CINCINNATI — The Ohio high school football postseason picture is in focus early Saturday night across seven divisions in Greater Cincinnati.
Computer points analyst Joe Eitel, who helps the Ohio High School Athletic Association with its weekly football computer points ratings during the season, updated the latest playoff projections late Friday night into early Saturday morning. The regular season concludes Saturday night.
Eitel’s projections are considered unofficial until the OHSAA likely announces the playoff qualifiers either Saturday night or early Sunday morning.
The OHSAA said 448 schools — the top 16 in each region — will qualify for the playoffs. The Ohio high school football playoffs begin Nov. 1.
In Division I, Region 2, Lebanon (6-4) will host a first-round playoff game as the No. 6 seed plays Clayton Northmont (2-8) at 7 p.m. Nov. 1. Middletown (5-5) is the No. 9 seed and plays at No. 8 Huber Heights Wayne (5-5).
Middletown is led by head coach Kali Jones who is in his first season with the Middies. Jones, the former Withrow head coach, was the Huber Heights Wayne assistant offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach from 2011-14.
In Division I, Region 4, Moeller (9-1) is the No. 1 seed. The Crusaders are scheduled to play host to No. 16 Sycamore (1-9) at Mount St. Joseph University.
Lakota West (9-1), a Greater Miami Conference co-champion with Princeton (8-2), is the No. 2 seed. Winton Woods (9-1) is the No. 3 seed and plays host to No. 14 Little Miami (1-9). It will be a reunion for Little Miami coach Arryn Chenault who returns to Winton Woods where he was the special teams coordinator in 2023.
Princeton is projected to be No. 4 and plays host to Fairfield (2-8). The Vikings defeated visiting Fairfield 62-30 on Oct. 11.
Hamilton (8-2), the No. 5 seed, plays host to No. 12 Oak Hills (4-6) in a rematch of the Sept. 20 game in which the host Big Blue won 34-7.
Elder (5-5) is No. 7 and plays host to No. 10 Mason (5-5).
Lakota East (7-3), the No. 8 seed, plays host to No. 9 West Clermont (7-3). It's been quite a turnaround for Lakota East, which had a 1-9 record in 2023. The Thunderhawks are led by head coach Jon Kitna, a former longtime NFL player.
In Division II, Region 8, Anderson (10-0) is the No. 1 seed. The Raptors earned their first 10-0 record since 2009. It is the fifth time in program history that Anderson has been undefeated in the regular season.
Anderson plays host to No. 16 Edgewood (3-7).
La Salle (8-2) is No. 2 and plays host to No. 15 Monroe (4-6). The Lancers continue a significant turnaround after winning six games in 2022 and 2023 combined.
Xenia (9-1) is the No. 3 seed. Badin (8-2), the winner of the Greater Catholic League Co-Ed championship, is No. 4.
Mount Healthy (8-2) is No. 5 and plays host to Aiken (6-3). Harrison (8-2) is the No. 6 seed.
Kings (8-2) is No. 7 and plays host to No. 10 Withrow (5-5).
In Division III, Region 12, McNicholas (8-2) is projected to be No. 6 while Batavia (8-2) is No. 7. It's been quite a turnaround for Batavia, which had a 3-7 record in 2023.
Wilmington (6-4) is No. 10 while Ross (4-6) is No. 13. Franklin (4-6) is No. 15 and Talawanda (3-7) is No. 16.
In Division IV, Region 16, Clinton-Massie (8-2) is the No. 1 seed. Wyoming (10-0) is No. 2. Wyoming just completed its 24th undefeated regular season in program history Friday night.
Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy (9-1) is No. 4 while Taft (8-2) is No. 5.
Taylor (8-2) earned the No. 6 seed with a win over Indian Hill Friday night. The Braves (7-3) are No. 9.
Taft (8-2) plays host to Kenton Ridge (7-3) at 6 p.m. Friday in a Division IV, Region 16 first-round football game at Stargel Stadium.
