2024 Ohio High School Playoffs

[bigdog3300]

The MAC conference is hands down probably one of the best, if not the best, small school conferences in the country, let alone the state. Delphos St John’s would probably be 8-2/9-1 in just about any other conference. So, the 15/2 upset wasn’t an upset if you have ever watched the MAC. If I’m not mistaken, Delphos once owned the largest winning streak, and I believe before that, it might’ve been Versailles. All from the same conference. Very fun to watch these guys get after it. Big community support as some of the 50/50 drawings bring in close to 20k. I’m in South Carolina now, but my dad still works for a school district in the MAC and keeps me up to date.

Best conference in the state as far as level of competition.

That said, I think the 15/2 actually spoke more to Upper Scioto capitalizing on a softer schedule. While St. John's is battle tested, they aren't quite as good as you think they are (as far as a 9-1 caliber team). This is still a team that only won by 2 scores over Fort Recovery.
Still, for the sake of bracket madness, it's fun to see those 'lower' seeds mix it up.

 

[bigdog3300]

Sorry for the delay, kids 8th birthday reigned supreme this weekend....as well as my alma mater losing in their state title game, the 45 year drought continues...without further ado:

D1
St. Ed's with the 7/2 'upset' over Whitmer. I think R1 is shaping up for a Mentor/Ed's battle.
#1 seed down! Wayne upsets Kettering Fairmont, a team that had beat them by 19 at home earlier this year, so a huge turnaround.
#14 Dublin Coffman does it again, this time a 56-20 drubbing over #6 Lebanon. 2-8 going into the playoffs, with their only wins over two 2-8 teams, and they have a regional semi date with #2 Centerville.
Another 7/2 upset with Pickerington North beating Pickerington Central for the 2nd time this year. It'll be a rare 7/6 regional semi as Olentangy Berlin upset Gahanna Lincoln.
6/3 St. X over Winton Woods...after a slow start to the year, the Bombers are playing their best ball over the last 6 weeks with only one team scoring more than 10 on them.


D2
Very, very chalk outside of a small 6/3 upset with Harrison over Xenia
This is a great thing though - tons of talent in D2 and seeing these teams all move forward is setting up for some huge games.


D3
#12 Lexington cruises past #4 Rocky River, 49-29
7/2 with Padua over Buckeye
#11 Dover over #3 Tri-Valley...the Tornadoes (what a name) are the highest seed left in D3
#1 seed down again! #1 Tippecanoe loses to #8 St. Mary's Memorial, which to be fair is a very, very good #8 seed. The Red Devils perfect season is over, and their first ever football state title will have to wait another year.


D4
#13 Napoleon does it again over #5 Bay Village, 28-0...the 13 seed has now beat a 5 and a 4 by a total of 77-0. I have no idea what to attribute to this turn around but wow.
13/12 game goes to the 13 in West Holmes
Another #1 down, a shocker...Clinton-Massie loses in OT, 16-13, to #9 Indian Hill
#10 Archbishop Alter does it again, this time over #2 Wyoming, 42-0. They're now 2-0 by a score of 56-0 over a #2 and a #7.


D5
Bottom half of R19 saved the division...7/2 with West Muskingum over Fairland. The Tornadoes advance and honestly this might just be the year of the Tornadoes.
#14 Wheelersburg over #11 Union Local. We'll either have a #14 or a #7 in the regional title game.
Pretty chalk otherwise.


D6
Small 6/3 with Dalton over Pymatuning Valley
That was the 'biggest' upset - some really big matchups in store next weekend although I expected a couple more upsets


D7
#1 seed down! D7 brings us back from the depths of chalk with a 9/1, Cuyahoga Heights over Western Reserve, 7-6. Now that's playoff football, baby.
MACtion continues, #15 St. John's 27-0 over #7 Calvert. They'll have an also battle tested Leipsic next week....if you love small town football, this will be a good one to check out.
As mentioned, Leipsic won, but as an #11 over #3 Gibsonburg. A rare 15/11 in the regional semi's!
Marion Local loses! And by lose, I mean they gave up 14 points....they won, 56-14, but honestly double digits should be a win for any team they play against.


We are still all on Friday nights and no Friday/Saturday splits which is great and how it should be. If you ever have a Friday night that you don't have plans, just find the closest playoff game. They're spread everywhere and the environment is so unique and fantastic, you don't have to know the teams, you just sit down and enjoy...nothing beats it, enjoy and I will actually post some of the best matchups later this week.

 

[NJ-Buckeye]

That is true, but D2 is deep, deep, deep this year. Avon, Walsh (who already beat Hoban this year), Massillon, Anderson and so many more. D2 is consistently the most interesting come playoff time. I will say that Hoban's somewhat recent 20-0 win over Glenville was very dominant and impressive.

just wanted to bump this because as playoffs roll along... D2 is indeed deep, deep, deep this year.. Being the better team doesn't mean much this year. You better bring your A game to every playoff game or you're goin home...

