For a fourth straight year, the South Range Raiders will lay claim to a Northeast-8 Conference championship.

The Raiders on Friday earned at least a share of the league title with a 48-14 win over Niles. The victory lifted the Raiders’ record to 7-1, including a perfect 5-0 in league play. Following an out-of-conference game this week against Louisville, the Raiders can claim the league title outright Oct. 20 with a win over Hubbard.

South Range – the smallest school in the NE-8 – has now won 29 straight league games dating back to 2019. The Raiders won outright league titles in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Garrettsville Garfield (8-0, 5-0) is on the cusp of capturing the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference Gray Tier title. The G-Men on Friday will host Crestview (4-4, 4-1), the only other team in the Gray Tier with less than two conference losses.

Garfield closes its regular season with a home game against Brookfield (4-4, 3-2). Last year the Warriors went undefeated in league play, and in the process they handed the G-Men their only league loss of 2022.

Beginning in 2018, Springfield had ownership of the MVAC, then the Scarlet Tier of the MVAC when the league expanded in 2020. The Tigers won 25 consecutive league games until the streak was snapped last year by Lowellville. The Rockets would go on to claim the Scarlet Tier crown.

Springfield (6-2, 4-0) is once again atop the Scarlet Tier. The Tigers can claim at least a share of the title Friday when they visit McDonald (5-3, 1-3). The league title will then ultimately be decided in week 10 when the Tigers visit Lowellville (7-1, 3-1).

Should Springfield falter, Western Reserve (6-2, 3-1) could perhaps work itself into a three-way tie.

Nothing will be decided in the Eastern Ohio Athletic Conference until week 10, as there are three teams (United, Lisbon, Southern) with 4-1 league records. Lisbon visits Southern on Friday, while United (7-1, 4-1) plays host to Valley Christian (4-4, 3-2).

West Branch (7-1, 3-0) and Carrollton (5-3, 3-0) are on a collision course in the Eastern Buckeye Conference. The two teams meet Friday in Beloit. The other four teams in the EBC each have at least two losses in league play.

West Branch is looking to win its fourth consecutive EBC title. The Warriors have won 19 straight league games dating back to 2020.

Ursuline (8-0, 1-0) and Youngstown Chaney (4-3, 1-0) will break the two-team tie in the four-team Steel Valley Conference when the Irish and Cowboys meet Friday at Stambaugh Stadium. Ursuline closes its season against arch rival Cardinal Mooney while Chaney will conclude against crosstown rival East.

PLAYOFF PICTURE

With two weeks remaining in the regular season, 22 area schools have clinched a playoff berth, according to fantastic50.net.

The website tracks playoff probabilities based solely on computer points already earned, along with points teams are assured of picking up in future weeks.

Playoff-bound teams of note include Warren G. Harding, Lakeview and LaBrae.

Harding began its season 1-4, but has since moved to .500 with wins over Chaney, Boardman and Cardinal Mooney. Friday’s win over the Cardinals guaranteed WGH a top-16 finish in Division II, Region 5. The Raiders would likely earn a home playoff game with a win over either Massillon or Fitch.

Lakeview opened its season with three straight wins, but then lost four straight before rebounding last Friday with a victory over Hubbard. The Bulldogs haven’t reached the playoffs since 2017. From 2018 to 2022, the ‘Dogs had a combined record of 10-38.

LaBrae finished 1-9 a year ago, but the Vikings are 4-4 and ranked 10th in Division VI, Region 21.

In addition to the 22 schools already locked in, four other area schools – Girard, Liberty, Mineral Ridge and Brookfield – are considered “near locks,” which means they have a better than 95 percent chance of reaching the tournament.

Warren John F. Kennedy, which advanced to the Division VII state title game a year ago, owns just a 2-5 record this season. JFK’s two wins have come against a pair of teams with a combined record of 1-15. Still, if the Eagles can close the season with wins over Cleveland Central Catholic (3-5) and Southeast (6-2), they would likely advance in Region 25.

Despite its 6-2 record, Southeast is ranked 15th in Division VI, Region 21. The Pirates’ six victories have come against teams with a combined record of 5-43.

sports@vindy.com