Junior Darien Stapleton scored on a 14-yard run, senior Tyler Young scored on a 15-yard run and freshman Owen Young returned an interception for a touchdown as the Irish snapped a four-game losing streak.
Catholic Central’s last playoff win came against Portsmouth Sciotoville Community School in 2008.
The eighth-seeded Irish (7-4) will travel to top-seeded Ansonia (10-1) for a Region 28 quarterfinal game on Friday.
Shawnee 33, Roger Bacon 7: Braves junior quarterback Zane Mercer threw for three TD passes and rushed for another as Shawnee won a first-round playoff game for the fourth straight season.
Mercer went 10-for-20 for 125 yards and three TDs through the air and rushed for 83 yards and a TD as Shawnee (7-4) won its second straight game.
Braves junior T.J. Meeks caught six passes for 103 yards and a TD and rushed for 56 yards and a TD. Sophomore Caden Craig-White caught a 26-yard TD pass and senior Max Guyer led the Braves with 95 yards rushing.
Eighth-seeded Shawnee will travel to top-seeded and unbeaten Cincinnati Wyoming (11-0) in a Division IV, Region 16 quarterfinal game Friday.
Southeastern 36, Cincinnati College Prep 8: Trojans junior quarterback Zack McKee threw for 279 yards and three TDs as the Trojans won their fourth straight game, improving to 7-4.
Southeastern sophomore Hayden Davis rushed for two TDs and caught two TD passes for the Trojans, who won a playoff game for the second time in three seasons.
Southeastern senior Aiden Harbage had 103 yards receiving and a TD, while sophomore Brennan Workman added 81 yards receiving.
The Trojans caused four turnovers in the game, including interceptions by sophomore Cole Dent and Workman, as well as two fumble recoveries by senior Caleb Finney.
The seventh-seeded Trojans will travel to second-seeded Fort Loramie (9-2) for a Region 28 quarterfinal game Friday. The Redskins beat St. Henry 43-20 in a first round game.
New Richmond 28, Tecumseh 27: Arrows senior Lucas Berner ran for three TDs and senior Jackson Berner added another, but the Lions scored on a 6-yard pass as time expired and converted the extra point to earn a D-III, Region 12 first round victory.
The Arrows scored with 1:44 remaining to take a 27-21 lead, but the extra point attempt was blocked.
Tecumseh finished its season 6-5, qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 2014.
Milton-Union 49, Greenon 0: The 15th-seeded Knights fell to the second-seeded and undefeated Bulldogs in a D-V, Region 20 first round game.
The Knights finished their season 4-7 and advanced to the postseason for the third straight season.
West Liberty-Salem 35, Triad 28: Trailing 28-14 midway through the third quarter, the Tigers scored 21 unanswered points to beat the rival Cardinals in a D-VI, Region 24 first round game.
Tigers junior Gabe McGill rushed 23 times for 91 yards and three TDs and returned the opening kickoff 80 yards for a TD as West Liberty-Salem won their first playoff game since 2019.
West Liberty-Salem’s Josh Wilcoxin scored the go-ahead TD on an 11-yard run with about five minutes remaining in the game.
Triad sophomore Awesom Mitchell carried the ball 30 times for 260 yards and four TDs as the Cardinals finished their season 4-7. Triad beat West Liberty-Salem 34-32 in OT in Week 10.
The Tigers will travel to face top-ranked and undefeated Marion Local (11-0) next week in a Region 24 quarterfinal game. The Flyers, last year’s D-VII state champion, beat Anna 45-0.
Urbana 42, Graham 35: Urbana senior Jonathan Hildebrand caught two TD passes from junior Will Donahoe and freshman Austin Hill rushed for two TDs as the Hillclimbers won their first playoff game since 2003, snapping a seven-game playoff losing streak.
Graham finished its season 5-6. The Falcons advanced to the postseason for the third straight season.
Fifth-seeded Urbana will host defending D-IV state champion Clinton-Massie (6-5) in a D-IV, Region 16 quarterfinal game next week. The 13th-seeded Falcons beat fourth-seeded Chillicothe Unioto 38-0.
Mechanicsburg 41, Lockland 0: The Indians won their D-VII, Region 28 playoff opener for the fourth straight season, improving to 9-2.
Mechanicsburg will host Minster (7-4) in a Region 28 quarterfinal game on Friday. Minster beat Fort Recovery 50-22.
Preble Shawnee 33, Greeneview 28: The 10th-seeded Arrows jumped out to a 13-0 first quarter lead and never looked back, beating the seventh-seeded Rams in a D-V, Region 20 first-round game.
Rams sophomore quarterback Alex Horney went 6-for-18 for 183 yards and two TDs for Greeneview, which finished its season 9-2. Rams senior Carter Williams caught four passes for 144 yard and two TDs and rushed for a 44 yard TD. Senior Cole DeHaven carried the ball 13 times for 81 yards and a TD.
New Bremen 49, Cedarville 7: Indians junior Jackson Pyles passed for 109 yards and a TD and junior Jackson Howdyshell caught five passes for 72 yards and a TD as Cedarville fell in a D-VII, Region 28 first-round game.
The Indians finished the season 5-6, qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 2013.
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