OHIO HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
NEWS RELEASE
(October 27, 2002)  

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WHAT: 31st Annual OHSAA Football Tournaments (Regional Quarterfinals/First Round)
WHEN/WHERE: Friday, November 1-Divisions II, IV and VI; Saturday, November 2-Divisions I, III and V; Schools that finished 1, 2, 3 or 4 in the final OHSAA computer rankings to host.
TIMES: Games on Friday begin at 7:30; games on Saturday begin at 7:00. 
FORMAT: Thirty-two teams in six divisions (192 total schools) have qualified for the tournaments, with selections based on the OHSAA Football Computer Rankings. To qualify for the tournaments, schools must have finished first through eighth in their assigned region.  
ADMISSION: $5.00 per person.
MEDIA CREDENTIALS/PAIRINGS UPDATE: Media members needing credentials for each of the first four rounds should contact the host site media coordinator. The regional quarterfinals list included with this release includes pairings and host schools only. An updated list that includes exact game sites, media coordinators and their telephone numbers will be posted on the OHSAA web site (www.ohsaa.org) by 4:00 Monday, Oct. 28. To find the updated pairings, go to “Sports & Tournament Info” followed by “Football.” The final computer rankings are available at the same area of the web site.
FOURTH YEAR WITH 192 QUALIFIERS: This is the fourth year that the OHSAA football tournament field consists of 192 total qualifiers. Each of the 24 regions has qualified eight teams to the tournaments, which consist of five rounds. The first round is the regional quarterfinals, and teams that finish first through fourth in their regions in the final OHSAA computer rankings serve as hosts. Teams may choose an alternate site to host first-round games and do not need approval from the OHSAA to do so. In bracket order, team 1 will host team 8, team 4 will host team 5, team 2 will host team 7 and team 3 will host team 6. The OHSAA will designate neutral sites for regional semifinal, regional final and state semifinal games, and no rebracketing will occur until the state semifinals.
DEFENDING CHAMPS: Div. I: Cleveland St. Ignatius (11-4) jumped out to a 23-0 halftime lead and never looked back in recording a 37-6 victory over No. 2 Cincinnati St. Xavier. The Wildcats, already Ohio’s leader in state football championships, won their ninth title overall and second in three years. They became the first school with more than three losses to win a state football title and the lowest seed (No. 7) to win a championship. St. Ignatius has qualified for this year’s tournament and travels to top-ranked Warren G. Harding Saturday . . . Div. II: Toledo St. Francis (13-1)  rallied from a 14-7 deficit by tying the game in the third quarter and adding two more scores in the fourth to post a 28-14 victory over Columbus Bishop Watterson. It was the second state title for the  Knights (1984, Division I). St. Francis has qualified for this year’s tournament and hosts Columbus St. Charles Friday . . . Div. III: Mentor Lake Catholic (13-2) prevailed with a 27-21 overtime win over Columbus St. Francis DeSales. It was the third state title for the Cougars, who also won in 1991 and 1992. Lake Catholic did not qualify for this year’s tournament . . . Div. IV: Junior Ben Mauk threw for a Division IV state finals record 439 yards and four touchdowns and added a scoring run to lead Kenton (15-0) to a 40-13 win over Newark Licking Valley. It was the Wildcats’ first state title. Kenton has qualified for this year’s tournament and hosts Marion River Valley Friday . . . Div. V: Senior Tony Franklin led top-ranked Bedford St. Peter Chanel (15-0) to its first state championship. He ran for a state championship game record (in any division) 393 yards and tied the mark with four touchdowns to lead the Firebirds to a 44-27 win over Marion Pleasant. St. Peter Chanel has qualified for this year’s tournament has travels to Rocky River Lutheran West Saturday . . . Div. VI: After blanking Mogadore 54-0 in the finals the previous year, Maria Stein Marion Local (14-1) put on a repeat performance with a 63-7 win over the same Wildcats. The Flyers set the state record for points in a championship game for all divisions and eclipsed their 2000 record for largest margin of victory. Marion Local has qualified for this year’s tournament and hosts Cincinnati Country Day Friday.
