Regional finals week is here, meaning state title hopes and dreams are a round closer, and a trip to the state's biggest stage, the final four, is on the line across all seven divisions. Here's a preview of the third round of the Ohio high school playoffs, focusing on the Cleveland area:
Division I
Region 1
No. 1 Lakewood St. Edward (11-1) vs. No. 2 Euclid (12-0)
at 7 p.m. Saturday at Parma Byers Field
St. Edward showed it is peaking at just the right time last week, riding a second half surge of points to a blowout victory over Mentor. It doesn’t take much to explain St. Edward — the Eagles are a perennial parochial power, will play physical football and be their opponents’ toughest matchup, week in and week out. Next up for the Eagles are the Euclid Panthers, who reversed the poor fortunes of the last two decades to record their first postseason win since 1993.
Euclid lost its starting quarterback to injury in Week 9 but seemingly hasn’t missed a beat, thanks to running back Chris Collins, who topped 1,400 yards in the regular season and rushed for 179 yards in a round two win over Westerville Central. Unlike Mentor’s meltdown last week, Euclid’s defense has tightened up in the second half of postseason games, allowing just six points.
Division II
Region 4
No. 4 Cleveland Glenville (11-1) vs. No. 2 Perrysburg (12-0)
at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Huron High School
Glenville unseated top-seeded Grafton Midview last week, playing ball control and sound defense on a windy night. Perrysburg, on the other hand, put up points in bunches to take down No. 3 Avon, winning 48-21.
The two styles will clash Friday as a traditionally fast, athletic program in Glenville looks to limit the Yellow Jackets, whose quarterback Trevor Hafner boasts a 31-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Tarblooders quarterback Marcus Drish isn’t bad either, competing 112 of 176 passes for 1,830 yards and 24 touchdowns with three interceptions. The stronger defense will likely come out on top in this one.
Division III
Region 8
No. 1 Cleveland Benedictine (11-1) vs. No. 2 Toledo Central Catholic (10-2)
at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Bellevue High School
Benedictine has spent much of the season looking like the most talented team in the area, but runs into a sizable obstacle in Toledo Central Catholic in the Region 8 final. Fortunately for the Bengals, they’ve faced this opponent before.
The two programs competed in Week 1 of the regular season in front of a national television audience on ESPNU. The Bengals triumphed, 35-23. It was their 13th straight victory, dating back to 2014.
Benedictine’s streak now sits at 24 games, and with a two-headed monster at running back in Dontez Rash and DeCavilon Reese — who have combined for 2,290 yards and 32 touchdowns this season — the Bengals are a 25th straight win from the Division III final four.
Toledo Central Catholic hasn’t lost since falling to Benedictine and Columbus Bishop Hartley, and has a two-man rushing attack of its own in Michael Warren (2,101 yards and 25 touchdowns) and Tre’Von Wade. This one will be a dandy.
Division VI
Region 19
No. 1 Kirtland (11-1) vs. No. 8 Cuyahoga Heights (10-2)
at 7 p.m. Saturday at West Geauga High School
Kirtland hasn’t lost since Week 2 and has a suffocating defense that held its opponent to 30 yards on the ground last week. Joey Bates rushed for 213 yards in a second-round, 27-17 win over Brookfield, while the Redskins needed overtime to escape with a 21-20 win over Smithville.
Special teams play earned the Hornets a 28-26 win over Cuyahoga Heights in Week 9. The Redskins are led by quarterback Brett Lowther, who’s developed quite the chemistry with wideout Dylan Drummond, connecting 47 times for 865 yards and 13 touchdowns in the regular season. It was Drummond’s touchdown catch in overtime that got the Redskins to this point, a rematch against their conference rival with a trip to the Division VI final four on the line.
