COLUMBUS – Four central Ohio teams will continue their playoff runs this weekend as Ohio’s high school football season enters its final weekends.
All of the state’s teams were eligible for the playoffs due to COVID-19, but attendance at games was limited.
Pickerington Central will face Cincinnati St. Xavier at Fortress Obetz on the Southeast Side for the state Division I championship Friday at 7:00 p.m.
The number of spectators at each of the semifinal and final games will be limited to 15 percent of the permanent seating capacity of the stadiums hosting the games, but no more than 1,500 will be allowed, based on attendance limitations currently set by the Ohio Department of Health’s pandemic sports order.
For the Division I game, 1,500 spectators will be permitted so each school will receive 750 tickets. There will be no general admission public sale of tickets for the state semifinals or state championship games.
DeSales takes on Kettering Archbishop Alter at London High School Bowlus Field in a Division III semifinal Friday at 7:00 p.m. Tiffin Columbian faces Chardon in the other semifinal. The Division III championship game will be Saturday, Nov. 21 at 7:00 p.m.
Bloom-Carrol and Mentor Lake Catholic play a Division IV semifinal Saturday, at 7:00 p.m. at New Philadelphia High School Woody Hayes Quaker Stadium. The winner will play Van Wert or Cincinnati Wyoming for the state title Sunday, Nov. 22 at noon.
In Division VII, Newark Catholic will face Warren John F. Kennedy Friday at 7:00 p.m. at Massillon Washington Paul Brown Tiger Stadium with the winner taking on either Lima Central Catholic or New Bremen in the championship game Friday, Nov. 20, at 2:00 pm.
The Division II title game will be Friday, Nov. 20, at 7:00 p.m. The Division V game will be Saturday, Nov. 21, at 2:00 p.m. and the Division VI game is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 22, at 5:00 p.m.
All championship games will be played at Fortress Obetz.
Spectrum News 1 will televise all seven championship games.