HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: LCC EARNS NO. 1 SEED AS NINE AREA TEAMS MAKE PLAYOFFS

Nine area teams made the Ohio High School Athletic Association football playoffs this season, with five of them earning first-round byes. Lima Central Catholic was the area’s only No. 1 seed, in Division VII’s Region 26, as a reward for a 9-1 regular season. The Thunderbirds will play the winner of No. 9 Edgerton (6-4) and No. 8 Edon (8-2) on Nov. 7 or 8. Two other local teams earned first-round byes in that region, including No. 3-seeded Leipsic (9-1) and No. 4-seeded Columbus Grove (7-3). The OHSAA adjusted the playoffs this season, reducing the number of teams per region in the playoffs to 12 and giving the top four-seeded teams a first-round bye, after the past few years’ No. 1 vs. No. 16 games proved to be uncompetitive. All first-round games are scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday. Wapakoneta (10-0) picked up the No. 2 seed and a bye in Division III’s Region 10. The Redskins will face either Shawnee (7-3), which earned the No. 7 seed and a Friday night home game, or Parma Heights Holy Name (6-4). If it’s Shawnee, the Indians will try to avenge a 42-14 loss to the Redskins in their regular-season matchup. Lima Senior earned a No. 6 seeding with its 8-2 season and will play host to No. 11-seeded Cincinnati Aiken (6-4) at Spartan Stadium on Friday night. In Division V, Region 22, No. 7-seeded Bluffton (8-2) will play host to No. 10 Collins Western Reserve (8-2). In Division VII, Region 26, No. 7 Pandora-Gilboa (7-3) earned a home game against Blanchard Valley Conference rival Arlington (7-3). The Rockets won the regular-season matchup, 24-14. OHSAA Football First Round Playoff Pairings Pairings shown with regional seed. All games on Friday, October 31, at 7 p.m., unless indicated otherwise. Division I Region 1 No. 1 Lakewood St. Edward (8-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9 No. 2 Mentor (10-0), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 7 vs. No. 10 No. 3 Canton McKinley (8-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 6 vs. No. 11 No. 4 Toledo Whitmer (8-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 5 vs. No. 12 No. 12 Cleveland St. Ignatius (1-9) at No. 5 Perrysburg (8-2) No. 11 Medina (3-7) at No. 6 Strongsville (8-2) No. 10 Brunswick (5-5) at No. 7 Massillon Jackson (5-5) No. 9 Cleveland Heights (5-5) at No. 8 Berea-Midpark (6-4) Region 2 No. 1 Middletown (8-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9 No. 2 Troy (8-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 7 vs. No. 10 No. 3 Findlay (6-4), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 6 vs. No. 11 No. 4 Springboro (7-3), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 5 vs. No. 12 No. 12 Marysville (5-5) at No. 5 Springfield (6-4) No. 11 Galloway Westland (5-5) at No. 6 Huber Heights Wayne (6-4) No. 10 Dublin Jerome (5-5) at No. 7 Hilliard Bradley (5-5) No. 9 Kettering Fairmont (5-5) at No. 8 Lebanon (7-3) Region 3 No. 1 Lewis Center Olentangy Orange (10-0), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9 No. 2 Pickerington Central (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 7 vs. No. 10 No. 3 Pickerington North (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 6 vs. No. 11 No. 4 Lewis Center Olentangy (8-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 5 vs. No. 12 No. 12 Newark (6-4) at No. 5 Powell Olentangy Liberty (6-4) No. 11 Westerville Central (4-6) at No. 6 Upper Arlington (8-2) No. 10 Groveport Madison (5-5) at No. 7 Gahanna Lincoln (7-3) No. 9 Grove City (5-5) at No. 8 Delaware Olentangy Berlin (5-5) Region 4 No. 1 Cincinnati Elder (10-0), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9 No. 2 Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller (7-3), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 