Withrow defeated previously unbeaten Hughes 35-16 on Friday, Oct. 16, clinching at least a share of the Cincinnati Metro Athletic Conference Red Division championship.
Junior quarterback Sa'Vion Davis rushed for three touchdowns and made plays in the secondary as the Tigers built a 13-0 first-half lead and pulled away, according to Local 12. WCPO confirmed the Tigers earned at least a share of the division title.
Head coach Anthony Berry's squad has won four straight since a Sept. 11 loss to McNicholas, including a 33-18 upset of No. 12 La Salle on Oct. 2.
After that Harrison loss, Berry told WCPO: "We just got to keep chopping wood … We just got to keep attacking the details."
Hughes entered the game 8-0 and ranked No. 4 in the Division III, Region 12 OHSAA computer ratings, according to the Akron Beacon Journal. The Big Red had not lost all season under first-year coach Jalen Engleman, a 2019 Winton Woods graduate who took over in January.
Hughes athletic director Andrew Mueller told WCPO in early October that he could not find evidence of a 7-0 start in school history.
Withrow entered Week 9 at 5-3 and sat 13th in the Division II, Region 8 ratings with an 8.2125 rating. The Cincinnati Enquirer noted before the game that Withrow was "on the outside" of the playoff bubble and could "take a big step by beating 8-0 Hughes."
The final regular-season OHSAA ratings come out Oct. 25. The top 12 teams in each region qualify for the playoffs, which begin Oct. 30.
Withrow closes the regular season on the road against Taft. Hughes finishes at home against Western Hills.
