumes in the sport. Elder will next travel to Indianapolis to face 7-1 Bishop Chatard.

∎ Badin rolled over Carroll 55-0 to go 3-0 in the GCL-Coed. Badin will host Alter (6-2, 3-0) which shut out McNicholas 12-0.

∎ Williamsburg dominated Blanchester from the get-go for a 65-0 victory to improve to 8-0 and stay in first place in the Southern Buckeye-National race, tied with Bethel-Tate at 2-0. Williamsburg scored 58 points in the first half and had 468 yards offense for the game. Williamsburg plays at East Clinton next week and then to Bethel in Week 10.

∎ Indian Hill dominated Madeira 45-0 and is 5-0 in the Cincinnati Hills League. Devlan Daniel scored four touchdowns for the Braves, who play at Deer Park next week.

∎ Taft posted its fifth straight shutout in a 58-0 win over Western Hills. Outside of a 33-27 overtime win over Alter, the Senators have allowed one touchdown in their other seven wins. Taft plays at Aiken next week.

∎ Anderson rolled over Walnut Hills 53-16, racking up 471 yards offense. The Raptors have one of the biggest games in the city next week, playing at 7-1 Winton Woods.

∎ Holy Cross improved to 7-0 with a 6-3 defensive struggle at Bishop Brossart. The Indians have allowed only one touchdown in their last four games, and will host Trimble County next week.

∎ Lloyd Memorial rolled over Henry County 41-6 on Oct. 9 to enjoy their first 8-0 start since 1976, when they won state with an undefeated season. Lloyd has a bye next week and plays at Carroll County (4-3) Oct. 24.

Which players had the biggest performances in Week 8?

Tommy Becker, Elder: He ran all over Highlands in a 40-16 win, scoring four touchdowns and racking up 102 yards.

Andre Bailey, Hamilton: He ran for 123 yards and scored the game-winning touchdown with one minute left in a 14-7 win over Fairfield.

Cash Harney, Covington Catholic: The quarterback threw for 164 yards and a touchdown and ran for 118 yards in a 17-10 win over Indianapolis Cathedral.

Ben Markarian, Harrison: He made four tackles and had the game-sealing interception as the Wildcats handed Talawanda its first loss of the season.

Brady Guttman, Springboro: He had six catches for 65 yards and a touchdown, the game-winner with seven minutes left in the fourth quarter, as he took a short pass and ran it 25 yards for a score in a 16-12 win over Fairmont.

Jackson Frey, St. Xavier: He completed 14-of-17 passes for 228 yards and three touchdowns in the Bombers’ 28-7 win over La Salle.

Luke Faler, Lebanon: He set a new school record with 505 passing yards in the Warriors’ wild 41-38 double-overtime win over Turpin. He shattered Dakota Allen’s mark of 451 yards set in 2015, and tied Allen’s record with five touchdown passes.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: What we learned in Week 8 of Greater Cincinnati high school football