12 Valley teams in playoff chase

Staff report

Five area high school football teams — Fitch, Niles, Brookfield, Crestview and Youngstown Christian — are halfway to perfect regular seasons and first-round home playoff games.

All are unbeaten after five weeks and if the season ended today, they would open the Ohio High School Athletic Association playoffs at home in the regional quarterfinals.

Seven other area teams are either in playoff position or within striking distance at the season’s midway point.

Fitch (5-0), coming off a 52-7 rout of rival Boardman, is third in Division I, Region 1 in the latest computer ratings released by the OHSAA on Tuesday. The Falcons have beaten Warren Harding, Akron Hoban, Brunswick, Barberton and the Spartans. Only Fitch’s 24-10 victory over the Raiders in Week 1 has been close.

Harding (4-1), which has rebounded from a 2-8 season in 2011, is ninth in the same region.

The top eight teams in each of the state’s 24 regions — across six divisions — qualify for the playoffs. The top four in each region host first-round playoff games before the playoffs shift to neutral sites.

Niles (5-0), is first in Division III, Region 9. The Red Dragons have beaten Girard, Liberty, Salem, Poland and Beaver Local.

Brookfield (5-0) is dominating Division IV, Region 13. The Warriors have an almost 21/2-point lead over second-rated Creston Norwayne. The Bobcats, the defending Division IV state champion, began their 2011 playoff run with a 42-7 win over Brookfield.

The Warriors have defeated Garfield Heights Trinity, Newton Falls, Campbell Memorial, Struthers and Warren JFK. Only a 26-13 win at Struthers in Week 4 was close.

Liberty (4-1) and Lakeview (3-2) are seventh and eighth, respectively, in the same division.

Crestview (5-0) is rated first in Division V, Region 17. The Rebels began the season with a 37-33 victory over Columbiana, then beat their next four opponents — Beaver Local, Southern Local, Lisbon and Mineral Ridge — by an average score of 56-10.

Ursuline (3-2) is eighth in the same division.

Youngstown Christian (5-0) is fourth in Division VI, Region 21. The Eagles edged Lowellville 13-7 in Week 1, but have since dominated Springfield, Pymatuning Valley, Grand Valley and Mathews. Youngstown Christian crushed the Mustangs, 84-12, last Saturday.

Warren JFK (4-1) is sixth in the same region. The Eagles won their first four games, including a 34-32 victory over Girard on a game-ending Hail Mary touchdown pass in Week 3, but saw their winning streak end against Brookfield last week.

Western Reserve (3-2) is eighth in the same division.

Howland (4-1) is also in playoff position. The Tigers are eighth in Division II, Region 5. They’ve won three games in a row after 34-0 loss to Harding in Week 2.