COLUMBUS — The Ohio High School Athletic Association bucked tradition, and it’s relevant news for five schools around north central Ohio as each plays for a spot in the Final Four this weekend.
While it’s easy, and fun, to get ahead of ourselves, Shelby, Galion, Colonel Crawford, Danville and Hillsdale each have regional assignments on Friday night.
But for scouting purposes, the OHSAA released the bracket pairings for next week’s state semifinals on Thursday afternoon. For the first time since 2020, the Region 14 winner will play the Region 16 winner next week in a Division IV state semifinal.
For the past four seasons the Region 14 winner played the Region 13 champ in the state semifinals.
That means top-seeded and No. 1-ranked Shelby (12-0) plays No. 2 Galion (11-1) for the Region 14 championship Friday at Arlin Field. The winner of that game will play either Cincinnati Indian Hill (12-0) or Germantown Valley View (11-1).
The Region 13 winner will play the Region 15 winner in the other semifinal. Defending state champ Indian Valley (11-0) plays New Lexington (11-1) for the Region 15 title Friday. In Region 13, heavyweight Cleveland Glenville (9-3) will play Perry (10-2).
In Division VII, the Region 27 winner will play the Region 25 winner in the semifinals.
Top-seeded Hillsdale (11-1) and Cinderella-story Danville (8-5) meet for the Region 27 championship Friday. The winner will play either McDonald (12-0) or Mogadore (11-1).
The Region 26 champ will play the Region 28 winner.
Leipsic (11-1) and Columbus Grove (9-3) play for the Region 26 title.
In Region 28, four-time defending state champ Marion Local (12-0) plays St. Henry (11-1) in a highly-anticipated regional final. These two squads teams in Week 3 of the regular season and the Flyers won 21-14.
Here’s a look at the state semifinal bracket pairings. Semifinal games for all divisions will be played Nov. 28. All regional final games are Friday:
Division I
Region 2 vs. Region 4 at TBA
Region 1 vs. Region 3 at TBA
State Championship: Dec. 5, 7:30 p.m. (winner of Region 2 vs. Region 4 will be home team)
Regional Finals
Region 1 – No. 1 Lakewood St. Edward (10-2) vs. No. 2 Mentor (12-0) at Parma Byers Field at Robert Boulton Stadium
Region 2 – No. 1 Middletown (10-2) vs. No. 6 Huber Heights Wayne (9-4) at Trotwood-Madison High School Attorney Michael L. Wright SportsPlex
Region 3 – No. 1 Lewis Center Olentangy Orange (12-0) vs. No. 2 Pickerington Central (11-1) at Columbus Historic Crew Stadium
Region 4 – No. 1 Cincinnati Elder (12-0) vs. No. 3 Cincinnati St. Xavier (9-2) at Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati
Division II
Region 6 vs. Region 5 at TBA
Region 8 vs. Region 7 at TBA
State Championship: Dec. 4, 7 p.m. (winner of Region 6 vs. Region 5 will be home team)
Regional Finals
Region 5 – No. 1 Akron Archbishop Hoban (10-1) vs. No. 2 Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit (10-1) at Bedford High School Bearcat Stadium
Region 6 – No. 1 Medina Highland (12-0) vs. No. 3 Avon (11-1) at Brunswick High School Brunswick Auto Mart Stadium
Region 7 – No. 1 Sunbury Big Walnut (11-1) vs. No. 3 Massillon Washington (9-3) at Zanesville High School Sulsberger Stadium
Region 8 – No. 1 Cincinnati Anderson (12-0) vs. No. 3 Trotwood-Madison (8-3) at West Chester Lakota West High School Firebird Stadium
