For a third straight year, a record number of area teams have qualified for the Ohio High School Athletic Association football playoffs.

The OHSAA on Sunday released its first-round playoff pairings. Among the 448 qualifiers are 12 from Mahoning County — they include: Austintown Fitch, Canfield, Poland, Struthers, Ursuline, Cardinal Mooney, West Branch, South Range, Jackson-Milton, Western Reserve, Lowellville and Springfield.

Last year, Mahoning County sent 13 teams to the playoffs.

Trumbull County will be represented by a county-record nine schools: Warren G. Harding, Girard, Niles, Lakeview, Liberty, Brookfield, Mineral Ridge, LaBrae and McDonald.

Columbiana County schools advancing to week 11 include: East Liverpool, Beaver Local, United, Crestview, Columbiana, Lisbon and Southern. This is also a high water mark for Columbiana County.

The 28 playoff-bound schools from the Mahoning Valley tops last year’s total of 25.

Also advancing are Garrettsville Garfield and Pymatuning Valley.

Fifteen area schools finished in the top eight of their respective regions. Those schools will host a first-round game.

Ursuline (10-0) was the only Valley team to finish its season without a loss. Garfield, a Portage County team, also finished unbeaten at 10-0. The Irish are also the only area team to finish with the top seed in their respective region.

First-round games feature several all-area matchups, including a pair of rematches from the regular season.

In week four, Struthers traveled to Girard and returned home with a thrilling 35-28 win. The Wildcats trailed by 14, but rallied and eventually scored the game-winning touchdown with under one minute left on the game clock.

This time, the two Northeast-8 Conference foes will meet in Struthers.

Six of the seven NE-8 schools advanced to the playoffs.

Also in week four, Jackson-Milton and Mineral Ridge played a thriller in Mineral Ridge. The Blue Jays prevailed 23-20 thanks to a Samuel Conn game-winning field goal as time expired.

Jackson-Milton will now host the rematch.

Two other area schools will be facing out-of-town foes for a second time this year.

Earlier this year Warren G. Harding lost on the road to Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary 42-28. The Raiders must return to Akron to again face the Irish.

After losing its season-opener to Canfield, West Branch traveled to Woodridge and returned home with a 34-13 win. The victory was the first of nine straight for West Branch. Now, the Warriors will play host to the Bulldogs.

Canfield will begin defense of its Division III title on the road. The Cardinals travel to Akron East.

South Range begins defense of its Division V crown when it hosts Fairless.

All opening round games are scheduled to be played on Friday. The higher-seeded teams will host games in both the first and second round of the tournament. Games will be played at neutral sites for the remainder of the postseason.

The six-week tournament concludes the first weekend of December with the crowning of seven state champions. All seven state title games will be played at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.

PLAYOFF NOTES

Most Mahoning County football fans won’t have to travel far this weekend. Ten of the 12 Mahoning County schools will host a first-round game. Austintown Fitch and Canfield are the only two schools on the road. … On the flipside, seven of the nine Trumbull County schools are on the road. Only Niles and Lakeview play at home. Six of the seven Columbiana County schools will travel, with United being the lone exception. … McDonald will have to make a 129-mile, 2 hour, 10 minute trip for its first-round game against Danville. … Crestview (5-5) reached the playoffs after starting its season 0-4. … Warren JFK ended its streak of eight straight playoff appearances. Hubbard will also sit out after a five-year run. … Girard is in for a seventh straight year, the longest current streak among area schools.

