COLUMBUS — Following the conclusion of the football regular-season last Saturday (Oct. 21), the Ohio High School Athletic Association released the first-round playoff pairings Sunday afternoon. All first-round games will be played on Friday, Oct. 27, with kickoffs set for 7 p.m. The top eight seeds in each region will serve as hosts for the first-round games.

For the third-consecutive season, the top 16 schools in each region qualified for the postseason, giving playoff berths to 448 schools.

All seven area teams will be playing in the postseason and for the first time ever, all five Preble County teams qualified in the same season — other than the 2020 season when all teams could play or opt out of the playoffs due to COVID.

The regional playoffs will follow bracket format. Second-round games will be played on Friday, Nov. 3, at the better seeded team’s venue. Neutral sites will be used beginning in the third round on Friday, Nov. 10, and the regional finals on Friday, Nov. 17. The state semifinals will be on Friday, Nov. 23, with the state championship games then hosted at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton on Nov. 30, Dec. 1 and 2.

In Division II, Region 8, Northmont (6-4) is the No. 4 seed and will host No. 13 Fairborn (4-6). The Thunderbolts are making their 16th playoff appearance and seventh straight. They have an all-time playoff record of 5-14.

In Division IV, Region 16, Eaton (8-2) is the No. 8 seed and will host a familiar opponent in No. 9 Cin. Archbishop McNicholas (5-5). This will be the third straight year these teams have met in the playoffs and fourth all-time. Eaton is making its 11th postseason trip overall and fourth straight. The Eagles are 7-10 all-time in playoff games.

In Division V, Region 20, Brookville (8-2) is the No. 3 seed and will host No. 14 Casstown Miami East (6-4) in the opening round. The Blue Devils are making their 16th postseason trip and fourth straight. They are 10-15 overall in the playoffs, which includes a state runner-up finish in 1976.

Also in Division V, Region 20, Preble Shawnee (7-3) is the No. 11 seed and will travel to No. 6 seed West Milton Milton-Union (7-3) for its first-round game. The Arrows are making their fourth straight trip to the playoffs and fourth overall. Shawnee is 5-3 in playoff games.

In Division VI, Region 24, Twin Valley South (6-4) earned the No. 7 seed and will host No. 10 Cin. Deer Park (3-7) in the first round. The Panthers are making their fifth playoff appearance and fourth straight. They will bring a 3-4 overall playoff record into the game.

Also in Division VI, Region 24, National Trail (4-6) is the No. 12 seed and will travel to No. 5 New Madison Tri-Village (9-1). The match up is a repeat of Week 10. Tri-Village won 20-7. Trail is making its fifth playoff appearance and fourth straight. Trail will be looking for its first win. The Blazers are currently 0-4 in playoff games.

In Division VII, Region 28, Tri-County North (4-6) is in at No. 16 and will have the task of traveling to No. 1 Maria Stein Marion Local (10-0). The Flyers are currently the state’s top ranked team as well. North is making its ninth playoff appearance and first since 2020. The Panthers are 1-8 in the playoffs.

Regional Tickets: Discounted tickets available online for adults $12 and students $9 at ohsaa.org/tickets. Select your team’s division and region to locate the link for your game. Admission at the gate is $15 for all (when held at high school stadium). (Editor’s note: Ticket prices are set by the OHSAA and not the hosting school)

OHSAA Football First-Round Playoff Pairings:

Pairings shown with regional seed. All games on Friday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m., unless indicated otherwise.

