Who's in, who's out? Six Richland County football teams make OHSAA playoffs

COLUMBUS — The road to a state championship is set.

The Ohio High School Athletic Association announced its first-round playoff pairings for the state football playoffs, and six Richland County schools are among those competing in Week 11.

High School Cross Country: Richland County runners make headlines during OHSAA district cross country meets

In Division III Region 10, an Ohio Cardinal Conference rematch will take place when No. 4 seed Mansfield Senior (8-2) hosts No. 13 Lexington (5-5). The Richland County rivals met in Week 6, with the Tygers coming away with a 37-10 win. It marks the second time in three years that the Tygers and Minutemen will meet in the playoffs and the third time in four years Mansfield Senior faces an OCC foe in the postseason after playing Ashland in 2020.

The Ontario Warriors earned the No. 6 seed in the region despite a 9-1 record and a share of the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference championship coming home. They will host No. 11 Rocky River Lutheran West (7-3) on Friday night in the first round.

Fresh off of their 29th league championship in program history after capturing a share of the MOAC title, the Shelby Whippets (8-2) earned the No. 3 seed in Division IV Region 14 and will host No. 14 seed Cleveland Central Catholic (4-6) in the first round of the playoffs. With a win, Shelby will host a second-round playoff game as well.

In Division VI, Region 22, the Crestview Cougars (4-6) clinched a playoff berth for the fifth consecutive season. They will travel to No. 4 Carey (8-2) on Friday night to begin their postseason run.

For the 10th straight season, the Lucas Cubs (7-3) punched their tickets to the postseason in Division VII Region 25. The No. 9 seeded Cubs face a familiar foe as they travel to No. 8 Hillsdale (8-2) for a first-round game. The Cubs fell to the Falcons 21-17 in Week 2 of the regular season and will be looking to pull off a minor upset in the 8-9 matchup.

Plymouth (2-8) ended the season as the No. 24 seed in Division VII, Region 25. Only the Top 16 teams in each region qualify for the postseason. Clear Fork (2-8) narrowly missed out on the postseason finishing No. 18 in Division IV, Region 14 while Madison (1-9) was No. 23 in Division III, Region 10.

The first round of the OHSAA football playoffs is set to kick off on Friday night. Here are the rest of the matchups from all over the state.

OHSAA Football First-Round Playoff Pairings

Pairings shown with regional seed. All games on Friday, October 27, at 7 p.m., unless indicated otherwise.