7 vs. No. 10 No. 3 Cincinnati St. Xavier (7-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 6 vs. No. 11 No. 4 Cincinnati Princeton (8-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 5 vs. No. 12 No. 12 Morrow Little Miami (3-7) at No. 5 Cincinnati Winton Woods (8-2) No. 11 Cincinnati Oak Hills (4-6) at No. 6 Liberty Township Lakota East (7-3) No. 10 Hamilton (4-6) at No. 7 West Chester Lakota West (6-4) No. 9 Mason (5-5) at No. 8 Fairfield (5-5) Division II Region 5 No. 1 Akron Archbishop Hoban (8-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9 No. 2 Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit (8-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 7 vs. No. 10 No. 3 Austintown Fitch (8-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 6 vs. No. 11 No. 4 Uniontown Lake (7-3), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 5 vs. No. 12 No. 12 Willoughby South (5-5) at No. 5 Hudson (8-2) No. 11 Uniontown Green (5-5) at No. 6 Garfield Heights (9-1) No. 10 Twinsburg (6-4) at No. 7 Macedonia Nordonia (7-3) No. 9 Youngstown Boardman (5-5) at No. 8 Painesville Riverside (7-3) Region 6 No. 1 Medina Highland (10-0), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9 No. 2 Wadsworth (10-0), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 7 vs. No. 10 No. 3 Avon (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 6 vs. No. 11 No. 4 North Ridgeville (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 5 vs. No. 12 No. 12 Toledo Start (6-4) at No. 5 Whitehouse Anthony Wayne (6-4) No. 11 Fremont Ross (6-4) at No. 6 Olmsted Falls (6-4) No. 10 Parma Heights Valley Forge (5-5) at No. 7 Toledo St. Francis de Sales (6-4) No. 9 Oregon Clay (6-4) at No. 8 Brecksville-Broadview Heights (6-4) Region 7 No. 1 Sunbury Big Walnut (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9 No. 2 Columbus St. Francis DeSales (8-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 7 vs. No. 10 No. 3 Massillon Washington (7-3), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 6 vs. No. 11 No. 4 Canal Winchester (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 5 vs. No. 12 No. 12 Louisville (6-4) at No. 5 Westerville South (8-2) No. 11 Columbus Northland (7-3) at No. 6 North Canton Hoover (8-2) No. 10 Mount Vernon (6-4) at No. 7 Ashland (9-1) No. 9 Worthington Kilbourne (7-3) at No. 8 Columbus Walnut Ridge (7-3) Region 8 No. 1 Cincinnati Anderson (10-0), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9 No. 2 Kings Mills Kings (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 7 vs. No. 10 No. 3 Trotwood-Madison (6-3), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 6 vs. No. 11 No. 4 Xenia (8-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 5 vs. No. 12 No. 12 Cincinnati Turpin (5-5) at No. 5 Cincinnati La Salle (7-3) No. 11 Cincinnati Aiken (6-4) at No. 6 Lima Senior (8-2) No. 10 Vandalia Butler (6-4) at No. 7 Harrison (7-3) No. 9 Piqua (6-4) at No. 8 Cincinnati Withrow (8-2) Division III Region 9 No. 1 Canfield (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9 No. 2 Cuyahoga Falls CVCA (9-0), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 10 vs. No. 7 No. 3 Gates Mills Hawken (8-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 11 vs. No. 6 No. 4 Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph (8-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 12 vs. No. 5 No. 12 Maple Heights (7-3) at No. 5 Chardon (6-4) No. 11 Cleveland Benedictine (8-2) at No. 6 Akron East (8-2) No. 10 Geneva (8-2) at No. 7 Alliance (8-2) No. 9 Madison (7-3) at No. 8 Chagrin Falls Kenston (6-4) Region 10 No. 1 Medina Buckeye (10-0), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9 No. 2 Wapakoneta (10-0), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 10 vs. No. 7 No. 3 Lexington (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 11 vs. No. 6 No. 4 