FOOTBALL SCHOOLS: There were 712 football-playing schools this year, up four from 2001. The division breakdowns are: Division I: 117 schools (enrollments of 518 or more); Division II: 118 schools (enrollments between 355 and 517); Division III: 120 schools (enrollments between 259 and 354); Division IV: 117 schools (enrollments between 187 and 258); Division V: 121 schools (enrollments between 133 and 186); and Division VI: 119 schools (enrollments of 132 or less). Divisions are based on enrollments of males in grades 9 through 11 as reported to the State Department of Education in October 2001. 
2002 TOP-RANKED TEAMS (Associated Press State Media Poll as of Oct. 23):
          Division I: Warren Harding hosts defending state champ Cleveland St. Ignatius Saturday.
          Division II: Dayton Chaminade-Julienne hosts Loveland Friday.
          Division III: Akron Buchtel hosts Napoleon Saturday.
          Division IV: Coldwater hosts Springfield Northeastern Friday.
          Division V: Marion Pleasant hosts Arcanum Saturday.
          Division VI: Maria Stein Marion Local hosts Cincinnati Country Day Friday.
FOOTBALL STATS: Blank statistics sheets have been included with this mailing to media members, and the OHSAA is asking for assistance so that unofficial statewide regular season football statistical leaders can be released. Please submit the leaders from your coverage area in the categories shown on the statistics sheets as soon as possible. With your help, we hope to release the final statewide statistics no later than the week of the state semifinals of the football tournament. While final statistics will be mailed, to receive them earlier they will be posted on the OHSAA web site. 
THE NEXT ROUNDS: Following the regional quarterfinals Friday and Saturday, the regional semifinals will be Nov. 8 and 9; regional finals will be held Nov. 15 and 16; state semifinals will be Nov. 22 and 23, and the state finals will be held Nov. 29 and 30. All Division II, IV and VI games in the tournaments will be played on Fridays at 7:30, while all Division I, III and V games will be played on Saturdays at 7:00. The next three rounds of the tournaments will be held at neutral sites. The state finals schedule is as follows: Friday, Nov. 29 — 11:00-Division IV, Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, Massillon; 3:30-Division VI, Fawcett Stadium, Canton; 8:00-Division II, Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, Massillon; Saturday, Nov. 30 —  11:00-Division V, Fawcett Stadium, Canton; 3:30-Division III, Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, Massillon; 8:00-Division I, Fawcett Stadium, Canton.
FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT CREDENTIALS: Media members who wish to cover any games in the first four rounds of the OHSAA football tournaments may obtain credentials by contacting the media coordinator. A complete list of regional quarterfinals media coordinators and their telephone numbers will be posted on the OHSAA web site (www.ohsaa.org) on Monday, Oct. 28, under the football brackets listing. For rounds 2, 3 and 4, a complete list of media coordinators and telephone numbers will be released by the OHSAA when tournament pairings are announced each Sunday. The pairings, media coordinators and telephone numbers will also be posted on the OHSAA web site. Again this year a media request form for the state football finals will be mailed to media members soon. The form must be filled out and faxed to media coordinator Saleem Choudhry at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton (fax: 330-456-9080; e-mail: schoudhry@profootballhof.com).
STATE FOOTBALL FINALS TICKET BOOKS ON SALE: Ticket books for all six state football championship games are currently on sale through the Canton/Stark County Convention and Visitors’ Bureau. The state football finals are Nov. 29 and 30 at Fawcett Stadium in Canton and Paul Brown Tiger Stadium in Massillon. Ticket books are $44.00 for the six games, which includes $2.00 for postage and handling. Priority seating will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. To receive a ticket application form, contact the Canton/Stark County Convention & Visitors’ Bureau at 1-800-533-4302 or 330-458-2084 or visit their web site at www.cantonstarkcvb.com/contact/sportsform.html. Orders must be postmarked by Nov. 18, and single game tickets are not available.
