By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

The Ohio High School Athletic Association announced its divisional breakdowns and regional assignments on Thursday for the upcoming 2024 high school football season.

The OHSAA places the largest 70 schools in the state in Division I, then divides all the reamining schools as equally as possible into Divisions II through VII, with an average of about 106 schools per division.

Earlier this spring, the OHSAA received an updated set of base-enrollment data from the Ohio Department of Education, as reported by member schools, to use as a measurement for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years to help set the divisions.

For football, the divisional placement also includes competitive balance consideration from the previous season, which is used to create a new adjusted-enrollment count.

A pending referendum, Referendum Issue 1B, would provide schools theoption to move up to Division I if they want to. Members schools vote on this referendum, with the results expected to be announced on May 16.

PORTAGE COUNTY TEAMS

Two of the county’s 12 teams will be making a move for the 2024 season.

One moving up a division and one moving down.

Southeast, which played in Division VI last season, will move up to Division V.

Waterloo, which was a Division VI team a year ago, will now play in Division VII.

All other schools remain in the same division.

Aurora and Kent Roosevelt are Division III.

Field, Ravenna and Streetsboro are Division IV.

Crestwood and Garfield are Division V.

Mogadore and Rootstown are Division VI.

And Windham remains in Division VII.

COMPLETE LIST OF TEAMS BY DIVISION

Division I

Division II

Division III

Division IV

Division V

Division VI

Division VII

2024 FOOTBALL OF EVENTS

Aug. 1 — Practice begins

Aug. 19 — Season begins

Aug. 23 — First Friday night games

Oct. 26 — End of regular season

Oct. 27 — Playoff teams announced

Nov. 1 — Regional playoffs begin

Nov. 8 — Regional quarterfinals

Nov. 15 — Regional semifinals

Nov. 22 — Regional finals

Nov. 29 — State semifinals

Dec. 5-7 — State championships