State Semifinals Set For Ohio High School Football Playoffs

CLEVELAND, OH — The Mentor Cardinals knocked St. Ignatius on Friday, booking the team's trip to the state semifinal playoffs. Mentor will play Powell Olentangy Liberty for a spot in the Division I State Championship game.

The Cardinals were underdogs heading into their Nov. 17 game against the Wildcats. Ignatius was rated as the top team in the region and one of the top teams in the state. Mentor's momentum proved too much for the Cats though, as the Cardinals pulled out a dramatic 23-21 win. It was sweet revenge for a 12-1 Cardinals team, whose lone loss of the regular season came against Ignatius.

Now the Cardinals get ready for Powell Olentangy Liberty, 11-2. The two teams will face-off Nov. 24 at 7:30 p.m. at Mansfield Senior Arlin Field.

Mentor has won three state titles, its most recent win coming in 2013. The Cardinals also won the state playoffs in 2007 and 2006. This is the team's first final four appearance since 2013.

At the same time, Cincinnati Colerain, 11-2, will be playing Pickerington Central at Springfield Evans Stadium. The winner of that game will play either Mentor or Powell Olentangy for the state championship for Division I.

Here are the final four match-ups for the other divisions:

Home teams are listed first. All games will be played Friday at 7:30 p.m.

Division II

• Avon (13-0) vs Akron Archbishop Hoban (12-1) at Brunswick Auto Mart
• Massillon Washington (10-3) vs. Cincinatti Winton Woods (12-1) at Columbus St. Francis DeSales Alumni Stadium

Division III

• Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary (10-3) vs. Dresden Tri-Valley (12-1) at Massillon Perry Stadium
• Tol. Central Catholic (11-2) vs. Trotwood-Madison (13-0) at Piqua Alexander Stadium

Division IV

• Steubenville (13-0) vs. Shelby (13-0) at Univ. of Akron Infocision Stadium-Summa Field
• New Concord John Glenn (11-2) vs. Clarksville Clinton-Massie (12-1) at Hilliard Darby Stadium

Division V

• Canfield South Range (13-0) vs. Pemberville Eastwood (13-0) at Strongsville Pat Catan Stadium
• Wheelersburg (13-0) vs. Middletown Madison (11-2) at Chillicothe Herrnstein Field

Division VI

• Maria Stein Marion Local (13-0) vs. Findlay Liberty-Benton (12-1) at Wapakoneta Harmon Field
• Kirtland (13-0) vs. Nelsonville-York (13-0) at New Philadelphia Woody Hayes Quaker Stadium

Division VII

• Danville (12-1) vs. Cuyahoga Heights (11-1) at Orrville Red Rider Stadium, Heartland Field
• Norwalk St. Paul (13-0) vs. Minster (9-4) at Lima Senior Spartan Stadium

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