Division I

Region 1

16 Elyria (1-9) at 1 Lakewood St. Edward (8-1)

15 Euclid (1-9) at 2 Cleveland Heights (9-1)

14 Brunswick (3-7) at 3 Wadsworth (8-2)

13 Strongsville (3-7) at 4 Canton McKinley (7-3)

12 Cleveland St. Ignatius (1-8) at 5 Mentor (7-3)

11 Cleveland John Marshall (4-5) at 6 Medina (7-3)

10 Massillon Jackson (5-5) at 7 Berea-Midpark (6-4)

9 Lorain (8-2) at 8 Canton GlenOak (6-4)

Region 2

16 Dublin Jerome (3-7) at 1 Lewis Center Olentangy (9-1)

15 Marysville (4-6) at 2 Delaware Olentangy Berlin (9-1)

14 Powell Olentangy Liberty (3-7) at 3 Findlay (8-2)

13 Lewis Center Olentangy Orange (5-5) at 4 Centerville (8-2)

12 Springfield (5-5) at 5 Huber Heights Wayne (7-3)

11 Kettering Fairmont (5-5) at 6 Dublin Coffman (7-3)

10 Perrysburg (7-3) at 7 Toledo Whitmer (7-3)

9 Miamisburg (7-3) at 8 Delaware Hayes (8-2)

Region 3

16 Reynoldsburg (1-9) at 1 Gahanna Lincoln (10-0)

15 Newark (2-8) at 2 Hilliard Bradley (9-1)

14 Westerville Central (2-8) at 3 Pickerington North (9-1)

13 Thomas Worthington (5-5) at 4 Upper Arlington (7-3)

12 New Albany (4-6) at 5 Pickerington Central (7-3)

11 Groveport Madison (6-4) at 6 Hilliard Darby (5-5)

10 Lancaster (5-5) at 7 Westerville North (8-2)

9 Grove City (5-5) at 8 Hilliard Davidson (5-5)

Region 4

16 Fairfield (3-7) at 1 Milford (10-0)

15 Middletown (3-7) at 2 Cincinnati Princeton (10-0)

14 Cincinnati Western Hills (4-6) at 3 Wester Chester Lakota West (8-2)

13 Springboro (2-8) at 4 Cincinnati St. Xavier (6-4)

12 Cincinnati West Clermont (4-6) at 5 Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller (6-4)

11 Cincinnati Oak Hills (5-5) at 6 Cincinnati Elder (6-4)

10 Cincinnati Sycamore (5-5) at 7 Hamilton (7-3)

9 Mason (5-5) at 8 Lebanon (7-3)

Division II

Region 5

16 Akron Ellet (3-7) at 1 Akron Archbishop Hoban (8-1)

15 Akron Firestone (5-5) at 2 Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit (9-1)

14 Cleveland Benedictine (4-6) at 3 Hudson (7-2)

13 Maple Heights (5-5) at 4 Painesville Riverside (8-2)

12 Twinsburg (6-4) at 5 Macedonia Nordonia (8-2)

11 Warren G. Harding (4-6) at 6 Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary (5-5)

10 Austintown-Fitch (6-3) at 7 Cleveland John Hay (5-4)

9 Shaker Heights (7-3) at 8 Barberton (6-4)

Region 6

16 Toledo St. John’s Jesuit (4-6) at 1 Avon (10-0)

15 Toledo Start (5-5) at 2 Whitehouse Anthony Wayne (8-2)

14 Grafton Midview (4-6) at 3 Medina Highland (8-2)

13 Cleveland Rhodes (5-4) at 4 Sylvania Southview (7-3)

12 Oregon Clay (4-6) at 5 Olmsted Falls (7-3)

11 Parma Heights Valley Forge (4-6) at 6 North Ridgeville (7-3)

10 Fremont Ross (4-6) at 7 Avon Lake (6-4)

9 Brecksville-Broadview Heights (5-5) at 8 Westlake (7-3)

Region 7

16 Grove City Central Crossing (4-6) at 1 Massillon Washington (10-0)

15 Columbus Walnut Ridge (3-7) at 2 Canal Winchester (9-1)

14 Columbus St. Charles (5-5) at 3 Uniontown Green (7-3)

13 Massillon Perry (4-6) at 4 Uniontown Lake (7-3)

12 Sunbury Big Walnut (5-5) at 5 Columbus Northland (9-1)

11 North Canton Hoover (4-5) at 6 Columbus St. Francis DeSales (5-5)

10 Pataskala Watkins Memorial (7-3) at 7 Columbus Independence (5-5)

9 Westerville South (6-4) at 8 Columbus Briggs (7-3)

