Ohio high school football playoff picks: Which teams will win OHSAA state championships?
The OHSAA will crown seven football state champions between Thursday and Saturday nights, but the championship of our high school football Predictions Panel already has been decided.
Kurt Snyder has clinched the title.
Snyder enters the 16th and final week of the season at 172-65, four games ahead of 2022 champion Eric Frantz and seven ahead of Steve Blackledge and Dave Weidig. Those trailing Snyder don't differ from him on enough picks this week to make up the necessary ground.
Of the seven state finals, Snyder and Frantz differ on only one game. In Division VI, Snyder has picked Kirtland and Frantz has picked Versailles.
We have two unanimous picks this week: Perry in Division V and Maria Stein Marion Local in Division VII. We also have two Lone Wolf picks, with Andy Resnik taking Springfield over two-time defending state champion Lakewood St. Edward in Division I and Tom Wilson going with Akron Hoban over Massillon Washington in Division II.
We went 1-3 in Lone Wolf picks last week, dropping our season record to 11-39. Resnik earned the win when Springfield beat Cincinnati Moeller 26-19 in overtime, but he also took a loss when Germantown Valley View fell 14-10 to Liberty Center. Hoban's 17-14 win over Avon and Cleveland Glenville's 42-21 win over Canton South handed Lone Wolf losses to Dave Purpura and Lee Cochran, respectively.
The other two staffers on our 10-member panel this season were Steve Blackledge and Frank DiRenna.
Enjoy the state finals!
Division I
Lakewood St. Edward (14-1) vs. Springfield (10-5)
St. Edward Eagles: Baker, Blackledge, Cochran, DiRenna, Frantz, Purpura, Snyder, Weidig, Wilson
Springfield Wildcats: Resnik
Division II
Akron Hoban (13-1) vs. Massillon Washington (15-0)
Hoban Knights: Wilson
Massillon Tigers: Baker, Blackledge, Cochran, DiRenna, Frantz, Purpura, Resnik, Snyder, Weidig
Division III
Watterson (14-1) vs. Toledo Central Catholic (15-0)
Watterson Eagles: DiRenna, Purpura, Resnik
Central Catholic Fighting Irish: Baker, Blackledge, Cochran, Frantz, Snyder, Weidig, Wilson
Division IV
Cleveland Glenville (12-3) vs. Kettering Alter (12-3)
Glenville Tarblooders: Baker, Cochran, Frantz, Resnik, Snyder, Wilson
Alter Knights: Blackledge, DiRenna, Purpura, Weidig
Division V
Perry (15-0) vs. Liberty Center (15-0)
Perry Pirates: Baker, Blackledge, Cochran, DiRenna, Frantz, Purpura, Resnik, Snyder, Weidig, Wilson
Liberty Center Tigers:
Division VI
Kirtland (14-1) vs. Versailles (13-2)
Kirtland Hornets: Baker, Blackledge, Cochran, Snyder
Versailles Tigers: DiRenna, Frantz, Purpura, Resnik, Weidig, Wilson
Division VII
Dalton (13-1) vs. Maria Stein Marion Local (15-0)
Dalton Bulldogs:
Marion Local Flyers: Baker, Blackledge, Cochran, DiRenna, Frantz, Purpura, Resnik, Snyder, Weidig, Wilson
Standings after OHSAA state semifinals
Kurt Snyder 12-2 last week; 172-65 overall
Eric Frantz 13-1; 168-69
Steve Blackledge 13-1; 165-72
Dave Weidig 12-2; 165-72
Andy Resnik 12-2; 164-73
Lee Cochran 10-4; 163-74
Ryan Baker 13-1; 160-77
Tom Wilson 12-2; 158-79
Frank DiRenna 11-3; 157-80
Dave Purpura: 11-3; 154-83
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio high school football: OHSAA state final predictions
