Cincinnati high school football delivered several important results Friday, October 16, 2026, as La Salle defeated Harrison 24-20 and Indian Hill ended Deer Park’s perfect season with a 42-22 victory. St. Xavier also rallied for a 28-21 win over Cleveland St. Ignatius during a busy Week 9 schedule across Greater Cincinnati.
The results came during the next-to-last week of Ohio’s regular high school football season. Teams were competing for postseason positioning, conference standings and momentum before the final week of scheduled games.
La Salle’s narrow victory strengthened its hopes in Division II, Region 8, while Indian Hill’s win changed the picture in the Cincinnati Hills League. Several other programs, including Princeton, Lakota West and Elder, also recorded important victories.
La Salle Holds Off Harrison in 24-20 Upset
La Salle entered Friday’s meeting against Harrison needing a victory after losing five of its previous six games. The Lancers faced a Harrison team that had built a 7-1 record and was attempting to defeat La Salle for the first time in school history.
The Lancers started quickly at home, taking control during the opening quarter. Quarterback Garrett Fraley connected with Naseer Salaam on a 50-yard touchdown pass to give La Salle a 7-0 advantage.
La Salle continued attacking in the second quarter. Two catches by Jack McLaughlin helped the Lancers extend their lead to 21-0 with 8:31 remaining before halftime.
Harrison refused to let the game slip away. The Wildcats mounted a comeback, with Kyle Davidson making a 25-yard touchdown catch near the back of the end zone to reduce the deficit to 21-14 late in the first half.
That touchdown brought Harrison back into contention after La Salle appeared to be moving toward a comfortable victory. The Wildcats continued pressuring the home team during the second half.
La Salle maintained a narrow advantage as the final minutes approached. Kicker Grayson Bedacht made a 37-yard field goal with approximately 3:30 remaining, extending the Lancers’ lead to 24-20.
The four-point margin meant Harrison still had an opportunity to take the lead with a touchdown. However, La Salle protected its advantage and finished with a 24-20 victory.
The result represented a significant turnaround for the Lancers after a difficult stretch of games. It also prevented Harrison from securing its first victory in the series.
La Salle entered the evening with a 3-5 record, having suffered consecutive defeats against Moeller, Withrow and St. Xavier. Friday’s win gave the program a much-needed result as it continued competing for a Division II playoff position.
Indian Hill Ends Deer Park’s Perfect Season
Deer Park entered its game against Indian Hill with an 8-0 record and an opportunity to improve to 9-0. The Wildcats had enjoyed one of the strongest seasons in the Cincinnati Hills League, including a 31-14 victory over Taylor the previous week.
Indian Hill, however, took control of Friday’s matchup and earned a 42-22 victory at home.
The Braves built a substantial lead during the first half and extended it after halftime. Indian Hill led 28-3 early in the third quarter after Deer Park lost possession on a fumble.
Devlan Daniel scored on a 26-yard run following the turnover, helping Indian Hill strengthen its position. The touchdown demonstrated how costly mistakes could become against a team able to capitalize on favorable field position.
Deer Park eventually scored 22 points but could not overcome the early deficit. The defeat ended its unbeaten start and left the Wildcats with an 8-1 record.
Before Friday, Deer Park had won its first eight games by scores that included 43-0 against Norwood, 50-8 against Shroder and 54-0 against Finneytown.
The team had also recorded shutout victories over Mariemont and Norwood during its undefeated run.
Indian Hill’s victory was especially important in the Cincinnati Hills League race. It also showed that Deer Park would face serious challenges as the regular season approached its final weekend.
The Wildcats are scheduled to face Wyoming on October 23, giving them an opportunity to respond before postseason competition begins.
St. Xavier Rallies Against St. Ignatius
St. Xavier produced another notable result by defeating Cleveland St. Ignatius 28-21.
The Bombers had taken a 14-7 advantage during the first half after recovering a blocked punt for a touchdown. However, St. Ignatius responded with two quick scores before halftime.
The visitors tied the game with 45 seconds remaining in the half, then intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown with 33 seconds left. That sudden turnaround gave St. Ignatius a 21-14 lead.
St. Xavier recovered during the second half and eventually secured the seven-point victory. The win continued a productive stretch for the Bombers following their 38-14 victory against La Salle the previous week.
Elder also won its Greater Catholic League-South matchup, defeating Indianapolis Bishop Chatard 31-21.
Kaden Estep scored three rushing touchdowns for Elder, helping the Panthers establish a 31-14 advantage through three quarters.
Princeton and Lakota West Record Big Wins
Several teams in the Greater Miami Conference delivered convincing performances Friday.
Princeton defeated Oak Hills 39-7, continuing its unbeaten season after entering Week 9 with an 8-0 record.
Lakota West overwhelmed Sycamore 63-13, while Lakota East defeated Colerain 41-23.
Fairfield recorded a 47-20 victory over Hamilton, and Mason defeated Middletown 24-7.
The results reinforced the strength of Princeton and Lakota West as the regular season neared its finish. Both programs had been among the Cincinnati area's leading teams throughout the fall.
Other Cincinnati Week 9 Results
The Cincinnati Enquirer’s updated scoreboard also reported several notable results from other conferences.
- Kings defeated Turpin 48-14.
- Lebanon defeated Walnut Hills 49-7.
- Little Miami defeated Milford 28-13.
- West Clermont defeated Loveland 40-21.
- Talawanda defeated Mount Healthy 41-6.
- Withrow defeated Hughes 35-16.
- Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy defeated Roger Bacon 48-13.
- Badin defeated Alter 20-14 in overtime.
- North College Hill defeated Cincinnati Country Day 70-0.
- Springboro defeated Centerville 40-31.
North College Hill’s victory was particularly striking. The Trojans improved to 8-0 and recorded their seventh shutout of the season.
Through eight games, North College Hill had outscored its opponents 432-3, an extraordinary scoring margin reflecting its dominance on both sides of the ball.
In the Eastern Cincinnati Conference, Anderson was leading Winton Woods 40-21 in the fourth quarter when the available live scoreboard was checked. That result was not yet marked final.
Moeller Faces St. Edward on Saturday
One of the weekend’s biggest games remains scheduled for Saturday, October 17, when Archbishop Moeller faces Lakewood St. Edward.
The Division I matchup is scheduled for 3 p.m. at West Clermont High School.
Moeller enters the contest after defeating Cleveland St. Ignatius 43-21 on October 9. The Crusaders have also recorded victories over Elder, La Salle and St. Xavier this season.
St. Edward arrives with a strong record of its own and a reputation as one of Ohio’s established football programs.
The matchup will give both teams another demanding test before the regular season ends.
For Cincinnati football fans, Friday’s results produced several developments. La Salle strengthened its playoff hopes, Indian Hill handed Deer Park its first loss, and St. Xavier completed a comeback against St. Ignatius.
Saturday’s Moeller-St. Edward meeting will add another result to Week 9 before teams turn their attention to the final regular-season games and the approaching Ohio high school football playoffs.