Region 8

16 Cincinnati Turpin (3-7) at 1 Cincinnati Anderson (9-1)

15 Riverside Stebbins (4-6) at 2 Troy (9-1)

14 Trenton Edgewood (4-6) at 3 Cincinnati Withrow (9-1)

13 Fairborn (4-6) at 4 Clayton Northmont (6-4)

12 Sidney (5-5) at 5 Harrison (7-3)

11 Cincinnati La Salle (4-6) at 6 Cincinnati Winton Woods (7-3)

10 Xenia (5-5) at 7 Lima Senior (8-2)

9 Kings Mills Kings (5-5) at 8 Loveland (5-5)

Division III

Region 9

16 New Philadelphia (6-4) at 1 Youngstown Ursuline (10-0)

15 Gates Mills Hawken (6-4) at 2 Geneva (9-1)

14 Alliance (6-4) at 3 Aurora (9-1)

13 Dover (6-4) at 4 Chagrin Falls Kenston (9-1)

12 Hunting Valley University School (6-3) at 5 Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph (7-3)

11 Madison (8-2) at 6 Gates Mills Gilmour Academy (8-2)

10 Cuyahoga Falls CHCA (8-2) at 7 Chardon (7-3)

9 Canfield (6-3) at 8 Akron East (8-2)

Region 10

16 Bowling Green (5-5) at 1 Toledo Central Catholic (10-0)

15 Richfield Revere (5-5) at 2 Norton (10-0)

14 Ashland (5-5) at 3 Tiffin Columbian (8-2)

13 Lexington (5-5) at 4 Mansfield Senior (8-2)

12 Clyde (5-5) at 5 Rocky River (9-1)

11 Rocky River Lutheran West (7-3) at 6 Ontario (9-1)

10 Sandusky (6-4) at 7 Medina Buckeye (8-2)

9 Defiance (7-3) at 8 Bay Village Bay (8-2)

Region 11

16 Columbus South (4-6) at 1 Columbus Bishop Watterson (9-1)

15 Columbus Beechcroft (4-6) at 2 London (10-0)

14 Columbus Bexley (4-6) at 3 Granville (10-0)

13 Marietta (5-5) at 4 Jackson (9-1)

12 The Plains Athens (6-4) at 5 Carroll Bloom-Carroll (8-2)

11 Delaware Buckeye Valley (5-5) at 6 Dresden Tri-Valley (8-2)

10 New Concord John Glenn (8-2) at 7 Bellefontaine (8-2)

9 Washington Court House Miami Trace (6-4) at 8 Columbus Hamilton Township (9-1)

Region 12

16 Goshen (3-7) at 1 Hamilton Badin (10-0)

15 Mount Orab Western Brown (3-7) at 2 Tipp City Tippecanoe (8-2)

14 Dayton Oakwood (4-6) at 3 Trotwood-Madison (8-2)

13 Elida (5-5) at 4 Vandalia Butler (8-2)

12 New Richmond (5-5) at 5 Wapakoneta (8-2)

11 Hillsboro (5-5) at 6 Celina (8-2)

10 Dayton Chaminade Julienne (6-4) at 7 Cincinnati Mount Healthy (8-2)

9 Bellbrook (7-3) at 8 Wilmington (8-2)

Division IV

Region 13

16 Canal Fulton Northwest (5-5) at 1 Canton South (10-0)

15 Mogadore Field (4-6) at 2 Mentor Lake Catholic (8-2)

14 East Liverpool (6-4) at 3 Poland Seminary (9-1)

13 Peninsula Woodridge (5-5) at 4 Beloit West Branch (9-1)

12 East Liverpool Beaver Eastern (6-4) at 5 Streetsboro (9-1)

11 Girard (5-5) at 6 Struthers (7-3)

10 Ashtabula Edgewood (6-4) at 7 Niles McKinley (6-4)

9 Akron Buchtel (5-5) at 8 Youngstown Cardinal Mooney (5-5)

Region 14

16 Vermilion (3-7) at 1 Sandusky Perkins (9-0)

15 Lima Bath (4-6) at 2 Cleveland Glenville (7-2)

14 Cleveland Central Catholic (4-6) at 3 Shelby (8-2)

13 Bryan (5-5) at 4 Millersburg West Holmes (8-2)

12 Oberlin Firelands (6-4) at 5 Galion (7-3)

11 Caledonia River Valley (4-6) at 6 Van Wert (7-3)

10 Napoleon (5-5) at 7 Bellevue (5-5)

9 Wauseon (6-4) at 8 St. Marys Memorial (6-4)

Region 15

16 Carrollton (6-4) at 1 Steubenville (9-1)

15 McConnelsville Morgan (6-4) at 2 Thornville Sheridan (9-1)

14 Duncan Falls Philo (5-5) at 3 Columbus Bishop Hartley (8-2)

