All the winners advance to the Week 12 regional semifinals. All games will be played at 7:30 p.m. Friday at neutral sites that will be announced by the Ohio High School Athletic Association on Monday.
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Here’s five takeaways from first-round results and regional semifinal pairings:
GWOC factor: Gone are Northmont (8-3), Fairmont (7-4) and Wayne (7-4), all defeated in D-I, Region 3 openers. They were taken out by Columbus-suburban powers from Hilliard and Pickerington.
Wayne never seemed to righten itself after a season-opening blowout that was nationally televised on ESPN and went out with two straight losses. Northmont and Fairmont were feel-good stories, each overcoming playoff droughts. Troy (8-3) had no answer to Anderson’s pass attack in D-II, Region 8.
Onward: That leaves GWOC teams Centerville (D-I, Region 3), Sidney (D-II, Region 8) and Trotwood-Madison (D-III, Region 12). Still a formidable trio, Sidney (10-1) has the most daunting task: three-time defending D-II state champion Cincinnati La Salle (9-2) of the mighty Greater Catholic League South.
“We’re not worried about how many championships they’ve won,” assured Sidney QB Andre Gordon following an impressive 46-33 knockout of previously unbeaten and visiting Belmont on Friday. “We’re confident that we’ll be ready to play. It’s going to be a hard challenge, obviously, but we’re going to do what we’ve got to do.”
Centerville gets Pickerington North (9-2), which blew out Wayne, 41-20.
Ram tough: Unbeaten Trotwood-Madison (11-0) has an intriguing matchup against Dunbar (8-3). It's certain the game won't be played at Dayton's Welcome Stadium because of a three-year OHSAA probation placed on the entire Dayton Public Schools athletic programs earlier this year.
It’s also ironic that Dunbar is the last Dayton City League team standing after the Wolverines were crushed 42-0 in the season opener by Belmont. The many Dunbar/Trotwood coaching and family ties run deep. The teams last played in 2012, with Trotwood winning 63-0.
This game guarantees an area team in a Region 12 final. It’s on CJ (8-3) to get past New Richmond (9-2) and join that fun.
Hail Spartans: Valley View (11-0) has drawn comparisons to its state title teams from the mid-1990s. But next up is a state-title like matchup against Clinton-Massie (10-1). Both these programs have maintained a high level of play over the last two decades and both are capable of deep postseason runs.
MAC factor: Here's what we won't see, Midwest Athletic Conference teams playing for three state titles. Madison made sure of that, stunning visiting Anna 14-10 in a D-V, Region 20 opener.
That still leaves MAC teams Marion Local (11-0) and Coldwater (8-3) in D-VI, Region 24 and Minster (7-4) and Delphos St. John’s (7-4) in D-VII, Region 28.
Marion Local and Coldwater must win this week to set up an anticipated regional final rematch. Both these MAC powers have won multiple state championships the last decade, although they always were in separate divisions. The OHSAA’s competitive balance initiative was responsible for lumping them together this season.
He said it: "We've got some special kids and special athletes who are able to weather the storm and I'm pretty darn proud of them." – Sidney coach Adam Doenges.
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