The 2024 Ohio High School Athletic Association football playoffs begin on Friday, Nov. 1.
Here is a breakdown of each game that includes coverage-area programs:
Division I
Region 2
No 9 Middletown at No. 8 Wayne
The Middies (5-5) snapped a five-game losing streak with a win over Fairfield to cap off the regular season. The Warriors (5-5) had their four-game winning streak snapped by Centerville last week.
The last time Middletown and Wayne played was when the Middies won 32-21 in a season-opener back on Aug. 27, 2011.
Middletown senior receiver Maxmillian Johnson is tops in the Greater Miami Conference with 678 yards, 43 catches and seven touchdowns. J.D. Singletary and Amarion Bryant have a combined 18 sacks.
Wayne sophomore receiver Jamier Avarette-Brown leads the Greater Western Ohio Conference with 44 catches, 708 yards and nine touchdowns. Senior quarterback Tyrell Lewis is second in the conference with 1,341 yards and 16 touchdowns. Defensively, junior Javion Lewis is tied in the GWOC with nine sacks.
Region 4
No. 15 Walnut Hills at No. 2 Lakota West
The state’s No. 3-ranked Firebirds (9-1) have won seven in a row, while the Eagles (1-9) have lost their last nine games.
Walnut Hills gives up 34.1 points a game, while its offense only averages 7 points a game. The Firebirds have the GMC’s best offense and defense.
Lakota West senior quarterback Sam Wiles has thrown for 1,272 yards and 15 touchdowns, while rushing for 932 yards and another 11 scores.
No. 13 Fairfield at No. 4 Princeton
The Indians (2-8) have lost seven in a row, including a 62-30 defeat to the Vikings on Oct. 11. Princeton (8-2) has won four straight.
Vikings senior linebacker Paul Nelson leads the GMC with 115 tackles, while senior linebacker Shelvon Hibbet is tops in the GMC with 13 sacks. Junior quarterback De’Angelo Birch has thrown for 1,361 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Fairfield senior running back Tyler George has rushed for a GMC-second best 1,312 yards with 15 total touchdowns.
No. 12 Oak Hills at No. 5 Hamilton
The Big Blue (8-2) have won seven in a row after losing to Lakota West and Lakota East in Weeks 2 and 3, respectively. Hamilton has outscored its last three opponents 130-10.
Hamilton beat Oak Hills 34-7 earlier in the season. The Highlanders (4-6) have lost three of their last four.
Big Blue senior running back Gracen Goldsmith leads the GMC with 1,398 yards and 23 touchdowns. C.J. Bryant has 95 tackles, Trey Verdon has nine sacks, and Jailen Morris has four interceptions to lead Hamilton.
Max Rhodes leads Oak Hills with 101 tackles.
No. 10 Mason at No. 7 Elder
The Comets (5-5) have won four of their last five, while the Panthers (5-5) have lost three of their last four.
Mason’s Temi Adesanya leads the team with 588 yards rushing and six touchdowns, while Kaiser Wilhelm has four interceptions.
Elder sophomore quarterback Kaden Estep has thrown for 1,504 yards and 10 touchdowns. Derek Uran leads the Greater Catholic League South with 7.5 sacks, while Joey DiTullio is tops in the conference with four interceptions.
The last time Mason and Elder played was when the Comets beat the Panthers 21-20 in the first round of the 2016 playoffs.
No. 9 West Clermont at No. 8 Lakota East
The Thunderhawks (7-3) and the Wolves (7-3) have each won five of their last six games.
Lakota East and West Clermont last played when the Thunderhawks rolled the Wolves 49-14 in the first round of the 2021 playoffs.
Lakota East quarterback J.T. Kitna leads the GMC with 2,205 yards and 22 touchdowns. Cohen Reip has 111 tackles, and Connor Kruse has four interceptions for the Thunderhawks.
Wolves junior running back Landon Young leads the Eastern Cincinnati Conference with 1,344 yards and nine touchdowns. Julian Hinkston has 72 tackles, Caillou Robinson has eight sacks, and Daeveon Bennett has three interceptions for West Clermont.
Division II
Region 8
No. 16 Edgewood at No. 1 Anderson
The Cougars (3-7) have won two in a row and face the Raptors (10-0), who are ranked third in the state.
