Some have more realistic chances to make it all the way to Canton for the state championships in December, but just advancing can be a source of pride as well.
With 16 teams making it in each region, many first-round matchups look lopsided, but one of the most interesting first-round matchups will take place in Huber Heights, where No. 8 seed Wayne will host No. 9 Middletown.
The Warriors started 1-4 with senior quarterback Tyrell Lewis injured, but they went 4-1 once he returned.
Middletown started 4-0 but lost its next five before beating Fairfield 28-21 last week. The Middies made the playoffs for the 10th time in school history while Wayne is making its 25th appearance. The Warriors are looking to snap a string of three straight first-round losses while the Middles last won a playoff game in 2011.
Here are four more things to know as the postseason begins:
1. GWOC paths promising?
With no teams having won more than eight games, Division I, Region 2 looks wide open.
Beavercreek has made the playoffs for the first time in a non-COVID year, and the 15th-seeded Beavers will face a familiar foe (Centerville) in the first round. They lost to No. 2 Centerville 48-13 in Week 6. The Elks enter the postseason on a five-game winning streak and can boast of sharing the GWOC championship with Fairmont.
The Firebirds are the No. 1 seed and will play host to Grove City Central Crossing in the opening round. The Comets have lost nine in a row.
If they take care of business in first round, the Firebirds could see conference foe Wayne in the second, and the winner has the potential to see Springfield in the regional semifinal.
No. 4 seed Springfield’s bid for a fourth straight Division I title game appearance begins at home against No. 13 seed Hilliard Bradley (2-8) while No. 7 Springboro plays host to Dublin Jerome and No. 6 Lebanon plays host to No. 11 Northmont.
2. MVL champs facing challenges
Xenia went 9-1 and won the Miami Valley League Valley Division, and the Buccaneers’ reward was the third seed in Division II, Region 8.
This looks like a loaded bracket with nine teams having won at least eight games, including undefeated Cincinnati Anderson and 8-2 Cincinnati La Salle as the top two seeds. (The Lancers beat Fairmont and their only losses are to DI powers Moeller and St. Xavier.)
Xenia opens with a visit from MVL foe Sidney, who will be looking to avenge a 48-7 trouncing on their home field in Week 3.
Undefeated Tippecanoe, the only team to beat Xenia, is the No. 1 seed in Division III, Region 12, but the Red Devils also appear to be in a loaded region.
No. 2 seed Wapakoneta is also 10-0, as is No. 4 London while No. 3 Bellbrook’s only loss was 28-7 at Tippecanoe in Week 1.
The Red Devils open the playoffs against No. 16 Talawanda while Bellbrook will host Meadowdale. A rematch between the Red Devils and Golden Eagles could happen, but not until the regional final.
3. A Division V contender?
Calling Greeneview’s path to the state semifinals easy would not be correct, but it could be somewhat familiar.
The Rams rolled through the regular season undefeated, winning every game by at least 12, to earn the No. 1 seed in Division V, Region 20. They open with 3-7 Graham then would play Carlisle or Lima Bath, who are both 5-5, in the second round.
No. 4 seed and potential third-round opponent Preble Shawnee is an impressive 9-1, only losing a close game at Ansonia (also 9-1), while Greeneview’s potential regional final foe could be a team the Rams already beat by double digits this season: No. 2 seed West Liberty-Salem or No. 3 Waynesville.
4. And then there’s Marion Local
The Flyers are the No. 1 seed in Division VII, Region 28 after going 10-0 for a fourth straight season and outscoring foes 463-22. They last allowed a point while beating New Bremen 48-7 in Week 5 and most recently bludgeoned otherwise unbeaten Coldwater 35-0. (The Cavaliers are the No. 1 seed in Division VI, Region 24).
That was a record-breaking 58th consecutive win for Marion Local, which ironically ended the previous streak with a state semifinals victory over Midwest Athletic Conference foe Delphos St. John’s in 2000.
This year the three-time defending state champion Flyers open with MAC member Fort Recovery, who they beat 62-0 in Week 7, then could see Goshen or Tri-Village.
Ansonia, the winner of nine in a row and the Western Ohio Athletic Conference, is the No. 4 seed in Region 28 and will open the postseason against Twin Valley South. They could get No. 5 Lehman Catholic or a rematch with De Graff Riverside in round two. The Pirates beat the Trojans in Week 1 but went only 3-6 the rest of the regular season.
Coldwater opens the Region 24 playoffs at home against 16th-seeded Covington then could face Northeastern or Miami Valley Christian Academy in the second round.
Anna (7-3) is the No. 3 seed in the region and opens with Lima Perry. The Rockets lost at Coldwater 34-18 in Week 4 and dropped lopsided decisions to Minster and Marion Local.
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