Football playoffs: Regional semis at neutral sites

Alter’s run in the high school football playoffs switches to a familiar feel this week. That’s fine with the Knights, who dodged Cincinnati Mt. Healthy in their playoff opener last Friday.

“(Mt. Healthy) had that speed,” Alter coach Ed Domsitz said. “I knew it was going to be physical. You hope that it’s going to help us down the road.”

»RELATED: Springfield moving on

The tourney trail picks up for Alter against Greater Catholic League Co-Ed Central champion Hamilton Badin in a Division III, Region 12 semifinal at 7 p.m. Friday at Middletown’s Barnitz Stadium.

Joining those area teams in other Week 12 regional semifinals on Friday are Northmont and Springfield (D-I, Region 3), Troy (D-II, Region 8), Fenwick (D-III, Region 12), and Coldwater, St. Henry and Marion Local (D-VI, Region 24).

»FACEBOOK: For more sports you should like Marc Pendleton

»TWITTER: You should like @MarcPendleton

Playing on Saturday are Clinton-Massie (D-IV, Region 16), Madison and Greeneview (D-V, Region 20) and Fort Loramie, Lehman Catholic and Minster (D-VII, Region 28).

The playoffs switch to neutral sites this week. The Ohio High School Athletic Association announced locales for all games on Sunday. Divisions I, II, III and VI play at 7 p.m. Friday and Divisions IV, V and VII at 7 p.m. Saturday. The winners advance to next week’s regional finals.

»RELATED: Alter dodges Cin. Mt. Healthy

»PHOTOS: Alter vs. Cin. Mt. Healthy, football playoffs

Alter, Badin and Fenwick (9-2) all are lumped in D-III, Region 12 and all have played against each other in GCL Co-Ed play in the regular season. Fenwick will play Wapakoneta (10-1) in the other regional semi at Piqua.

• Three Greater Western Ohio Conference teams remain in Northmont, Springfield and Troy. Northmont gets defending D-I state champ Pickerington Central (9-2) at Springfield’s Evans Stadium on Friday. Springfield will play Hilliard Davidson (10-1) at London.

»RELATED: Final football power rankings

Troy (10-1) is matched against Cincinnati Anderson (8-3) at Miamisburg on Friday.

• Anna’s first-round loss means the Midwest Athletic Conference will not have a shot at three state titles like it has had in recent seasons. Coldwater (9-2) and St. Henry (9-2) are paired at Sidney and Marion Local (10-1) will meet Lima Central Catholic (9-1) at Wapakoneta on Friday. St. Henry defeated Coldwater 28-10 in Week 9.

»RELATED: Alter football state poll champs

»RELATED: Final football state polls

Another MAC team, defending D-VII state champ Minster (8-3) will play Convoy Crestview (10-1) at Wapakoneta on Saturday.

• Other area Saturday games are Clinton-Massie (10-1) vs. London (10-1) at Miami Trace, Greeneview (10-1) vs. Wheelersburg (10-1) at Chillicothe, Madison (11-0) vs. Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy (8-2) at Lakota East and Fort Loramie (10-1) vs. Lehman Catholic (8-3) at Piqua.

»RELATED: Football playoffs by the numbers

»RELATED: Week 10 football rewind

»PHOTOS: Northmont at Miamisburg, Week 10 football

»PHOTOS: Fairmont at Wayne, Week 8 football