Staff report

Eight Mahoning Valley teams have clinched playoff spots and three more control their own destiny entering the final weekend of the high school football regular season.

According to JoeEitel.com, three teams have already clinched first-round home games: Hubbard (9-0), which is first in the Division III, Region 7 computer ratings, Liberty (8-1), which is second in Division V, Region 15 and Western Reserve (8-1), which is second in Division VII, Region 23.

The other area teams that have clinched playoff berths are: Austintown Fitch (6-2, eighth in Division I, Region 1), Cardinal Mooney (5-3, third in Division IV, Region 11), Ursuline (6-3, third in Region 15), McDonald (9-0, fifth in Division VI, Region 19) and Wellsville (7-2, fourth in Region 23).

Poland (8-1, seventh in Region 7) can clinch a playoff berth by winning at Canfield on Friday night.

Springfield (7-2, seventh in Region 19) can clinch a playoff berth with a win against South Range and Mathews (6-3, ninth in Region 23) would clinch a spot with a win against Pymatuning Valley.

The top 16 teams in both Division I regions will qualify for the playoffs, while the top eight schools in each region in Divisions II through VII will qualify.

Howland (6-3), West Branch (5-4), Lakeview (6-3), Struthers (4-5), Beaver Local (6-3), Crestview (5-4), United (6-3), Girard (7-2), East Palestine (4-5), Lisbon (6-3) and South Range (6-3) are on the bubble.

Crestview and United would make the playoffs if the season ended today.

The following Valley teams have already been eliminated: East, Warren Harding, Boardman, Canfield, Niles, Salem, East Liverpool, LaBrae, Campbell, Champion, Brookfield, Columbiana, Jackson-Milton, Newton Falls, Southern, Lowellville, Mineral Ridge, Sebring, Warren JFK, Youngstown Christian, Southington, Leetonia.

Jackson-Milton and Sebring are the only Valley teams to have never qualified for the postseason.

The final ratings will be released Sunday and will determine which teams make the playoffs and the first-round (i.e. regional quarterfinal) playoff pairings, which are set for Nov. 7-8.

For a complete listing of the ratings, see B2.