7 divisions for football in 2013

[A-Town Big Dog]

The OHSAA announced earlier this year that they will expand to 7 divisions begining with the 2013/2014 count that will be conducted in May. The top 72 schools (10%) will make up the new division 1 with 18 teams in each region. The remaining divisions will have 108 schools each with appx. 27 teams in each region, obviously this will change which division several area schools will compete not to mention the the geographic area covered will need adjusted. I took a few minutes to look up most of the area schools and figure out which division they will likely be in based on the last count(if I missed your school, I'm sorry). If I have two divisions listed for your school it is because they are within 10 of changing divisions and I listed the division the would be in if their number stays the same and the division that would be possible to move into. (For example: Athens 297 3/4, Athens would be a D3 school under the old count but could fall to a D4 with a change of -10 in the new count).

The new divisional breakdown is as follows according to the OHSAA news release.

D1: 600+
D2: 410-599
D3: 288-409
D4: 216-287
D5: 159-215
D6: 114-158
D7:113-

School/ Current Count/ Potential Division

Alexander 171 5
Athens 297 3/4
Chesapeake 187 5
Chillicothe 339 3
Circleville 279 4/3
Coal Grove 136 6
Eastern 87 7
Federal Hocking 138 6
Fisher Catholic 88 7
Fort Frey 128 6
Gallia Academy 258 4
Green 64 7
Huntington 153 6/5
Ironton 174 5
Jackson 295 3/4
Lancaster 651 1
Logan 478 2
Logan Elm 269 4
Marietta 367 3
Meigs 198 5
Miller 104 7/6
Minford 187 5
Nelsonville-York 151 6/5
Newark Catholic 105 7/6
Oak Hill 160 5/6
Piketon 179 5
Portsmouth 179 5
Portsmouth ND 37 7
Portsmouth West 167 5/6
River Valley 190 5
Rock Hill 170 5
Sciotoville Comm. 74 7
Southern 76 7
South Gallia 91 7
Symmes Valley 96 7
Trimble 107 7/6
Unioto 241 4
Valley 126 6
Vinton County 271 4
Warren 356 3
Waterford 89 7
Waverly 235 4
Wellston 188 5

[shoelace]

I thought they were taking the numbers from the October count like past years.

[A-Town Big Dog]

Could be but the article I read said between May 1st and 15th. It was an official release from the OHSAA but it may have contained an error on the dates.

[EasternDspy]

I just want the regions laid out by distance.Come on FF should not be traveling 3 1/2 Hrs for rd 1 of playoffs

[A-Town Big Dog]

It's hard to tell how the regions will be laid out just yet but you can bet there will still be undesirable travel involved.

[EasternDspy]

Fort Frye needs to be a southeast school anyway.Considering Washington County is Southeast Ohio.Ir don't seem fair to have all surronding schools Waterford,Belpre,Marietta,and Warren all in Southeast and not Fort Frye.Meaning FF should be in region 19 playing Oak Hill and not Kirtland.

[A-Town Big Dog]

I know all about it, Athens is in region 12 which is primarily Cincinnati and Dayton area schools.

[A-Town Big Dog]

Not to be picky but the did hose Belpre just as bad, they are in Region 17 also not 19 like in the past.

[EasternDspy]

Something needs to be done.

[Paladin]

Several points --

1. The disparity between North & South grows even bigger

2. The disparity between public & private gets worse.

3. SEO will travel big time as sparse population is eaten by populous areas

4.Teams with losing records make the playoffs with tough schedules of bigger schools.

5. Bad mismatches in early games become more common as people who don't belong in the playoffs get buttkicked badly.

6. PLayoffs return to Canton/ Massillon with some Columbus games.

[A-Town Big Dog]

I'm not saying you are wrong about the Canton/Massilon thing but to me it makes the most sense for the games to be played in the Columbus area thus making travel a non issue for most every school or even neutral fans who like attending the games. Canton/Massilon has great tradition but it is unfair to the SW Ohio schools to travel that far.

[A-Town Big Dog]

I wouldn't mind neutral site games for all playoff games until the finals which could then be in Columbus allowing easy access for fans all around the State.

[Paladin]

In any given year, take a good look at how many teams make the finals ( even the semi's) that are from the geographic NE, even though they may be playing in another region. That is the fan base for the games. That is why Canton/Massillon, among other good reasons, is why games are played there. Not for some idiot fan from somewhere else in the state. Been that way for a long time. Will get worse in the 7 divisions. Ganton/ Massillon D-I p[lay in NW region. Teams from Youngstown play in SE, for example. 7 divisions will get VERY ugly as some NE teams with losing records get in and beat to a pulp other teams in the state.

[RHparent2]

I don't know but teams like Burg, Valley, Minford, Ironton and Symmes Valley could fair pretty well in lower divisions. I do think there should be some sort of multiplier for private schools though....

[Paladin]

REally? When is the last time they all won the region ? Some teams are lucky to play other SEO teams for a playoff win or two, but leave the region and then what happens ? The long established track record is going to become worse with another division.

[RHparent2]

Ok, last two seasons....2011 Valley lost in OT in regional championship....West was beat by same team 14-9....Wynford. Symmes valley lost regional championship by 1 to a team that plated for a state title.

In 2010 Ironton lost by 6 to Hartley in the regional championship while Oak hill lost to Fredricktown by 7 in the regional championship. All these games were for regional championships and all could have went either way.

I do agree that the northern part of the state has got an advantage over the south east....population and a greater commitment to winning. Little Johnny doesn't quit when he doesn't start...he works harder.

[A-Town Big Dog]

Ok, last two seasons....2011 Valley lost in OT in regional championship....West was beat by same team 14-9....Wynford. Symmes valley lost regional championship by 1 to a team that plated for a state title.

In 2010 Ironton lost by 6 to Hartley in the regional championship while Oak hill lost to Fredricktown by 7 in the regional championship. All these games were for regional championships and all could have went either way.

I do agree that the northern part of the state has got an advantage over the south east....population and a greater commitment to winning. Little Johnny doesn't quit when he doesn't start...he works harder.

You kinda just proved his point though, none won the region. Meaning a win or two in the playoffs, which is great and any school should be proud of that accomplishment (I know I would love for my school to be so fortunate) but, they fell to Wynford which is a North Central Ohio school that got lumped into a southern region, SV lost to Beallsville which is again in NE Ohio(even though it is the lower part of it), Hartley is in Central Ohio and Fredricktown is again from NE Ohio. It isn't a dig against schools from our part of the state and it doesn't mean that we don't have any quality football or football teams, just that other areas have more quality football teams and the odds are drastically in their favor. There are some good football teams in the area again this year but aside from Region 19 where the top 3 seeds are from the area, I don't see any schools that I think can make a real run at a regional title but I hope that I am wrong. Good luck to all SE region teams, please prove me wrong, I don't mind crow!

[RHparent2]

Words were get very ugly and beat to a pulp.....losing by less than a TD is not getting beat to a pulp as was stated.

[lawcosportsfan]

This will not be the answer. We already have bad football teams in the playoffs. With this you are going to see more bad teams in the playoffs with records at and below 500. There will never be a perfect system, but more bad teams in the playoffs is crazy.

[EasternDspy]

Screw it with 27 teams in each region cut reg season down to 9 games and let all teams in.That will give top 6 teams byes.I mean there are teams out there that improve throughout the year or have an injury or 2 early in the year.Meaning a killer team might lose a stud qb for the 1st month and be eliminated before they get him back.