St. Edward rises to the top, Mason enters for first time: The SBLive Ohio Top 25
As fast as you can snap your fingers, the 10-week Ohio high school football regular season is behind us. After all of that, the postseason is down to 448 teams as we begin the path to crown seven state champions. Teams from six divisions and 12 regions are represented in the final Top 25 of the Ohio high school football regular season, including a first-time entry.
(Photo by Mike Cook, Video by Owen MacMillan)
The SBLive Ohio Top 25:
1. St. Edward, Lakewood (9-1) Last Week: 3
After a convincing 41-20 win over former No. 2 Archbishop Hoban, it's impossible not to move the Eagles to the top spot of the SBLive Top 25 heading into the postseason. Five of the Eagles' six in-state games came against teams in the top 25 with the lone outlier being St. Ignatius. St. Edward shouldn't be challenged in the first three rounds of the Division I playoffs, which they open at home against 1-9 Stow-Munroe Falls.
2. Lakota West, West Chester (10-0) Last week: 1
With a 31-14 win over Colerain, the Firebirds have established themselves as the top public school program in the state. Lakota West earns their third straight outright Greater Miami Conference title and their first ever 10-0 regular season since the East-West split 25 years ago. The Firebirds should have no problems with Lebanon in the first round, but a familiar Princeton team may be waiting in the second round.
3. Archbishop Hoban, Akron (9-1) Last Week: 2
It's tough to knock Hoban down too far in the rankings after their first loss of the season came to new No. 1 St. Edward, 41-20. Regardless, the Knights will enter the Division II playoffs as one of the favorites. The biggest challenge is the gauntlet that is Region 5, where they are the top seed. While Willoughby South and the Barberton/Rhodes winner shouldn't pose a threat in the first two rounds, there are no cupcakes the rest of the way.
4. Archbishop Moeller, Cincinnati (9-1) Last Week: 4
Ending the season with a 30-14 win over Detroit King (Michigan), the Crusaders earned the top seed in the deep Region 4 in Division I. Moeller has Hamilton in the first round on Friday. With a win, their second round opponent will be two teams that spent several weeks in the top 25 in Fairfield and St. Xavier.
5. Massillon (7-1) Last Week: 6
The Tigers continue to own the best rivalry in the state after a 23-13 win over Canton McKinley. The Tigers will open the postseason in Region 7 with crosstown rival Massillon Perry in the first round. Massillon should not be challenged in the first three rounds, maybe the first four if 9-1 Lake gets upset early.
6. Toledo Central Catholic (9-1) Last Week: 7
The Fighting Irish were never challenged in the Three Rivers Athletic Conference this season, going a perfect 7-0 in conference play. The only blemish was an opening weekend loss at new No. 1 St. Edward, 23-20. TCC will be a heavy favorite when they host Ashland in the first round. However, there will not be any easy wins in an upgraded Division II, Region 6.
7. Avon (9-1) Last Week: 8
Speaking of Region 6, the Southwestern Conference outright champions will run into Highland or TCC at some point in the postseason. Avon holds several impressive wins against the likes of Medina, Avon Lake, and Olmsted Falls, earning the top seed in the region. The Eagles open up the postseason against Westlake.
8. Medina (9-1) Last Week: 9
The Bees won back-to-back Greater Cleveland Conference titles with a 48-7 win over Solon on Friday. The one-loss record earns the Bees the No. 2 seed in Division I, Region 1, where they will host conference rival Strongsville on Friday.
9. Springfield (8-1) Last Week: 10
The best thing about being a top-4 seed in Division I, Region 2 is getting to stay at home for the first two rounds. From Dayton to Columbus to Toledo, Region 2 is the most geographically expansive region in the state and home field advantage matters here more than any other region. The Wildcats will host Olentangy Orange on Friday. With a win, they would host either Wayne or get a chance at revenge against Kettering Fairmont in the second round.
10. Princeton, Cincinnati (8-2) Last Week: 5
The Vikings did themselves no favors with that 10-7 loss to Mason on senior night. With that loss, Princeton may have to go on the road in the second round. They host West Clermont in the first round, which should be a comfortable win. However, if things go as expected, the Vikings would head to Lakota West in the second round.
11 Highland, Medina (10-0) Last Week: 12
Three teams in Division II, Region 6 in the top 11 of the final Top 25. There's no better way to describe how loaded this region is in Northeast Ohio. The Hornets clinched their first perfect regular season since 2001 with a 63-0 win over Copley. The Highland defense has allowed 23 points TOTAL in the last 9 games. With Oregon Clay in the first round, expect Highland to be on a crash course with TCC in the third round.
12. Riverside, Painesville (9-1) Last Week: 11
The Beavers have never had a double-digit win season. Their 44-27 win over Willoughby South on Friday was their ninth of the season. If the Beavers can beat Lakeside in the first round, it would be the program's most successful season in school history. But why stop there? Hoban is considered by many to be the clear favorite to win Region 5 in Division II. However, Riverside is one of a handful of teams with the talent to upset Hoban before the state semifinals.
