By Drew Terhall

DailyAdvocate.com

DARKE — With October games starting, it is officially the start of the playoff push for high school football. By the end of October, the first round of the playoffs will have been played.

Teams around the area will have three games left to move up in the OHSAA computer rankings and get the best seed possible within their region. The playoff seeds are determined by their points system. Wins against higher division teams awards you more points. Teams also get points when the teams they defeated win games. The top 16 teams in each region move onto the playoffs.

There are still important seeding games left to be played around the area. Here is a look at where teams currently sit in the rankings and how the remaining games impact their playoff future.

Division III:

Greenville currently sits at 1-6 and are ranked 24th in their region. With the playoffs expanding last year, we have seen teams sneak in with under .500 records. For the Green Wave, their remaining schedule can maybe get them into the playoffs.

Within their region, Butler is ranked 17th and Tippecanoe is ranked third. They have both games at home. If they can pull off those two wins, they can shake up the seeding at the very least. A win over a Division II opponent in Troy could give them a great boost too.

It’s a small chance Greenville can make the playoffs, but they do have a chance to affect the playoffs.

Division VI:

Versailles:

At 5-2, the Tigers sit in third in Region 24. Right now, it’s a race to see who can get the second seed as Marion Local pretty much has the first seed all wrapped up. Versailles does have two games that could help them in that quest.

Coldwater at home is a game that will give them a big resume boost. Coldwater is a Division V team that is 7-0 and is third in their region. Even though Coldwater has a three game gauntlet ahead of them, they will be a great win to have. Minster is the other team that will be an asset to Versailles. Minster is in the middle of their region in Division VII. They could bring valuable points to Versailles.

Versailles is already in a good position to maintain a top three seed in their region. They do face some competition from one of the local WOAC schools.

Tri-Village:

Yes, the Patriots have a chance to knock down Versailles for a top three spot in the same region. Tri-Village is currently sixth in the region and have a key win over Ansonia. The Preble Shawnee loss does hurt them a bit. They missed out on getting a Division V win, which does mean more points than a Division VI win.

But, Tri-Village has two games to back to back at home that will help them climb up the rankings.

They scheduled Division V Blanchester to replace Bradford during the summer. Blanchester (5-2) is currently 11th in their region, the same one as Preble Shawnee. They will carry points that should move Tri-Village up.

Then after that game, the Patriots end the season with National Trail. The Blazers are in the same region as Tri-Village and are ninth after their loss to Ansonia. A win against Blanchester and a win against National Trail should have Tri-Village close to a top three seed.

As things stand now, Versailles would host Tri-Village in a second round matchup if both teams win their first round game.

Arcanum:

The Trojans are sitting at 20th in the same region as the teams mentioned above in Division VI. With a 2-5 record, they do have a chance as the 16th team in the region as Twin Valley South at 3-4.

If they take care of business at Dixie on Oct. 14, they need one of the remaining two games to get the points needed for a chance at the 16th seed.

Arcanum will have two chances at getting a Division V win. They host Preble Shawnee this week, who has the most points between the two Division V teams.

If they can’t get that win, they will host Northwood High School on Oct. 21. Northwood is 20th in their region and have a decent amount of points tied to them. It could be enough for the Trojans to sneak into the playoffs.

Division VII:

Ansonia:

The Tigers moved up to the first seed after a convincing win over National Trail. They gained a sizeable lead over the second seed, for right now.

If the Tigers take care of business the last three games, they will most likely keep their one seed. They do host Preble Shawnee on Oct. 14. That win alone could help widen the gap between them and the second seed.

There are two MAC teams to watch out for that could maybe swipe the first seed away from them. New Bremen and Minster are third and sixth respectively in the same region. New Bremen has a game against Coldwater and Minster left on their schedule. Those two wins could compete with Ansonia.

If Minster beats New Bremen, then their last game of the season against Versailles becomes very important for the seeding within the region. Even with two losses, one to Fort Loramie who is second in the same region and one to Marion Local, Minster could get the points to compete with Ansonia.

Mississinawa Valley:

The season has not turned out the way the Blackhawks expected it to. But even at 1-6, they have a chance. Currently, Troy Christian is 1-6 and is the 16th seed. They just have the better win right now.

They do have a winnable game at Tri-County North on Oct. 14. If the Blackhawks get a win at home over either National Trail this week or Ansonia on Oct. 21, it seems like it’s a win that will punch their ticket to the playoffs.

Contact Daily Advocate sports editor Drew Terhall at [email protected]