News Release – Ohio High School Athletic Association
Executive Director Jerry Snodgrass
For Immediate Release – Nov. 25, 2018
OHSAA Releases Football State Championships Information
Finals kick off Thursday night with the Division II final: Massillon Washington vs. Akron Archbishop Hoban
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio High School Athletic Association has released the pairings and schedule for the football state championship games, which kick off Thursday evening at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.
Please see pages 12-19 for team notes submitted by local sportswriters.
Home teams listed first. Pairings include state rank and record.
All games at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Canton.
7:30 PM, Thursday, Nov. 29 – Division II: No. 3 Massillon Washington (14-0) vs. No. 1 Akron Archbishop Hoban (14-0)
10:00 AM, Friday, Nov. 30 – Division VI: No. 1 Kirtland (14-0) vs. No. 3 Maria Stein Marion Local (13-1)
3:00 PM, Friday, Nov. 30 – Division III: No. 1 Kettering Archbishop Alter (13-1) vs. No. 4 Chagrin Falls Kenston (13-1)
8:00 PM Friday, Nov. 30 – Division I: No. 9 Lakewood St. Edward (10-3) vs. No. 1 Cincinnati Colerain (14-0)
10:00 AM, Saturday, Dec. 1 – Division VII: No. 6 McComb (13-1) vs. No. 2 Glouster Trimble (13-1)
3:00 PM, Saturday, Dec. 1 – Division V: Orrville (12-2) vs. No. 4 Johnstown-Monroe (13-1)
8:00 PM, Saturday, Dec. 1 – Division IV: No. 1 Cincinnati Wyoming (14-0) vs. Girard (13-1)
Football State Championships Media Information
Monday Media Teleconference
The OHSAA will conduct a media teleconference featuring the 14 head coaches of the state finalists on Monday, November 26, beginning 10:00 a.m. Each coach will be available for 15 minutes. A replay will be available. Media can contact Tim Stried (
[email protected]) for more information.
See pages 12-19 for team notes submitted by local sportswriters
Spectrum is the official television partner of the OHSAA and will televise all seven state championship games lives.
The
OHSAA Radio Network will broadcast all seven state championship games. Delivery details and program logs are posted on the OHSAA Radio Network page at:
https://www.ohsaa.org/news/radio
All-Ohio Football Teams Announcements
The All-Ohio football teams will be announced beginning Sunday, Nov. 25, at approximately 5:30 p.m. with the Division VI and VII selections. Divisions IV and V will be announced Monday, followed by Divisions II and III on Tuesday and Division I and Ohio Mr. Football on Wednesday. The All-Ohio teams are selected by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association.
Excerpts from the Notes Packet
See pages 12-19 for team notes submitted by local sportswriters
Welcome to the State Championships!
The 15th and final week of the 2018 OHSAA football season has arrived. After 717 teams began practice on July 30, only 14 are still playing this week in the state championship games, which kick off Thursday night. All seven title games will be played at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.
Ticket Information
Fans are encouraged to buy their playoff tickets in advance at the participating schools, which keep a percentage of the revenue. Tickets purchased through one of the 14 schools are only $11. Club level tickets, which include indoor access, are also available through www.ProFootballHOF.com/tickets
Noting the State Finalists
Girard (Div. IV) and Johnstown-Monroe (Div. V) are making their first football state championship game appearances in school history. Additionally, three other schools are also looking to win their first football state title in school history: Massillon Washington (Div. II), Chagrin Falls Kenston (Div. III) and Glouster Trimble (Div. VII).
Only three of the 14 state finalists are making a return trip to Canton from the 2017 state championship games. Akron Archbishop Hoban is looking to defend its Division II crown, and the Division VI state final is a rematch of last year’s state championship game between Kirtland and Maria Stein Marion Local (won by Marion Local, 34-11).
Still Perfect
Five teams will look to cap off a perfect 15-0 season this weekend in Canton, as Cin. Colerain (Div. I), Massillon Washington (Div. II), Akron Archbishop Hoban (Div. II), Cin. Wyoming (Div. IV) and Kirtland (Div. VI) all remain unbeaten. The Div. II state championship game is the only matchup between two undefeated teams.
Finalists by Final State Rank
Of the 14 state finalists, 11 appeared in the final Associated Press state poll (all but Girard in Div. IV, Orrville in Div. V and Glouster Trimble in Div. VII).
Five of the seven teams that won poll championships are still playing, including Cin. Colerain (Div. I), Akron Archbishop Hoban (Div. II), Kettering Archbishop Alter (Div. III), Cin. Wyoming (Div. IV) and Kirtland (Div. VI). The final AP polls appear on page 8 of this packet. Last year, three teams ranked No. 1 in the final poll went on to win a state title – Trotwood-Madison (Div. III), Steubenville (Div. IV) and Maria Stein Marion Local (Div. VI).
The last unranked team to win a state title was Minster in Division VII in 2017.
Last year, three teams ranked No. 1 in the final poll went on to win a state title – Trotwood-Madison (Div. III), Steubenville (Div. IV) and Maria Stein Marion Local (Div. VI).
Strength of Schedule
Four state finalists defeated a total of four playoff teams during the regular season, tied for the most of any team in the state championship games in all divisions:
- Cin. Colerain: Cin. St. Xavier (14-12 in Week 2), Mason (42-7 in Week 7), Liberty Twp. Lakota East (42-0 in Week 8), Fairfield (55-27 in Week 9)
- Cin. Wyoming: Cin. Hills Christian Acad. (33-10 in Week 3), Cin. Deer Park (44-7 in Week 6), Cin. Madeira (70-0 in Week 7), Cin. Indian Hill (37-7 in Week 10)
- Orrville: Lexington (57-21 in Week 3), Massillon Tuslaw (35-0 in Week 5), Cuy. Valley Christian Acad. (37-34 in Week 6), Loudonville (48-14 in Week 7)
- Marion Local: Patrick Henry (42-7 in Week 2), Anna (44-20 in Week 5), St. Henry (28-7 in Week 6), Minster (7-6 in Week 8)
State Finalists by Regional Seed
The Division II and Division V finals are the only matchups that feature teams that were a No. 1 seed in their respective regions. In Division I, Lakewood St. Edward is looking to become just the third No. 7 regional seed since 1999 to win a state title (Cle. St. Ignatius in 2001 & Piqua in 2006). The following seeds have advanced to the state finals:
No. 1 seed – 7 (Colerain, Hoban, Massillon, Alter, Wyoming, Orrville, Johnstown-Monroe)
No. 2 seed – 2 (Kenston, Kirtland)
No. 3 seed – 2 (Marion Local, Trimble)
No. 4 seed – 0
No. 5 seed – 2 (Girard, McComb)
No. 6 seed – 0
No. 7 seed – 1 (St. Edward)
No. 8 seed – 0
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