Six area teams in playoff contention
Sep. 15—COLUMBUS — The Ohio High School Athletic Association released the first official weekly football computer ratings on Tuesday.
The computer ratings are released every Tuesday beginning in the fifth week of the season, leading up to the final report on Oct. 23, when 448 schools — the top 16 in each region — will qualify for the playoffs.
Six area teams appeared in the first set of rankings, though just one team is currently in line for a possible first-round playoff game.
In Division V Region 18, the surprising Willard Crimson Flashes (3-1) are the No. 7 team in the region. Off to its best start in 20 seasons, Willard is at Lakota (1-3)on Friday.
Edison is 14th in Region 18 with a 2-2 record entering Friday's game at Norwalk.
In Div. VI Region 22, Western Reserve (1-3) finds itself among the top 20 teams, but enters the final six weeks on the outside looking in at 18th. The Roughriders look to snap a three-game losing streak on Friday vs. Plymouth (3-1).
In Div. VII Region 25, three Firelands Conference teams are among the top 16, including the Big Red.
St. Paul (2-2) is 12th in the region, followed by Plymouth in 13th and South Central (1-3) is 14th. The Flyers host Mapleton (3-1) — the No. 10 team in Region 22 — on Saturday. The Trojans face Dayton Christian (2-2) in Worthington on the same night.
OHSAA computer ratings (entering Week 5)
(Top 16 schools from each region on Oct. 23 will qualify for the playoffs)
Division V
Region 18: 1. Liberty Center (4-0) 8.75, 2. Coldwater (4-0) 8, 3. Richwood North Union (4-0) 7.25, 4. Huron (4-0) 6.8, 5. Bloomdale Elmwood (4-0) 6.725, 6. Archbold (4-0) 6.675, 7. Willard (3-1) 5.7, 8. Pemberville Eastwood (4-0) 5.675, 9. Defiance Tinora (3-1) 4.925, 10. Marengo Highland (2-2) 4.85, 11. Delta (3-1) 4.775, 12. Genoa Area (2-2) 4.375, 13. Oak Harbor (3-1) 4.325, 14. Milan Edison (2-2) 4.225, 15. Findlay Liberty-Benton (2-2) 3.7437, 16. Tontogany Otsego (3-1) 3.475, 17. Port Clinton (2-2) 3.2, 18. Lorain Clearview (2-2) 2.75, 19. Fredericktown (2-2) 2.7, 20. Northwood (2-2) 2.475.
Division VI
Region 22: 1. Carey (4-0) 7.1, 2. Ashland Crestview (4-0) 6.775, 3. North Robinson Colonel Crawford (4-0) 6.2, 4. Columbia Station Columbia (4-0) 6.05, 5. Castalia Margaretta (4-0) 5.725, 6. Columbus Grove (3-1) 5.5, 7. Tol. Ottawa Hills (3-1) 5.35, 8. Attica Seneca East (3-1) 4.875, 9. West Salem Northwestern (3-1) 4.225, 10. Ashland Mapleton (3-1) 4.15, 11. Hamler Patrick Henry (3-1) 4.025, 12. Bascom Hopewell-Loudon (3-1) 3.825, 13. Mt. Blanchard Riverdale (3-1) 3.325, 14. Metamora Evergreen (2-2) 2.45, 15. Haviland Wayne Trace (1-3) 1.375, 16. Bucyrus (1-3) 1.275, 17. Elmore Woodmore (1-3) 1.225, 18. Collins Western Reserve (1-3) 1, 19. Kansas Lakota (1-3) 0.875, 19. Van Buren (1-3) 0.875.
Division VII
Region 25: 1. Warren John F. Kennedy (4-0) 9.325, 2. Toronto (4-0) 6.15, 3. Salineville Southern (4-0) 5.475, 4. Danville (3-1) 5.125, 5. Lowellville (4-0) 4.6, 6. Lucas (3-1) 4.475, 7. New Washington Buckeye Central (3-1) 3.675, 8. Fairport Harbor Fairport Harding (2-2) 3.575, 9. Lisbon David Anderson (2-2) 3.1641, 10. Vienna Mathews (3-1) 2.975, 11. New Philadelphia Tuscarawas Central Cath. (2-2) 2.9356, 12. Norwalk St. Paul (2-2) 2.9, 13. Plymouth (3-1) 2.875, 14. Greenwich South Central (1-3) 2.225, 14. Wellsville (2-2) 2.225, 16. Ashtabula St. John School (2-2) 2.125, 17. Windham (1-2) 2.1111, 18. Steubenville Cath. Central (1-3) 1.225, 19. Berlin Center Western Reserve (1-3) 1.125, 20. Jeromesville Hillsdale (1-3) 1, 20. McDonald (1-3) 1.