Richfield Revere (8-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 12 vs. No. 5 No. 12 Grafton Midview (5-5) at No. 5 Rocky River (8-2) No. 11 Ontario (6-4) at No. 6 Toledo Central Catholic (6-4) No. 10 Parma Heights Holy Name (6-4) at No. 7 Shawnee (7-3) No. 9 Copley (7-3) at No. 8 St. Marys Memorial (7-3) Region 11 No. 1 Columbus Bishop Watterson (9-0), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9 No. 2 Newark Licking Valley (10-0), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 7 vs. No. 10 No. 3 Steubenville (7-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 6 vs. No. 11 No. 4 Dresden Tri-Valley (8-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 5 vs. No. 12 No. 12 Columbus Independence (6-4) at No. 5 Columbus Hamilton Township (8-2) No. 11 The Plains Athens (9-1) at No. 6 Delaware Buckeye Valley (8-2) No. 10 Columbus Linden McKinley (8-2) at No. 7 Carroll Bloom-Carroll (7-3) No. 9 Thornville Sheridan (7-3) at No. 8 Granville (7-3) Region 12 No. 1 London (10-0), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9 No. 2 Tipp City Tippecanoe (10-0), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 7 vs. No. 10 No. 3 Hamilton Badin (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 6 vs. No. 11 No. 4 Jackson (8-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 5 vs. No. 12 No. 12 Hillsboro (5-5) at No. 5 Washington Court House Miami Trace (9-1) No. 11 Bellbrook (6-4) at No. 6 Kettering Archbishop Alter (7-3) No. 10 Goshen (7-3) at No. 7 Oxford Talawanda (9-1) No. 9 Chillicothe (6-4) at No. 8 Cincinnati Archbishop McNicholas (6-4) Division IV Region 13 No. 1 Perry (8-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9 No. 2 Cleveland Glenville (7-3), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 7 vs. No. 10 No. 3 Mentor Lake Catholic (8-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 6 vs. No. 11 No. 4 Beloit West Branch (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 5 vs. No. 12 No. 12 Ashtabula Edgewood (6-4) at No. 5 Norton (9-1) No. 11 Chesterland West Geauga (6-4) at No. 6 Streetsboro (8-2) No. 10 Salem (6-4) at No. 7 Canal Fulton Northwest (6-4) No. 9 Hubbard (7-3) at No. 8 Chardon Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin (7-3) Region 14 No. 1 Shelby (10-0), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9 No. 2 Galion (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 7 vs. No. 10 No. 3 Napoleon (8-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 6 vs. No. 11 No. 4 Lima Bath (8-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 5 vs. No. 12 No. 12 Clyde (4-6) at No. 5 Bellevue (7-3) No. 11 Lorain Clearview (5-5) at No. 6 Sandusky Perkins (7-3) No. 10 Lodi Cloverleaf (6-4) at No. 7 Bay Village Bay (6-4) No. 9 Orrville (6-4) at No. 8 Bellville Clear Fork (6-4) Region 15 No. 1 New Lexington (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9 No. 2 Gnadenhutten Indian Valley (9-0), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 7 vs. No. 10 No. 3 Plain City Jonathan Alder (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 6 vs. No. 11 No. 4 Chillicothe Unioto (10-0), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 5 vs. No. 12 No. 12 Canton South (5-5) at No. 5 Columbus East (9-1) No. 11 Johnstown (7-3) at No. 6 Wintersville Indian Creek (9-1) No. 10 Duncan Falls Philo (6-4) at No. 7 Circleville (7-3) No. 9 Heath (6-4) at No. 8 Lancaster Fairfield Union (6-4) Region 16 No. 1 Cincinnati Indian Hill (10-0), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9 No. 2 Germantown Valley View (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 7 vs. No. 10 No. 3 Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 6 vs. No. 11 No. 4 Cincinnati Taft (10-0), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 5 vs. No. 12 No. 12 Cleves Taylor (6-4) at No. 5 Clarksville Clinton-Massie (9-1) No. 11 