Cincinnati High School Football Playoffs: Exciting Upsets and Overtime Drama

The city of Cincinnati was buzzing with excitement last Friday night as the regional quarterfinals of the Ohio high school football playoffs unfolded. The playoffs featured thrilling games, some unexpected upsets, and even a nail-biting overtime finish.

In Division I, Region 4, top-seeded Moeller showed their strength by defeating No. 8 Lakota East with a score of 55-28 at Mount St. Joseph University. Junior quarterback Matt Ponatoski impressed everyone with his performance, completing 16 out of 21 passes for an amazing 313 yards and five touchdowns. He is now set to enter the Ohio High School Athletic Association state record list for the most passing touchdowns in a season, reaching 44 total thus far.

Following Moeller’s victory, they are set to face No. 4 seed Princeton on Nov. 15 in a highly anticipated rematch, having previously beaten Princeton 38-21 in their season opener back in August. Princeton secured their spot by dominating Hamilton 37-7, reversing their earlier loss to the same team.

The other matchup in this region will see No. 2 seed Lakota West taking on No. 6 St. Xavier. Lakota West edged past Elder 20-14, while St. X managed a victory against Winton Woods with a score of 22-10.

In Division II, Region 8, top seed Anderson dominated Vandalia Butler 49-14 and is now poised to make a mark in the record books for points scored in a season with 615 total points. They will face No. 5 seed Mount Healthy, who pulled off an impressive upset against Badin 30-14 thanks to standout performances from senior players.

The playoff excitement didn’t stop there. In Division IV, Region 16, No. 9 seed Indian Hill stunned the top-seeded Clinton-Massie 16-13 in overtime, proving the doubters wrong. They will go on to face Taft, who had a commanding 44-0 win over Brookville.

The playoffs featured numerous notable performances, including St. Bernard-Elmwood Place defeating No. 4 seed Portsmouth West 49-21, and Cincinnati Country Day defeating Rock Hill 56-20. With regional semifinals approaching on Nov. 15, fans can expect even more thrilling action as teams aim for a shot at the state championships.

Stay tuned for the upcoming matchups and see which teams will continue to rise through the ranks of high school football in Cincinnati!