13 Gnadenhutten Indian Valley (7-3) at 4 Circleville Logan Elm (9-1)

12 Plain City Jonathan Alder (7-3) at 5 Columbus Bishop Ready (9-1)

11 Columbus Marion-Franklin (6-4) at 6 St. Clairsville (8-2)

10 McArthur Vinton County (9-1) at 7 Gallipolis Gallia Academy (8-2)

9 Newark Licking Valley (7-3) at 8 Columbus East (8-2)

Region 16

16 Dayton Dunbar (6-3) at 1 Clarksville Clinton-Massie (10-0)

15 Urbana (7-3) at 2 Chillicothe Unioto (9-1)

14 Greenfield McClain (6-4) at 3 Cincinnati Taft (8-2)

13 St. Bernard Roger Bacon (6-4) at 4 Kettering Archbishop Alter (7-3)

12 Reading (7-3) at 5 Cincinnati Indian Hill (8-2)

11 Washington Court House Washington (5-5) at 6 Cincinnati Wyoming (9-1)

10 Waverly (6-4) at 7 Springfield Shawnee (9-1)

9 Cincinnati Archbishop McNicholas (5-5) at 8 Eaton (8-2)

Division V

Region 17

16 Mantua Crestwood (5-5) at 1 Perry (10-0)

15 Brewster Fairless (4-6) at 2 Canfield South Range (9-1)

14 Youngstown Liberty (5-5) at 3 Creston Norwayne (9-1)

13 Wooster Triway (5-5) at 4 Cadiz Harrison Central (8-2)

12 Conneaut (5-5) at 5 Garrettsville Garfield (10-0)

11 Burton Berkshire (5-5) at 6 Lorain Clearview (8-2)

10 Richmond Edison (7-3) at 7 West Lafayette Ridgewood (7-3)

9 Magnolia Sandy Valley (6-4) at 8 Cortland Lakeview (5-5)

Region 18

16 Bloomdale Elmwood (3-7) at 1 Liberty Center (10-0)

15 Spencerville (3-7) at 2 Milan Edison (9-1)

14 Fredericktown (5-5) at 3 Archbold (9-1)

13 Tontogany Otsego (4-6) at 4 Oak Harbor (10-0)

12 Marengo Highland (5-5) at 5 Findlay Liberty-Benton (9-1)

11 Lewistown Indian Lake (7-3) at 6 Coldwater (9-1)

10 Marion Pleasant (6-4) at 7 Pemberville Eastwood (8-2)

9 Genoa Area (7-3) at 8 Huron (7-3)

Region 19

16 Worthington Christian (4-6) at 1 Ironton (9-1)

15 Portsmouth (5-5) at 2 Proctorville Fairland (9-1)

14 South Point (5-5) at 3 Barnesville (10-0)

13 New Lexington (5-5) at 4 Canal Winchester Harvest Prep (8-1)

12 Belmont Union Local (6-4) at 5 Zanesville West Muskingum (9-1)

11 Utica (7-3) at 6 Gahanna Columbus Academy (9-1)

10 Columbus Africentric (7-3) at 7 Wheelersburg (6-3)

9 Heath (8-2) at 8 Portsmouth West (8-2)

Region 20

16 Williamsport Westfall (6-4) at 1 Germantown Valley View (9-1)

15 Carlisle (3-7) at 2 Waynesville (8-2)

14 Casstown Miami East (6-4) at 3 Brookville (8-2)

13 Middletown Madison (4-6) at 4 Chillcothe Zane Trace (7-3)

12 Cincinnati Madeira (5-5) at 5 Cincinnati Purcell Marian (8-2)

11 Camden Preble Shawnee (7-3) at 6 West Milton Milton-Union (7-3)

10 Jamestown Greeneview (7-3) at 7 Springfield Northeastern (7-3)

9 Blanchester (7-3) at 8 Bethel-Tate (6-4)

Division VI

Region 21

16 Columbiana (5-5) at 1 Kirtland (9-1)

15 Ravenna Southeast (7-3) at 2 Rootstown (8-1)

14 Leavittsburg LaBrae (5-5) at 3 Mogadore (7-2)

13 Brookfield (5-5) at 4 Hanoverton United (9-1)

12 Rittman (6-4) at 5 Cuyahoga Heights (8-1)

11 Columbiana Crestview (5-5) at 6 Andover Pymatuning Valley (7-3)

10 Mineral Ridge (6-4) at 7 North Jackson Jackson-Milton (7-3)

9 Middlefield Cardinal (6-4) at 8 Canton Central Catholic (6-4)

Region 22

16 Kansas Lakota (5-5) at 1 Columbus Grove (8-2)

15 Paulding (6-4) at 2 Bluffton (9-1)