OHIO NEWS NETWORK TO PROVIDE LIVE COVERAGE OF ALL SIX FINALS: The Ohio News Network will provide live coverage of all six state football championship games on Friday, Nov. 29, and Saturday, Nov. 30, from Canton Fawcett Stadium and Massillon Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.
FIRST-TIME PARTICIPANTS: There are 21 schools that are making their first appearance in the OHSAA football tournaments this year (there were 17 in 2001, 26 in 2000 and 32 in 1999). The first-time participants are: Division I (2): Ashtabula Lakeside, Parma Heights Valley Forge; Division II (1): Marietta; Division III (5): Circleville, Hunting Valley University School, Medina Buckeye, Richmond Edison, Tipp City Tippecanoe; Division IV (3): East Palestine, Pemberville Eastwood, West Milton Milton-Union; Division V (5): Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, Johnstown-Monroe, Lees Creek East Clinton, Middlefield Cardinal, Rocky River Lutheran West; Division VI (5): Millersport, New Metamoras Frontier, Rawson Cory-Rawson, Troy Christian, Waterford.
REPEAT QUALIFIERS FROM 2001: There are 107 schools that have qualified for the OHSAA football tournaments that also qualified in 2001. The number of schools by division that have again qualified is as follows: Division I: 19; Division II: 14; Division III: 22; Division IV: 20; Division V: 15, and Division VI: 17.
SCHOOLS WITH THE MOST TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES: There are 31 schools that are making at least their 10th appearance in the OHSAA football tournaments. The schools are as follows: Division I (7): Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller-21st; Cincinnati St. Xavier-11th; Cleveland St. Ignatius-15th; Lakewood St. Edward-10th; Massillon Washington-14th; North Canton Hoover-12th; Upper Arlington-10th; Division II (2): Toledo St. Francis-10th; Uniontown Lake-11th; Division III (11): Akron Buchtel-10th; Cincinnati Wyoming-12th; Cleveland Benedictine-13th; Columbus Beechcroft-10th; Columbus Bishop Watterson-14th; Columbus St. Francis DeSales-13th; Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit-11th; Germantown Valley View-11th; St. Marys Memorial-11th; Steubenville-15th; Thornville Sheridan-11th; Division IV (6): Akron Manchester-13th; Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary-12th; Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph-12th; Hamilton Badin-16th; Ironton-21st; Youngstown Ursuline-11th; Division V (3): Amanda-Clearcreek-12th, Lorain Clearview-12th; Marion Pleasant-11th; Division VI (2): Mogadore-16th, Newark Catholic-25th
SCHOOLS THAT MOVED INTO THE TOURNAMENT FROM WEEK 9 TO 10: There are 17 schools that would not have made the tournaments following week 9 but moved into the tournament following week 10. The schools are as follows: Division I (2): Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller (9th/finished 4th); Mansfield Senior (11th/finished 7th); Division II (3) Cincinnati Mount Healthy (9th/finished 8th); Maple Heights (10th/finished 7th); Richfield Revere (9th/finished 8th); Division III (3): Cincinnati Wyoming (9th/finished 7th); Poland Seminary (9th/finished 8th); Thornville Sheridan (9th/finished 8th); Division IV (4): Delta (9th/finished 7th); Hamilton Badin (9th/finished 8th); Waverly (9th/finished 8th); Youngstown Ursuline (10th/finished 8th); Division V (3): Arcanum (9th/finished 8th); Chesapeake (10th/finished 5th); Delphos Jefferson (9th/finished 8th); Division VI (2): McComb (9th/finished 7th); New Matamoras Frontier (13th/finished 8th).