Division I

Region 1

16 Elyria (1-9) at 1 Lakewood St. Edward (8-1)

15 Euclid (1-9) at 2 Cleveland Heights (9-1)

14 Brunswick (3-7) at 3 Wadsworth (8-2)

13 Strongsville (3-7) at 4 Canton McKinley (7-3)

12 Cleveland St. Ignatius (1-8) at 5 Mentor (7-3)

11 Cleveland John Marshall (4-5) at 6 Medina (7-3)

10 Massillon Jackson (5-5) at 7 Berea-Midpark (6-4)

9 Lorain (8-2) at 8 Canton GlenOak (6-4)

Region 2

16 Dublin Jerome (3-7) at 1 Lewis Center Olentangy (9-1)

15 Marysville (4-6) at 2 Delaware Olentangy Berlin (9-1)

14 Powell Olentangy Liberty (3-7) at 3 Findlay (8-2)

13 Lewis Center Olentangy Orange (5-5) at 4 Centerville (8-2)

12 Springfield (5-5) at 5 Huber Heights Wayne (7-3)

11 Kettering Fairmont (5-5) at 6 Dublin Coffman (7-3)

10 Perrysburg (7-3) at 7 Toledo Whitmer (7-3)

9 Miamisburg (7-3) at 8 Delaware Hayes (8-2)

Region 3

16 Reynoldsburg (1-9) at 1 Gahanna Lincoln (10-0)

15 Newark (2-8) at 2 Hilliard Bradley (9-1)

14 Westerville Central (2-8) at 3 Pickerington North (9-1)

13 Thomas Worthington (5-5) at 4 Upper Arlington (7-3)

12 New Albany (4-6) at 5 Pickerington Central (7-3)

11 Groveport Madison (6-4) at 6 Hilliard Darby (5-5)

10 Lancaster (5-5) at 7 Westerville North (8-2)

9 Grove City (5-5) at 8 Hilliard Davidson (5-5)

Region 4

16 Fairfield (3-7) at 1 Milford (10-0)

15 Middletown (3-7) at 2 Cincinnati Princeton (10-0)

14 Cincinnati Western Hills (4-6) at 3 Wester Chester Lakota West (8-2)

13 Springboro (2-8) at 4 Cincinnati St. Xavier (6-4)

12 Cincinnati West Clermont (4-6) at 5 Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller (6-4)

11 Cincinnati Oak Hills (5-5) at 6 Cincinnati Elder (6-4)

10 Cincinnati Sycamore (5-5) at 7 Hamilton (7-3)

9 Mason (5-5) at 8 Lebanon (7-3)

Division II

Region 5

16 Akron Ellet (3-7) at 1 Akron Archbishop Hoban (8-1)

15 Akron Firestone (5-5) at 2 Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit (9-1)

14 Cleveland Benedictine (4-6) at 3 Hudson (7-2)

13 Maple Heights (5-5) at 4 Painesville Riverside (8-2)

12 Twinsburg (6-4) at 5 Macedonia Nordonia (8-2)

11 Warren G. Harding (4-6) at 6 Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary (5-5)

10 Austintown-Fitch (6-3) at 7 Cleveland John Hay (5-4)

9 Shaker Heights (7-3) at 8 Barberton (6-4)

Region 6

16 Toledo St. John’s Jesuit (4-6) at 1 Avon (10-0)

15 Toledo Start (5-5) at 2 Whitehouse Anthony Wayne (8-2)

14 Grafton Midview (4-6) at 3 Medina Highland (8-2)

13 Cleveland Rhodes (5-4) at 4 Sylvania Southview (7-3)

12 Oregon Clay 94-6) at 5 Olmsted Falls (7-3)

11 Parma Heights Valley Forge (4-6) at 6 North Ridgeville (7-3)

10 Fremont Ross (4-6) at 7 Avon Lake (6-4)

9 Brecksville-Broadview Heights (5-5) at 8 Westlake (7-3)

Region 7

16 Grove City Central Crossing (4-6) at 1 Massillon Washington (10-0)

15 Columbus Walnut Ridge (3-7) at 2 Canal Winchester (9-1)

14 Columbus St. Charles (5-5) at 3 Uniontown Green (7-3)

13 Massillon Perry (4-6) at 4 Uniontown Lake (7-3)

12 Sunbury Big Walnut (5-5) at 5 Columbus Northland (9-1)

11 North Canton Hoover (4-5) at 6 Columbus St. Francis DeSales (5-5)

10 Pataskala Watkins Memorial (7-3) at 7 Columbus Independence (5-5)

9 Westerville South (6-4) at 8 Columbus Briggs (7-3)

