PATRICK BLAIR PREVIEW  –    Postseason high school football returns the MAC this Friday night as the Mustangs host the Dayton Greendevils in an intriguing Northern Kentucky Class 1A opening-round clash.

Brossart enters the postseason riding a three-game winning streak to finish the regular season 6–4, earning the No. 2 seed in District 4. The Mustangs wrapped up their regular schedule last Friday by retaining the traveling trophy in the annual “Battle of 27,” rolling to a 41–6 running-clock victory over Pendleton County in Falmouth before the contest was called with four minutes remaining.

Dayton (8–2) arrives as the No. 3 seed out of District 3, capping off one of their finest regular seasons in recent memory under head coach Jesse Herbst. The Greendevils rebounded emphatically from their district loss to Newport Central Catholic two weeks ago by throttling Trimble County 49–14 on the road last Friday. The team enters November having won eight games by 20 or more points.

Scouting the Greendevils

• Relentless Ground Assault: Everything starts on the ground for coach Jesse Herbst’s squad. Junior tailback Mason Kennedy is the focal point, rushing for well over 1,000 yards and approaching 20 total touchdowns on the season while averaging over 9 yards a carry. Senior Kaleb Anderson provides a lethal 1-2 punch with nearly 700 yards and 5+ rushing scores (averaging 11.0 YPC).
• Passing Attack: Dayton throws sparingly but efficiently, combining for roughly 500 passing yards on the season between Mason Foster, Landon Harris, and Anderson. When they take shots, Kennedy, Aiden Hull, and Ashton Brown are the primary targets.
• Active Front Seven: The Greendevil defense has compiled 40 tackles for loss, led by defensive lineman Enrique Torres-Lopez (54 tackles, 7 TFLs), Landon Harris (59 tackles), and linebacker Angelo Massey (42 tackles, 5 TFLs). Kayden Vasquez-Wilson patrols the back end with a team-leading 4 interceptions.

Keys to the Matchup

Slowing Down Kennedy & the Power Run: Dayton’s identity is downhill, physical running between the tackles and off-tackle. Brossart’s front seven—anchored by Meersman, Busby, Jaxson Noe, and Ethan Tiemeier—must shed blocks, set firm edges, and eliminate the 15-to-20 yard chunk runs that keep Dayton in manageable down-and-distance situations.

1. Spaulding’s Play-Action & Efficiency: Dayton has faced few passing attacks with the balance and perimeter skill Brossart possesses. If Spaulding can get the ball out cleanly to Boruske and Tischner in space, it will force Dayton out of loaded-box looks and open running lanes for Busby and McKinzie.
2. Turnover Margin & Special Teams: Both secondaries are aggressive ball-hawks (Brossart returned three interceptions for touchdowns last week alone, while Dayton has intercepted 9 passes this season). A short field from a D’Alessandro onside kick or a defensive takeaway could prove decisive in a tight playoff atmosphere.