Ohio's toughest high school football playoff regions

Video: Ohio HR record-setter ties national lead
Williamsburg's (OH) Carly Wagers owns the state record for home runs and RBI in a single-season after hitting her 22nd. Video courtesy of Clermont Sun Sports and Tim Maklem.

Ohio's toughest postseason pools after Tuesday's OHSAA regional realignment?

Here's a few regions where the ride will be rough...

Division III, Region 12
With the addition of Dunbar (Dayton), this region features arguably Ohio's top three 2018 running back prospects in Tavoin Thomas (Dunbar), Ra'veion Hargrove (Trotwood-Madison) and Ryan Montgomery (Franklin). A trio of GCL teams - Archbishop Alter (Kettering), Chaminade-Julienne (Dayton) and Badin (Hamilton) - also bumped up from D-IV. Sleepers? Try Butler (Vandalia), which drops down from D-II, and Bellbrook, which went 7-3 in this region last year. Both the Aviators and Golden Eagles return their leading passer, rusher and receiver. Piqua and Wapakoneta are also in the field.

Division VI, Region 24
Coldwater has played in seven straight state finals. Marion Local (Maria Stein) has reached six. One won't extend that streak. The Cavaliers and Flyers – both members of the famed Midwest Athletic Conference – are now in the same postseason region after Coldwater dropped from D-V. More potholes? Fort Recovery, another MAC school that won a state title in 2015, bumped up from D-VII. Traditional powers St. Henry (MAC school) and Covington also loom.



Division I, Region 4
Arguably the toughest postseason region in the country. Heavyweights include St. Xavier (Cincinnati), Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati), Elder (Cincinnati), Colerain (Cincinnati), Lakota West (West Chester), Mason, Fairfield, Lebanon, Sycamore and Springboro. Region houses state's top 2018 quarterback (Chase Wolf, St. Xavier, Wisconsin), offensive tackle (Jackson Carman, Fairfield, undecided), strongside defensive end (Malik Vann, Fairfield, Cincinnati), defensive tackle (Aeneas Hawkins, Moeller, undecided) and center (Quintin Wilson, Walnut Hills, Kentucky) prospects according to 247sports composite rankings.

Division I, Region 1
The winner of this region has made four straight state finals and owns two titles - St. Edward (Lakewood) in 2014 and St. Ignatius (Cleveland) in 2015. In addition to the stalwart Eagles and Wildcats, the region also includes Mentor, Solon, Euclid, McKinley (Canton), Jackson (Massillon) and GlenOak (Canton). This season the region absorbs Perry (Massillon), which bumps up from D-II after making back-to-back state finals.

Division III, Region 9
Despite losing two-time defending state champion Archbishop Hoban (Akron) (bumped up to D-II), this region didn't get any easier. Five playoff teams - including St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron), Marlington (Alliance) and Howland (Warren) - return to the region and are joined by several new faces. Aurora (12 straight playoff trips) and Chardon (three straight) drop down from D-II after finishing Nos. 1 and 2 respectively in computer points in Region 5 last year. Region 13 playoff regulars Woodridge (Peninsula) (five straight playoff trips) and Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin (Chardon) (three straight) bump up from D-IV.