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OHSAA football playoff regions released | How it impacts Portage County teams in 2023

Jonah Rosenblum, Record-Courier
·3 min read

The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) released its new football playoff regions Wednesday.

All 12 Portage County football teams remain in the same region in 2023 as a year ago — Aurora and Roosevelt in Region 9; Field, Ravenna and Streetsboro in 13; Crestwood and Garfield in 17; Mogadore, Rootstown, Southeast and Waterloo in 21 and Windham in 27. But there are changes worth noting within those assorted regions.

Here’s a quick look at what you need to know:

OHSAA football Division III, Region 9

Aurora quarterback Brandon Liepins throws the football against Barberton.
Aurora quarterback Brandon Liepins throws the football against Barberton.

  • Locals: Aurora, Roosevelt

  • 2022 champion: Canfield

  • Past champions: Chardon (2021), Chardon (2020), Aurora (2019)

  • New teams: Dover, East Tech

  • Departures: Benedictine

  • Outlook: The Rough Riders remain in Region 9 for the second straight season after being in Division II, Region 5 for many years prior. Dover is a newcomer to watch. While the Tornadoes went 5-6 last year, they are a longtime postseason staple and went 12-1 in 2021. Seven-time state champion Benedictine departed the region, heading to Division II. That said, the past five Region 9 champions — Canfield (2022), Chardon (2020 and 2021), Aurora (2019) and Kenston (2018) — all remain in this very loaded region.

OHSAA football Division IV, Region 13

Streetsboro's Jackson Gula carries the ball against Ravenna during the 2022 season.
Streetsboro's Jackson Gula carries the ball against Ravenna during the 2022 season.

  • Locals: Field, Ravenna, Streetsboro

  • 2022 champion: Jefferson Area

  • Past champions: Ursuline (2021), Lake Catholic (2020), Poland Seminary (2019)

  • New teams: Cardinal Mooney, Holy Name

  • Departures: None

  • Overall: The Ravens and Rockets remain in Region 13 after coming over from Region 9 after the 2021 season. That means a full three-quarters of the Metro Athletic Conference — Coventry, Field, Ravenna, Springfield, Streetsboro and Woodridge — are lumped together in the same region. Among the new members of Region 13, Cardinal Mooney is one to watch, with the Cardinals winning two postseason games last year and making state 17 times and winning eight championships. As for the other new member, all Holy Name did was win 11 games and make state last season.

OHSAA football Division V, Region 17

  • Locals: Crestwood, Garfield

  • 2022 champion: South Range

  • Past champions: Kirtland (2021), Kirtland (2020), Kirtland (2019)

  • New teams: Brookside, Clearview, Keystone

  • Departures: Cardinal Mooney, Garaway, Waynedale, Wickliffe

  • Overall: There was a solid amount of change in Region 17, including the departure of two of the G-Men’s recent postseason opponents: Garaway, which won 12 games each of the past two seasons, eliminated Garfield in 2019, while the G-Men topped Cardinal Mooney in a thriller in 2020. As for the new Region 17 members, Clearview has made 17 postseason appearances (though none since 2018) and Keystone went 25-5 between 2019 and 2021.

OHSAA football Division VI, Region 21

Mogadore quarterback Zeke Cameron talks to his teammates in the huddle against Kirtland in a Region 21 title game.
Mogadore quarterback Zeke Cameron talks to his teammates in the huddle against Kirtland in a Region 21 title game.

  • Locals: Mogadore, Rootstown, Southeast, Waterloo

  • 2022 champion: Kirtland

  • Past champions: Springfield (2021), Springfield (2020), Springfield (2019)

  • New teams: Columbiana, East Canton, Waynedale, Wickliffe

  • Departures: Dalton

  • Outlook: A full third of Portage County’s football teams are in Region 21, a region that either Kirtland or Springfield has won every season since Cuyahoga Heights won it in 2016. Four new teams enter Region 21 this season, including East Canton and Wickliffe, which both made the postseason three straight years from 2016 to 2018 but have struggled more recently. All will try to snap Kirtland's streak of six straight regional championships — three apiece in Region 17 and Region 21.

OHSAA football Division VII, Region 25

  • Locals: Windham

  • 2022 champion: Warren JFK

  • Past champions: Warren JFK (2021), Warren JFK (2020), Lucas (2019)

  • New teams: Dalton, Malvern, Richmond Heights

  • Departures: East Canton

  • Outlook: New Region 25 member Dalton has won at least two-thirds of its games in four straight seasons, including notching double-digit wins in 2021 and 2022. Malvern, a longtime Region 25 member that spent last season in Region 23, is another team to watch after the Hornets went 24-7 over the past three years. Meanwhile, Warren JFK will try to extend its streak of three straight Region 25 titles, while Springfield (a three-time Region 21 champion from 2019 to 2021) is another team to watch after it fell by just a touchdown to the Eagles in last year's postseason.

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Breaking down how OHSAA football regions affect Portage County