Playoff pairings

Division I

Region 1

16 Elyria (1-9) at 1 Lakewood St. Edward (8-1)

15 Euclid (1-9) at 2 Cleveland Heights (9-1)

14 Brunswick (3-7) at 3 Wadsworth (8-2)

13 Strongsville (3-7) at 4 Canton McKinley (7-3)

12 Cleveland St. Ignatius (1-8) at 5 Mentor (7-3)

11 Cleveland John Marshall (4-5) at 6 Medina (7-3)

10 Massillon Jackson (5-5) at 7 Berea-Midpark (6-4)

9 Lorain (8-2) at 8 Canton GlenOak (6-4)

Region 2

16 Dublin Jerome (3-7) at 1 Lewis Center Olentangy (9-1)

15 Marysville (4-6) at 2 Delaware Olentangy Berlin (9-1)

14 Powell Olentangy Liberty (3-7) at 3 Findlay (8-2)

13 Lewis Center Olentangy Orange (5-5) at 4 Centerville (8-2)

12 Springfield (5-5) at 5 Huber Heights Wayne (7-3)

11 Kettering Fairmont (5-5) at 6 Dublin Coffman (7-3)

10 Perrysburg (7-3) at 7 Toledo Whitmer (7-3)

9 Miamisburg (7-3) at 8 Delaware Hayes (8-2)

Region 3

16 Reynoldsburg (1-9) at 1 Gahanna Lincoln (10-0)

15 Newark (2-8) at 2 Hilliard Bradley (9-1)

14 Westerville Central (2-8) at 3 Pickerington North (9-1)

13 Thomas Worthington (5-5) at 4 Upper Arlington (7-3)

12 New Albany (4-6) at 5 Pickerington Central (7-3)

11 Groveport Madison (6-4) at 6 Hilliard Darby (5-5)

10 Lancaster (5-5) at 7 Westerville North (8-2)

9 Grove City (5-5) at 8 Hilliard Davidson (5-5)

Region 4

16 Fairfield (3-7) at 1 Milford (10-0)

15 Middletown (3-7) at 2 Cincinnati Princeton (10-0)

14 Cincinnati Western Hills (4-6) at 3 Wester Chester Lakota West (8-2)

13 Springboro (2-8) at 4 Cincinnati St. Xavier (6-4)

12 Cincinnati West Clermont (4-6) at 5 Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller (6-4)

11 Cincinnati Oak Hills (5-5) at 6 Cincinnati Elder (6-4)

10 Cincinnati Sycamore (5-5) at 7 Hamilton (7-3)

9 Mason (5-5) at 8 Lebanon (7-3)

Division II

Region 5

16 Akron Ellet (3-7) at 1 Akron Archbishop Hoban (8-1)

15 Akron Firestone (5-5) at 2 Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit (9-1)

14 Cleveland Benedictine (4-6) at 3 Hudson (7-2)

13 Maple Heights (5-5) at 4 Painesville Riverside (8-2)

12 Twinsburg (6-4) at 5 Macedonia Nordonia (8-2)

11 Warren G. Harding (4-6) at 6 Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary (5-5)

10 Austintown-Fitch (6-3) at 7 Cleveland John Hay (5-4)

9 Shaker Heights (7-3) at 8 Barberton (6-4)

Region 6

16 Toledo St. John’s Jesuit (4-6) at 1 Avon (10-0)

15 Toledo Start (5-5) at 2 Whitehouse Anthony Wayne (8-2)

14 Grafton Midview (4-6) at 3 Medina Highland (8-2)

13 Cleveland Rhodes (5-4) at 4 Sylvania Southview (7-3)

12 Oregon Clay 94-6) at 5 Olmsted Falls (7-3)

11 Parma Heights Valley Forge (4-6) at 6 North Ridgeville (7-3)

10 Fremont Ross (4-6) at 7 Avon Lake (6-4)

9 Brecksville-Broadview Heights (5-5) at 8 Westlake (7-3)

Region 7

16 Grove City Central Crossing (4-6) at 1 Massillon Washington (10-0)

15 Columbus Walnut Ridge (3-7) at 2 Canal Winchester (9-1)

14 Columbus St. Charles (5-5) at 3 Uniontown Green (7-3)

13 Massillon Perry (4-6) at 4 Uniontown Lake (7-3)

12 Sunbury Big Walnut (5-5) at 5 Columbus Northland (9-1)

11 North Canton Hoover (4-5) at 6 Columbus St. Francis DeSales (5-5)

10 Pataskala Watkins Memorial (7-3) at 7 Columbus Independence (5-5)

