The Ohio High School Athletic Association football playoffs begin three weeks from Friday and possible match-ups are beginning to develop. In October's first computer boll based on ratings from JoeEitel.com, Moeller, Badin and Wyoming are all top seeds in their respective divisions.
As per OHSAA rule, 16 teams from each region in each division qualify for the postseason. Last season was the first to allow 16 from each region outside of the pandemic 2020 season where every team electing to participate was permitted to play. Here are some intriguing potential matchups and this week's rankings.
Division I
Unbeaten Moeller currently has the top seed with Colerain at No. 16. The Cardinals are having a down year, but that game would be a rematch of a 2017 postseason encounter that Colerain won under then-coach Tom Bolden 45-0. It was the last game for John Rodenberg as Moeller's coach after winning state titles with the Crusaders in 2012 and 2013.
The 7-10 seed matchup would also be interesting if Fairfield at No. 7 met St. Xavier at No. 10. The Bombers have a losing record but also had a 13-0 lead on unbeaten Lakota West before falling 16-13 and No. 1 Moeller needed a late touchdown to beat them. Coach Steve Specht's crew could be a hard out with a deceiving record. Six years ago he took a 5-5 team to the playoffs and won a state championship.
Fairfield last met the Bombers in 2016 and 2017 with St. Xavier ending the season for the Indians each time.
Who's out?: Currently Oak Hills, Sycamore and Walnut Hills.
Region 4 - 1. Moeller (7-0) 24.6327, 2. Lakota West (7-0) 19.4, 3. Elder (5-2) 18.6623, 4. Princeton (6-1) 17.7, 5. Springboro (5-2) 16.7431, 6. Milford (6-1) 15.9357, 7. Fairfield (6-1) 14.5714, 8. Mason (5-2) 12.3429, 9. Western Hills (4-3) 8.6857, 10. St. Xavier (2-5) 7.1097, 11. Lakota East (3-4) 5.9857, 12. Middletown (3-4) 5.9143, 13. Lebanon (3-4) 5.6429, 14. Hamilton (2-5) 5.6071, 15.West Clermont (3-4) 3.7929, 16. Colerain (2-5) 3.1198, 17. Oak Hills (2-5) 1.7857, 18.Sycamore (0-7) 0, 18. Walnut Hills (0-7) 0
Division II
Xenia is the top seed and would match up with No. 16 Harrison. Defending state champ Winton Woods is the No. 2 seed who would play No. 15 Lima Senior. One to keep an eye on is No. 8 seed Withrow who could play Northwest or Ross (currently tied at No. 9). Withrow's three losses have come to Division I Springboro, Division II state runner-up Akron Hoban and Division III state runner-up Badin. The Tigers have played a demanding schedule that might pay off in a tournament run.
Who's out?: Currently La Salle, Aiken, Talawanda and Turpin.
Region 8 - 1. Xenia (7-0) 19.0071, 2. Winton Woods (7-0) 16.9714, 3. Edgewood (6-1) 15.5429, 4. Kings (6-1) 12.8786, 5. Piqua (6-1) 11.0101, 6. Anderson (4-3) 8.4714, 7. Troy (4-3) 8.2857, 8. Withrow (4-3) 8.0332, 9. Northwest (3-4) 6.1571, 9. Ross (3-4) 6.1571, 11. Sidney (3-4) 4.6571, 12. Loveland (3-4) 4.5643, 13. Riverside Stebbins (3-3) 4.0556, 14. Little Miami (2-5) 3.8429, 15. Lima Senior (3-4) 3.4071, 16. Harrison (1-6) 2.8786, 17. La Salle (1-5) 2.5606, 18. Dayton Belmont (2-4) 1.8977, 19. Talawanda (1-6) 1.5071, 20. Fairborn (1-6) 1.3413
Division III
Badin remains the top seed with a possible game vs. No. 16 Wilmington. Western Brown at 6-1 is the No. 2 seed which would match up with No. 15 Hillsboro. The Broncos began the season with a 55-0 shutout of Hillsboro.
Who's out?: Currently, Goshen.
Region 12 - 1. Badin (7-0) 20.2714, 2. Western Brown (6-1) 17.2929, 3. Tipp City Tippecanoe (6-1) 15.5851, 4. Wapakoneta (6-1) 13.4571, 5. Bellbrook (6-1) 13.3, 6. Hughes (5-1) 12.7874, 7. New Richmond (6-1) 11.6143, 8. Dayton Chaminade Julienne (4-3) 10.1929, 9. Monroe (5-2) 8.9286, 10. New Carlisle Tecumseh (4-3) 8.2429, 11. Celina (5-2) 7.0429, 12. Mount Healthy (4-3) 6.4929, 13. Trotwood-Madison (3-4) 6.0102, 14. Woodward (4-3) 5.7024, 15. Hillsboro (3-4) 5.4071, 16. Wilmington (4-3) 5.1926, 17. Vandalia Butler (3-4) 4.7727, 18. Dayton Oakwood (2-5) 4.1429, 19. Elida (4-3) 4.1143
Division IV
Undefeated top seed Wyoming is currently slated to play No. 16 Taylor. The Cowboys just defeated the Yellowjackets last Friday, 49-0. No. 3 seed Fenwick is paired with No. 14 Bethel-Tate for now, while the 8-9 game would be McNicholas vs. Alter, a game Alter won 28-7 Sept. 23.
