OHSAA sets football playoff brackets

Van Wert independent sports

Brackets released by the Ohio High School Athletic Association on Thursday show Crestview and Van Wert will open the football playoffs at home.

In Division VII, Region 26, the Knights (2-2) were named as the No. 13 seed and will host No. 20 seed North Baltimore (2-3) on Friday, October 9. The winner of that game will travel Tiffin to play No. 4 seed Calvert (5-0). The Senecas have a first round bye.

In the same region, No. 16 seed Delphos St. John’s (1-4) will host No. 17 seed Hardin-Northern (2-3) and No. 23 seed Antwerp (0-5) will play at No. 10 seed Waynesfield-Goshen (4-0).

In Division VII, Region 14, despite a loss to Ottawa-Glandorf, Van Wert earned a No. 5 seed, meaning the Cougars have a first round bye and will host No. 12 seed Port Clinton or No. 21 seed Sandusky Perkins in the second round on Saturday, October 17. Port Clinton and Perkins, both members of the Sandusky Bay Conference, will play on October 10.

The winner of Van Wert vs. Port Clinton/Perkins will face No. 4 seed LaGrange Keystone, No. 13 seed Milan Edison or No. 20 seed Bellville Clearfork in Round No. 3. If it’s Keystone, the Cougars would have to travel to Lorain County.

All but 46 schools that opted out will compete in the 2020 OHSAA football postseason. Divisions I, II, III and VII will play their playoff games on Friday nights, and Divisions IV, V and VI will play on Saturday nights.

In Division VI, Region 22, No. 17 seed Wayne Trace (2-3) will open the playoffs at No. 16 seed Gibsonburg (2-3), while No. 22 seed Paulding (1-4) will play at No. 11 seed Van Buren (3-2). The Wayne Trace/Gibsonburg winner will play at No. 1 seed Archbold in Round No. 2, and the Van Buren/Paulding winner will face No. 6 seed Northwood.

First round games in Division VI, Region 24 include No. 29 seed Parkway 0-5) at No. 14 seed St. Bernard-Elmwood Place (3-2) and No. 22 seed Delphos Jefferson (0-5) at No. 11 Minster (1-4).

Full statewide brackets for all divisions can be found at: https://ohsaa.org/Sports-Tournaments/Football/Football-2020/2020-OHSAA-Football-Playoffs-Coverage.