13. Elder, Cincinnati (8-2) Last Week: 13
When looking at the Division I, Region 4 bracket, it says the Panthers are the No. 2 seed in the region. But looking at the path Elder has, one would think they were the top seed. Elder will host Middletown on Friday and with a win would get Milford or Western Hills, both teams Elder should be able to handle easily.
14. Winton Woods, Cincinnati (10-0) Last Week: 14
The defending Division II state champions won the Eastern Cincinnati Conference for their first outright conference title after a 44-8 win over Lebanon. The path to back-to-back state titles is filled with landmines. The first round game is with a battle-tested La Salle team who plays a primarily Division I schedule and the Warriors have a potential rematch against Kings in the third round.
15. Walsh Jesuit, Cuyahoga Falls (8-2) Last Week: 15
The Warriors ended their season with four straight wins, capping it off with a 41-14 win against St. Vincent-St. Mary on Friday. If any team is going to upset Hoban in Division II, Region 5, Walsh Jesuit might have a shot. The Warriors open up their playoffs against Maple Heights on Friday.
16. Austintown-Fitch (9-1) Last Week: 18
Another team with upset potential are the Falcons who have been nearly unstoppable on the ground all season long. Fitch ended the regular season with a 59-28 win over Warren G. Harding. The Falcons host Mayfield to open the Division II, Region 5 playoffs on Friday.
17. Hudson (10-0) Last Week: 16
Staying in Division II, Region 5, the Explorers are the only perfect team remaining after sweeping through the Suburban League, their first 10-win regular season since 2014. The Explorers had dreams of a deep playoff run last season before running into Walsh Jesuit in the second round. Hudson and Walsh Jesuit would face off again in the second round if both teams win Friday. Hudson hosts Solon in the first round.
18. West Holmes, Millersburg (10-0) Last Week: 17
Two straight 10-0 regular seasons for the Knights. Last year, that perfect season took West Holmes all the way to the Division III state semifinals where they fell to eventual state champion Chardon. This year, West Holmes is in Division IV but with a somewhat tougher path through the region. After what should be a win against Shelby, the Knights are lined up to face a potential pair of Western Buckeye League teams in St. Marys and Van Wert (or Perkins), with Glenville earning an easier path to the regional final.
19. Marion Local, Maria Stein (10-0) Last Week: 19
If there was any question if the Flyers were for real, they beat previously undefeated Coldwater, 35-0, on the road, to win the Midwest Athletic Conference. It's no stretch to say this Division VI school could compete for a s state title in any division outside of I and II. The Flyers will face conference rival Anna in the first round on Friday.
20. Kings, Kings Mills (9-1) Last Week: 20
The Knights wrapped up the season with a 41-26 win over Anderson on Friday, earning two home playoff games in Division II, Region 8. Kings should have little issue with Sidney in the first round. But, the game that everybody will be looking forward to is a rematch of the de facto ECC Championship should Kings and Winton Woods clash in the third round.
21. Chardon (8-1) Last Week: 21
As always, Region 9 is the toughest, deepest region in Division III. As always, Chardon is the favorite to come out of the northeastern Ohio region. As always, there are plenty of teams that could trip up the Hilltoppers like Ursuline, Canfield, Aurora, Tallmadge, and Chaney. The only difference is that Chardon is not taking an unblemished record into the postseason this year.
22. South Range, Canfield (10-0) Last Week: 22
It's crazy that six divisions are represented in the top 25. South Range will look to go a perfect 16-0 after capping off an undefeated regular season. The Raiders should be two-touchdown favorites all the way through Division V, Region 17 with Norwayne, Perry, or Garaway providing the biggest challenge before the state semifinals.
23. Gahanna Lincoln (9-1) Last Week: 25
While the top Columbus programs floundered to begin the season, the Lions came through in September and October, winning the OCC Ohio Division and establishing themselves as the top team in the area. The Lions should make quick work of Lancaster in the first round. As a whole, Division I, Region 3 is a three-team race with Pickerington Central and Upper Arlington posed to be the top challengers after Gahanna Lincoln.
24. Mason (8-2) Last Week: NR
The Comets earned this spot in the final top 25 after a huge upset win at Princeton to end the season. Securing runners-up honors in the GMC, the Comets will be strong favorites in the first round against Colerain. Even better, Mason should be road favorites in the second round, assuming they head north to Springboro.
25. Ursuline, Youngstown (8-2) Last Week: 23
If Chardon is the favorite in Division III, then the Fighting Irish have to be next in line. Ursuline holds wins over Brookfield, Farrell (Pennsylvania), Chaney, and Villa Angela-St. Jospeh. In three of those cases, the Irish were the only team to beat them. Ursuline ended the season with a 13-7 win over Cardinal Mooney and will host Hawken in the first round on Friday.
