OHSAA competitive balance could affect Darke County football teams’ playoff chances

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COLUMBUS – The Ohio High School Athletic Association’s new competitive balance format caused one Greater Western Ohio Conference and one Midwest Athletic Conference team to drop a division for the upcoming football season.

The OHSAA will use a competitive balance format that was approved in 2014 for the first time during the fall 2017 season, affecting football, soccer and volleyball in the fall.

To calculate what division a team plays in during postseason tournaments, the OHSAA first uses the school enrollment numbers provided by the Ohio Department of Education. The OHSAA then modifies the initial enrollment count based on how student-athletes came to their school. Students who live outside the district but compete for a school cause a team’s adjusted enrollment account to increase. For a complete explanation of the format used, visit http://www.ohsaa.org/School-Resources/Competitive-Balance-Resource-Center.

Of the 718 schools that play football in Ohio, 75 moved up to a higher division due to competitive balance or a higher base enrollment number. No Darke County football teams changed divisions for 2017, but some of their conference rivals did.

Coldwater from the MAC and Vandalia-Butler from the GWOC were affected by competitive balance. Butler dropped from Division II into Division III because of competitive balance while Coldwater dropped from Division V into Division VI.

Other local teams were affected by enrollment numbers. Miamisburg moved up from Division II into Division I, West Carrollton dropped from Division II into Division III, Miami East moved up from Division VI into Division V, Covington moved up from Division VII into Division VI, and Fort Recovery moved up from Division VII into Division VI.

Perhaps the biggest change affecting local schools will be Coldwater’s switch from Division V to Division VI. The Cavaliers have made the playoffs 20 consecutive years and have made the state finals eight consecutive years.

Coldwater dropping out of Division V should make the path to the playoffs easier for Versailles, Miami East, Anna and the other Division V schools.

On the other hand, Coldwater dropping into Division VI likely makes the path to the playoffs more difficult for Arcanum, Bethel, Covington, Fort Recovery, Marion Local, National Trail, Parkway, St. Henry, Tri-County North, Twin Valley South and other Division VI teams.

With Coldwater, Marion Local and Fort Recovery now all in Division VI, the division has three schools that combined for seven state final appearances in the past three years.

Below are the divisions that football teams from the Cross County Conference, Greater Western Ohio Conference and Midwest Athletic Conference will play in during the 2017 season:

Division I

Beavercreek

Centerville

Fairmont

Lebanon

Miamisburg

Northmont

Springfield

Springboro

Wayne

Division II

Fairborn

Sidney

Stebbins

Troy

Xenia

Division III

Greenville

Piqua

Tippecanoe

Trotwood-Madison

Vandalia-Butler

West Carrollton

Division V

Anna

Miami East

Versailles

Division VI

Arcanum

Bethel

Coldwater

Covington

Fort Recovery

Marion Local

National Trail

Parkway

St. Henry

Tri-County North

Twin Valley South

Division VII

Ansonia

Bradford

Delphos St. John’s

Fort Loramie

Minster

Mississinawa Valley

New Bremen

Tri-Village

A group of defenders tackle a Coldwater ball carrier during a 2016 football game. Coldwater moved down from Division V to Division VI for the 2017 season because of the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s new competitive balance format, which could affect Darke County football teams and their playoff chances.
https://www.dailyadvocate.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/web1_Coldwater-WEB.jpgA group of defenders tackle a Coldwater ball carrier during a 2016 football game. Coldwater moved down from Division V to Division VI for the 2017 season because of the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s new competitive balance format, which could affect Darke County football teams and their playoff chances. Chuck Runner|For The Daily Advocate

By Kyle Shaner

[email protected]

Kyle Shaner may be reached at 937-569-4316. Follow me on Twitter @KShanerAdvocate or get updates on Facebook by searching Darke County Sports or Advocate 360. For more features online go to dailyadvocate.com.

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