OHIO — As this week goes from summer to fall, a similar transition is taking place for high school football in Ohio.
The back half of the regular season begins, and teams have got a better idea of who they are. They are also taking note of how the playoff races are stacking up in each region.
Friday’s Ohio High School Athletic Association Game of the Week on Spectrum News 1 features two teams in Northeast Ohio trying to make a push to be included in the postseason. Barberton (2-3) is at Revere (2-3), and the Magics currently find themselves 15th in Region 5 (Division II), while the Minutemen are 17th in Region 10 (Division III).
Since 2005, the head-to-head series is dead even at six wins apiece. Revere won six straight from 2005 to 2010, while Barberton claims the last six decisions, including a 49-13 triumph a year ago.
Barberton’s offense will be the key to this game. In their three losses, the Magics have only produced seven total points.
In Central Ohio, both Westerville South (4-1) and host Westerville North (3-2) are in good shape to extend their season past ten weeks.
The Wildcats are coming off a huge win over previously undefeated Big Walnut last week, vaulting them to third in Region 7 (Division II). The Warriors are in Region 3 (Division I), where 16 of the 18 teams will make the playoffs. North currently sits 15th, comfortably ahead of Newark, and winless Lancaster & Reynoldsburg.
Westerville North is shooting for just its second winning season since 2004, posting a 6-4 mark in 2020, and has begun to build a foundation for a program that once struggled to 45 straight losses from 2008-12. The Warriors defense pitched shutouts in wins over Central Crossing and Franklin Heights.
South has controlled the series, winning 18 of 22 meetings since 1999. That includes the last 15 in a row, with the most recent win for the Warriors in 2005.
Heading further south, Kings (5-0) is in fantastic shape in Region 8 (Division II). The Knights are ranked sixth in this week’s Ohio Associated Press high school football poll. While Kings beat a good Milford team last week, the previous four wins are against teams with a combined 1-19 record, which is the only thing keeping Kings from occupying a higher spot (third) in the computer ratings.
West Clermont (3-2) is 12th in a loaded Region 4, in Division I. The Wolves beat Little Miami, Walnut Hills and Turpin, while dropping decisions to Hamilton and Winton Woods.
This will be the fifth meeting all-time since West Clermont was formed in 2017, a product of a merger with Amelia and Glen Este, the latter of which had a long history with Kings.
All three games begin at 7 p.m. Friday on Spectrum News 1 and the Spectrum News App.
Other big games around the state include St. Xavier (2-3) at Elder (4-1), Princeton (4-1) at Fairfield (5-0), Fitch (5-0) at Massillon (4-1), South Range (5-0) at Girard (5-0), Carey (5-0) at Colonel Crawford (5-0), Tallmadge (4-1) at Aurora (4-1), and Tippecanoe (5-0) at Xenia (5-0).