9 Westerville South (6-4) at 8 Columbus Briggs (7-3)

Region 8

16 Cincinnati Turpin (3-7) at 1 Cincinnati Anderson (9-1)

15 Riverside Stebbins (4-6) at 2 Troy (9-1)

14 Trenton Edgewood (4-6) at 3 Cincinnati Withrow (9-1)

13 Fairborn (4-6) at 4 Clayton Northmont (6-4)

12 Sidney (5-5) at 5 Harrison (7-3)

11 Cincinnati La Salle (4-6) at 6 Cincinnati Winton Woods (7-3)

10 Xenia (5-5) at 7 Lima Senior (8-2)

9 Kings Mills Kings (5-5) at 8 Loveland (5-5)

Division III

Region 9

16 New Philadelphia (6-4) at 1 Youngstown Ursulina (10-0)

15 Gates Mills Hawken (6-4) at 2 Geneva (9-1)

14 Alliance (6-4) at 3 Aurora (9-1)

13 Dover (6-4) at 4 Chagrin Falls Kenston (9-1)

12 Hunting Valley University School (6-3) at 5 Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph (7-3)

11 Madison (8-2) at 6 Gates Mills Gilmour Academy (8-2)

10 Cuyahoga Falls CHCA (8-2) at 7 Chardon (7-3)

9 Canfield (6-3) at 8 Akron East (8-2)

Region 10

16 Bowling Green (5-5) at 1 Toledo Central Catholic (10-0)

15 Richfield Revere (5-5) at 2 Norton (10-0)

14 Ashland (5-5) at 3 Tiffin Columbian (8-2)

13 Lexington (5-5) at 4 Mansfield Senior (8-2)

12 Clyde (5-5) at 5 Rocky River (9-1)

11 Rocky River Lutheran West (7-3) at 6 Ontario (9-1)

10 Sandusky (6-4) at 7 Medina Buckeye (8-2)

9 Defiance (7-3) at 8 Bay Village Bay (8-2)

Region 11

16 Columbus South (4-6) at 1 Columbus Bishop Watterson (9-1)

15 Columbus Beechcroft (4-6) at 2 London (10-0)

14 Columbus Bexley (4-6) at 3 Granville (10-0)

13 Marietta (5-5) at 4 Jackson (9-1)

12 The Plains Athens (6-4) at 5 Carroll Bloom-Carroll (8-2)

11 Delaware Buckeye Valley (5-5) at 6 Dresden Tri-Valley (8-2)

10 New Concord John Glenn (8-2) at 7 Bellefontaine (8-2)

9 Washington Court House Miami Trace (6-4) at 8 Columbus Hamilton Township (9-1)

Region 12

16 Goshen (3-7) at 1 Hamilton Badin (10-0)

15 Mount Orab Western Brown (3-7) at 2 Tipp City Tippecanoe (8-2)

14 Dayton Oakwood (4-6) at 3 Trotwood-Madison (8-2)

13 Elida (5-5) at 4 Vandalia Butler (8-2)

12 New Richmond (5-5) at 5 Wapakoneta (8-2)

11 Hillsboro (5-5) at 6 Celina (8-2)

10 Dayton Chaminade Julienne (6-4) at 7 Cincinnati Mount Healthy (8-2)

9 Bellbrook (7-3) at 8 Wilmington (8-2)

Division IV

Region 13

16 Canal Fulton Northwest (5-5) at 1 Canton South (10-0)

15 Mogadore Field (4-6) at 2 Mentor Lake Catholic (8-2)

14 East Liverpool (6-4) at 3 Poland Seminary (9-1)

13 Peninsula Woodridge (5-5) at 4 Beloit West Branch (9-1)

12 East Liverpool Beaver Eastern (6-4) at 5 Streetsboro (9-1)

11 Girard (5-5) at 6 Struthers (7-3)

10 Ashtabula Edgewood (6-4) at 7 Niles McKinley (6-4)

9 Akron Buchtel (5-5) at 8 Youngstown Cardinal Mooney (5-5)

Region 14

16 Vermilion (3-7) at 1 Sandusky Perkins (9-0)

15 Lima Bath (4-6) at 2 Cleveland Glenville (7-2)

14 Cleveland Central Catholic (4-6) at 3 Shelby (8-2)

13 Bryan (5-5) at 4 Millersburg West Holmes (8-2)

12 Oberlin Firelands (6-4) at 5 Galion (7-3)

11 Caledonia River Valley (4-6) at 6 Van Wert (7-3)

10 Napoleon (5-5) at 7 Bellevue (5-5)

9 Wauseon (6-4) at 8 St. Marys Memorial (6-4)

Region 15

16 Carrollton (6-4) at 1 Steubenville (9-1)

15 McConnelsville Morgan (6-4) at 2 Thornville Sheridan (9-1)

