OHSAA announces football division and regional assignments for the 2024 season

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OHSAA announces football division and regional assignments for the 2024 season

Michael Beaven, Akron Beacon Journal · Akron Beacon Journal

Thu, Apr 25, 2024 ·

3 min read

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The Ohio High School Athletic Association announced the 2024 football divisional breakdowns and regional assignments Thursday during its April board meeting.

The OHSAA Board of Directors once again approved the 70 largest schools are in Division I, and all remaining schools are divided as equally as possible into Divisions II through VII, with approximately 106 schools per division.

OHSAA Director of Communications Tim Stried said in a news release that member schools can opt to move up to Division I if Referendum Issue 1B passes this spring. Results of the referendum voting will be announced May 16.

The Massillon Tigers and Hoban Knights meet at the 50 yard line for the coin toss before the OHSAA Division II state championship football game at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023, in Canton, Ohio.

Earlier this spring, the OHSAA received updated base enrollment data from the Ohio Department of Education to use for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years. In the sport of football, competitive balance data from the previous season is used each season to create a new adjusted enrollment count.

Louisville, Canton Central Catholic, Southeast and St. Thomas Aquinas moved up a division.

Stow, Wadsworth, Ellet, Norton, Cloverleaf, East Canton and Waterloo moved down a division.

Here is a breakdown of where teams in the Akron, Canton, Kent and Medina area are placed:

Massillon quarterback DaOne Owens sheds a tackle from Hoban linebacker Cartier Williams during the second half of the OHSAA Division II state championship game at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023, in Canton.

Division I, Region 1:Brunswick, Canton McKinley, GlenOak, Jackson and Medina

Division II, Region 5:Archbishop Hoban, Cuyahoga Falls, Firestone, Garfield, Green, Hudson, Lake, Louisville, Nordonia, North, North Canton Hoover, St. Vincent-St. Mary, Stow, Twinsburg and Walsh Jesuit

Division II, Region 6:Barberton, Brecksville, Highland, North Royalton and Wadsworth

Division II, Region 7:Massillon Washington, Perry and Wooster

Division III, Region 9:Alliance, Aurora, CVCA, East, Ellet, Kent Roosevelt, Marlington and Tallmadge

Division III, Region 10:Buckeye, Copley and Revere

East running back Ziaire Stevens outruns two Buchtel defenders during a second-quarter 69-yard touchdown run on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023, in Akron, Ohio, at Griffin Stadium.

Division IV, Region 13:Buchtel, Coventry, Field, Northwest, Norton, Ravenna, Springfield, Streetsboro, West Branch and Woodridge

Division IV, Region 14: Cloverleaf

Division V, Region 17:Canton Central Catholic, Crestwood, Fairless, Garrettsville, Manchester, Sandy Valley and Southeast

Division VI, Region 21:Mogadore, Rittman, Rootstown, St. Thomas Aquinas and Tuslaw

Division VII, Region 25:East Canton, Malvern, Waterloo and Windham

The Massillon Tigers celebrate with the trophy after beating Hoban 7-2 in the OHSAA Division II state championship game at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023, in Canton.

When does spring football begin in Ohio?

Beginning May 15, schools are permitted to have 13 days of practice without pads or hitting. An additional five days are permitted beginning July 15 for schools to complete the mandatory five-day acclimatization period, if they so choose.

Hoban's Tanner Mintz, right, and Cartier Williams, left, tackle Massillon quarterback DaOne Owens in the end zone for a second-quarter safety in the OHSAA Division II state championship game, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023, in Canton.

When does the football season officially start this summer in Ohio?

The official start date for practice is Thursday, Aug. 1. High schools can schedule scrimmages with other schools after one full day of contact practice has been completed.

The OHSAA does not set a limit on physical fitness training and conditioning workouts in the summer.