MARTINS FERRY — Week 7 of the high school football has arrived and, although, many coaches don’t like to talk about it, the time has come to start talking about the postseason.

One game that will go a long way in determining the postseason fate of a pair of Buckeye 8 squads kicks off at 7 Friday night at the Dave Bruney Football Complex when Martins Ferry welcomes Indian Creek.

“There’s no doubt about it,” Redskins head coach Andrew Connor acknowledged. “I think everyone starts to entertain where their season is at this point. Everyone wants to continue their season beyond 10 games.”

Martins Ferry is 5-1 and fifth in Ohio Division V, Region 19. But first-year head coach Chas Yoder knows the road ahead, starting with Indian Creek, is filled with challenges.

“They’re a good football team … very balanced,” Yoder said. “They have a balanced attack with a good skill players and a good quarterback who will spread the ball around. They have a very solid team.

“Their lines are very good on both sides and’ they’re coached well.”

Indian Creek enters the game at 4-2, but currently sits on the outside looking in in Ohio Division IV, Region 13. A victory against Martins Ferry should improve the Redskins’ current No. 12 positioning. The Redskins rebounded from a tough 14-7 loss to St. Clairsville by blanking Brooke last week.

“It’s a Buckeye 8 game and us and Ferry have become a Buckeye 8 rivalry,” Connor said. “We have a lot of respect for Martins Ferry and the way they do things.

“I think it’s an important game for both programs.”

The Purple Riders, whose lone loss came at unbeaten St. Clairsville three weeks ago, are coming off a thrilling 27-26 victory at East Liverpool. The victory, while tight, was a character-building one for his club, Yoder said.

“Our guys didn’t give up,” he said. “We found ourselves in a dogfight. It was a good win against a good team.”

It marked the second quality victory in as many weeks for the Purple Riders. Two weeks ago, they overcame an 18-0 deficit, and Mother Nature, to rout Harrison Central on the road.

“When things are clicking, we’re pretty hard to stop,” Yoder said. “Although, instead of being up and down I think we have to more balanced in when we score points.”

Connor has been impressed with the Purple Riders’ balance offensively, which is led by quarterback Jake Probst and a steady stable of running backs, led by Caleb Olson. Dasyn Hores is a top receiving threat.

“They do a good job stretching the field vertically and horizontally,” he said. “They make you defend the entire field. Once they get you to worry about the passing game they do what Ferry does best, run the football.

“They don’t do things to beat themselves. They’re consistent. It’s hard to guess what they’re going to do.”

Last year’s match-up at Kettlewell Stadium was a grind-it-out affair, with the Purple Riders rallying for a 14-10 victory. Yoder said, like 2017, each possession will likely be key.

“It could be a field possession–type game,” he said.

Yoder added even though the Redskins are going with a back-up quarterback, they still are capable of doing damage.

Connor said the team has rallied around Sam Mazar, who took over for Brennon Norris, and have turned what could’ve been a negative and turned it into a positive.

“The kids have been resilient,” Connor said. “I’m proud of their effort. Even in the two losses, the kids have left everything on the field.”