Edgewood sophomore quarterback Carter Breedlove has played the last four games under center. He’s thrown for 365 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for 282 yards. Junior linebacker Solomon Rothermel leads the team with 109 tackles, while senior Julian Apking has 4.5 sacks.
Anderson senior quarterback Justice Burnam has thrown for 2,997 yards and 34 touchdowns. Senor receiver Trace Jallick has 73 catches for 1,446 yards and 14 touchdowns. Defensively, senior Alex Stanyard has 8 sacks. The Raptors have outscored their opponents 488-86.
No. 15 Monroe at No. 2 La Salle
The Hornets (4-6) started the season out by winning four of their first five games but will take a five-game losing streak into La Salle (8-2).
Monroe senior quarterback Karson Marcum has thrown for 1,047 yards and eight touchdowns, and he’s rushed for 647 yards and nine scores.
The Lancers have won three of their last four and are led by senior Pat McLaughlin on offense and senior Brady O’Connor on defense. McLaughlin has thrown for 1,255 yards and seven touchdowns and has rushed for 620 yards and four scores. O’Connor leads the Greater Catholic League South with 86 tackles.
No. 13 Trotwood-Madison at No. 4 Badin
The Badin Rams (8-2) have won eight in a row after starting the season off with two losses. The Trotwood-Madison Rams (5-5) have won five straight by outscoring their opponents 242-6.
The last time Badin and Trotwood played was in the 2019 playoffs when Trotwood won 20-7.
The Badin Rams won the Greater Catholic League Coed for a seventh straight time. They beat McNicholas 10-6 last week in a nailbiter. Badin has outscored its opponents 207-83.
Trent Owens has 86 tackles, Royce Rachel has eight sacks, and Xander Arnold has three interceptions to lead Badin on defense.
Offensively for Badin, junior quarterback Colt Emerson has thrown for 776 yards and 10 touchdowns. Junior running back Lem Grayson has rushed for 620 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Division III
Region 12
No. 16 Talawanda at No. 1 Tippecanoe
The Brave (3-7) have lost three in a row. Quarterback Cale Leitch has thrown for 1,885 yards and 19 touchdowns, running back Lance Cantrell has rushed for 989 yards and 12 scores, and Demetrius Morris-Williams has caught 50 passes for 931 yards and eight TDs.
The Red Devils (10-0) are ranked fourth in the state and have outscored their opponents 417-87.
No. 15 Franklin at No. 2 Wapakoneta
The Wildcats (4-6) have lost three of their last four. Franklin’s Andrew Cooke leads the SWBL with six interceptions.
The Redskins (10-0) are coming off a 21-17 win over Celina. Wapakoneta is ranked sixth in the state.
No. 13 Ross at No. 4 London
The Rams (4-6) are led by senior quarterback Emory Severance, who has rushed for a SWBL-best 1,397 yards and 14 touchdowns.
The Red Raiders (10-0) have outscored their opponents 529-34 this season. London is ranked 10th in the state.
Division V
Region 20
No. 14 Madison at No. 3 Waynesville
The Mohawks (4-6) snapped a five-game losing streak last week with their 56-34 win over Oakwood. The Spartans (7-3) blanked Madison 38-0 during the regular season. Waynesville had its seven-game winning streak snapped with a loss to Valley View last week.
Madison’s Kaleb Miller is second in the SWBL with 1,080 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns. The senior scored six touchdowns last week against Oakwood. Julianye Johnson has a league-leading 8.5 sacks.
Waynesville quarterback Alex Amburgy leads the Southwestern Buckeye League with 1,984 passing yards and 21 touchdowns. He’s rushed for 849 yards and 12 scores. Receivers Trenton Davis and Garrett Lundy have a combined 1,721 yards and 18 touchdowns.
No. 9 Lima Bath at No. 8 Carlisle
The Indians (5-5) have lost three of their last five, including a 34-7 setback at Eaton to close out the regular season. The Wildcats (5-5) have lost four of their last five.
Carlisle sophomore quarterback Kolby Morgerson is second in the SWBL with 1,823 yards and 13 touchdowns. Senior linebacker Jeremy Hamm is tops in the conference with 127 tackles.
