CINCINNATI — The La Salle High School football team is projected to be in the playoffs, securing what appeared to be one of the final spots in the state Saturday night.
The Lancers learned about their postseason opportunity Saturday night as Dayton Dunbar rallied to defeat Dayton Belmont 16-15 at Welcome Stadium.
The Dunbar victory gave La Salle enough projected points to be the No. 16 seed in Division II, Region 8, according to computer points analyst Joe Eitel.
La Salle coach Pat McLaughlin along with coaches and players followed the Dayton Public Schools game on YouTube Saturday night. Entering Saturday, Eitel said Western Hills and Dunbar needed wins to help La Salle. Western Hills defeated Aiken 32-0 at Stargel Stadium Saturday afternoon.
The Lancers' postseason fate came down to Dunbar and Belmont. Belmont led 9-0 at halftime before Dunbar rallied.
"We owe Dunbar some steak dinners," McLaughlin said. "Our kids are very excited."
La Salle (2-8 overall, 1-8 per OHSAA computer points) is projected to play at No. 1 seed Winton Woods (10-0) Oct. 28 at Charlie Fredrick Stadium.
"We're happy to be in and glad to be in," McLaughlin said. "I think our kids deserve it."
The Ohio high school football postseason picture started to become clear Saturday night across seven divisions in Greater Cincinnati.
The projections, including the likely order in multiple regions that impact Cincinnati-area teams will likely be finalized early Sunday morning.
Eitel, who helps the Ohio High School Athletic Association with its weekly football computer ratings during the season, has a list of teams from each region across the seven divisions in the state.
Eitel's ratings are considered unofficial until the Ohio High School Athletic Association posts its list Sunday when 448 schools - the top 16 in each region - will qualify for the playoffs.
The top eight seeds in each of the 28 regions have the opportunity to host first-round playoff games Oct. 28. The better seed in the second-round games will be the host team Nov. 4.
The third round (regional semifinals) begins neutral sites with Divisions I, II, III and V on Friday nights (starting Nov. 11) while Divisions IV, VI and VII compete on Saturday (starting Nov. 12).
State finals are scheduled for Dec. 1-3 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton. It is the second year of a three-year contract with the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Moeller (9-1) has unofficially clinched No. 1 seed in Division I, Region 4, according to Eitel. Moeller defeated Detroit Martin Luther King Jr., 30-14 at Shea Stadium Friday night.
The Crusaders, who had the ninth-toughest schedule nationally according to MaxPreps, started the season with an 8-0 record for the first time since 2013. The Crusaders will make their 38th postseason appearance in program history.
Lakota West (10-0), Elder (8-2), Mason (8-2), Springboro (7-3), Princeton (8-2), Milford (8-2) and Fairfield (7-3) have unofficially clinched home playoff games, according to Eitel. Lakota West won its third consecutive Greater Miami Conference title Friday night.
St. Xavier (4-6), Western Hills (4-5), West Clermont (5-5), Colerain (4-6), Oak Hills (5-5), Lebanon (4-6), Middletown (3-7) and Hamilton (3-7) have unofficially clinched playoff spots.
It is the first postseason berth for Western Hills since 2000, according to the OHSAA.
In Division II, Region 8, Winton Woods (10-0), winners of 19 consecutive games, has unofficially clinched the No. 1 seed in Division II, Region 8. The Warriors, the 2021 Division II state champions, defeated Lebanon 44-8 Friday night. It is the first time Winton Woods has completed a 10-0 regular season, according to Winton Woods coach Chad Murphy and the school's athletic department.
Winton Woods started football in 1991. Greenhills and Forest Park had undefeated regular seasons in the 1980s, according to Winton Woods assistant athletic director Jeff Merrill.
Edgewood (9-1), Kings (9-1), Withrow (7-3) and Northwest (6-4) have unofficially clinched home playoff games, according to Eitel.
Ross (5-5), Anderson (5-5), Loveland (4-6) and Little Miami (3-7) have unofficially clinched playoff spots.
In Division III, Region 8, Badin (10-0) has unofficially clinched the No. 1 seed. The Rams, a Division III state runner-up in 2021, have a 41-6 record since the start of the 2019 season.
Western Brown (9-1) and Hughes (6-3) have unofficially clinched home playoff games, according to Eitel.
New Richmond (7-3), Monroe (6-4), Wilmington (5-5), Mount Healthy (5-5) are projected to earn playoff spots. Woodward (5-5) has unofficially earned the No. 16 seed.
In Division IV, Region 16, Wyoming (10-0) has unofficially clinched the No. 1 seed. Wyoming defeated Madeira 23-7 and has won 67 consecutive regular-season games. That is the top mark for consecutive wins in the state regardless of division.
The Cowboys won their seventh consecutive Cincinnati Hills League title Friday night. Senior running back CJ Hester rushed 36 times for a school-record 351 yards in the victory, according to Wyoming coach Aaron Hancock. Gene Fleming had the previous school record with 345 yards rushing in a 2002 game against Finneytown, Hancock said.
Hester, a Western Michigan verbal commit, has 5,986 yards rushing in his career as he joins the OHSAA's all-time career rushing yards list.
