OHIO — For many high school football programs in Ohio, it’s a successful season if you are playing a neutral site playoff game, as that means two post-season wins. Now that teams are here, the games get bigger, and the stakes get higher.
For five especially, the remaining double-digit deeds, 2023 is already a memorable season. Springfield (ranked 12 in Division I, Region 2), Indian Valley (ranked 13 in Division IV, Region 15), Mineral Ridge (ranked 10 in Division VI, Region 21), Norwalk St. Paul (ranked 13 in Division VII, Region 25) and St. Henry (ranked 14 in Division VII, Region 28) have back-to-back upsets on their resumes.
The Ohio High School Athletic Association Game of the Week has reached the regional semifinals, as we’ve gone from 448 teams to just 112 in two weeks’ time. There we find some schools that won’t be satisfied unless they win it all.
In Northeast Ohio, it’s a flashback to a 2021 Region 1 semifinal between Canton McKinley (9-3) and two-time defending state champion St. Edward (11-1). The contest is even being played at the same venue, Byers Field in Parma.
The Eagles were 42-0 winners two years ago, and lead the series 3-0, including another playoff win over the Bulldogs in 2017.
St. Edward—ranked number one in the region—has won its postseason games by a combined 77-0 margin.
Every opponent fourth-ranked McKinley has played this year reached the OHSAA playoffs, and six of ten regular season foes are still alive.
In Central Ohio, second-seeded Hilliard Bradley has reached the Region 3 semifinals for just the second time in school history (2020). The Jaguars (11-1) will be in a catfight with the Panthers of Pickerington North (11-1, seeded third) at DeSales High School.
Both Bradley and North rebounded from week 10 losses (to Dublin Coffman and Gahanna, respectively) to win a pair of playoff meetings to set up Friday’s contest.
Close games haven’t bothered the Jaguars, who have played six of them decided by seven points or less (5-1), including surviving a 27-22 decision last week against Westerville North.
Bradley will be challenged to slow a Panther offense that has topped 30 points in seven of 12 games this season.
The teams have met just once before, a Pickerington North playoff win in 2016 (49-21).
In Southwest Ohio, number nine Mason (7-5) pulled off one of the tournaments' biggest upsets, topping undefeated Milford 10-9 last week. The Comets’ prize? A matchup with Moeller (8-4) played at Princeton High School.
The fifth-seeded Crusaders beat rival St. Xavier 10-7 in a Region 4 quarterfinal, boosted by the return of Michigan-bound running back Jordan Marshall. Moeller has won the region the last two years, only to fall in the state semifinals to Springfield both times.
Mason can’t be overlooked, however, as only five teams seeded lower than the Comets are still playing. Three of the five losses this year were to teams still in the playoffs with visions of a deep run (Gahanna, Princeton and Lakota West). In its current three-game winning streak, Mason has outscored its opponents 51-9.
There’s familiarity here, too, as these teams met in a region 4 semifinal last year, with Moeller a 24-16 winner in a game played at Middletown. All-time the Crusaders hold a 3-0 series advantage.
All three games begin at 7 p.m. on Spectrum News 1 and the Spectrum News App.
Canton McKinley vs. St. Edward
Pickerington North vs. Hilliard Bradley
Additionally, Spectrum News 1 will broadcast 15 games on www.SpectrumNews1.com, with the following matchups:
Lake vs. Massillon (also on Spectrum channel 314)
Dublin Coffman vs. Olentangy Berlin
Previous games from the season are also available on demand through our website.
Stay with Spectrum News 1 and the Spectrum News App throughout the playoffs for live games, culminating in the state championships Nov. 30-Dec. 2 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.