OHSAA football: First-round Ohio playoff scores, quick hits from Columbus-area games

The Ohio high school football playoffs, a march toward the seven state championship games Nov. 30-Dec. 2 in Canton, kicked off Friday night.

In central Ohio, no team has captured a state title since 2019, when Pickerington Central won Division I for the second time in three years. Central Ohio has three No. 1 seeds this year in Olentangy (Division I, Region 2), Gahanna Lincoln (Division I, Region 3) and Watterson (Division III, Region 11).

For our first-round coverage Friday, we were at a pair of matchups featuring No. 12 seeds visiting No. 5 seeds, with Dave Purpura at the Region 3 contest between New Albany and Central, and Frank DiRenna at the Division II, Region 7 game between Big Walnut and Northland.

Pickerington Central 42, New Albany 16

• The fifth-seeded Tigers’ first drive Friday night helped set the tone, but their second and third touchdowns proved every bit as important — especially given how they were scored — in a Division I, Region 3 rout of 12th-seeded and visiting New Albany. Central (8-3) took a 7-0 lead on a nine-play drive to open the game as Aaron Heller scored from 4 yards, and its next two touchdowns came on drives of two and four plays to build a 21-0 lead. Terrance Alexander caught a 40-yard touchdown pass in stride from Rocco Williams, New Albany (4-7) fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Anthony Madison III scored from 5 yards. “The linebacker shifted over and I knew I could outrun him; I just had to make a move at the beginning,” said Alexander, who was injured during the ensuing celebration and did not play the rest of the game. “After that, the rest was history.”

• Williams, a sophomore, threw a 37-yard touchdown pass to Braylin Wells late in the first half and Madison III added his second score, from 53 yards, on Central’s second offensive play of the second half to make it 35-3 and invoke the running clock. Sherone White Jr. added a 94-yard kickoff return for the night’s final touchdown as the Tigers won their sixth consecutive game and advanced into a regional quarterfinal next Friday at fourth-seeded Upper Arlington. “A lot of people put us to the side after those three losses (in our first five games), but we’ve just been regrouping each week and playing better,” Central coach Jeff Lomonico said. “They played hard and stayed together. We tell them to put everything else away for 48 minutes, that we’re family for 48 minutes. We played like it.”

• Central senior safety/wide receiver Dominic Shaw, one of a handful of Tigers to start or see considerable playing time both ways, lauded the defensive effort in particular against New Albany’s wing-T. It was a look the Tigers saw twice in OCC-Buckeye play against Groveport and Lancaster. “Just being disciplined, doing our own jobs and making sure we stuck to the plan and play hard (were the keys),” Shaw said. “We’re constantly getting better. We’ve come out strong. We’re playing with ‘playoff speed,’ (as) we like to call it.” Central has outscored its past six opponents 215-43.

• New Albany coach Brian Finn acknowledged the start could not have been much worse as the Eagles suffered their most lopsided loss of the season. Five of their six regular-season setbacks were by 14 points or fewer. “When you play against a team that good, those are things you can’t do, and we had not turned the ball over very much if at all all year,” Finn said. “We hadn’t had many penalties in a month and a half. We will learn from this. In some ways, maybe we needed some of this as a program so we can continue to see what the bar really, truly is and keep adjusting to it.” Braylen Nash threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Miles Jackson in the fourth quarter, and Ashton Allen added a 1-yard scoring run with 2:11 left.

—Dave Purpura

Big Walnut 43, Northland 14

• Faced with a must-win situation heading into its game at Canal Winchester last Friday, Big Walnut won 17-0 to secure a Division II, Region 7 playoff berth. Seeded 12th, the Golden Eagles (6-5) opened the postseason with a convincing win at fifth-seeded Northland, advancing to visit fourth-seeded Uniontown Lake for a regional quarterfinal next Friday. “I really love our team,” Big Walnut coach Curtis Crager said. “The seniors have done a great job in leading. In the playoffs, you have to get a few breaks, but anybody has a chance. We have to clean a lot of stuff up — offensively, defensively, special teams — but why not us?”

• Led by running back Nate Severs, the Eagles took control early, jumping out to a 16-0 lead in the first quarter. Severs finished with 187 yards rushing and four touchdowns on 25 carries. “We came into this week and we didn’t do anything different,” Severs said. “With a team like this, we did not take them lightly. We did the same thing Monday morning, still coming in lifting. Getting this win was huge.”

• Senior Garrett Stover, an Ohio State commit at linebacker, continues to play a major role for Big Walnut defensively after moving from linebacker to safety midway through the season. Stover, who had a rushing touchdown against Northland, has played the last three games with a broken right thumb suffered in a 49-7 win over Worthington Kilbourne on Sept. 29.