Division III
Region 10 vs. Region 9 at TBA
Region 12 vs. Region 11 at TBA
State Championship: Dec. 5, 3 p.m. (winner of Region 10 vs. Region 9 will be home team)
Regional Finals
Region 9 – No. 2 Cuyahoga Falls CVCA (11-0) vs. No. 4 Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph (10-1) at Twinsburg High School Tiger Stadium
Region 10 – No. 5 Rocky River (11-2) vs. No. 6 Toledo Central Catholic (9-4) at Clyde High School Robert J. Bishop Jr. Stadium
Region 11 – No. 1 Columbus Bishop Watterson (11-0) vs. No. 3 Steubenville (9-2) at Newark High School White Field
Region 12 – No. 1 London (12-0) vs. No. 2 Tipp City Tippecanoe (12-0) at Fairborn High School Skyhawk Stadium
Division IV
Region 15 vs. Region 13 at TBA
Region 14 vs. Region 16 at TBA
State Championship: Dec. 5, 10:30 a.m. (winner of Region 15 vs. Region 13 will be home team)
Regional Finals
Region 13 – No. 1 Perry (10-2) vs. No. 2 Cleveland Glenville (9-3) at Ravenna High School Portage Community Bank Stadium/Harry Gilchrist Field
Region 14 – No. 1 Shelby (12-0) vs. No. 2 Galion (11-1) at Mansfield Arlin Field
Region 15 – No. 1 New Lexington (11-1) vs. No. 2 Gnadenhutten Indian Valley (11-0) at Coshocton High School Stewart Field
Region 16 – No. 1 Cincinnati Indian Hill (12-0) vs. No. 2 Germantown Valley View (11-1) at Fairfield High School Alumni Stadium
Division V
Region 19 vs. Region 17 at TBA
Region 18 vs. Region 20 at TBA
State Championship: Dec. 6, 7:30 p.m. (winner of Region 19 vs. Region 17 will be home team)
Regional Finals
Region 17 – No. 1 Youngstown Cardinal Mooney (9-2) vs. No. 2 Girard (12-0) at Canfield South Range High School Rominger Athletic Complex
Region 18 – No. 1 Liberty Center (12-0) vs. No. 3 Genoa Area (11-1) at Fostoria High School Memorial Stadium
Region 19 – No. 1 Wheelersburg (12-0) vs. No. 3 Nelsonville-York (12-0) at Hamilton Township High School Alumni Stadium
Region 20 – No. 2 Lewistown Indian Lake (10-2) vs. No. 8 Richwood North Union (9-4) at Marysville High School IMPACT Stadium
Division VI
Region 23 vs. Region 21 at TBA
Region 22 vs. Region 24 at TBA
State Championship: Dec. 6, 3 p.m. (winner of Region 23 vs. Region 21 will be home team)
Regional Finals
Region 21 – No. 1 Kirtland (12-0) vs. No. 7 Sugarcreek Garaway (10-2) at Louisville High School Leopard Stadium
Region 22 – No. 2 Bascom Hopewell-Loudon (11-1) vs. No. 9 Carey (9-4) at Findlay Donnell Stadium
Region 23 – No. 3 West Jefferson (11-1) vs. No. 5 North Robinson Colonel Crawford (12-1) at Marengo Highland High School Covrett Stadium Fishburn Family Field
Region 24 – No. 5 Coldwater (9-4) vs. No. 6 Anna (10-3) at Piqua High School Alexander Stadium
Division VII
Region 26 vs. Region 28 at TBA
Region 25 vs. Region 27 at TBA
State Championship: Dec. 6, 10:30 a.m. (winner of Region 26 vs. Region 28 will be home team)
Regional Finals
Region 25 – No. 1 McDonald (12-0) vs. No. 3 Mogadore (11-1) at Macedonia Nordonia High School Boliantz Stadium
Region 26 – No. 3 Leipsic (11-1) vs. No. 4 Columbus Grove (9-3) at Lima Shawnee High School Shawnee Stadium
Region 27 – No. 1 Jeromesville Hillsdale (11-1) vs. No. 11 Danville (8-5) at West Lafayette Ridgewood High School Generals Stadium
Region 28 – No. 1 Maria Stein Marion Local (12-0) vs. No. 2 St. Henry (11-1) at Wapakoneta High School Mercy Health VFW Post 8445 Field