14 Duncan Falls Philo (5-5) at 3 Columbus Bishop Hartley (8-2)

13 Gnadenhutten Indian Valley (7-3) at 4 Circleville Logan Elm (9-1)

12 Plain City Jonathan Alder (7-3) at 5 Columbus Bishop Ready (9-1)

11 Columbus Marion-Franklin (6-4) at 6 St. Clairsville (8-2)

10 McArthur Vinton County (9-1) at 7 Gallipolis Gallia Academy (8-2)

9 Newark Licking Valley (7-3) at 8 Columbus East (8-2)

Region 16

16 Dayton Dunbar (6-3) at 1 Clarksville Clinton-Massie (10-0)

15 Urbana (7-3) at 2 Chillicothe Unioto (9-1)

14 Greenfield McClain (6-4) at 3 Cincinnati Taft (8-2)

13 St. Bernard Roger Bacon (6-4) at 4 Kettering Archbishop Alter (7-3)

12 Reading (7-3) at 5 Cincinnati Indian Hill (8-2)

11 Washington Court House Washington (5-5) at 6 Cincinnati Wyoming (9-1)

10 Waverly (6-4) at 7 Springfield Shawnee (9-1)

9 Cincinnati Archbishop McNicholas (5-5) at 8 Eaton (8-2)

Division V

Region 17

16 Mantua Crestwood (5-5) at 1 Perry (10-0)

15 Brewster Fairless (4-6) at 2 Canfield South Range (9-1)

14 Youngstown Liberty (5-5) at 3 Creston Norwayne (9-1)

13 Wooster Triway (5-5) at 4 Cadiz Harrison Central (8-2)

12 Conneaut (5-5) at 5 Garrettsville Garfield (10-0)

11 Burton Berkshire (5-5) at 6 Lorain Clearview (8-2)

10 Richmond Edison (7-3) at 7 West Lafayette Ridgewood (7-3)

9 Magnolia Sandy Valley (6-4) at 8 Cortland Lakeview (5-5)

Region 18

16 Bloomdale Elmwood (3-7) at 1 Liberty Center (10-0)

15 Spencerville (3-7) at 2 Milan Edison (9-1)

14 Fredericktown (5-5) at 3 Archbold (9-1)

13 Tontogany Otsego (4-6) at 4 Oak Harbor (10-0)

12 Marengo Highland (5-5) at 5 Findlay Liberty-Benton (9-1)

11 Lewistown Indian Lake (7-3) at 6 Coldwater (9-1)

10 Marion Pleasant (6-4) at 7 Pemberville Eastwood (8-2)

9 Genoa Area (7-3) at 8 Huron (7-3)

Region 19

16 Worthington Christian (4-6) at 1 Ironton (9-1)

15 Portsmouth (5-5) at 2 Proctorville Fairland (9-1)

14 South Point (5-5) at 3 Barnesville (10-0)

13 New Lexington (5-5) at 4 Canal Winchester Harvest Prep (8-1)

12 Belmont Union Local (6-4) at 5 Zanesville West Muskingum (9-1)

11 Utica (7-3) at 6 Gahanna Columbus Academy (9-1)

10 Columbus Africentric (7-3) at 7 Wheelersburg (6-3)

9 Heath (8-2) at 8 Portsmouth West (8-2)

Region 20

16 Williamsport Westfall (6-4) at 1 Germantown Valley View (9-1)

15 Carlisle (3-7) at 2 Waynesville (8-2)

14 Casstown Miami East (6-4) at 3 Brookville (8-2)

13 Middletown Madison (4-6) at 4 Chillcothe Zane Trace (7-3)

12 Cincinnati Madeira (5-5) at 5 Cincinnati Purcell Marian (8-2)

11 Camden Preble Shawnee (7-3) at 6 West Milton Milton-Union (7-3)

10 Jamestown Greeneview (7-3) at 7 Springfield Northeastern (7-3)

9 Blanchester (7-3) at 8 Bethel-Tate (6-4)

Division VI

Region 21

16 Columbiana (5-5) at 1 Kirtland (9-1)

15 Ravenna Southeast (7-3) at 2 Rootstown (8-1)

14 Leavittsburg LaBrae (5-5) at 3 Mogadore (7-2)

13 Brookfield (5-5) at 4 Hanoverton United (9-1)

12 Rittman (6-4) at 5 Cuyahoga Heights (8-1)

11 Columbiana Crestview (5-5) at 6 Andover Pymatuning Valley (7-3)

10 Mineral Ridge (6-4) at 7 North Jackson Jackson-Milton (7-3)

9 Middlefield Cardinal (6-4) at 8 Canton Central Catholic (6-4)

Region 22

16 Kansas Lakota (5-5) at 1 Columbus Grove (8-2)

