The winner of this Friday’s regional finals in the Ohio High School Athletic Association football state playoffs found out the bracketing for next week’s state semifinals.
And if there’s to be a Massillon-Hoban rematch in Division II, it won’t be until the state championship game again. The Tigers and Knights have met deep in the playoffs five of the previous six seasons, including last year’s state finals.
Tuesday, the OHSAA announced the bracket pairings for next week’s football state semifinal games.
The Massillon-Big Walnut winner Friday will play the winner of a regional final featuring two Cincinnati schools, unbeaten Anderson and La Salle. Massillon routed Anderson 55-7 a year ago in a state semifinal before beating Hoban 7-2 in the state finals.
Meanwhile, the other state semifinal will be a Northeast Ohio showdown as the unbeaten Walsh Jesuit–Hoban winner plays the Avon-Highland winner in a state semifinal. Hoban defeated Avon 17-14 a year ago in the state semis.
According to the OHSAA, the geography of the schools involved in each region is the primary factor in determining how the regional champions will be paired in the state semifinals.
A team’s won-lost record, regional seed and state rank do not factor into the state semifinal bracket pairings.
Pairings for this Friday’s regional finals are included below. Locations for the state semifinals will be announced on Sunday.
A total of 56 schools – two in each region – remain in the state playoffs. The postseason culminates in OHSAA state championship games. The state finals are Dec. 5-7 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton — the fourth straight year all of the titles are being played there.
OHSAA Football State Semifinal Bracket Pairings
All games on Friday, Nov. 29, at 7 p.m. Designated home team region listed first. Regional final pairings also included below. First pairing listed will be the designated home team in the state championship game.
Division I state semifinals – Friday, Nov. 29
- Region 1 vs. Region 3 at TBA
- Region 4 vs. Region 2 at TBA
- State Championship Game: Friday, December 6, 7:30 p.m.
Division I Regional Finals – Friday, Nov. 22
- Region 1: 1. Mentor (13-0) vs. 7. St. Edward (8-5) at Bedford HS
- Region 2: 2. Centerville (10-3) vs. 8. Huber Heights Wayne (8-5) at Dayton Welcome Stadium
- Region 3: 1. Olentangy Liberty (11-2) vs. 7. Pickerington North (11-2) at Historic Crew Stadium
- Region 4: 1. Cincinnati Moeller (12-1) vs. 6. Cincinnati St. Xavier (10-3) at Mason HS
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Division II state semifinals – Friday, Nov. 29
- Region 5 vs. Region 6 at TBA
- Region 7 vs. Region 8 at TBA
- State Championship Game: Thursday, December 5, 7 p.m.
Division II Regional Finals – Friday, Nov. 22
- Region 5: 1. Walsh Jesuit (13-0) vs. 2. Hoban (11-2) at Twinsburg Tiger Stadium
- Region 6: 1. Avon (13-0) vs. 2. Medina Highland (13-0) at Elyria’s Ely Stadium
- Region 7: 1. Big Walnut (12-1) vs. 3. Massillon (11-2) at Mansfield Arlin Field
- Region 8: 1. Cincinnati Anderson (13-0) vs. 2. Cincinnati La Salle (11-2) at Cincinnati Princeton HS
Division III state semifinals – Friday, Nov. 29
- Region 9 vs. Region 10 at TBA
- Region 11 vs. Region 12 at TBA
- State Championship Game: Friday, December 6, 3 p.m.
Division III Regional Finals – Friday, Nov. 22
- Region 9: 1. Youngstown Ursuline (12-1) vs. 2. Gilmour Academy (12-1) at Ravenna HS
- Region 10: 1. Toledo Central Catholic (12-1) vs. 7. Parma Padua (8-5) at Sandusky HS
- Region 11: 1. Columbus Watterson (13-0) vs. 2. Steubenville (12-0) at New Philadelphia HS
- Region 12: 4. London (13-0) vs. 3. Bellbrook (12-1) at Springfield HS
Division IV state semifinals – Friday, Nov. 29
- Region 14 vs. Region 13 at TBA
- Region 16 vs. Region 15 at TBA
- State Championship Game: Saturday, December 7, 7:30 p.m.
Division IV Regional Finals – Friday, Nov. 22
- Region 13: 2. Lake County Perry (12-1) vs. 5. Glenville (10-3) at Nordonia HS
- Region 14: 1. Sandusky Perkins (12-1) vs. 3. Ontario (12-1) at Tiffin Columbian
- Region 15: 1. St. Clairsville (13-0) vs. 2. Indian Valley (13-0) at Zanesville HS
- Region 16: 5. Cincinnati Taft (11-2) vs. 10. Kettering Alter (8-5) at Monroe HS
Division V state semifinals – Friday, Nov. 29
- Region 18 vs. Region 17 at TBA
- Region 19 vs. Region 20 at TBA
- State Championship Game: Saturday, December 7, 3 p.m.
Division V Regional Finals – Friday, Nov. 22
- Region 17: 1. Canfield South Range (13-0) vs. 3. Poland Seminary (11-2) at Boardman High School
- Region 18: 1. Milan Edison (13-0) vs. 2. Liberty Center (13-0) at Millbury Lake HS
- Region 19: 1. Ironton (12-1) vs. 14. Wheelersburg (9-4) at South Point HS
- Region 20: 2. West Liberty-Salem (12-1) vs. 5. Indian Lake (11-2) at Piqua HS
Division VI state semifinals – Friday, Nov. 29
- Region 21 vs. Region 23 at TBA
- Region 24 vs. Region 22 at TBA
- State Championship Game: Saturday, December 7, 10:30 a.m.
Division VI Regional Finals – Friday, Nov. 22
- Region 21: 1. Kirtland (13-0) vs. 6. Dalton (10-3) at North Royalton HS
- Region 22: 2. Bluffton (12-1) vs. 4. Hamler Patrick Henry (11-2) at Findlay
- Region 23: 1. Grandview Heights (12-0) vs. 2. Galion Northmor (13-0) at Westerville Central HS
- Region 24: 1. Coldwater (12-1) vs. 3. Anna (10-3) at Sidney
Division VII state semifinals – Friday, Nov. 29
- Region 27 vs. Region 25 at TBA
- Region 28 vs. Region 26 at TBA
- State Championship Game: Friday, December 6, 10:30 a.m.
Division VII Regional Finals – Friday, Nov. 22
- Region 25: 2. Hillsdale (12-1) vs. 9. Cuyahoga Heights (8-4) at Orrville HS
- Region 26: 1. Columbus Grove (13-0) vs. 15. Delphos St. John’s (6-7) at Lima Spartan Stadium
- Region 27: 1. Danville (11-2) vs. 2. Beaver Eastern (13-0) at Logan HS
- Region 28: 1. Marion Local (13-0) vs. 2. Minster (11-2) at Wapakoneta HS
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