(11-26-18) Last week in the OHSAA State Football Semifinal games, just three of the 28 schools (seven divisions) competing were private schools. With fourteen schools left to battle for seven state titles this weekend, three of those games will feature those three remaining private schools.

 

Last season, the first year of the competitive balance plan, just one private school played in a state final game…Akron Hoban won the D II title over Winton Woods.  Hoban moved up last season from D III where they won the state title in 2016.

2019 OHSAA Football State Championships

7:30 PM, Thursday, Nov. 29 – Division II: No. 3 Massillon Washington (14-0) vs. No. 1 Akron Archbishop Hoban (14-0)

10:00 AM, Friday, Nov. 30 – Division VI: No. 1 Kirtland (14-0) vs. No. 3 Marion Local (13-1)
3:00 PM, Friday, Nov. 30 – Division III: No. 1 Kettering Archbishop Alter (13-1) vs. No. 4 Chagrin Falls Kenston (13-1)
8:00 PM Friday, Nov. 30 – Division I: No. 9 Lakewood St. Edward (10-3) vs. No. 1 Cincinnati Colerain (14-0)

10:00 AM, Saturday, Dec. 1 – Division VII: No. 6 McComb (13-1) vs. No. 2 Glouster Trimble (13-1)
3:00 PM, Saturday, Dec. 1 – Division V: Orrville (12-2) vs. No. 4 Johnstown-Monroe (13-1)
8:00 PM, Saturday, Dec. 1 – Division IV: No. 1 Cincinnati Wyoming (14-0) vs. Girard (13-1)

Two of the three private schools in the state finals in Canton this week moved up one division this season, Akron Hoban will play in the state final in D II again, without the CB plan they would have been in D III. Kettering Alter, moved up from D IV to D III and will play Kenston in the championship game. Lakewood St. Edward is the only private school in  a state final not to move up a division, since they are already secure in D I.

Last Six Years Of Private School State Champions

2017
II – Akron Bishop Hoban

2016
I – Cincinnati St. Xavier
III – Akron Bishop Hoban
IV – Columbus Bishop Hartley
V – Canton Central Catholic
VII – Warren John F. Kennedy

2015
I – Lakewood St. Edward
II – Cincinnati LaSalle
III – Akron Bishop Hoban
IV – Columbus Bishop Hartley

2014
I – Lakewood St. Edward
II – Cincinnati LaSalle
III – Toledo Central Catholic
IV – Cleveland Benedictine

2013
I – Cincinnati Moeller
III – Akron St. Mary-St. Mary

2012
I – Cincinnati Moeller
II – Toledo Central Catholic
III – Akron St. Mary-St. Mary

In the process the competitive balance would also slow down one dominant football conference, the Midwest Athletic Conference. It started last year when the CB plan would move Coldwater down from D V, Ft. Recovery would move up from D VII and would join Marion Local in D VI and now all three remain in Region 24.

MAC Teams Who Participated In Past Championship Games

  • 2018 – Marion Local
  • 2017 – Marion Local, Minster
  • 2016 – Minster, Marion Local, Coldwater
  • 2015 – Ft. Recovery, Marion Local, Coldwater
  • 2014 – Marion Local, Minster, Coldwater

2008 – Last time the MAC had just one school in Championship games
2002 – Last time the MAC had no schools in Championship games

This year’s D VI game is effected by the CB plan….

Marion Local will play a D V school for the 2nd time in the playoffs that has moved down this season to D VI, Kirtland.  Two weeks ago the Flyers beat Coldwater in the regional finals. Both of those schools would have played in D V this year, had it not been for the CB plan.

In 2011 and 2012, before the CB plan and before there were seven divisions, Kirtland and Coldwater played in the D V state final games (they split the two games).