Football state semifinals pairings, sites

Submitted information

COLUMBUS — Following the football regional championships on Friday night, the Ohio High School Athletic Association has announced the pairings and sites for this week’s state semifinal games. In late July, 707 schools began the football season, and now 28 are still playing in the Final Four during Thanksgiving week.

The geography of the four schools remaining in each division is the primary factor in determining how the regional champions were paired for the state semifinals. A team’s won-lost record, regional seed and state rank do not factor into the state semifinal bracket pairings or host sites.

Neutral host sites receive a stipend from the OHSAA and also keep revenue from concessions, parking, 50-50 raffles and program sales. The OHSAA selects and pays for the officiating crews. Without schools being willing to host games, the OHSAA would not be able to use neutral sites. Many factors go into determining locations for each game, and rarely can a site be found that is exactly halftime between the two schools. Once a potential site is determined, the school must be available and willing to host a game on the requested night.

Division I State Semifinals – November 29

7. Lakewood St. Edward (9-5) vs. 1. Powell Olentangy Liberty (12-2) at Mansfield Arlin Field

1. Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller (13-1) vs. Centerville (11-3) at Cincinnati Princeton Jake Sweeney Automotive Stadium

State Championship Game: Friday, December 6, 7:30 p.m.

Division II State Semifinals – November 29

1. Sunbury Big Walnut (13-1) vs. 1. Cincinnati Anderson (14-0) at Dayton Welcome Stadium 

2. Akron Archbishop Hoban (12-2) vs. 1. Avon (14-0) at University of Akron InfoCision Stadium

State Championship Game: Thursday, December 5, 7 p.m.

Division III State Semifinals – November 29

1. Columbus Bishop Watterson (14-0) vs. 4. London (14-0) at Ashville Teays Valley High School Viking Stadium

1. Youngstown Ursuline (13-1) vs. 1. Toledo Central Catholic (13-1) at Elyria Charities Field at Ely Stadium

State Championship Game: Friday, December 6, 3 p.m.

Division IV State Semifinals – November 29

5. Cincinnati Taft (12-2) vs. 2. Gnadenhutten Indian Valley (14-0) at Historic Crew Stadium 

1. Sandusky Perkins (13-1) vs. 5. Cleveland Glenville (11-3) at Clyde High School Robert J. Bishop Jr. Stadium

State Championship Game: Saturday, December 7, 7:30 p.m.

Division V State Semifinals – November 29

2. Liberty Center (14-0) vs. 1. Canfield South Range (14-0) at Parma Byers Field at Robert Boulton Stadium   

1. Ironton (13-1) vs. 2. West Liberty-Salem (13-1) at Chillicothe High School Herrnstein Field

State Championship Game: Saturday, December 7, 3 p.m.

Division VI State Semifinals – November 29

1. Coldwater (13-1) vs. 2. Bluffton (13-1) at Wapakoneta High School Mercy Health Wapak VFW Field

1. Kirtland (14-0) vs. 2. Galion Northmor (14-0) at Minerva High School

State Championship Game: Saturday, December 7, 10:30 a.m.

Division VII State Semifinals – November 29

1. Danville (12-2) vs. 2. Jeromesville Hillsdale (13-1) at Shelby High School WAC Stadium

1. Maria Stein Marion Local (14-0) vs. 1. Columbus Grove (14-0) at Lima Spartan Stadium

State Championship Game: Friday, December 6, 10:30 a.m.