Playoff picture is clear for four area teams
Oct. 4—COLUMBUS — With three weeks left in the regular season, four area teams continue to trend toward a spot in the high school football state playoffs, while a fifth is just on the outside looking on.
The fourth weekly computer ratings were released on Tuesday by the Ohio High School Athletic Association, and four teams find themselves on solid footing entering the final three weeks of the regular season.
In Division V Region 18, Edison is up three spots to fifth this week. The Chargers (5-2) outlasted Willard (4-3) for a 56-49 win last week. With games remaining against two teams in its region and the SBC Bay Division, Edison will have every opportunity to secure not only a first-round home game, but perhaps the chance at two.
The Chargers host No. 12 Oak Harbor (6-1) this Friday and visit No. 8 Huron on Oct. 21. A victory over either would go a long way toward a first-round home game, while a win over both would allow the Chargers to potentially play the first two rounds at home.
In the same region, after back-to-back losses to the Tigers and Chargers, Willard has narrowly slipped out of the top 16. At 17th in the region, the Flashes play at Port Clinton (4-3) this Friday and host Oak Harbor on Oct. 14 before traveling to winless Vermilion in the regular season finale.
Willard may need wins over both the Redskins and Rockets to finish among the top 16 teams in the region.
In Div. VI Region 22, Western Reserve (3-4) is down one spot to No. 13 this week following a 21-0 loss to St. Paul at home on Sept. 30. The Roughriders travel to Monroeville (0-7) this Friday before hosting South Central (3-4) and visiting Garfield Heights Trinity (2-5).
With wins in all three games, the 'Riders will most likely stay in the 10-to-12 range in the region and travel to a first-round opponent on Oct. 28. Even a 2-1 mark in the three games would put Western in good shape.
In Div. VII Region 25, another pair of Firelands Conference teams are also on solid footing. After beating Western for a fifth straight win, St. Paul (5-2) is now in position to contend for the potential two home playoff games.
The Flyers are the current No. 4 seed this week. Teams that finish among the top four in each region have the ability to host Weeks 11 and 12, should they advance.
St. Paul will travel to Edon (4-3) this Friday for a non-league game, and have unofficially already clinched a spot in the Region 25 field regardless of the next three weeks.
However, if the Flyers can defeat the Bombers this week and visiting Crestview (7-0) on Oct. 15, they would also be a near-lock to finish among the top four.
Meanwhile, South Central is currently sitting 12th in Region 25 ahead of its game this week vs. Mapleton (4-3). The Trojans then visit Western next Friday before hosting Plymouth (3-4) in Week 10.
A South Central win in any of the three games is likely enough to assure the Trojans a spot in Week 11 once again.
In Div. II Region 6, Olmsted Falls (5-2) is No. 8 after a loss to the top team in the region, league rival Avon (6-1). The Bulldogs are coached by Tom DeLuca, a 1999 Norwalk High School graduate.
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OHSAA Football Computer Ratings — Oct. 4
(The top 16 schools from each region qualify for the playoffs)
DIVISION V
Region 18: 1. Liberty Center (7-0) 17.0143, 2. Pemberville Eastwood (7-0) 11.5143, 3. Coldwater (7-0) 11.3429, 4. Bloomdale Elmwood (6-1) 11.3143, 5. Milan Edison (5-2) 10.9786, 6. Archbold (6-1) 10.5643, 7. Richwood North Union (6-1) 10.1357, 8. Huron (5-2) 9.9714, 9. Marengo Highland (5-2) 9.3429, 10. Delta (5-2) 8.4, 11. Findlay Liberty-Benton (5-2) 7.9694, 12. Oak Harbor (6-1) 7.9639, 13. Genoa Area (4-3) 7.5643, 14. Fredericktown (4-3) 7.3786, 15. Defiance Tinora (4-3) 6.9071, 16. Bluffton (5-2) 6.5929, 17. Willard (4-3) 6.1929, 18. Tontogany Otsego (5-2) 6.0643, 19. Port Clinton (4-3) 4.4214, 20. Northwood (4-3) 4.0143.
DIVISION VI
Region 22: 1. Carey (7-0) 14.6357, 2. Ashland Crestview (7-0) 12.0071, 3. Columbia Station Columbia (7-0) 10.3571, 4. Columbus Grove (5-2) 9.5714, 5. West Salem Northwestern (5-2) 9.55, 6. Tol. Ottawa Hills (5-1) 8.5309, 7. Castalia Margaretta (6-1) 8.3781, 8. North Robinson Colonel Crawford (5-2) 8.0571, 9. Attica Seneca East (5-2) 7.2929, 10. Bascom Hopewell-Loudon (5-2) 7.2071, 11. Ashland Mapleton (4-3) 5.3143, 12. Hamler Patrick Henry (4-3) 4.7571, 13. Collins Western Reserve (3-4) 4.7429, 14. Mt. Blanchard Riverdale (4-3) 4.2214, 15. Sullivan Black River (3-4) 3.0286, 16. Bucyrus Wynford (2-5) 2.4714, 17. Metamora Evergreen (2-5) 2.4141, 18. Haviland Wayne Trace (2-5) 2.3214, 19. Van Buren (1-6) 1.2, 20. Hicksville (1-6) 0.9714.
DIVISION VII
Region 25: 1. Warren John F. Kennedy (6-1) 15.1735, 2. Danville (6-1) 10.55, 3. Lowellville (7-0) 9.4357, 4. Norwalk St. Paul (5-2) 9.1429, 5. Salineville Southern (7-0) 8.9964, 6. Jeromesville Hillsdale (4-3) 8.7571, 7. Vienna Mathews (6-1) 6.9691, 8. Toronto (4-3) 5.9726, 9. New Middletown Springfield (3-4) 5.8429, 10. Lucas (3-4) 5.6735, 11. Lisbon David Anderson (4-3) 5.3543, 12. Greenwich South Central (3-4) 4.2643, 13. Bowerston Conotton Valley (3-4) 3.6, 14. New Washington Buckeye Central (3-4) 3.25, 15. Steubenville Cath. Central (2-5) 3.1414, 16. Wellsville (3-4) 2.8929, 17. Berlin Center Western Reserve (2-5) 2.759, 18. East Canton (3-4) 2.6025, 19. New Philadelphia Tuscarawas Central Cath. (2-5) 2.5, 20. Fairport Harbor Fairport Harding (2-5) 2.4596.
