As the 10-week Ohio high school football regular season came to a close on Saturday afternoon, the focus now shifts to the state playoffs. Out of the 700-plus football programs in the state, only 448 teams will move on to Week 11 and the Ohio High School Athletic Association state playoffs.
The OHSAA has officially released the playoff qualifiers and first-round matchups on Sunday afternoon.
In Stark County, a total of 17 teams have advanced to the postseason. Here are the first-round playoff games for area teams, which will be played on Friday night at 7. The higher seeded teams (1-8) will be the home team.
OHSAA Division I, Region 1
No. 4 McKinley (7-3) will face No. 13 Strongsville (3-7)
No. 8 GlenOak (6-4) will face No. 9 Lorain (8-2)
No. 10 Jackson (5-5) will play against No. 7 Berea (6-4)
OHSAA Division II, Region 7
No. 1 Massillon (10-0) will face No. 16 Central Crossing (4-6)
No. 3 Green (7-3) will face No. 14 Col. St. Charles (5-5)
No. 4 Lake (7-3) will face No. 13 Perry (4-6)
No. 11 Hoover will play against No. 6 Col. DeSales (5-5)
OHSAA Division III, Region 9
No. 14 Alliance (6-4) will play against No. 3 Aurora (9-1)
Season over: Marlington, Louisville
OHSAA Division IV, Region 13
No. 1 Canton South (10-0) will face No. 16 Northwest (5-5)
No. 4 West Branch (9-1) will face No. 13 Woodridge (5-5)
Season over: Minerva
OHSAA Division IV, Region 15
No. 16 Carrollton (6-4) will play against No. 1 Steubenville (9-1)
OHSAA Division V, Region 17
No. 9 Sandy Valley (6-4) will play against No. 8 Cortland Lakeview (5-5)
No. 15 Fairless (4-6) will play against No. 2 South Range (9-1)
OHSAA Division VI, Region 21
No. 8 Central Catholic (6-4) will face No. 9 Middlefield Cardinal (6-4)
Season over: Tuslaw, East Canton
OHSAA Division VII, Region 25
No. 5 Malvern (9-1) will face No. 12 Salineville Southern (8-2)
Season over: St. Thomas Aquinas