Region 8

16 Cincinnati Turpin (3-7) at 1 Cincinnati Anderson (9-1)

15 Riverside Stebbins (4-6) at 2 Troy (9-1)

14 Trenton Edgewood (4-6) at 3 Cincinnati Withrow (9-1)

13 Fairborn (4-6) at 4 Clayton Northmont (6-4)

12 Sidney (5-5) at 5 Harrison (7-3)

11 Cincinnati La Salle (4-6) at 6 Cincinnati Winton Woods (7-3)

10 Xenia (5-5) at 7 Lima Senior (8-2)

9 Kings Mills Kings (5-5) at 8 Loveland (5-5)

Division III

Region 9

16 New Philadelphia (6-4) at 1 Youngstown Ursulina (10-0)

15 Gates Mills Hawken (6-4) at 2 Geneva (9-1)

14 Alliance (6-4) at 3 Aurora (9-1)

13 Dover (6-4) at 4 Chagrin Falls Kenston (9-1)

12 Hunting Valley University School (6-3) at 5 Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph (7-3)

11 Madison (8-2) at 6 Gates Mills Gilmour Academy (8-2)

10 Cuyahoga Falls CHCA (8-2) at 7 Chardon (7-3)

9 Canfield (6-3) at 8 Akron East (8-2)

Region 10

16 Bowling Green (5-5) at 1 Toledo Central Catholic (10-0)

15 Richfield Revere (5-5) at 2 Norton (10-0)

14 Ashland (5-5) at 3 Tiffin Columbian (8-2)

13 Lexington (5-5) at 4 Mansfield Senior (8-2)

12 Clyde (5-5) at 5 Rocky River (9-1)

11 Rocky River Lutheran West (7-3) at 6 Ontario (9-1)

10 Sandusky (6-4) at 7 Medina Buckeye (8-2)

9 Defiance (7-3) at 8 Bay Village Bay (8-2)

Region 11

16 Columbus South (4-6) at 1 Columbus Bishop Watterson (9-1)

15 Columbus Beechcroft (4-6) at 2 London (10-0)

14 Columbus Bexley (4-6) at 3 Granville (10-0)

13 Marietta (5-5) at 4 Jackson (9-1)

12 The Plains Athens (6-4) at 5 Carroll Bloom-Carroll (8-2)

11 Delaware Buckeye Valley (5-5) at 6 Dresden Tri-Valley (8-2)

10 New Concord John Glenn (8-2) at 7 Bellefontaine (8-2)

9 Washington Court House Miami Trace (6-4) at 8 Columbus Hamilton Township (9-1)

Region 12

16 Goshen (3-7) at 1 Hamilton Badin (10-0)

15 Mount Orab Western Brown (3-7) at 2 Tipp City Tippecanoe (8-2)

14 Dayton Oakwood (4-6) at 3 Trotwood-Madison (8-2)

13 Elida (5-5) at 4 Vandalia Butler (8-2)

12 New Richmond (5-5) at 5 Wapakoneta (8-2)

11 Hillsboro (5-5) at 6 Celina (8-2)

10 Dayton Chaminade Julienne (6-4) at 7 Cincinnati Mount Healthy (8-2)

9 Bellbrook (7-3) at 8 Wilmington (8-2)

Division IV

Region 13

16 Canal Fulton Northwest (5-5) at 1 Canton South (10-0)

15 Mogadore Field (4-6) at 2 Mentor Lake Catholic (8-2)

14 East Liverpool (6-4) at 3 Poland Seminary (9-1)

13 Peninsula Woodridge (5-5) at 4 Beloit West Branch (9-1)

12 East Liverpool Beaver Eastern (6-4) at 5 Streetsboro (9-1)

11 Girard (5-5) at 6 Struthers (7-3)

10 Ashtabula Edgewood (6-4) at 7 Niles McKinley (6-4)

9 Akron Buchtel (5-5) at 8 Youngstown Cardinal Mooney (5-5)

Region 14

16 Vermilion (3-7) at 1 Sandusky Perkins (9-0)

15 Lima Bath (4-6) at 2 Cleveland Glenville (7-2)

14 Cleveland Central Catholic (4-6) at 3 Shelby (8-2)

13 Bryan (5-5) at 4 Millersburg West Holmes (8-2)

12 Oberlin Firelands (6-4) at 5 Galion (7-3)

11 Caledonia River Valley (4-6) at 6 Van Wert (7-3)

10 Napoleon (5-5) at 7 Bellevue (5-5)

9 Wauseon (6-4) at 8 St. Marys Memorial (6-4)

Region 15

16 Carrollton (6-4) at 1 Steubenville (9-1)

15 McConnelsville Morgan (6-4) at 2 Thornville Sheridan (9-1)

14 Duncan Falls Philo (5-5) at 3 Columbus Bishop Hartley (8-2)

