The Ohio High School Athletic Association state football playoffs could very well see four Union County-area teams in its field next week.
That would be the most local teams in the post-season in a non-COVID 19 campaign in history.
Every team had the opportunity to see action in the playoffs last year during a coronavirus-shortened (six games) regular season.
This year, there were no virus restrictions on the 10-game season, even though some teams did not play a full slate of contests.
Marysville, for example, has played only eight games during the past nine weeks as Cleveland Collinwood canceled its season opener on the Monarchs’ home field back in late August.
Marysville remains at No. 1 in this week’s state computer ratings.
The Monarchs have accumulated a whopping 33.0852 points in Region 2 of Division I.
That continues a trend of the past few weeks in which MHS has accounted for the most points of any team across any region of the state.
The next closest is Cincinnati Moeller (30.1901) in Region 4 of D-I.
The Monarchs will play at 3-6 Olentangy on Friday and should maintain their No. 1 computer ranking heading into the playoffs.
MHS could host No. 16 Delaware Hayes (2-7) during the first round of the post-season on Friday, Oct. 29.
Other possible 16-seeds, based on how Friday games go, could be Clayton Northmont (3-5) or Middletown (1-7).
The OHSAA has expanded the post-season this year.
The top 16 teams in each region at the end of the regular season will earn playoff berths.
Region 2 – 1. Marysville (8-0) 33.0852, 2. Springfield (7-1) 27.7841, 3. Centerville (7-2) 21.6513, 4. Huber Hts. Wayne (7-2) 21.3961, 5. Findlay (6-3) 18.7424, 6. Tol. Whitmer (7-2) 18.6953, 7. Dublin Jerome (6-3) 18.184, 8. Perrysburg (6-3) 16.0782, 9. Kettering Fairmont (5-4) 15.0331, 10. Miamisburg (6-3) 14.2188, 11. Powell Olentangy Liberty (4-5) 13.6263, 12. Springboro (4-4) 9.3994, 13. Dublin Coffman (3-6) 8.5667, 14. Tol. Start (4-5) 7.449, 15. Clayton Northmont (3-5) 5.8934, 16. Delaware Hayes (2-7) 5.0023, 17. Middletown (1-7) 0.8125, 18. Beavercreek (0-9) 0.
North Union (7-2) slid down a notch to No. 8 in Region 18 of Division V after its 28-21 loss to Indian Lake.
The Wildcats will close out the regular season by hosting Urbana (2-7) on Friday.
North Union could host No. 9 Kansas Lakota (6-3) if the regional ratings aren’t jumbled very much after the regular season concludes.
Division V playoff games are scheduled for Saturdays throughout the post-season.
The Wildcats’ first game would be Saturday, Oct. 30.
Region 18 – 1. Tontogany Otsego (8-0) 20.5959, 2. Elyria Cath. (7-2) 19.02, 3. Bloomdale Elmwood (7-1) 17.8713, 4. Lewistown Indian Lake (7-2) 17.0556, 5. Ottawa-Glandorf (6-3) 16.4343, 6. Findlay Liberty-Benton (7-1) 15.2565, 7. Pemberville Eastwood (7-1) 14.9346, 8. Richwood North Union (7-2) 12.9943, 9. Kansas Lakota (6-3) 9.0591, 10. Genoa Area (4-5) 8.4766, 11. Lima Bath (5-4) 8.15, 12. Doylestown Chippewa (4-4) 7.2898, 13. Brooklyn (4-5) 6.8394, 14. Bucyrus Wynford (4-5) 5.0522, 15. Apple Creek Waynedale (4-5) 4.9261, 16. West Salem Northwestern (3-6) 4.3611, 17. Oak Harbor (5-4) 4.2109, 18. Marion Pleasant (1-8) 4.0505, 19. Bellefontaine Benjamin Logan (3-6) 3.5918, 20. Millbury Lake (2-7) 2.1254.
Fairbanks dropped to No. 10 (from No. 7) after last week’s 19-0 setback at the hands of West Jefferson.
The Panthers conclude the regular season on Friday at Northeastern, which is eighth in FHS’ Region 24 of Division VI.
A victory over the Jets would boost Fairbanks up a few notches.
Whether the Panthers would jump high enough to earn a home game as a higher-seeded team in the bracket remains to be seen.
FHS would play on Saturday, Oct. 30 as that is also the day for Division VI playoff games.
Triad (2-7) has fallen to No. 20 in Region 24.
The Cardinals, who will close out the regular season at West Liberty-Salem (1-7) on Friday, are unlikely to earn a playoff berth.
Region 24 – 1. Mechanicsburg (9-0) 14.932, 2. Harrod Allen East (6-3) 13.9596, 3. Arcanum (7-2) 10.7604, 4. Coldwater (7-2) 10.1061, 5. Bainbridge Paint Valley (5-4) 8.2865, 6. Cin. Gamble Montessori (6-2) 8.1948, 7. Cin. Country Day (6-2) 7.0417, 8. Springfield Northeastern (6-3) 7.0034, 9. Anna (4-5) 6.7828, 10. Milford Center Fairbanks (5-4) 6.2063, 11. Jamestown Greeneview (5-4) 6.1566, 12. Delphos Jefferson (3-6) 4.5, 13. Fort Recovery (3-6) 4.0444, 14. New Paris National Trail (4-5) 3.7611, 15. Chillicothe Huntington (2-6) 3.625, 16. Cin. Deer Park (2-7) 3.6181, 17. Frankfort Adena (3-6) 2.7867, 18. St. Bernard-Elmwood Place (2-5) 2.6901, 19. Casstown Miami East (3-6) 2.1944, 20. North Lewisburg Triad (2-7) 1.8384.
Jonathan Alder has made a steady climb up the Division III playoff ladder over the past few weeks.
The Pioneers (5-4) were ranked as low as 18th in Region 11 a couple weeks ago.
JA is now 13th, well within the cutoff of 16 teams in each region.
If things remain as they stand now after this weekend’s games, the Pioneers would travel to face Madison County arch-rival London (No. 4) on Friday, Oct. 29.
The Red Raiders beat the Pioneers, 34-7, a month ago during the regular season.
Region 11 – 1. Granville (8-0) 27.5441, 2. Jackson (7-2) 20.7222, 3. Dresden Tri-Valley (7-1) 19.5712, 4. London (7-2) 19, 5. Cols. Bishop Hartley (7-2) 18.6927, 6. Mount Orab Western Brown (7-2) 18.2904, 7. Cols. St. Francis DeSales (5-4) 16.307, 8. Cols. Eastmoor Acad. (5-3) 15.1696, 9. Thornville Sheridan (7-2) 14.8696, 10. Bellefontaine (6-3) 13.9056, 11. Washington C.H. Miami Trace (6-3) 13.2423, 12. Zanesville (5-3) 12.9743, 13. Plain City Jonathan Alder (5-4) 12.2889, 14. Cols. Beechcroft (6-3) 12.2387, 15. Chillicothe (5-3) 11.4338, 16. Cols. Bishop Watterson (5-4) 10.4479, 17. Cols. South (6-3) 10.0977, 18. Delaware Buckeye Valley (5-4) 8.8819, 19. Cols. Hamilton Township (4-3) 7.7436, 20. The Plains Athens (3-6) 4.5978.