• Playing in its first postseason home game, Northland (9-2) fell behind early and could not recover. Mahari Bowles scored on a 5-yard run early in the second quarter to pull the Vikings to within 16-7. After Big Walnut built a 43-7 lead in the fourth quarter, Zion Moffett closed the scoring for the Vikings with a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Amir Brown rushed for 94 yards on 16 carries. “I’m not going to leave here down in the dumps,” Northland coach Ryan Sayers said. “We did some really special things. At the end of the day, it (stinks) to lose. There’s no way around it, it (stinks), but these kids have so much to be proud of. These kids have set the standard for a long time to come.”

—Frank DiRenna

Olentangy Liberty 36, Findlay 35

• Andrew Leonard threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to a leaping Wilson Roberts in the back of the end zone as time expired, then caught the winning two-point conversion pass as the 14th-seeded Patriots (4-7) shocked host and third-seeded Findlay (8-3) in Division I, Region 2. The Trojans, who led 28-21 after three quarters, called a timeout after the Patriots scored, and Liberty decided to go for the win. Leonard took the snap, handed to Jake Struck, who handed back to Toby Gage, who then found Leonard open near the goal line.

• Liberty, which was regional runner-up last year despite a 5-5 regular-season record, has won at least one playoff game in eight of the last 10 seasons. The Patriots will travel to No. 6 Dublin Coffman, an OCC-Central rival, for a regional quarterfinal next Friday. The Shamrocks beat Liberty 24-14 in their league opener in Week 6.

—Dave Purpura

Washington Court House Miami Trace 55, Hamilton Township 34

• The host and eighth-seeded Rangers' historic season came to an end in a high-scoring Division III, Region 11 first-round game in which they and ninth-seeded Miami Trace combined for 1,061 yards of offense. Nadir Langston ran for 126 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries and converted both of his catches for 93 yards into touchdowns, and Josh Woods threw for 307 yards and three scores but was intercepted four times. The Rangers led 14-0 after a quarter, but were outscored 34-14 in the second half.

• Hamilton Township started 9-0 — only the third time in program history the Rangers won nine or more games — but lost its final two contests. Miami Trace (7-4) will face top-seeded Watterson for a regional quarterfinal next Friday.