New Richmond (5-5), Shroder (7-3) and Roger Bacon (6-4) are in the postseason, too.
In Division V, Region 20, Williamsburg (9-1) is hosting a first-round game as the No. 6 seed against No. 11 Madeira (5-5).
In Division VI, Region 24, Cincinnati Country Day (9-1), which earned its fourth consecutive Miami Valley Conference Gray division title, is No. 2. St. Bernard-Elmwood Place (8-2) is No. 5.
Miami Valley Christian Academy (4-6) and Purcell Marian (5-5, 4-5 by OHSAA) have clinched playoff spots. Deer Park (4-6) is also in.
In Division VII, Region 28, Cincinnati College Prep (7-2) is the No. 3 seed after a win over Dayton Christian Saturday afternoon. CCPA will host South Charleston Southeastern Local (4-6) at 7 p.m. Nov. 1 in Finneytown.
Lockland (2-7) has opted out of the postseason due to a low roster number because of injuries and the number of players available for November, according to Lockland athletic director Jon Payne.
Lockland had been projected as the No. 16 seed earlier Saturday. Instead, Cedarville (4-6) is the No. 16 seed, according to Eitel.
Ohio high school football
Unofficial playoff pairings
Regional first-round games
(All games Friday, Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. unless noted)
Division I, Region 2
No. 16 Central Crossing (1-9) at No. 1 Kettering Fairmont (8-2)
No. 15 Beavercreek (3-7) at No. 2 Centerville (7-3)
No. 14 Dublin Coffman (2-8) at No. 3 Westland (8-2)
No. 13 Hilliard Bradley (2-8) at No. 4 Springfield (6-4)
No. 12 Marysville (3-7) at No. 5 Hilliard Davidson (6-4)
No. 11 Clayton Northmont (2-8) at No. 6 Lebanon (6-4)
No. 10 Dublin Jerome (4-6) at No. 7 Springboro (6-4)
No. 9 Middletown (5-5) at No. 8 Huber Heights Wayne (5-5)
Division I, Region 4
No. 16 Sycamore (1-9) at No. 1 Moeller (9-1) at Mount St. Joseph University
No. 15 Walnut Hills (1-9) at No. 2 Lakota West (9-1)
No. 14 Little Miami (1-9) at No. 3 Winton Woods (9-1)
No. 13 Fairfield (2-8) at No. 4 Princeton (8-2)
No. 12 Oak Hills (4-6) at No. 5 Hamilton (8-2)
No. 11 Milford (4-6) at No. 6 St. Xavier (7-3)
No. 10 Mason (5-5) at No. 7 Elder (5-5)
No. 9 West Clermont (7-3) at No. 8 Lakota East (7-3)
Division II, Region 8
No. 16 Edgewood (3-7) at No. 1 Anderson (10-0)
No. 15 Monroe (4-6) at No. 2 La Salle (8-2)
No. 14 Sidney (5-5) at No. 3 Xenia (9-1)
No. 13 Trotwood-Madison (5-5) at No. 4 Badin (8-2)
No. 12 Aiken (6-3) at No. 5 Mount Healthy (8-2)
No. 11 Troy (6-4) at No. 6 Harrison (8-2)
No. 10 Withrow (5-5) at No. 7 Kings (8-2)
No. 9 Lima Senior (9-1) at No. 8 Vandalia Butler (8-2)
Division III, Region 12
No. 16 Talawanda (3-7) at No. 1 Tippecanoe (10-0)
No. 15 Franklin (4-6) at No. 2 Wapakoneta (10-0)
No. 14 Meadowdale (7-3) at No. 3 Bellbrook (9-1)
No. 13 Ross (4-6) at No. 4 London (10-0)
No. 12 Chaminade Julienne (5-5) at No. 5 Bellefontaine (8-2)
No. 11 Celina (6-4) at No. 6 McNicholas (8-2)
No. 10 Wilmington (6-4) at No. 7 Batavia (8-2)
No. 9 Miami Trace (7-3) at No. 8 St. Marys Memorial (8-2)
Division IV, Region 16
No. 16 Roger Bacon (6-4) at No. 1 Clinton-Massie (8-2)
No. 15 Shroder (7-3) at No. 2 Wyoming (10-0)
No. 14 New Richmond (5-5) at No. 3 Valley View (8-2)
No. 13 Brookville (6-4) at No. 4 CHCA (9-1)
No. 12 Kenton Ridge (7-3) at No. 5 Taft (8-2), 6 p.m.
