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• That seven-team showing by the Greater Western Ohio Conference has been reduced to three: Northmont and Springfield (Division I, Region 3) and Troy (D-II, Region 8). Eliminated in playoff openers were Fairmont and Wayne (D-I, Region 3), and Butler and Trotwood-Madison (D-III, Region 12).
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Northmont (10-1) is paired against defending D-I state champ Pickerington Central (9-2) at Springfield on Friday. Springfield (9-2) gets top-seeded Hilliard Davidson (10-1) at London. Should both Northmont and Springfield win, they would be rematched in a regional final. Central defeated Northmont 41-21 in a playoff opener last season.
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• Troy is on an outstanding 28-5 three-season run under coach Matt Burgbacher, all of which produced playoff teams. Troy (10-1) is looking to extend that success against familiar foe Cincinnati Anderson (8-3) at Miamisburg on Friday.
Anderson knocked Troy out in the first round last season 33-0 and Troy did the same to Anderson in the 2016 opener, 41-35.
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• The Greater Catholic League Co-Ed has three teams in D-III, Region 12. Alter (10-1) plays Badin (8-3) in a rematch at Middletown’s Barnitz Stadium on Friday. The other semi is Fenwick (9-2) vs. Wapakoneta (10-1) at Piqua.
Alter has mounted a 10-game win streak and beat Badin 17-7 in Week 8 of the regular season.
• London (10-1) is next up to take the Clinton-Massie (10-1) challenge (D-IV, Region 16) at Miami Trace on Saturday. Massie is the defending D-IV state runner-up and appears headed to a regional final showdown against unbeaten and top-ranked Cincinnati Wyoming.
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• Madison (11-0) plays Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy (9-2) at Lakota East on Saturday (D-V, Region 20). The Mohawks need two more wins to match last year’s squad.
The other semi is Greeneview (10-1) vs. Wheelersburg (10-1) at Chillicothe. It’s the forth time in the last five seasons the Rams have gone two games deep into the playoffs, but not further.
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• Might as well label D-VI, Region 24 with a Midwest Athletic Conference stamp. Coldwater (9-2) plays St. Henry (9-2) at Sidney on Friday in a rematch of a Week 9 game that St. Henry won, 28-10. Defending D-VI state champ Marion Local (10-1) gets Lima Central Catholic (9-1) in the other semi at Wapakoneta.
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• Yet another MAC rep, defending D-VII state champ Minster (8-3), gets top billing in D-VII, Region 28 against Convoy Crestview (10-1) at Wapakoneta on Saturday. The other semi is Fort Loramie (10-1) vs. Lehman Catholic (8-3) at Piqua. Minster handed Loramie its only loss in the season opener, 34-14.
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