Ohio High School Athletic Association Commissioner Daniel B. Ross, Ph.D. Football Release No. 3 (of 7) - November 4, 2012 4080 Roselea Place • Columbus, Ohio 43214 • 614-267-2502• Fax: 614-267-1677 • www.ohsaa.org Contact: Tim Stried, Director of Information Services, [email protected] 2012 OHSAA Football Tournament Schedule Friday-Saturday, Nov. 9-10 Friday-Saturday, Nov. 30 & Dec. 1 Regional Semifinals State Championship Games • Sites announced Nov. 4 Friday, November 30 • Friday 7:30 p.m. - Div. II, IV, VI Division VI - 11:00 a.m. - Massillon • Saturday 7 p.m. - Div. I, III, V Division IV - 3:00 p.m. - Canton Division II - 7:00 p.m. - Massillon Friday-Saturday, Nov. 16-17 Regional Finals Saturday, December 1 • Sites announced Nov. 11 Division III - 11:00 a.m. - Canton • Friday 7:30 p.m. - Div. II, IV, VI Division V - 3:00 p.m. - Massillon • Saturday 7 p.m. - Div. I, III, V Division I - 7:00 p.m. - Canton Friday-Saturday, Nov. 23-24 State Semifinals • Sites announced Nov. 18 • Friday 7:30 p.m. - Div. II, IV, VI • Saturday 7 p.m. - Div. I, III, V 2012 Tournament Information WHAT: 41st Annual OHSAA Football Tournaments (Regional FOURTEENTH YEAR WITH 192 QUALIFIERS: This is the 14th Semifinals/Second Round) year that the OHSAA football tournament field consists of 192 total qualifiers. Each of the 24 regions will qualify eight teams to the WHEN/WHERE: Friday, Nov. 9 Divisions II, IV and VI; Saturday, tournaments, which consist of five rounds. The first round is the Nov. 10 Divisions I, III and V; Neutral sites regional quarterfinals, and teams that finish first through fourth in their regions in the final OHSAA computer rankings serve as hosts. TIMES: Regional games on Friday begin at 7:30; games on Teams may choose an alternate site to host first-round games and Saturday begin at 7:00. do not need approval from the OHSAA to do so. In bracket order, team one hosts team eight, team four hosts team five, team two FORMAT: Thirty-two teams in six divisions (192 total schools) will hosts team seven and team three hosts team six. The OHSAA will qualify for the tournaments, with selections based on the OHSAA designate neutral sites for regional semifinal, regional final and Football Computer Rankings. To qualify for the tournaments, schools state semifinal games, and no rebracketing will occur until the state must have finished first through eighth in their assigned region. semifinals. ADMISSION: $7.00 per person presale; $9.00 per person at the 2012 OHSAA Football Playoffs gate. Regional Quarterfinals 192 Teams FINAL COMPUTER RATINGS: The final computer ratings will Regional Semifinals 96 Teams appear on the football page at www.ohsaa.org Sunday morning, Regional Finals 48 Teams October 28, 2012. Regional quarterfinals pairings will be announced State Semifinals Teams that afternoon. The final computer ratings and regional quarterfinal 24 pairings will also be loaded to the AP Marketplace for AP members. State Finals 12 Teams www.ohsaa.org 1 OHSAA Football Release No. 3 FOOTBALL SCHOOLS: There were 717 football-playing schools this MEDIA INFORMATION year. The division breakdowns are: Division I: 118 schools (enrollments of 494 or more); MEDIA CREDENTIALS/PAIRINGS UPDATE: Media members Division II: 119 schools (enrollments of 327 through 493); desiring credentials for the first four rounds should contact the host Division III: 120 schools (enrollments of 243 through 326); site manager or media coordinator. An updated list of game sites, Division IV: 122 schools (enrollments of 172 through 242); site managers or media coordinators will be posted on the OHSAA Division V: 116 schools (enrollments of 120 through 171); web site (www.ohsaa.org) no later than Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012. To Division VI: 122 schools (enrollments of 119 or less). find the updated pairings, go to the “Sports” dropdown box in the Divisions are based on enrollments of males in grades 9 through 11 as left-hand corner of the home page followed by “Football.” The final reported to the State Department of Education in October 2010. The computer rankings are available at the same area of the web site. 2013 season will begin the new two-year divisional alignment cycle. FOOTBALL FINALS CREDENTIALS: The media credential TOURNAMENT PARTICIPATION: Of the current 717 member application form for the state football finals is posted on the OHSAA schools playing football, 87-percent have made the tournament at website under the ‘News & Media’ tab from the main navigation bar. least once in its history. The form must be filled out and faxed to Tim Stried at the OHSAA at The number of first-time participants since 2000 by year include 614-267-1677 by Noon on Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2012. seven in 2012, eight in 2011, six in 2010, 14 in 2009, 12 in 2008, 14 in 2007, 10 in 2006, 12 in 2005, 16 in 2004, 12 in 2003, 21 in 2002, FOOTBALL STATS: Media members around the state are 17 in 2001 and 26 in 2000. encouraged to submit any of their area statistical leaders to the There are currently 96 member schools playing football who have OHSAA in order to compile a statewide statistical leader board. never qualified for the state tournament. Media may submit their area leaders in any format to Tim Stried by email at [email protected] or by fax at 614-267-1677. TOURNAMENT ATTENDANCE: Total attendance for the OHSAA football tournaments has been over 8.1 million in the last 13 OHSAA RADIO NETWORK: The OHSAA Radio Network will carry years, when the OHSAA football tournaments moved to the 192 all six football championship games. Stations have the opportunity qualifiers and five round playoff format. In 2011 the total tournament to opt into one of two programs in conjunction with the OHSAA attendance (186 games) was 515,249 for an average of 2,770 per Radio Network that will result in a reduction or waiver of broadcast game. The state finals (six games) attendance total was 48,695 for rights fees for football playoff games. For more information visit the an average of 8,116 per game. OHSAA Radio Network home by going to OHSAA.org under News & Media or contacting Tim Stried, Director of Information Services at STATE FOOTBALL FINALS TICKET BOOKS ON SALE: Ticket [email protected] books for all six state football championship games are currently on sale through the Canton/Stark County Convention and Visitors’ Bureau. The state football finals are Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 at Fawcett Stadium in Canton and Paul Brown Tiger Stadium in Massillon. Tickets can be ordered on-line at www.ohsaafootball.com. There are three different ticket packages available. Ticket books for all six games are $48.50. Priority seating will be assigned on a first- come, first-served basis.There is a $6.50 postage and handling fee per order. Also available, are prepaid parking passes for cars and recreational vehicles. You can order your tickets by phone at 330-458-2084 or for additional information, contact the Canton/Stark County Convention & Visitors’ Bureau at 1-800-533-4302. PLAYOFFS ON TELEVISION: SportsTime Ohio and Time Warner Cable will televise up to eight regional and state semifinal contests during the first four rounds of the OHSAA tournaments. STO/TWC have the exclusive first right of refusal to select contests each round of the tournaments to air on either a live or tape-delayed basis. Other networks will have the opportunity to televise other regional or state semifinal contests not selected by STO/TWC on a tape- delayed basis only. The television schedule appears at http://www. ohsaa.org/news/features/2012OHSAAFootballTelevisedGames.htm. Follow the OHSAA on Twitter @OHSAASports FINALS ON SPORTSTIME OHIO: SportsTime Ohio and Time Warner Cable will provide exclusive coverage of the state football finals from Canton and Massillon. STO’s partnership with Time Warner Cable was forged to deliver OHSAA programming to over 3.1 million homes statewide. STADIUMS TOP THE LIST: Canton Fawcett Stadium and Massillon Paul Brown Tiger Stadium were named No. 1 and 10, respectively, among the nation’s best high school football stadiums, as voted by ESPN.com in 2009. 2 www.ohsaa.org OHSAA Football Release No. 3 2012 OHSAA Round One Football Notes PERFECT REGIONS: Two out of 24 regions in Divisions I-VI had the accomplished the feat in its first playoff game. one through four seed win in which all those teams are undefeated. Division III saw undefeated Bryan (11-0, Reg. 10, #4) and The Plains Division IV, Region 14: Columbus Bishop Hartley (11-0, #1-seed), Athens (10-1, Reg. 12, #3) win. Ottawa-Glandorf (11-0, #2-seed), Genoa Area (11-0, #3-seed) and In Division IV, Richwood North Union (11-0, Reg. 14, #4), Piketon (9-2, Richwood North Union (11-0, #4-seed). Reg. 15, #5) and Batavia (11-0, Reg. 16, #4). Division V, Region 20: Coldwater (11-0, #1-seed), Cincinnati Summit Accomplishing the feat in Division V was Columbia Station Columbia Country Day (11-0, #2-seed), Covington (11-0, #3-seed) and West (10-1, Reg. 18, #3) and Cincinnati Summit Country Day (11-0, Reg. 20, Liberty-Salem (11-0, #4-seed). West Liberty-Salem defeated previously #2). undefeated #5-seed Miamisburg Dayton Christian 28-14 to advance. GAINING MOMENTUM: Four of the teams that were outside the top-eight PLAYOFF UPSETS: Twenty-five of the 96 first round playoff games that earned their way into the playoffs with a win in week 10 of the regular can be deemed an upset.