13 Gnadenhutten Indian Valley (7-3) at 4 Circleville Logan Elm (9-1)

12 Plain City Jonathan Alder (7-3) at 5 Columbus Bishop Ready (9-1)

11 Columbus Marion-Franklin (6-4) at 6 St. Clairsville (8-2)

10 McArthur Vinton County (9-1) at 7 Gallipolis Gallia Academy (8-2)

9 Newark Licking Valley (7-3) at 8 Columbus East (8-2)

Region 16

16 Dayton Dunbar (6-3) at 1 Clarksville Clinton-Massie (10-0)

15 Urbana (7-3) at 2 Chillicothe Unioto (9-1)

14 Greenfield McClain (6-4) at 3 Cincinnati Taft (8-2)

13 St. Bernard Roger Bacon (6-4) at 4 Kettering Archbishop Alter (7-3)

12 Reading (7-3) at 5 Cincinnati Indian Hill (8-2)

11 Washington Court House Washington (5-5) at 6 Cincinnati Wyoming (9-1)

10 Waverly (6-4) at 7 Springfield Shawnee (9-1)

9 Cincinnati Archbishop McNicholas (5-5) at 8 Eaton (8-2)

Division V

Region 17

16 Mantua Crestwood (5-5) at 1 Perry (10-0)

15 Brewster Fairless (4-6) at 2 Canfield South Range (9-1)

14 Youngstown Liberty (5-5) at 3 Creston Norwayne (9-1)

13 Wooster Triway (5-5) at 4 Cadiz Harrison Central (8-2)

12 Conneaut (5-5) at 5 Garrettsville Garfield (10-0)

11 Burton Berkshire (5-5) at 6 Lorain Clearview (8-2)

10 Richmond Edison (7-3) at 7 West Lafayette Ridgewood (7-3)

9 Magnolia Sandy Valley (6-4) at 8 Cortland Lakeview (5-5)

Region 18

16 Bloomdale Elmwood (3-7) at 1 Liberty Center (10-0)

15 Spencerville (3-7) at 2 Milan Edison (9-1)

14 Fredericktown (5-5) at 3 Archbold (9-1)

13 Tontogany Otsego (4-6) at 4 Oak Harbor (10-0)

12 Marengo Highland (5-5) at 5 Findlay Liberty-Benton (9-1)

11 Lewistown Indian Lake (7-3) at 6 Coldwater (9-1)

10 Marion Pleasant (6-4) at 7 Pemberville Eastwood (8-2)

9 Genoa Area (7-3) at 8 Huron (7-3)

Region 19

16 Worthington Christian (4-6) at 1 Ironton (9-1)

15 Portsmouth (5-5) at 2 Proctorville Fairland (9-1)

14 South Point (5-5) at 3 Barnesville (10-0)

13 New Lexington (5-5) at 4 Canal Winchester Harvest Prep (8-1)

12 Belmont Union Local (6-4) at 5 Zanesville West Muskingum (9-1)

11 Utica (7-3) at 6 Gahanna Columbus Academy (9-1)

10 Columbus Africentric (7-3) at 7 Wheelersburg (6-3)

9 Heath (8-2) at 8 Portsmouth West (8-2)

Region 20

16 Williamsport Westfall (6-4) at 1 Germantown Valley View (9-1)

15 Carlisle (3-7) at 2 Waynesville (8-2)

14 Casstown Miami East (6-4) at 3 Brookville (8-2)

13 Middletown Madison (4-6) at 4 Chillcothe Zane Trace (7-3)

12 Cincinnati Madeira (5-5) at 5 Cincinnati Purcell Marian (8-2)

11 Camden Preble Shawnee (7-3) at 6 West Milton Milton-Union (7-3)

10 Jamestown Greeneview (7-3) at 7 Springfield Northeastern (7-3)

9 Blanchester (7-3) at 8 Bethel-Tate (6-4)

Division VI

Region 21

16 Columbiana (5-5) at 1 Kirtland (9-1)

15 Ravenna Southeast (7-3) at 2 Rootstown (8-1)

14 Leavittsburg LaBrae (5-5) at 3 Mogadore (7-2)

13 Brookfield (5-5) at 4 Hanoverton United (9-1)

12 Rittman (6-4) at 5 Cuyahoga Heights (8-1)

11 Columbiana Crestview (5-5) at 6 Andover Pymatuning Valley (7-3)

10 Mineral Ridge (6-4) at 7 North Jackson Jackson-Milton (7-3)

9 Middlefield Cardinal (6-4) at 8 Canton Central Catholic (6-4)

Region 22

16 Kansas Lakota (5-5) at 1 Columbus Grove (8-2)

15 Paulding (6-4) at 2 Bluffton (9-1)

14 Attica Seneca East (5-5) at 3 North Robinson Colonel Crawford (9-1)