—Dave Purpura

Ohio high school football first-round playoff scores

Division I

Region 1

Berea-Midpark 41, Massillon Jackson 26

Can. GlenOak 16, Lorain 7

Can. McKinley 37, Strongsville 13

Cle. Hts. 39, Euclid 0

Cle. St. Ignatius 10, Mentor 7

Lakewood St. Edward 42, Elyria 0

Medina 70, Cle. John Marshall 40

Wadsworth 45, Brunswick 14

Region 2

Centerville 23, Olentangy Orange 6

Dublin Coffman 14, Kettering Fairmont 7

Miamisburg 34, Delaware Hayes 14

Olentangy 44, Dublin Jerome 13

Olentangy Berlin 20, Marysville 0

Olentangy Liberty 36, Findlay 35

Perrysburg 20, Tol. Whitmer 14

Springfield 38, Huber Hts. Wayne 14

Region 3

Gahanna Lincoln 51, Reynoldsburg 20

Grove City 38, Hilliard Davidson 22

Hilliard Bradley 42, Newark 0

Hilliard Darby 17, Groveport Madison 10

Pickerington Central 42, New Albany 16

Pickerington North 28, Westerville Central 0

Upper Arlington 46, Thomas Worthington 3

Westerville North 31, Lancaster 28

Region 4

Cin. Elder 28, Cin. Oak Hills 14

Cin. Moeller 49, Cin. West Clermont 13

Cin. Princeton 41, Middletown 15

Cin. St. Xavier 35, Springboro 13

Hamilton 13, Cin. Sycamore 10

Mason 17, Lebanon 0

Milford 41, Fairfield 15

W. Chester Lakota W. 69, Cin. Western Hills 0

Division II

Region 5

Akr. Hoban 39, Akr. Ellet 7

Austintown Fitch 42, Cle. Hay 0

Barberton 48, Shaker Hts. 41

Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit 37, Akr. Firestone 14

Hudson 20, Cle. Benedictine 19

Painesville Riverside 36, Maple Hts. 14

Twinsburg 22, Macedonia Nordonia 10

Warren Harding 35, Akr. STVM 0

Region 6

Avon 28, Toledo St. John's 0

Avon Lake 40, Fremont Ross 14

Brecksville-Broadview Hts. 30, Westlake 3

Medina Highland 49, Grafton Midview 7

N. Ridgeville 35, Parma Hts. Valley Forge 14

Olmsted Falls 40, Oregon Clay 12

Sylvania Southview 49, Cle. Rhodes 0

Whitehouse Anthony Wayne 41, Tol. Start 6

Region 7

Big Walnut 43, Northland 14

Canal Winchester 26, Walnut Ridge 0

Green 44, St. Charles 14

Massillon 41, Central Crossing 6

N. Can. Hoover 23, DeSales 21

Uniontown Lake 35, Massillon Perry 14

Watkins Memorial 18, Independence 8

Westerville South 49, Briggs 30

Region 8

Cin. Anderson 43, Cin. Turpin 7

Cin. Winton Woods 12, Cin. La Salle 6

Cin. Withrow 49, Trenton Edgewood 0

Clayton Northmont 35, Fairborn 0

Harrison 51, Sidney 6

Kings Mills Kings 38, Loveland 17

Lima Sr. 42, Xenia 32

Troy 26, Riverside Stebbins 7

Division III

Region 9

Aurora 41, Alliance 7

Canfield 20, Akr. East 7

Chagrin Falls Kenston 34, Dover 7

Chardon 42, Cuyahoga Falls CVCA 0

Cle. VASJ 48, Hunting Valley University 14

Gates Mills Gilmour 33, Madison 13

Geneva 56, Gates Mills Hawken 19

Youngs. Ursuline 42, New Philadelphia 7

Region 10

Defiance 14, Bay Village Bay 7

Mansfield Sr. 30, Lexington 13

Medina Buckeye 31, Sandusky 29

Norton 40, Richfield Revere 7

Ontario 31, Rocky River Lutheran W. 22

Rocky River 14, Clyde 7

Tiffin Columbian 49, Ashland 21

Tol. Cent. Cath. 42, Bowling Green 7

Region 11

Bellefontaine 49, New Concord John Glenn 7

Bloom-Carroll 58, Athens 14

Dresden Tri-Valley 49, Buckeye Valley 12

Granville 53, Bexley 27

Jackson 49, Marietta 14

London 57, Beechcroft 14

Washington C.H. Miami Trace 55, Hamilton Twp. 34

Watterson 45, South 0

Region 12

Bellbrook 48, Wilmington 0

Celina 49, Hillsboro 7

Day. Chaminade Julienne 35, Cin. Mt. Healthy 28

Hamilton Badin 41, Goshen 0

Tipp City Tippecanoe 49, Mt. Orab Western Brown 20

Trotwood-Madison 42, Day. Oakwood 0

Vandalia Butler 17, Elida 0

Wapakoneta 63, New Richmond 21

Division IV

Region 13

Akr. Buchtel 26, Youngs. Mooney 16

Beloit W. Branch 33, Peninsula Woodridge 20

Can. South 35, Canal Fulton Northwest 7

Mentor Lake Cath. 38, Mogadore Field 14

Niles McKinley 65, Ashtabula Edgewood 28

Poland Seminary 42, E. Liverpool 14

Streetsboro 41, Lisbon Beaver 20

Struthers 21, Girard 16

Region 14

Cle. Glenville 44, Lima Bath 0

Galion 36, Oberlin Firelands 6

Millersburg W. Holmes 70, Bryan 50

Napoleon 41, Bellevue 24

Sandusky Perkins 44, Vermilion 6

Shelby 40, Cle. Cent. Cath. 0

St. Marys Memorial 42, Wauseon 14

Van Wert 48, Caledonia River Valley 30

Region 15

Gallipolis Gallia 34, McArthur Vinton County 6

Gnadenhutten Indian Valley 48, Logan Elm 14

Licking Valley 40, East 6

Ready 14, Jonathan Alder 10

St. Clairsville 44, Marion-Franklin 12

Steubenville 42, Carrollton 0