FORMER STATE CHAMPS: Thirty-six former state champions have qualified for this year’s tournaments. The schools and the number of state championships they have won: Akron Buchtel (2); Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary (4); Amanda-Clearcreek (2); Archbold (1); Bedford St. Peter Chanel (1); Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller (7); Cincinnati Wyoming (1); Cleveland Benedictine (4); Cleveland St. Ignatius (9); Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph (1); Columbus Bishop Ready (1); Columbus St. Francis DeSales (3); Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit (1);   Delphos St. John’s (3); Dublin Scioto (1), Gahanna Columbus Academy (1); Germantown Valley View (3); Hamilton Badin (1); Ironton (2); Kenton (1); Lebanon (1), Maria Stein Marion Local (2), Marion Pleasant (2); McComb (1); Mogadore (2); Newark Catholic (5); Olmsted Falls (1); Poland Seminary (1); St. Marys Memorial (3); Steubenville (1); Steubenville Catholic Central (1); Tiffin Calvert (2); Toledo St. Francis (2); Upper Arlington (1); Warren Harding (2), and Youngstown Ursuline (1).
UNDEFEATED SCHOOLS: Thirty-one schools finished the regular season undefeated this year, and all qualified for the tournaments this year. The undefeated schools are as follows (all are 10-0, except Defiance Tinora and Edon, which are 9-0): Division I (5): Brunswick, Cincinnati Anderson, Hudson, Solon, Warren G. Harding; Division II (3): Canfield, Kings Mills Kings, Louisville; Division III (4): Akron Buchtel; Germantown Valley View, Newark Licking Valley, Urbana; Division IV (6): Akron Manchester, Coldwater, Coshocton, Martins Ferry, New Lexington, Reading; Division V (6): Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, Defiance Tinora, Marion Pleasant, Middlefield Cardinal, Smithville, Woodsfield Monroe Central; Division VI (7): Columbus Grove, Covington, Dola Hardin Northern, Edon, Lowellville,  Northwood, Strasburg-Franklin.
OTHER NOTES: Teams in this year’s tournament with the most consecutive tournament appearances are Cleveland St. Ignatius (15th consecutive); Akron Manchester (12th consecutive), and Columbus St. Francis DeSales (ninth consecutive) . . . Hamilton Badin (Division IV) has qualified for the tournaments with a 4-6 record, marking the third time a school with a below-.500 record has qualified. Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit qualified for last year’s tournament with a 3-6 record, and Middletown Bishop Fenwick qualified for the 1982 tournament 4-6 record. Both Walsh Jesuit and Bishop Fenwick lost their first-round games . . . Schools with the longest droughts between tournament appearances are Arcanum (Division V, last appeared in 1986); Columbus Hamilton Twp. (Division III, last appeared 1989); East Canton (Division VI, last appeared in 1989); Trotwood-Madison (Division II, last appeared in 1981), and Waverly (Division IV, last appeared in 1989)  . . . Schools in the tournaments with the most post-season victories are Cleveland St. Ignatius (Division I, 47-5); Newark Catholic (Division VI, 47-17); Ironton (Division IV, 32-18); Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller (Division I, 30-13), and Mogadore (Division VI, 30-13).
QUALIFIERS BY RECORD:   Listed below are the number of teams that qualified for the tournaments by record in each of the past four seasons:                              

CHAMPIONSHIPS BY REGIONAL FINISH: When the OHSAA tournament had four qualifiers per region between 1985 and 1998, 75 state champions were crowned. Of those 75 champions, 48 finished first in their region in the final OHSAA computer rankings, 16 finished second, seven finished third and four finished fourth. During the past three years (after the expansion to eight qualifiers per region) nine schools that won state titles finished first in their region, five finished second, two finished third, one finished fifth and one finished seventh. 2001 marked the first time a school that finished lower than fourth in their region has won a state championship (Division III, Mentor Lake Catholic, fifth; Division I Cleveland St. Ignatius, seventh).
HOW THE SEEDS FARED HAVE FARED:  During the 2001 tournaments, the higher seeded teams held a 118-66-2 (.640) lead over the lower seeded teams for all five rounds of the tournaments. In 2000 the higher seeds held a 128-52-6 (.704) lead over the lower seeds, and in 1999 the higher seeds held a 113-70-3 (.616) lead over the lower seeds.
 

A LOOK AT THE 192 TOURNAMENT SCHOOLS

  — OHSAA —