OHSAA Football Divisions: Highland moving up; Pleasant, North Union changing regions

SPARTA — In late April, Highland head football coach Ty Stover wasn't ready to worry about late October just yet.

Last week, the Ohio High School Athletic Association released the 2024 football playoff divisions, and of the 10 Marion-area schools, only Highland saw a change in division.

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The Scots will move up to Division IV from Division V based on its enrollment. Highland has 215 boys with a competitive balance addition of 5 to give the school a 220 total. The smallest D-IV school is now at 205.

"Our Division V, Region 18 was a rough region to be honest with you," Stover said. "It’s not like the IV is going to be any easier. I don’t think it matters if you’re a (bigger) V or a lower IV."

It's a return to Division IV for the Scots. They made the playoffs in that division in 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2021. The last two seasons were spent in Division V where they also made the postseason.

"Our approach right now is we have to worry about us to be real," Stover said. "Things are going to be a lot different for us. Our kids are beginning to understand that we’re in a league that is a battle every single week. We don’t have any weeks off or gimmes. It’s that way in the offseason right now. Honestly, we would be tickled to be successful enough to make the playoffs. I can give you a better report after that happens."

Like Highland, the bulk of the Mid Ohio Athletic Conference is Division IV. While River Valley, Galion, Shelby, Clear Fork and Ontario will all be in Region 14, which includes northern and northwest Ohio schools, Highland will compete in Region 15 with schools from central, eastern and southern Ohio.

Other changes

Besides Highland moving up, the biggest shift among the Marion-area teams is Pleasant and North Union going from Division V's Region 18 to Region 20.

The Spartans and Wildcats were staples in the northwest Ohio-based Region 18, but they will now head toward southwest Ohio.

The Region 20 champion last fall was Germantown Valley View, but it will now compete in Division IV along with Brookville. Purcell-Marion goes to Division VI, but Zane Trace and Waynesville remain. Other newcomers to Region 20 include Arcanum, Lima Bath, Indian Lake, Versailles, West Liberty-Salem and Williamsburg.

Ridgedale remains in Division VII, but goes from northwest Ohio's Region 26 and into Region 27, which includes teams along the Ohio River in the eastern and southern parts of the state.

Status quo for everyone else

As already mentioned, River Valley remains in Division IV's Region 14.

Marion Harding will stay in Division II's Region 7 with schools from central Ohio plus Ashland, Wooster, Massillon Washington and Massillon Perry.

Elgin, Cardington, Mount Gilead and Northmor are all in Region 23 for Division VI, again facing schools from central, eastern and southeastern Ohio.

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This article originally appeared on Marion Star: OHSAA Football Divisions: A few changes coming for Marion-area teams