13 Ashland Crestview (4-6) at 4 Carey (8-2)

12 Ashland Mapleton (5-5) at 5 Columbia Station Columbia (9-1)

11 Castalia Margaretta (6-4) at 6 Toledo Ottawa Hills (9-1)

10 Bucyrus Wynford (6-4) at 7 Defiance Tinora (7-3)

9 Sullivan Black River (7-3) at 8 Collins Western Reserve (7-3)

Region 23

16 Ironton Rock Hill (4-6) at 1 Sugarcreek Garaway (10-0)

15 Grove City Christian (6-4) at 2 West Jefferson (9-1)

14 Zoarville Tusarawas Valley (4-6) at 3 Beverly Fort Frye (7-2)

13 Coal Grove Dawson-Bryant (4-6) at 4 Galion Northmor (8-2)

12 Glouster Trimble (5-4) at 5 Marion Elgin (8-2)

11 Newcomerstown (6-4) at 6 Columbus Grandview Heights (7-3)

10 Bellaire (5-5) at 7 Nelsonville-York (7-3)

9 Howard East Knox (6-4) at 8 Martins Ferry (5-5)

Region 24

16 New Lebanon Dixie (3-7) at 1 Williamsburg (9-1)

15 Troy Christian (3-7) at 2 Versailles (8-2)

14 Miamisburg Dayton Christian (2-7) at 3 Cincinnati Country Day (10-0)

13 Lucasville Valley (3-7) at 4 West Liberty-Salem (9-1)

12 New Paris National Trail (4-6) at 5 New Madson Tri-Village (9-1)

11 Rockford Parkway (2-8) at 6 Bainbridge Paint Valley (7-3)

10 Cincinnati Deer Park (3-7) at 7 West Alexandria Twin Valley South (6-4)

9 Harrod Allen East (4-6) at 8 Anna (5-5)

Division VII

Region 25

16 Bowerston Conotton Valley (4-6) at 1 Dalton (8-1)

15 McDonald (5-5) at 2 Danville (10-0)

14 Lisbon David Anderson (7-3) at 3 Berlin Center Western Reserve (8-2)

13 Norwalk St. Paul (6-4) at 4 Toronto (9-1)

12 Salineville Southern (8-2) at 5 Malvern (9-1)

11 Steubenville Central Catholic (9-1) at 6 Lowellville (9-1)

10 Monroeville (7-3) at 7 New Middletown Springfield (7-3)

9 Lucas (7-3) at 8 Jeromesville Hillsdale (8-2)

Region 26

16 Montpelier (7-3) at 1 Bascom Hopewell-Loudon (10-0)

15 Convoy Crestview (6-4) at 2 Tiffin Calvert (8-1)

14 Edon (6-4) at 3 Waynesville-Goshen (10-0)

13 Arlington (6-4) at 4 Antwerp (9-1)

12 Pioneer North Central (9-1) at 5 Hamler Patrick Henry (8-2)

11 McGuffey Upper Scioto Valley (8-2) at 6 McComb (8-2)

10 Defiance Ayersville (8-2) at 7 Lima Central Catholic (6-3)

9 Leipsic (8-2) at 8 Pandora-Gilboa (7-3)

Region 27

16 Sugar Grove Berne Union (2-8) at 1 Reedsville Eastern (9-1)

15 Shadyside (3-7) at 2 Beaver Eastern (10-0)

14 Bridgeport (3-7) at 3 Caldwell (7-3)

13 Portsmouth Sciotoville Community (4-5) at 4 Lancaster Fairfield Christian Academy (8-2)

12 Zanesville Bishop Rosecrans (4-6) at 5 Hannibal River (7-2)

11 Beallsville (6-4) at 6 Portsmouth Notre Dame (7-3)

10 Corning Miller (6-4) at 7 Waterford (6-4)

9 Crown City South Gallia (7-3) at 8 Woodsfield Monroe Central (6-4)

Region 28

16 Lewisburg Tri-Country North (4-6) at 1 Maria Stein Marion Local (10-0)

15 Lockland (4-5) at 2 Ansonia (10-0)

14 St. Henry (3-7) at 3 DeGraff Riverside (9-1)

13 New Bremen (4-6) at 4 Cincinnati College Prep (7-2)

12 Bradford (4-4) at 5 Minster (8-2)

11 Fort Loramie (5-5) at 6 South Charleston Southeastern (7-3)

10 Mechanicsburg (6-4) at 7 St. Bernard-Elmwood Place (7-2)

9 Sidney Lehman Catholic (7-3) at 8 Cedarville (7-3)

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: These 6 Richland County teams qualify for OHSAA football playoffs