15 Paulding (6-4) at 2 Bluffton (9-1)

14 Attica Seneca East (5-5) at 3 North Robinson Colonel Crawford (9-1)

13 Ashland Crestview (4-6) at 4 Carey (8-2)

12 Ashland Mapleton (5-5) at 5 Columbia Station Columbia (9-1)

11 Castalia Margaretta (6-4) at 6 Toledo Ottawa Hills (9-1)

10 Bucyrus Wynford (6-4) at 7 Defiance Tinora (7-3)

9 Sullivan Black River (7-3) at 8 Collins Western Reserve (7-3)

Region 23

16 Ironton Rock Hill (4-6) at 1 Sugarcreek Garaway (10-0)

15 Grove City Christian (6-4) at 2 West Jefferson (9-1)

14 Zoarville Tusarawas Valley (4-6) at 3 Beverly Fort Frye (7-2)

13 Coal Grove Dawson-Bryant (4-6) at 4 Galion Northmor (8-2)

12 Glouster Trimble (5-4) at 5 Marion Elgin (8-2)

11 Newcomerstown (6-4) at 6 Columbus Grandview Heights (7-3)

10 Bellaire (5-5) at 7 Nelsonville-York (7-3)

9 Howard East Knox (6-4) at 8 Martins Ferry (5-5)

Region 24

16 New Lebanon Dixie (3-7) at 1 Williamsburg (9-1)

15 Troy Christian (3-7) at 2 Versailles (8-2)

14 Miamisburg Dayton Christian (2-7) at 3 Cincinnati Country Day (10-0)

13 Lucasville Valley (3-7) at 4 West Liberty-Salem (9-1)

12 New Paris National Trail (4-6) at 5 New Madson Tri-Village (9-1)

11 Rockford Parkway (2-8) at 6 Bainbridge Paint Valley (7-3)

10 Cincinnati Deer Park (3-7) at 7 West Alexandria Twin Valley South (6-4)

9 Harrod Allen East (4-6) at 8 Anna (5-5)

Division VII

Region 25

16 Bowerston Conotton Valley (4-6) at 1 Dalton (8-1)

15 McDonald (5-5) at 2 Danville (10-0)

14 Lisbon David Anderson (7-3) at 3 Berlin Center Western Reserve (8-2)

13 Norwalk St. Paul (6-4) at 4 Toronto (9-1)

12 Salineville Southern (8-2) at 5 Malvern (9-1)

11 Steubenville Central Catholic (9-1) at 6 Lowellville (9-1)

10 Monroeville (7-3) at 7 New Middletown Springfield (7-3)

9 Lucas (7-3) at 8 Jamesville Hillsdale (8-2)

Region 26

16 Montpelier (7-3) at 1 Bascom Hopewell-Loudon (10-0)

15 Convoy Crestview (6-4) at 2 Tiffin Calvert (8-1)

14 Edon (6-4) at 3 Waynesville-Goshen (10-0)

13 Arlington (6-4) at 4 Antwerp (9-1)

12 Pioneer North Central (9-1) at 5 Hamler Patrick Henry (8-2)

11 McGuffey Upper Scioto Valley (8-2) at 6 McComb (8-2)

10 Defiance Ayersville (8-2) at 7 Lima Central Catholic (6-3)

9 Leipsic (8-2) at 8 Pandora-Gilboa (7-3)

Region 27

16 Sugar Grove Berne Union (2-8) at 1 Reedsville Eastern (9-1)

15 Shadyside (3-7) at 2 Beaver Eastern (10-0)

14 Bridgeport (3-7) at 3 Caldwell (7-3)

13 Portsmouth Sciotoville Community (4-5) at 4 Lancaster Fairfield Christian Academy (8-2)

12 Zanesville Bishop Rosecrans (4-6) at 5 Hannibal River (7-2)

11 Beallsville (6-4) at 6 Portsmouth Notre Dame (7-3)

10 Corning Miller (6-4) at 7 Waterford (6-4)

9 Crown City South Gallia (7-3) at 8 Woodsfield Monroe Central (6-4)

Region 28

16 Lewisburg Tri-Country North (4-6) at 1 Maria Stein Marion Local (10-0)

15 Lockland (4-5) at 2 Ansonia (10-0)

14 St. Henry (3-7) at 3 DeGraff Riverside (9-1)

13 New Bremen (4-6) at 4 Cincinnati College Prep (7-2)

12 Bradford (4-4) at 5 Minster (8-2)

11 Fort Loramie (5-5) at 6 South Charleston Southeastern (7-3)

10 Mechanicsburg (6-4) at 7 St. Bernard-Elmwood Place (7-2)

9 Sidney Lehman Catholic (7-3) at 8 Cedarville (7-3)