Two Lakota football rivals matchup with playoff implications

OHIO — Now that Amazon Web Services are back up and running, there won’t be a more taxed server in the state of Ohio Friday night than the one that hosts Joe Eitel’s web site.

That’s because as the regular season wraps up, players, coaches and fans will hit the refresh button to see where the computer points are projected, and who will get into the Ohio High School Athletic Association playoffs.

With the change this season to 12 teams per region (down from 16 in 2021-24), there are 112 fewer spots available statewide. 

Heading into the final weekend, 213 schools know their seasons will continue. That includes Olentangy Orange (Division I, Region 3), Elder (Division I, Region 4), Hoban (Division II, Region 5), Anderson (Division II, Region 8), Watterson (Division III, Region 11), Shelby (Division IV, Region 14), Kirtland (Division VI, Region 21), Hillsdale (Division VII, Region 27) and Marion Local (Division VII, Region 28) which have all clinched number one seeds.

That leaves 123 spots open, with 257 teams still alive to try to earn a post-season berth, according to the calculations on Eitel’s website. 

All six teams involved in the OHSAA Game of the Week on Spectrum News 1 have their tickets punched.

Viewers in Southwest Ohio will get Lakota West (6-3) visiting Lakota East (6-3), two schools created out of the split of the original Lakota High School in 1997.

Since that time, it’s the Firebirds with a 19-9 series lead, including the last six meetings. The Thunderhawks won three in a row from 2016 to 2018.

These rivals are also closely bunched in Region 4, with West sixth and East seventh. Win or lose, both will host a round one playoff matchup next week. 

The Firebirds were 2-3 at the midway point but have won four straight since then by a cumulative 169-28 score, including a win over 7-2 Middletown. 

The Thunderhawks can be dangerous on offense, scoring 30 or more points in six of their contests. 

Friday’s games can be seen statewide on Spectrum News 1 and the Spectrum News App:

• Oct. 24: St. Edward at Hoban (northern Ohio)

• Oct. 24: Pickerington North at Gahanna (central Ohio)

• Oct. 24: Lakota West at Lakota East (southwest Ohio)

The playoffs begin on Friday, Oct. 31, with live games in the Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus and Dayton zones, and 18 games available through the Spectrum News 1 website. 

The excitement runs all the way through Dec. 4-6 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, site of the OHSAA football championships, live on Spectrum News 1 and the Spectrum News App.