Western Brown High School claimed its first-ever Ohio High School Athletic Association playoff victory on a Friday night in 2020. Now, following a recommendation from the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association, all football playoff games during the first five rounds will be played on Friday nights. File photo
All high school football playoff games will now be contested on Friday nights
Following a recommendation from the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association, all football playoff games during the first five rounds will be played on Friday nights.
During the first two rounds (October 27 and November 3), the better-seeded team in each matchup will host the game at its home field. During the third, fourth and fifth rounds (November 10, 17 and 24), the OHSAA will select neutral sites. The state championships will be hosted at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton on November 30 and December 1-2.
Practices started for all state football teams July 31. The remainder of the 2023 state football schedule:
Aug. 4-12 – Scrimmage dates.
Aug. 14 – Regular season begins (first Friday is August 18).
Oct. 21 – Regular season ends.
Oct. 22 – Playoff qualifiers announced.
Oct. 27 – Regional playoffs, first round (better-seeded teams host).
Nov. 3 – Regional quarterfinals (better-seeded teams host).
Nov. 10 – Regional semifinals (neutral sites).
Nov. 17 – Regional finals (neutral sites).
Nov. 24 – State semifinals (neutral sites).
Nov. 30, Dec. 1-2 – State championships, Canton.
The OHSAA football site (https://www.ohsaa.org/sports/football) has two links to statewide regular-season schedules:
• MaxPreps: https://www.maxpreps.com/news/PhsocT_EMUSliWlcEKJOdA/ohsaa-2023-ohio-high-school-football-schedules.htm
• JoeEitel: http://www.joeeitel.com/hsfoot/
While football contact is in full swing, the OHSAA announced that August 1 through August 31 is a no-contact period for all coaches (paid and volunteer) in the team sports of baseball, basketball, boys volleyball, ice hockey, lacrosse and softball.
Former Warrior Kevin Lucas headed to Wilmington hall
Former Eastern Brown High School track and field standout Kevin Lucas will be one of five individuals inducted into the Wilmington (Ohio) College Athletics Hall of Fame during the school’s homecoming weekend festivities in September.
Lucas, who graduated from Wilmington in 2001, was a 15-time all-conference honoree and All-American sprinter for the track and field program in the late 1990s and early 2000s, according to the college.
After leaving Wilmington, Lucas has built an impressive coaching resume, including being named National Coach of the Year three times at the University of Mount Union, where he continues to coach.
Georgetown youth soccer camp a success
The Georgetown High School boys and girls soccer teams recently hosted a two-day youth soccer camp in conjunction with Soccer Association for Youth (SAY).
According to the Georgetown Athletics Facebook page, the camp drew over 200 participants.
For photo collages from both days of the camp, go to https://twitter.com/Gtown_Athletics
Area regional updates meeting slated
The Ohio High School Athletic Association will host in-person regional update meetings in August and September in each of the OHSAA’s six districts, with the Cincinnati area meeting scheduled Tuesday, September 19.
The meetings are designed to help kick off the 2023-24 school year and provide member school administrators with updates on current topics and issues, according to the OHSAA. Superintendents, high school and seventh- and eighth-grade principals, high school and seventh- and eighth-grade athletic administrators and city supervisors are highly encouraged to attend.
The meetings start in Cambridge on Thursday, August 24, and end in Cincinnati on September 19. Other meetings: Athens on Tuesday, August 29; Streetsboro on Wednesday, September 6; Westerville on Monday, September 11; and Findlay on Thursday, September 14.