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Region 4 Revised and Revived

The 2016 season will see the return of four regions in Division I. Over the past three years Division I has been comprised of just two regions in which each had 16 playoff berths. Several factors went into the move including increased travel and lack of emphasis on a regional championship game.

Wayne Head Coach Jay Minton (photo by Mike Noyes/TriStateFootball.com)

Wayne Head Coach Jay Minton (photo by Mike Noyes/TriStateFootball.com)

The Ohio High School Athletic Association is leaving the Division I school membership at 72. That means far fewer teams vying for playoffs berths than there was back in 2012 the last time there were four regions. There were nine schools in Region 4 in ’12 that are now playing at the Division II level including the last three state champions – Loveland in ’13 and La Salle in ’14 & ’15.

Region 4 loses Greater Western Ohio Conference East members Wayne, Beavercreek, Fairmont and Springfield to Region 3 which is comprised of the Columbus area schools that were in Region 2 from 2013 to ‘15. It just doesn’t seem right that Wayne is in Region 3. The Warriors and their faithful fans seem to have gotten the sort end of the stick in the deal. Wayne has been a beckon of postseason success in Southwest Ohio.

The new makeup of Region 4 has only six teams that made the playoffs a year ago. Lakota West (7-3) and Centerville (6-4) were on the outside looking in. Had the ‘16 regional alignment been in place last fall Lakota West would have been the #7 seed going up against #2 Elder a rematch of a Week 2 battle. Centerville would have snuck in with the #8 seed on the road at #1 Colerain.

The other games would have been a Week 5 GMC rematch between #3 Mason hosting #6 Fairfield and #4 St. Xavier entertaining #5 Springboro. With potential matchups like those it is clear why the OHSAA unanimously favored going back to four divisions.

2016 OHSAA Football Division I Schools by Region

Region 1
Brunswick, Dublin Jerome, Elyria, Findlay, Lewis Center Olentangy, Powell Olentangy Liberty, Lewis Center Olentangy Orange, Lorain, Marysville, Medina, Newark, North Royalton, Parma, Strongsville, Toledo Start, Toledo Whitmer, Westerville Central, Westerville South

Region 2
Austintown-Fitch, Berea-Midpark, Canton GlenOak, Canton McKinley, Cleveland Heights, Cleveland John Marshall, Cleveland Rhodes, Cleveland St. Ignatius, Cuyahoga Falls, Euclid, Lakewood, Lakewood St. Edward, Massillon Jackson, Mentor, North Canton Hoover, Shaker Heights, Solon, Stow-Munroe Falls

Region 3
Wayne, Springfield, Fairmont, Beavercreek, Columbus Westland, Dublin Coffman, Gahanna Lincoln, Grove City, Grove City Central Crossing, Hilliard Bradley, Hilliard Darby, Hilliard Davidson, Lancaster, Pickerington Central, Pickerington North, Reynoldsburg, Thomas Worthington, Upper Arlington

Region 4
Moeller, Colerain, Elder, Oak Hills, St. Xavier, Sycamore, Western Hills, Centerville, Northmont, Fairfield, Hamilton, Lebanon, Lakota East, Mason, Middletown, Milford, Springboro, Lakota West

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