CLEVELAND — Who's ready for some football??
The Ohio high school playoffs get underway this Friday, with 131 teams from across WKYC's viewing area competing for a shot at one of seven state championships! For the second straight season, the brackets have been expanded to 16 teams per region (four regions per division), giving more schools a shot to compete in the postseason.
Detractors have claimed the new format takes away from the excitement of the regular season and rewards undeserving teams. However, 16th seeded Milan Edison did make headlines last year when they upset No. 1 Bellevue in Division IV's Region 14. No. 14 Wooster also made it to the semifinals of Division II's Region 7, where they eventually lost to Green by only a touchdown.
Who will play the role of Cinderella this time around? Scroll down for our list of all first-round matchups involving teams from Northeast Ohio, along with scores below!
NOTE: All games during the first two rounds will be played at the better seed's home field, with local teams listed in bold. Each matchup is scheduled for Friday night at 7 p.m.
Division I
Region 1
- (16) Stow-Munroe Falls (1-9) vs. (1) St. Edward (9-1)
- (9) Berea-Midpark (5-5) vs. (8) Jackson (5-5)
- (13) Lorain (3-7) vs. (4) Cleveland Heights (9-1)
- (12) Cleveland John Marshall (6-4) vs. (5) Saint Ignatius (6-3)
- (15) Strongsville (3-7) vs. (2) Medina (9-1)
- (10) Elyria (5-5) vs. (7) Wadsworth (6-4)
- (14) Brunswick (3-7) vs. (3) Mentor (6-3)
- (11) GlenOak (4-6) vs. (6) Canton McKinley (5-5)
Division II
Region 5
- (16) Willoughby South (4-6) vs. (1) Archbishop Hoban (9-1)
- (9) Cleveland Rhodes (4-4) vs. (8) Barberton (6-4)
- (13) Mayfield (6-4) vs. (4) Austintown-Fitch (9-1)
- (12) Cleveland John Hay (7-3) vs. (5) St. Vincent-St. Mary (6-3)
- (15) Ashtabula Lakeside (6-4) vs. (2) Painesville Riverside (9-1)
- (10) Garfield Heights (7-3) vs. (7) Nordonia (8-2)
- (14) Solon (6-4) vs. (3) Hudson (10-0)
- (11) Maple Heights (6-4) vs. (6) Walsh Jesuit (8-2)
Region 6
- (16) Westlake (5-5) vs. (1) Avon (9-1)
- (9) North Royalton (6-4) vs. (8) Fremont Ross (6-4)
- (13) North Ridgeville (5-5) vs. (4) Anthony Wayne (9-1)
- (12) St. John's Jesuit (5-5) vs. (5) Olmsted Falls (8-2)
- (15) Oregon Clay (5-5) vs. (2) Granger Highland (10-0)
- (10) Parma Heights Valley Forge (7-3) vs. (7) North Olmsted (7-3)
- (14) Ashland (6-4) vs. (3) Toledo Central Catholic (9-1)
- (11) Sylvania Southview (8-2) vs. (6) Avon Lake (8-2)
Region 7
- (16) Perry (4-6) vs. (1) Massillon Washington (8-1)
- (12) Green (4-6) vs. (5) Big Walnut (8-2)
- (15) Dublin Scioto (4-6) vs. (2) Lake (9-1)
- (10) Dover (5-5) vs. (7) St. Francis DeSales (6-4)
- (11) Licking Heights (5-5) vs. (6) North Canton Hoover (7-3)
RELATED: Massillon Washington beats Canton McKinley 23-13 for 7th straight victory in storied rivalry
Division III
Region 9
- (16) Akron East (6-4) vs. (1) Chardon (8-1)
- (9) Geneva (7-3) vs. (8) Gilmour (9-1)
- (13) Kenston (7-3) vs. (4) University (8-1)
- (12) Alliance (8-2) vs. (5) Youngstown Chaney (9-1)