 

[NJ-Buckeye]

When does neutral sites start?

 

[bigdog3300]

When does neutral sites start?

This week it begins.

 

[BuckBackHome]

Ohio high school football playoff brackets | OHSAA sets sites for regional semifinals

The Ohio High School Athletic Association football playoffs are in the regional semifinals. Here's the schedule, with sites, for this week's games.

www.beaconjournal.com

 

[Zurp]

When does neutral sites start?

This week it begins.

Ohio high school football playoff brackets | OHSAA sets sites for regional semifinals

The Ohio High School Athletic Association football playoffs are in the regional semifinals. Here's the schedule, with sites, for this week's games.

www.beaconjournal.com

That's some SEC-level neutral field right there.

Edit - I have been corrected. See next two posts.
Thanks guys.

 

[brodybuck21]

View attachment 53039

That's some SEC-level neutral field right there.

Heights and valley are quite different locations and about a half hour apart

 

[Mike80]

View attachment 53039

That's some SEC-level neutral field right there.

And it's almost exactly in the middle of the two schools. The only other field close to it would be Gahanna but they aren't hosting anything this year due to construction.

And like @brodybuck21 said, you can't get much different between what you get at Licking Valley and Licking Heights

For the record, go Watterson.

 

[bigdog3300]

Couple of games that popped out to me so far with the first two divisions:

D1
(2) Lakota West vs. (6) St. Xavier
Lakota West won the season opener between the two, 17-13, has the better record, etc. but St. X is playing their best ball of the year...give me the Bombers in an upset.

D2
(2) Medina Highland vs. (3) Whitehouse Anthony Wayne
12-0 vs. 12-0....classic something has to give game. Highland has scored at least 31 every game, Anthony Wayne has only given up more than 20 once (25 to Findlay). Whitehouse at their peak can beat anyone (see Whitmer and Perrysburg), but can struggle with mobile QBs. Fortunately, the kid from Highland is in his first year back after two ACL tears and I don't think will threaten them enough, give me the Generals.

 

[Zurp]

Heights and valley are quite different locations and about a half hour apart

And it's almost exactly in the middle of the two schools. The only other field close to it would be Gahanna but they aren't hosting anything this year due to construction.

And like @brodybuck21 said, you can't get much different between what you get at Licking Valley and Licking Heights

For the record, go Watterson.

Thank you. I didn't realize those were different.

 

[JCOSU86]

The MAC conference is hands down probably one of the best, if not the best, small school conferences in the country, let alone the state. Delphos St John’s would probably be 8-2/9-1 in just about any other conference. So, the 15/2 upset wasn’t an upset if you have ever watched the MAC. If I’m not mistaken, Delphos once owned the largest winning streak, and I believe before that, it might’ve been Versailles. All from the same conference. Very fun to watch these guys get after it. Big community support as some of the 50/50 drawings bring in close to 20k. I’m in South Carolina now, but my dad still works for a school district in the MAC and keeps me up to date.

 

[brodybuck21]

And it's almost exactly in the middle of the two schools. The only other field close to it would be Gahanna but they aren't hosting anything this year due to construction.

And like @brodybuck21 said, you can't get much different between what you get at Licking Valley and Licking Heights

For the record, go Watterson.

This

 

[pnuts34]

Couple of games that popped out to me so far with the first two divisions:

D1
(2) Lakota West vs. (6) St. Xavier
Lakota West won the season opener between the two, 17-13, has the better record, etc. but St. X is playing their best ball of the year...give me the Bombers in an upset.

D2
(2) Medina Highland vs. (3) Whitehouse Anthony Wayne
12-0 vs. 12-0....classic something has to give game. Highland has scored at least 31 every game, Anthony Wayne has only given up more than 20 once (25 to Findlay). Whitehouse at their peak can beat anyone (see Whitmer and Perrysburg), but can struggle with mobile QBs. Fortunately, the kid from Highland is in his first year back after two ACL tears and I don't think will threaten them enough, give me the Generals.

Yeah, I can see both GCL teams winning in Cincy tomorrow. St. X is playing hot at the right time. And Moeller looks like arguably the best team in the state. I’ll be at that game watching them handle Princeton

 

[bigdog3300]

A couple other games that pop out to me....

D4
2. Perry (11-1) vs. 3. Streetsboro (12-0)
Two powerhouses going at it, game of the night potential

D5
1. Ironton (11-1) vs. 4. Harvest Prep (9-2)
I think Harvest Prep can make a game out of it and surprise some folks