Middletown Bishop Fenwick (6-4) at No. 6 Brookville (9-1) No. 10 Cincinnati Roger Bacon (5-5) at No. 7 Cincinnati Wyoming (9-1) No. 9 New Richmond (4-6) at No. 8 Washington Court House Washington (5-5) Division V Region 17 No. 1 Youngstown Cardinal Mooney (7-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9 No. 2 Girard (10-0), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 7 vs. No. 10 No. 3 Poland Seminary (8-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 6 vs. No. 11 No. 4 Garrettsville Garfield (8-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 5 vs. No. 12 No. 12 Andover Pymatuning Valley (7-3) at No. 5 St. Clairsville (7-3) No. 11 Urichsville Claymont (6-4) at No. 6 Youngstown Liberty (8-2) No. 10 Richmond Edison (6-4) at No. 7 Akron Manchester (7-3) No. 9 Burton Berkshire (6-4) at No. 8 Canfield South Range (6-4) Region 18 No. 1 Liberty Center (10-0), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9 No. 2 Wooster Triway (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 7 vs. No. 10 No. 3 Genoa Area (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 6 vs. No. 11 No. 4 Creston Norwayne (8-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 5 vs. No. 12 No. 12 Delta (6-4) at No. 5 Findlay Liberty-Benton (10-0) No. 11 Port Clinton (6-4) at No. 6 Milan Edison (7-3) No. 10 Fredericktown (8-2) at No. 7 Fairview Park Fairview (8-2) No. 9 Oak Harbor (8-2) at No. 8 Pemberville Eastwood (8-2) Region 19 No. 1 Wheelersburg (10-0), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9 No. 2 Gahanna Columbus Academy (8-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 7 vs. No. 10 No. 3 Nelsonville-York (10-0), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 6 vs. No. 11 No. 4 Barnesville (8-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 5 vs. No. 12 No. 12 Amanda-Clearcreek (5-5) at No. 5 Portsmouth (7-3) No. 11 Belmont Union Local (7-3) at No. 6 Columbus Africentric (7-3) No. 10 Chillicothe Zane Trace (8-2) at No. 7 Lucasville Valley (8-2) No. 9 McConnelsville Morgan (7-3) at No. 8 Coal Grove Dawson-Bryant (8-2) Region 20 No. 1 Williamsburg (10-0), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9 No. 2 Lewistown Indian Lake (8-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 7 vs. No. 10 No. 3 Casstown Miami East (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 6 vs. No. 11 No. 4 St. Paris Graham (8-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 5 vs. No. 12 No. 12 West Liberty-Salem (5-5) at No. 5 Carlisle (8-2) No. 11 Cincinnati Mariemont (6-4) at No. 6 Cincinnati North College Hill (8-2) No. 10 Arcanum (7-3) at No. 7 Camden Preble Shawnee (9-1) No. 9 Jamestown Greeneview (7-3) at No. 8 Richwood North Union (6-4) Division VI Region 21 No. 1 Kirtland (10-0), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9 No. 2 Columbiana Crestview (10-0), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 7 vs. No. 10 No. 3 Columbia Station Columbia (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 6 vs. No. 11 No. 4 Hanoverton United (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 5 vs. No. 12 No. 12 Cuyahoga Heights (7-2) at No. 5 Smithville (8-2) No. 11 Columbiana (7-3) at No. 6 Dalton (7-3) No. 10 Mineral Ridge (7-3) at No. 7 Sugarcreek Garaway (7-2) No. 9 New Middletown Springfield (7-3) at No. 8 Wickliffe (8-2) Region 22 No. 1 Castalia Margaretta (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9 No. 2 Bascom Hopewell-Loudon (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 7 vs. No. 10 No. 3 Archbold (8-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 6 vs. No. 11 No. 4 Paulding (10-0), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 5 vs. No. 12 No. 12 Defiance Tinora (5-5) at No. 5 Sherwood Fairview (9-1) No. 11 Elmore Woodmore (7-3) at No. 6 Attica Seneca East (7-3) No. 10 Collins Western Reserve (8-2) at No. 