CLEVELAND — You have to be pretty darn good to get to this spot, and those who remain alive in the OHSAA football playoffs certainly meet that criteria.
Eleven of those teams hail from Northeast Ohio, and give the region an opportunity to still take home state championships in each of the seven respective divisions. That includes two-time defending D-I champ St. Edward, which remains nationally ranked after barreling through the local bracket.
The same is true for DaOne Owens and unbeaten Massillon Washington, which is still seeking its first championship of the playoff era. If the Tigers can get past Anderson Friday, they will face either Archbishop Hoban or Avon in Canton. Mike Elder's Eagles have not played in a Division II state title game since 2011, having been upended by the Knights four times since in the semis.
Down in Division III, Leo Colombi and Chardon are just two years removed from back-to-back state titles, but this season have played the role of underdog by taking the regional championship as the seventh seed. The Hilltoppers will face Toledo Central Catholic, last year's D-II champ.
Division IV features another all-local matchup between Canton South and Cleveland Glenville. The undefeated Wildcats are led by record-breaking quarterback Poochie Snyder, while the Tarblooders are seeking their second consecutive title with a roster featuring top college prospects like Bryce West and Damarion Witten.
Division V sports Jayden Studio and the Perry Pirates, whose resume includes a rare victory over powerhouse Kirtland. However, the Hornets didn't let the early loss deter them, and will taken on unbeaten Garaway in one more all-local matchup in Division VI. Dalton rounds out the Northeast Ohio slate in D-VII as the Bulldogs make their first appearance in a state semifinal.
WKYC has again compiled a list of all the matchups involving teams in our viewing area this Friday night. The games will be played at neutral sites across Ohio.
Check below for final scores and the full schedule, with local teams listed in bold and the sites of each game written next to each game:
Division I
- St. Edward (13-1) vs. Hilliard Bradley (13-1) - Arlin Field, Mansfield
Division II
- Archbishop Hoban (12-1) vs. Avon (14-0) - Byers Field, Parma
- Massillon Washington (14-0) vs. Anderson (13-1) - Historic Crew Stadium, Columbus
Division III
- Chardon (11-3) vs. Toledo Central Catholic (14-0) - Ely Stadium, Elyria
Division IV
- Canton South (14-0) vs. Cleveland Glenville (11-3) - Art Wright Stadium, Wadsworth
Division V
- Harvest Prep (12-1) vs. Perry (14-0) - Whippet Athletic Complex, Shelby
Division VI
- Kirtland (13-1) vs. Garaway (14-0) - Leopard Stadium, Louisville
Division VII
- Caldwell (11-3) vs. Dalton (12-1) - John D. Sulsberger Memorial Stadium, Zanesville