The manner in which the pairings for the OHSAA Division VII football playoffs were finalized came across as a messy situation over the weekend.
A lot of assumptions are also being made by irresponsible adults which should be cleared up.
The spot in question was the 16th and final position in Region 28. Marion Local, currently on a state record 58-game winning streak, is the top seed. The original final OHSAA Harbin computer points report on Saturday was going to have Lockland out of Cincinnati with the final position. The school’s administration, according to WCPO’s Mike Dyer, decided to opt out before the report was published.
Cedarville was to be ranked 17th, and got to move up a spot and was set to enter the postseason. But then Sunday afternoon arrived, and that had to change again.
After the OHSAA issued its press release with the first round playoff pairings across all divisions, I was contacted by Cedarville head coach Brian Bogenschutz. He told me that due to new injuries he learned about from his already limited roster, the Indians were making the decision to opt out as well.
Hamilton New Miami was the next team in line, but apparently opted out as well and Fort Recovery, originally 19th, stepped in next.
These teams all seem to have their own reasons for needing to pack it in for the year and none should be criticized for doing what is needed.
One headline I was sent from StatelineSportsNetwork read “Three teams drop out to avoid playing Marion Local.” Replies to my post about Cedarville on X included comments such as “‘New injuries’ aka we don’t want to get embarrassed by 70+.” Another post from Martin RPI, a ratings provider, commented on the situation and included the line, “THREE different teams straight up said nah, I don’t want to be in the playoffs and have to play the Flyers.”
It doesn’t take long to clear up lazy misconceptions.
I am unable to speak on Lockland and New Miami, other than New Miami shouldn’t have even needed to think about being presented with the invitation based on where it finished in the rankings and any decision they make because of that should just be accepted.
The roster situation for Cedarville can and should be noted as legitimate. I believe that should have been clear in the original post I made on my X account.
Managing editor Scott Halasz was covering Friday’s Battle of 72 between Cedarville and Greeneview to close the regular season. He counted the number of players standing on the Cedarville sideline at kickoff. A roster which lists 25 players on the Ohio Heritage Conference website only had 19 bodies suited up for the game. Two players, including the team’s starting quarterback, were injured during the game and at least one did not return to put the total available at 17 or 18. Add in some new injuries discovered after the game which will keep other kids from playing and how can you blame those in charge of doing the right thing to protect who is left?
Despite the number of players being where it was when Cedarville learned Lockland declined, I can definitively say when the opportunity presented itself to continue its season, the Indians fully planned to do so. I know that because I asked a representative on Saturday and when I pressed to make sure, the response I received assured me they thought backing down from competition creates a slippery slope to recover from and that is not what Cedarville wants to be about as a program. Circumstances changed the next day and the right move was made.
Too often people online are too quick to make themselves out to be the manliest of men, or become known as the funniest person in the room and show how fast they can jump straight to the meme-like responses.
Marion Local’s roster lists 67 players. No one becomes more of a man just because they suit up and are then rarely able to leave the field to rest while playing against an opponent able to do so whenever it pleases.
We’re making jokes at the expense of 14- to 18-year-old kids by insinuating they’re afraid of playing a sport because of the what the final result could be? That does nothing but show how fragile the adult’s own ego is who brings it up.
We all can see Marion Local is a powerhouse. Who wouldn’t want to be the team that finally ends their streak? That’s something all kids could dream of doing.
Maybe the entire 16-team playoff structure can and should be re-evaluated. Even if it is, the type of situations these schools are facing won’t be avoided from just changing how many teams qualify. They’re doing what they feel is best for the kids, more than some random adults are who feel it’s OK to make fun of them.
Contact Steven Wright at 937-502-4498 and follow on X (formerly Twitter) @Steven_Wright_.
