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Valley boasts 13 playoff teams
Four to host first-round games
By Steve Ruman
A season which began under the hot August sun will continue into November for 13 area prep football teams.
The Ohio High School Athletic Association on Sunday released its pairings for the first-round of playoffs, which begin Friday. Among the 192 qualifiers are five schools from Mahoning County: Austintown Fitch, Poland, Ursuline, Western Reserve and Youngstown Christian.
Trumbull County will be represented by seven schools, the most in its history: Warren G. Harding, Howland, Hubbard, Niles, Brookfield, Liberty and Warren John F. Kennedy.
Crestview is Columbiana County’s lone representative.
To follow Valley teams, fans will have to travel for the most part. All but four of the area qualifiers begin their tournament journey on the road.
Fitch (9-1) returns to the playoffs for the sixth time, the second under coach Phil Annarella. The Falcons (Division I, Region 1) will play at Cleveland St. Ignatius. The Wildcats, owners of 11 state titles, suffered their first season loss Saturday to Lakewood St. Ed’s.
“Our kids did a terrific job all year long,” Annarella said. “They played as a unit, and our co-coaches did a great job. Team chemistry is the reason we’re in this position. We’re going out and giving it our best shot. We want to have some fun.”
Warren G. Harding (9-1) joins Fitch in the Region 1 playoff hunt. The Raiders have won nine straight since falling to the Falcons in Week 1. They return to the playoffs with a road game at Mentor (9-1).
Howland (8-2) will be the area’s lone representative in Division II. The Tigers are making their sixth-straight playoff appearance and 10th overall. They travel to Chardon (8-2).
Division III, Region 9 will feature one of two first-round match-ups involving a pair of area teams. Hubbard (7-3) and Niles (8-2) met Oct. 5 at Bo Rein Stadium in a game won by the Eagles, 43-14. The two teams return to the same location Saturday in what will be the Red Dragons’ first-ever home playoff game.
“It’s great for the area to have two local teams paired up. It should be an electric atmosphere,” said Niles coach Brian Shaner. “I’m so excited that this team has an opportunity to represent Niles.”
Hubbard is making its 11th postseason appearance. It qualified five-straight years before missing out in 2011. Niles is making its fourth appearance, and first since 2006. The Eagles have beaten the Red Dragons in each of the past five years, outscoring them in the process, 190-49.
In Division III, Region 11, Poland (7-3) also will face a familiar foe. The Bulldogs travel to Marlington for the second time this season. The two schools met in Week 1, with Marlington prevailing, 10-7. After winning eight straight, the Dukes enter the tournament on a two-game losing streak. Poland is making its sixth-straight playoff appearance; it’s 12th overall.
Brookfield (10-0) will host Ashtabula Edgewood (6-3) after wrapping up its first undefeated season in 34 years. The Warriors were the top-seeded team in Division IV, Region 13. Liberty (8-2) also is a Region 13 qualifier. The Leopards will visit Streetsboro (7-3).
Ursuline (6-4) won three consecutive state titles between 2008 and 2010, but failed to reach the playoffs last year. The Irish, who ended their regular season with a loss to Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary, return to face Garaway (10-0) in Division V, Region 17.
“It’s an honor to get back,” said Irish first-year coach Larry Kempe. “We were playing very good football up until [Friday]. We just weren’t mentally ready, and that falls on me. We’ll be ready this week.”
Crestview (10-0) also qualified in Region 17 after compiling its first-ever undefeated season. The Rebels, making their fifth straight appearance (11th overall), will host Louisville St. Thomas Aquinas (9-1).
Three area teams qualified in Division VI, Region 21. Two meet Friday when Warren John F. Kennedy (9-1) hosts Youngstown Christian (7-2). JFK, who returns to the postseason following a two-year absence, has qualified for a Trumbull County-best 19th time. YCS made its initial appearance a year ago. This is the first meeting between the two schools.
Western Reserve (8-2) is making its fifth-straight appearance, including fourstraight under coach Andy Hake. The Blue Devils travel to Shadyside (10-0 for a rematch of last year’s regional final, won by Western Reserve 49-7. Reserve opened the season with back-to-back losses, but has since won eight straight.
“Our kids are relentless and they play very spirited,” Hake said. “They never panicked early on. They knew they had the ability, so they just went back to work and put it together. They got it done.”
Cardinal Mooney (3-6) is the only defending state champion which did not have an opportunity to defend its title. The Cardinals were a distant 19th in Region 11.
Campbell (6-4) finished ninth in Region 17, but the Red Devils’ fate hinged on the outcome of Saturday’s game between Fort Frye and Bishop Rosecrans. Fort Frye prevailed 34-28, giving it the region’s final playoff spot.
A late surge by Mineral Ridge (6-4) bumped the Rams up to ninth in Region 21, but they were seven-tenths of a point away from qualifying.
The All-American Conference American Division sent four of its seven teams to the playoffs. A fifth, Struthers, was ninth in Region 11, missing out by less than a tenth of a point.