7 Bluffton (8-2) No. 9 Carey (6-4) at No. 8 Hamler Patrick Henry (8-2) Region 23 No. 1 Centerburg (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9 No. 2 Beverly Fort Frye (8-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 7 vs. No. 10 No. 3 West Jefferson (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 6 vs. No. 11 No. 4 Mount Gilead (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 5 vs. No. 12 No. 12 Reedsville Eastern (7-3) at No. 5 North Robinson Colonel Crawford (9-1) No. 11 Columbus Grandview Heights (7-3) at No. 6 Toronto (9-1) No. 10 Caldwell (7-3) at No. 7 Grove City Christian (8-2) No. 9 West Lafayette Ridgewood (8-2) at No. 8 Newcomerstown (7-3) Region 24 No. 1 New Madison Tri-Village (10-0), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9 No. 2 Springfield Northeastern (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 7 vs. No. 10 No. 3 Mechanicsburg (8-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 6 vs. No. 11 No. 4 St. Bernard Elmwood Place (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 5 vs. No. 12 No. 12 Covington (5-5) at No. 5 Coldwater (6-4) No. 11 Cincinnati Deer Park (5-5) at No. 6 Anna (7-3) No. 10 Miamisburg Dayton Christian (6-4) at No. 7 Ironton Rock Hill (6-4) No. 9 Portsmouth West (5-5) at No. 8 Cincinnati Summit Country Day (5-5) Division VII Region 25 No. 1 McDonald (10-0), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9 No. 2 Fairport Harbor Fairport Harding (10-0), hosts winner of No. 7 vs. No. 10 No. 3 Mogadore (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 6 vs. No. 11 No. 4 Monroeville (8-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 5 vs. No. 12 No. 12 Ashtabula St. John (5-5) at No. 5 Malvern (6-4) No. 11 Berlin Center Western Reserve (4-6) at No. 6 East Palestine (7-3) No. 10 Lisbon David Anderson (6-4) at No. 7 East Canton (8-2) No. 9 Norwalk St. Paul (5-5) at No. 8 Warren JFK (5-5) Region 26 No. 1 Lima Central Catholic (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9 No. 2 North Baltimore (10-0), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 7 vs. No. 10 No. 3 Leipsic (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 6 vs. No. 11 No. 4 Columbus Grove (7-3), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 5 vs. No. 12 No. 12 Morral Ridgedale (6-4) at No. 5 Gibsonburg (7-3) No. 11 Montpelier (6-4) at No. 6 Sycamore Mohawk (8-2) No. 10 Arlington (7-3) at No. 7 Pandora-Gilboa (7-3) No. 9 Edgerton (6-4) at No. 8 Edon (8-2) Region 27 No. 1 Jeromesville Hillsdale (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9 No. 2 Waterford (8-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 7 vs. No. 10 No. 3 Lancaster Fisher Catholic (8-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 6 vs. No. 11 No. 4 Willow Wood Symmes Valley (8-2), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 5 vs. No. 12 No. 12 Glouster Trimble (6-4) at No. 5 Crown City South Gallia (7-3) No. 11 Danville (5-5) at No. 6 Steubenville Catholic Central (6-4) No. 10 Lucas (5-5) at No. 7 Strasburg-Franklin (7-3) No. 9 Zanesville Bishop Rosecrans (6-4) at No. 8 Bowerston Conotton Valley (7-3) Region 28 No. 1 Maria Stein Marion Local (10-0), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9 No. 2 St. Henry (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 7 vs. No. 10 No. 3 Cincinnati Country Day (9-1), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 6 vs. No. 11 No. 4 Beaver Eastern (10-0), first-round bye, hosts winner of No. 5 vs. No. 12 No. 12 Fort Recovery (5-5) at No. 5 Cincinnati College Prep (8-2) No. 11 Cedarville (5-5) at No. 6 Portsmouth Notre Dame (8-2) No. 10 New Bremen (6-4) at No. 7 Ansonia (8-2) No. 9 Minster (6-4) at No. 8 Sidney Lehman Catholic (9-1)

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: LCC EARNS NO. 1 SEED AS NINE AREA TEAMS MAKE PLAYOFFS

Photo Credit: Lima News