No. 11 Urbana (7-3) at No. 6 Taylor (8-2)
No. 10 Alter (5-5) at No. 7 Eaton (8-2)
No. 9 Indian Hill (7-3) at No. 8 Northridge (7-3)
Division V, Region 20
No. 16 St. Paris Graham (3-7) at No. 1 Jamestown Greeneview (10-0)
No. 15 Arcanum (6-4) at No. 2 West Liberty-Salem (9-1)
No. 14 Middletown Madison (4-6) at No. 3 Waynesville (7-3)
No. 13 Marion Pleasant (5-5) at No. 4 Preble Shawnee (9-1)
No. 12 Versailles (5-5) at No. 5 Indian Lake (8-2)
No. 11 Madeira (5-5) at No. 6 Williamsburg (9-1)
No. 10 Milton-Union (6-4) at No. 7 Miami East (7-3)
No. 9 Lima Bath (5-50 at No. 8 Carlisle (5-5)
Division VI, Region 24
No. 16 Covington (3-7) at No. 1 Coldwater (9-1)
No. 15 Deer Park (4-6) at No. 2 Cincinnati Country Day
No. 14 Lima Perry (5-5) at No. 3 Anna (7-3)
Chesapeake (5-5) or Dayton Christian (4-5) at No. 4 Portsmouth West (7-3)
Chesapeake (5-5) or Dayton Christian (4-5) at No. 5 St. Bernard-Elmwood Place (8-2)
No. 11 Purcell Marian (4-5) at No. 6 Paint Valley (7-3)
No. 10 Madison-Plains (6-4) at No. 7 Rock Hill (7-3)
No. 9 Miami Valley Christian Academy (4-6) at No. 8 Northeastern (6-4)
Division VII, Region 28
No. 16 Fort Recovery (2-8) at No. 1 Marion Local (10-0)
No. 15. Manchester (3-6) at No. 2 Minster (8-2)
No. 14 Southeastern Local (4-6) at No. 3 Cincinnati College Prep (7-2) at Finneytown
No. 13 Twin Valley South (5-5) at No. 4 Ansonia (9-1)
No. 12 Riverside (4-6) at No. 5 Lehman Catholic (8-2)
No. 11 Fort Loramie (5-5) at No. 6 Ridgemont (8-2)
No. 10 New Bremen (5-5) at No. 7 St. Henry (6-4)
No. 9 Tri-Village (8-2) at No. 8 Waynesfield-Goshen (7-3)
All playoff rounds prior to the state finals will be held on Fridays for all seven divisions. The top eight seeds in each of the regions host first-round games.
There are 707 schools in the 11-player football computer ratings. The 72 largest schools are in Division I, while the remaining schools are divided equally in Divisions II through VII (approximately 106 schools in each division).
The regional semifinals, regional finals and state semifinals will be held at neutral locations.
The state finals are Dec. 5-7 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton. The schedule:
Thursday, Dec. 5 – Division II at 7 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 6 – Division VII at 10:30 a.m.
Friday, Dec. 6 – Division III at 3 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 6 – Division I at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 7 – Division VI at 10:30 a.m.
Saturday, Dec. 7 – Division V at 3 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 7 – Division IV at 7:30 p.m.
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