- (15) New Philadelphia (6-4) vs. (2) Canfield (8-1)
- (10) Aurora (7-3) vs. (7) Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy (7-3)
- (14) Hawken (8-2) vs. (3) Ursuline (8-2)
- (11) Villa Angela-St. Joseph (8-2) vs. (6) Tallmadge (8-2)
Region 10
- (16) Copley (3-7) vs. (1) Holy Name (7-2)
- (9) Toledo Scott (8-2) vs. (8) Lutheran West (9-1)
- (13) Defiance (6-4) vs. (4) Cloverleaf (8-2)
- (12) Ontario (6-4) vs. (5) Mansfield Senior (8-2)
- (15) Rocky River (4-6) vs. (2) Tiffin Columbian (8-2)
- (10) Padua Franciscan (5-5) vs. (7) Buckeye (7-3)
- (14) Firelands (7-3) vs. (3) Clyde (7-3)
- (11) Bay (5-5) vs. (6) Norton (8-2)
Division IV
Region 13
- (16) Field (4-6) vs. (1) West Branch (9-1)
- (9) Edgewood (6-4) vs. (8) Struthers (6-4)
- (13) Akron Buchtel (5-4) vs. (4) Woodridge (7-3)
- (12) Streetsboro (6-4) vs. (5) Lawrence Northwest (7-3)
- (15) Coventry (5-5) vs. (2) Beaver Local (8-2)
- (10) Salem (6-4) vs. (7) Canton South (7-3)
- (11) Poland Seminary (5-5) vs. (6) Jefferson Area (7-3)
Region 14
- (16) Napoleon (4-6) vs. (1) Cleveland Glenville (9-0)
- (9) Galion (6-4) vs. (8) Bellevue (6-4)
- (13) Bryan (6-4) vs. (4) Elyria Catholic (8-2)
- (12) Upper Sandusky (5-5) vs. (5) Clear Fork (9-1)
- (15) Shelby (5-5) vs. (2) West Holmes (10-0)
- (14) Caledonia River Valley (5-5) vs. (3) Perkins (9-1)
Region 15
- (13) Philo (5-5) vs. (4) Indian Valley (7-3)
- (15) Carrollton (7-3) vs. (2) Steubenville (8-2)
Division V
Region 17
- (9) Garrettsville Garfield (8-2) vs. (8) Conneaut (8-2)
- (12) Harrison Central (6-4) vs. (5) Norwayne (7-3)
- (15) Smithville (6-4) vs. (2) Garaway (10-0)
- (10) Ridgewood (7-3) vs. (7) Berkshire (7-3)
- (14) Triway (4-6) vs. (3) Perry (8-2)
- (11) Orrville (6-4) vs. (6) Fairless (8-2)
Region 18
- (12) Milan Edison (6-4) vs. (5) Huron (8-2)
Division VI
Region 21
- (16) Independence (4-6) vs. (1) Kirtland (10-0)
- (9) United (8-2) vs. (8) Rootstown (7-3)
- (13) Jackson-Milton (7-3) vs. (4) Dalton (8-2)
- (12) Pymatuning Valley (4-6) vs. (5) Brookfield (9-1)
- (15) Southeast (4-5) vs. (2) Mogadore (9-0)
- (10) Mineral Ridge (8-2) vs. (7) Canton Central Catholic (6-4)
- (14) Trinity (4-6) vs. (3) Valley Christian (9-0)
- (11) Cardinal (5-5) vs. (6) Cuyahoga Heights (7-2)
Region 22
- (9) Margaretta (8-2) vs. (8) Colonel Crawford (8-2)
- (13) Collins Western Reserve (6-4) vs. (4) West Salem Northwestern (8-2)
- (12) Black River (6-4) vs. (5) Columbus Grove (8-2)
- (15) Wayne Trace (5-5) vs. (2) Weller Crestview (10-0)
- (14) Mapleton (6-4) vs. (3) Columbia (10-0)
Region 23
- (13) West Jefferson (4-6) vs. (4) Newcomerstown (8-2)
- (12) Malvern (8-2) vs. (5) Dawson-Bryant (6-4)
- (10) Rock Hill Senior (5-5) vs. (7) Loudonville 6-4)
Division VII
Region 25
- (16) Fairport Harding (4-6) vs. (1) John F. Kennedy Catholic (8-1)
- (13) South Central (4-6) vs. (4) Southern Local (9-1)
- (12) Lisbon David Anderson (5-5) vs. (5) St. Paul (7-3)
- (10) Lucas (4-6) vs. (7) Toronto (7-3)
- (14) Windham (4-5) vs. (3) Danville (8-2)
- (11) Conotton Valley (6-4) vs. (6) Hillsdale (6-4)