Four teams on track for state playoffs
Oct. 19—COLUMBUS — Two area teams have unofficially clinched a spot in the state playoffs, while a third is all but certain ahead of the Week 10 regular season finale of high school football on Friday.
The OHSAA released its second-to-last report of the computer ratings on Tuesday. The final report will be released on Sunday, when 448 schools — the top 16 in each of the 28 regions across seven divisions — will qualify for the playoffs.
In Division V Region 18, Edison (6-3) will enter its huge rivalry game at Huron (7-2) as the No. 11 seed in the region. A win by the Chargers could vault them into the top eight and a first-round home game.
An Edison loss could drop it two or three spots. Though the Chargers have not unofficially clinched, it would take a barrage of upset losses and events for them to fall out of the top 16 in the region.
In Div. VI Region 22, Western Reserve (5-4) unofficially clinched a spot in the playoff field for a fourth straight season with last week's win over South Central. The Roughriders enter their game at Garfield Hts. Trinity (4-5) as the No. 12 seed in the region.
A victory by the 'Riders will likely allow them to hold serve at 12th, though they could potentially travel anywhere from Ottawa Hills (7-1), Hopewell-Loudon (7-2) or Colonel Crawford (7-2) next week.
With a loss to Trinity, Western likely cannot fall below 13th in the region, which would in turn possibly send it to Northwestern (7-2) or Columbia (9-0).
In Div. VII Region 25, St. Paul (6-3) is already assured a first-round home game next Friday at Contractors Stadium. However, still in play is the potential for two home games.
The Flyers enter Friday's game at Monroeville (0-9) as the No. 4 seed in the region. A victory over the Eagles will bring no second-level points, giving Hillsdale (5-4) with a win over Rittman (2-7) the outside chance to jump St. Paul.
But also in play is No. 6 Salineville Southern (8-1), which hosts Div. VI Hanoverton United (8-1) this Friday. A victory by the Indians would push them into the top four and possibly force the Flyers or Falcons to make the trip to Salineville if each team won in the first round.
Also in the region, South Central (3-6) is the No. 14 seed. The Trojans host Plymouth (3-6) this Friday. A win over the Big Red will guarantee South Central stays among the top 16, and even with a loss there is still a decent chance they get to play in a Week 11 game on the road.
Willard (4-5) in Region 18 and Plymouth (3-6) in Region 25 have not been mathematically eliminated entering the final week, but have less than a 2 percent chance of qualifying, even with victories this week.
OHSAA Football Computer Ratings — Oct. 18
(Top 16 schools from each region will qualify for the playoffs)
DIVISION V
Region 18: 1. Liberty Center (9-0) 23.0556, 2. Coldwater (9-0) 18.5556, 3. Marengo Highland (7-2) 17.2444, 4. Bloomdale Elmwood (8-1) 16.6889, 5. Pemberville Eastwood (9-0) 15.6778, 6. Archbold (8-1) 15.2444, 7. Huron (7-2) 14.8444, 8. Oak Harbor (8-1) 14.798, 9. Findlay Liberty-Benton (7-2) 13.093, 10. Defiance Tinora (6-3) 12.5667, 11. Milan Edison (6-3) 12.4222, 12. Genoa Area (5-4) 11.8611, 13. Richwood North Union (7-2) 11.1444, 14. Fredericktown (6-3) 9.7778, 15. Delta (5-4) 8.6465, 16. Tontogany Otsego (6-3) 7.3444, 17. Port Clinton (5-4) 7.3389, 18. Bluffton (5-4) 7.1556, 19. Willard (4-5) 6.8167, 20. Northwood (4-5) 3.8939.
DIVISION VI
Region 22: 1. Carey (9-0) 19.4833, 2. Ashland Crestview (9-0) 18.3278, 3. West Salem Northwestern (7-2) 15.8222, 4. Columbia Station Columbia (9-0) 15.2333, 5. Columbus Grove (7-2) 13.5389, 6. Tol. Ottawa Hills (7-1) 12.9881, 7. Bascom Hopewell-Loudon (7-2) 12.0611, 8. North Robinson Colonel Crawford (7-2) 11.7056, 9. Castalia Margaretta (7-2) 11.0859, 10. Attica Seneca East (7-2) 10.5278, 11. Sullivan Black River (5-4) 8.6611, 12. Collins Western Reserve (5-4) 8.0056, 13. Hamler Patrick Henry (5-4) 7.9833, 14. Ashland Mapleton (6-3) 7.75, 15. Haviland Wayne Trace (4-5) 6.1167, 16. Mt. Blanchard Riverdale (4-5) 5.1611, 17. Wellington (3-6) 3.0, 18. Bucyrus Wynford (2-7) 2.5833, 19. Van Buren (2-7) 2.5278, 20. Bucyrus (2-7) 2.2278.
DIVISION VII
Region 25: 1. Warren John F. Kennedy (7-1) 19.75, 2. Lowellville (9-0) 15.6778, 3. Danville (7-2) 14.8667, 4. Norwalk St. Paul (6-3) 12.7944, 5. Jeromesville Hillsdale (5-4) 12.1833, 6. Salineville Southern (8-1) 11.3081, 7. New Middletown Springfield (5-4) 10.4611, 8. Vienna Mathews (8-1) 10.269, 9. Toronto (6-3) 9.2606, 10. Lucas (4-5) 8.9507, 11. Bowerston Conotton Valley (5-4) 6.1281, 12. Lisbon David Anderson (5-4) 5.9899, 13. Steubenville Cath. Central (3-6) 4.6879, 14. Greenwich South Central (3-6) 4.2333, 15. Berlin Center Western Reserve (3-6) 4.1061, 16. Windham (3-5) 3.9288, 17. East Canton (4-5) 3.9116, 18. Wellsville (3-6) 3.6278, 19. Fairport Harbor Fairport Harding (3-6) 3.4306, 20. McDonald (3-6) 3.0778.