Thornville Sheridan 49, McConnelsville Morgan 28

Region 16

Cin. Indian Hill 84, Reading 63

Cin. McNicholas 41, Eaton 20

Cin. Taft 39, Greenfield McClain 7

Cin. Wyoming 42, Washington C.H. 0

Clarksville Clinton-Massie 50, Day. Dunbar 12

Kettering Alter 42, St. Bernard Roger Bacon 0

Spring. Shawnee 37, Waverly 7

Urbana 56, Chillicothe Unioto 21

Division V

Region 17

Cadiz Harrison Cent. 40, Wooster Triway 10

Canfield S. Range 43, Navarre Fairless 20

Creston Norwayne 56, Youngs. Liberty 33

Garrettsville Garfield 56, Conneaut 13

Lorain Clearview 33, Burton Berkshire 12

Magnolia Sandy Valley 42, Cortland Lakeview 21

Perry 56, Mantua Crestwood 0

W. Lafayette Ridgewood 33, Richmond Edison 8

Region 18

Archbold 37, Fredericktown 6

Coldwater 47, Lewistown Indian Lake 0

Highland 21, Findlay Liberty-Benton 17

Huron 28, Genoa Area 21

Liberty Center 56, Bloomdale Elmwood 14

Milan Edison 48, Spencerville 0

Oak Harbor 49, Tontogany Otsego 20

Pemberville Eastwood 14, Marion Pleasant 0

Region 19

Barnesville 56, S. Point 20

Cols. Academy 34, Utica 18

Harvest Prep 55, New Lexington 8

Heath 27, Portsmouth W. 15

Ironton 56, Worthington Christian 6

Portsmouth 50, Proctorville Fairland 38

Wheelersburg 34, Africentric 0

Zanesville W. Muskingum 42, Belmont Union Local 26

Region 20

Bethel-Tate 35, Blanchester 20

Brookville 55, Casstown Miami E. 3

Camden Preble Shawnee 28, Milton-Union 17

Chillicothe Zane Trace 24, Middletown Madison Senior 14

Cin. Purcell Marian 55, Cin. Madeira 14

Germantown Valley View 55, Westfall 7

Spring. NE 14, Jamestown Greeneview 7

Waynesville 38, Carlisle 0

Division VI

Region 21

Andover Pymatuning Valley 16, Columbiana Crestview 14

Can. Cent. Cath. 26, Middlefield Cardinal 10

Cuyahoga Hts. 41, Rittman 40

Hanoverton United 24, Brookfield 14

Kirtland 49, Columbiana 6

Mineral Ridge 35, N. Jackson Jackson-Milton 6

Mogadore 28, Leavittsburg LaBrae 0

Rootstown 43, Ravenna SE 7

Region 22

Bluffton 63, Paulding 6

Bucyrus Wynford 31, Defiance Tinora 28, OT

Carey 29, Ashland Crestview 6

Columbia Station Columbia 56, Ashland Mapleton 14

Columbus Grove 42, Kansas Lakota 17

N. Robinson Col. Crawford 24, Attica Seneca E. 16

Sullivan Black River 24, Collins Western Reserve 6

Tol. Ottawa Hills 42, Castalia Margaretta 7

Region 23

Beverly Ft. Frye 35, Zoarville Tuscarawas Valley 21

East Knox 35, Martins Ferry 17

Galion Northmor 44, Coal Grove Dawson-Bryant 22

Glouster Trimble 37, Marion Elgin 6

Nelsonville-York 20, Bellaire 12

Newcomerstown 17, Cols. Grandview Hts. 14

Sugarcreek Garaway 45, Ironton Rock Hill 7

West Jefferson 45, Grove City Christian 14

Region 24

Anna 58, Harrod Allen E. 28

Bainbridge Paint Valley 37, Rockford Parkway 23

Cin. Country Day 63, Day. Christian 13

New Madison Tri-Village 35, New Paris National Trail 0

Versailles 40, Troy Christian 0

W. Alexandria Twin Valley S. 34, Cin. Deer Park 7

W. Liberty-Salem 47, Lucasville Valley 7

Williamsburg 73, New Lebanon Dixie 0

Division VII

Region 25

Berlin Center Western Reserve 53, Lisbon David Anderson 20

Dalton 54, Bowerston Conotton Valley 12

Danville 51, McDonald 7

Lowellville 34, Steubenville Cath. Cent. 0

Lucas 28, Jeromesville Hillsdale 14

Malvern 35, Salineville Southern 20

New Middletown Spring. 35, Monroeville 21

Norwalk St. Paul 56, Toronto 20

Region 26

Arlington 27, Antwerp 20

Bascom Hopewell-Loudon 46, Montpelier 14

Convoy Crestview 42, Tiffin Calvert 14

Edon 34, Waynesfield-Goshen 27

Hamler Patrick Henry 40, Pioneer N. Central 8

Lima Cent. Cath. 42, Defiance Ayersville 20

McComb 53, McGuffey Upper Scioto Valley 22

Pandora-Gilboa 33, Leipsic 24

Region 27

Beaver Eastern 41, Shadyside 27

Caldwell 41, Bridgeport 14

Fairfield Christian 61, Portsmouth Sciotoville 54

Hannibal River 49, Zanesville Rosecrans 21

Portsmouth Notre Dame 65, Beallsville 16

Reedsville Eastern 48, Berne Union 0

Waterford 35, Corning Miller 12

Woodsfield Monroe Cent. 31, Crown City S. Gallia 21

Region 28

Ansonia 52, Lockland 7

Cedarville 42, Sidney Lehman 28

Ft. Loramie 42, S. Charleston SE 35

Maria Stein Marion Local 63, Lewisburg Tri-County N. 0

Mechanicsburg 40, St Bernard-Elmwood Place 14

Minster 50, Bradford 8

New Bremen 35, Cin. College Prep. 0

St. Henry 28, DeGraff Riverside 5

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: OHSAA football: First-round playoff scores, central Ohio quick hits