Also in Region 16, Taft (8-2) is unofficially the No. 2 seed and will host a first-round game. Fenwick (7-3), McNicholas (5-4) and Reading (7-3) have unofficially clinched home playoff games.
Roger Bacon (6-4), Clinton-Massie (5-5), the 2021 Division IV state champion, and Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy (5-5) have unofficially clinched playoff spots.
In Division V, Region 20, Madeira (9-1) and Summit Country Day (6-4) are projected to host first-round games. Blanchester (7-3), Purcell Marian (6-3), Gamble Montessori (7-3) and Clark Montessori (6-3) have unofficially clinched playoff spots.
In Division VI, Region 24, Williamsburg (8-2) and Cincinnati Country Day (8-1) have unofficially clinched home playoff games. Deer Park (5-5) is projected to qualify.
In Division VII, Region 28, St. Bernard-Elmwood Place (6-3), Cincinnati College Preparatory Academy (5-5) and Lockland (2-7) are projected to qualify.
Division I, Region 4 unofficial projections
1. Moeller (9-1)
2. Elder (8-2)
3. Lakota West (10-0)
4. Springboro (7-3)
5. Mason (8-2)
6. Princeton (8-2)
7. Milford (8-2)
8. Fairfield (7-3)
9. St. Xavier (4-6)
10. Western Hills (4-5)
11. West Clermont (5-5)
12. Colerain (4-6)
13. Oak Hills (5-5)
14. Lebanon (4-6)
15. Middletown (3-7)
16. Hamilton (3-7)
Division II, Region 8 unofficial projections
1. Winton Woods (10-0)
2. Xenia (10-0)
3. Edgewood (9-1)
4. Kings (9-1)
5. Withrow (7-3)
6. Piqua (8-2)
7. Troy (7-3)
8. Northwest (6-4)
9. Ross (5-5)
10. Anderson (5-5)
11. Stebbins (4-5)
12. Loveland (4-6)
13. Sidney (4-6)
14. Little Miami (3-7)
15. Lima Senior (3-7)
16. La Salle (2-8, 1-8 by OHSAA)
Division III, Region 12 unofficial projections
1. Badin (9-0)
2. Western Brown (9-1)
3. Tippecanoe (9-1)
4. Wapakoneta (9-1)
5. Bellbrook (8-2)
6. Chaminade Julienne (6-4)
7. Hughes (6-3)
8. Tecumseh (6-4)
9. New Richmond (7-3)
10. Monroe (6-4)
11. Trotwood-Madison (6-4)
12. Celina (6-4)
13. Wilmington (5-5)
14. Hillsboro (4-6)
15. Mount Healthy (5-5)
16. Woodward (5-5)
Division IV, Region 16 unofficial projections
1. Wyoming (10-0)
2. Taft (8-2)
3. Fenwick (7-3)
4. Chillicothe Unioto (9-1)
5. Urbana (8-2)
6. McNicholas (5-5)
7. Reading (7-3)
8. Springfield Shawnee (6-4)
9. Roger Bacon (6-4)
10. Alter (5-5)
11. Northridge (7-2)
12. St. Paris Graham (5-5)
13. Clinton-Massie (5-5)
14. Eaton (6-4)
15. CHCA (5-5)
16. Waverly (5-5)
Division V, Region 20 unofficial projections
1. Germantown Valley View (9-1)
2. Milton-Union (9-0)
3. Springfield Northeastern (10-0)
4. Chillicothe Zane Trace (10-0)
5. Madeira (9-1)
6. Brookville (9-1)
7. Jamestown Greeneview (9-1)
8. Summit Country Day (6-4)
9. Blanchester (7-3)
10. Preble Shawnee (7-2)
11. Purcell Marian (6-4)
12. Gamble Montessori (7-3)
13. Waynesville (3-7)
14. Greenon (4-6)
15. Carlisle (4-6)
16. Clark Montessori (5-3)
Division VI, Region 24 unofficial projections
1. Marion Local (10-0)
2. Allen East (9-1)
3. Tri-Village (9-1)
4. Versailles (7-3)
5. Williamsburg (8-2)
6. Cincinnati Country Day (8-1)
7. Paint Valley (6-4)
8. West Liberty-Salem (5-5)
9. North Lewisburg Triad (4-6)
10. Chillicothe Huntington (5-5)
11. Beaver Eastern (4-6)
12. Twin Valley South (6-4)
13. National Trail (6-4)
14. Deer Park (5-5)
15. Lucasville Valley (3-7)
16. Anna (4-6)
Division VII, Region 28 unofficial projections
1. Ansonia (9-1)
2. Fort Loramie (8-2)
3. Mechanicsburg (8-2)
4. De Graff Riverside (7-3)
5. New Bremen (7-3)
6. Minster (6-4)
7. Southeastern Local (6-4)
8. Springfield Catholic Central (6-4)
9. St. Bernard Elmwood-Place (6-4)
10. Cincinnati College Preparatory Academy (5-5)
11. Fort Recovery (3-7)
12. Cedarville (4-5)
13. Sidney Lehman Catholic (4-6)
14. Lockland (2-7)
15. St. Henry (2-8)
16. Riverview East Academy (3-6)