14 Attica Seneca East (5-5) at 3 North Robinson Colonel Crawford (9-1)

13 Ashland Crestview (4-6) at 4 Carey (8-2)

12 Ashland Mapleton (5-5) at 5 Columbia Station Columbia (9-1)

11 Castalia Margaretta (6-4) at 6 Toledo Ottawa Hills (9-1)

10 Bucyrus Wynford (6-4) at 7 Defiance Tinora (7-3)

9 Sullivan Black River (7-3) at 8 Collins Western Reserve (7-3)

Region 23

16 Ironton Rock Hill (4-6) at 1 Sugarcreek Garaway (10-0)

15 Grove City Christian (6-4) at 2 West Jefferson (9-1)

14 Zoarville Tusarawas Valley (4-6) at 3 Beverly Fort Frye (7-2)

13 Coal Grove Dawson-Bryant (4-6) at 4 Galion Northmor (8-2)

12 Glouster Trimble (5-4) at 5 Marion Elgin (8-2)

11 Newcomerstown (6-4) at 6 Columbus Grandview Heights (7-3)

10 Bellaire (5-5) at 7 Nelsonville-York (7-3)

9 Howard East Knox (6-4) at 8 Martins Ferry (5-5)

Region 24

16 New Lebanon Dixie (3-7) at 1 Williamsburg (9-1)

15 Troy Christian (3-7) at 2 Versailles (8-2)

14 Miamisburg Dayton Christian (2-7) at 3 Cincinnati Country Day (10-0)

13 Lucasville Valley (3-7) at 4 West Liberty-Salem (9-1)

12 New Paris National Trail (4-6) at 5 New Madson Tri-Village (9-1)

11 Rockford Parkway (2-8) at 6 Bainbridge Paint Valley (7-3)

10 Cincinnati Deer Park (3-7) at 7 West Alexandria Twin Valley South (6-4)

9 Harrod Allen East (4-6) at 8 Anna (5-5)

Division VII

Region 25

16 Bowerston Conotton Valley (4-6) at 1 Dalton (8-1)

15 McDonald (5-5) at 2 Danville (10-0)

14 Lisbon David Anderson (7-3) at 3 Berlin Center Western Reserve (8-2)

13 Norwalk St. Paul (6-4) at 4 Toronto (9-1)

12 Salineville Southern (8-2) at 5 Malvern (9-1)

11 Steubenville Central Catholic (9-1) at 6 Lowellville (9-1)

10 Monroeville (7-3) at 7 New Middletown Springfield (7-3)

9 Lucas (7-3) at 8 Jamesville Hillsdale (8-2)

Region 26

16 Montpelier (7-3) at 1 Bascom Hopewell-Loudon (10-0)

15 Convoy Crestview (6-4) at 2 Tiffin Calvert (8-1)

14 Edon (6-4) at 3 Waynesville-Goshen (10-0)

13 Arlington (6-4) at 4 Antwerp (9-1)

12 Pioneer North Central (9-1) at 5 Hamler Patrick Henry (8-2)

11 McGuffey Upper Scioto Valley (8-2) at 6 McComb (8-2)

10 Defiance Ayersville (8-2) at 7 Lima Central Catholic (6-3)

9 Leipsic (8-2) at 8 Pandora-Gilboa (7-3)

Region 27

16 Sugar Grove Berne Union (2-8) at 1 Reedsville Eastern (9-1)

15 Shadyside (3-7) at 2 Beaver Eastern (10-0)

14 Bridgeport (3-7) at 3 Caldwell (7-3)

13 Portsmouth Sciotoville Community (4-5) at 4 Lancaster Fairfield Christian Academy (8-2)

12 Zanesville Bishop Rosecrans (4-6) at 5 Hannibal River (7-2)

11 Beallsville (6-4) at 6 Portsmouth Notre Dame (7-3)

10 Corning Miller (6-4) at 7 Waterford (6-4)

9 Crown City South Gallia (7-3) at 8 Woodsfield Monroe Central (6-4)

Region 28

16 Lewisburg Tri-Country North (4-6) at 1 Maria Stein Marion Local (10-0)

15 Lockland (4-5) at 2 Ansonia (10-0)

14 St. Henry (3-7) at 3 DeGraff Riverside (9-1)

13 New Bremen (4-6) at 4 Cincinnati College Prep (7-2)

12 Bradford (4-4) at 5 Minster (8-2)

11 Fort Loramie (5-5) at 6 South Charleston Southeastern (7-3)

10 Mechanicsburg (6-4) at 7 St. Bernard-Elmwood Place (7-2)

9 Sidney Lehman Catholic (7-3) at 8 Cedarville (7-3)

Reach Eddie Mowen Jr. at 937-683-4061 and follow on X @emowenjr.