Cincinnati Reigns Supreme in High School Football
The Ohio High School Football Playoffs are set to begin Friday and as always there are a slew of talented teams with a chance at a state title. National publications have ranked at least five different teams from Ohio in the National Top 25 and with the 32 team playoff for the Division 1 State Championship set to kickoff this weekend, the favorites to win the title are some familiar faces.
Having produced five of the past seven state champions, the Queen City is the king of high school football in Ohio and this year will prove to be no different.
When it comes to high school football in Ohio, Cincinnati is definitely the cream of the crop. Having produced five of the past seven state champions, the Queen City is the king of high school football in Ohio and this year will prove to be no different.
This year the top teams in Cincinnati are the powers from the GCL. The Greater Catholic League is the most dominant league in the state and perhaps the country. League champion St. Xavier is the top seed in Region 4 and has won two state titles in the past five years. Moeller is seeded number two and is clearly the most talented team in Cincinnati. Fourth seeded Elder has had to overcome key injuries, but played in the state title game a season ago and is still a sleeper to win their third title in eight years.
There is also an abundance of talent up north. Cleveland St. Ignatius is considered by most to be the best team Ohio has to offer. Last year's state champion breezed through the regular season this year, finishing 10-0 and look to repeat as state champions this year. They are rated number eight in the latest USA Today Top 25 Poll and their road to a state title game is considerably easier than the teams from Cincinnati. With the exception of a possible bump in the road against Glenville in the second round, St. Ignatius should have no problem reaching another state championship game.
Down in Cincinnati, a potential second round game pitting St. Xavier and Elder, both of whom have been ranked in the Top 10 nationally this year would be a huge match-up. St. Xavier has beaten both Elder and Moeller this year in close battles and the chances of them repeating that feat and becoming regional champs are not promising.
Moeller has an easier road, more talent than St. Xavier and will come out of Region 4 battle tested and poised to bring the state championship back to Cincinnati.
A state championship game featuring Moeller and St. Ignatius would be a battle of two of the most dominant programs in the history of Ohio high school football. With a combined 17 state titles between them a match-up would be a showcase of Ohio's finest. St. Ignatius is the defending champ and has the home field advantage. This year however, Ohio's best team and soon to be state champion is the Moeller Crusaders.