Who's out?: Currently, Roger Bacon, Clinton-Massie, CHCA, Indian Hill, Batavia and Shroder.
Region 16 - 1. Wyoming (7-0) 14.3853, 2. Chillicothe Unioto (6-1) 10.9571, 3. Bishop Fenwick (5-2) 10.7143, 4. Taft (5-2) 10.0286, 5. Springfield Shawnee (5-2) 8.3286, 6. Urbana (5-2) 8.298, 7. Reading (5-2) 8.1638, 8. McNicholas (4-3) 8.1286, 9. Kettering Archbishop Alter (4-3) 7.8429, 10. Greenfield McClain (4-3) 7.1714, 11. Dayton Northridge (5-1) 7.0833, 12. St. Paris Graham Local (3-4) 6.75, 13. Eaton (4-3) 5.8286, 14. Bethel-Tate (4-3) 5.2643, 15. Waverly (3-4) 4.8997, 16. Taylor (3-4) 4.7286, 17. Roger Bacon (3-4) 3.6939, 18. Dayton Dunbar (2-5) 3.05, 19. Springfield Kenton Ridge (2-5) 3.0286, 20. Clinton-Massie (2-5) 2.8429
Division V
Madeira is unbeaten and pointed toward a 5-12 game vs. Waynesville.
Who's out?: Currently Clark Montessori, East Clinton, Norwood and Finneytown.
Region 20 - 1. Chillicothe Zane Trace (7-0) 15.5214, 2. Springfield Northeastern (7-0) 13.75, 3. Germantown Valley View (6-1) 13.2756, 4. West Milton Milton-Union (6-0) 12.6389, 5. Madeira (7-0) 12.5143, 6. Brookville (6-1) 11.5286, 7. Jamestown Greeneview (6-1) 9.6786, 8. Camden Preble Shawnee (5-1) 8.25, 9. Summit Country Day (5-2) 8.1295, 10. Purcell Marian (5-2) 7.8824, 11. Blanchester (5-2) 7.5071, 12. Waynesville (3-4) 5.85, 13. North College Hill (2-3) 3.9641, 14. Gamble Montessori (4-3) 3.8155, 15. Clermont Northeastern (2-5) 3.7186, 16. Mariemont (3-4) 3.2, 17. Clark Montessori (4-2) 3.1473, 18. Springfield Greenon (2-5) 2.8095, 19. Carlisle (2-5) 2.7294, 20. East Clinton (2-5) 2.5361
Division VI
Another 5-12 matchup of local flavor is No. 5 Williamsburg, who could be heading toward a game with No. 12 Deer Park.
Who's out?: No one locally.
Region 24 - 1. Maria Stein Marion Local (7-0) 17.2571, 2. Bainbridge Paint Valley (5-2) 10.0214, 3. Versailles (5-2) 9.8286, 4. Harrod Allen East (6-1) 9.4143, 5. Williamsburg (5-2) 8.6652, 6. New Madison Tri-Village (6-1) 8.6479, 7. West Liberty-Salem (5-2) 8.404, 8. Cincinnati Country Day (5-1) 7.2442, 9. New Paris National Trail (5-2) 6.5714, 10. North Lewisburg Triad (3-4) 5.0476, 11. Chillicothe Huntington (3-4) 4.7857, 12. Deer Park (3-4) 4.6349, 13. Lucasville Valley (3-4) 4.2857, 14. Frankfort Adena (3-4) 3.6643, 15. Rockford Parkway (2-5) 3.3, 16. West Alexandria Twin Valley South (3-4) 2.754, 17. Miamisburg Dayton Christian (3-4) 2.2653, 18. Milford Center Fairbanks (3-4) 2.1357, 19. Beaver Eastern (2-5) 2.0606, 20. Arcanum (2-5) 1.8
Division VII
Cincinnati College Prep Academy is the No. 7 seed that could be paired with No. 10 St. Bernard-Elmwood Place. The Titans defeated CCPA 26-20 back on Sept 10.
Who's out?: Currently Riverview East, Hillcrest and New Miami.
Region 28 - 1. Ansonia (6-1) 11.1786, 2. Fort Loramie (5-2) 8.6701, 3. Springfield Catholic Central (6-1) 8.5887, 4. New Bremen (6-1) 8.1571, 5. DeGraff Riverside (5-2) 7.4149, 6. Minster (5-2) 7.0071, 7. Cincinnati College Preparatory (4-3) 6.7633, 8. Mechanicsburg (5-2) 6.7551, 9. Cedarville (3-3) 6.3611, 10. St. Bernard-Elmwood Place (4-3) 5.7946, 11. S. Charleston Southeastern Local (3-4) 4.8143, 12. Fort Recovery (2-5) 4.4143, 13. Miami Valley Christian Academy (3-4) 2.485, 14. Lockland (1-5) 1.9052, 15. Sidney Lehman Catholic (2-5) 1.4964, 16. Troy Christian (1-6) 0.9323, 17. St. Henry (1-6) 0.9286, 18. Riverview East Academy (1-5) 0.5833, 19. Union City Mississinawa Valley (1-6) 0.5714, 19. Lewisburg Tri-County North (1-6) 0.5714
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