Playoff football is returning to Edwin Steingass Field for the first time since 2005.
The OHSAA made that official Sunday when it released the playoff pairings, as undefeated Buckeye will battle West Geauga (9-1) in the Division III, Region 7 first round Friday.
Highland (6-4) will travel to Avon (9-1) for D-II, Region 4 action the same night, marking the third straight season and fourth time in five years the schools will meet in the postseason.
Contrary to what the neighboring Hornets did the last two years by switching their first-round game to North Royalton for safety and revenue reasons, Bucks athletic director Glen Reisner quickly shot down any speculation their game was moving.
Strapping on helmets and shoulder pads at home — their true home — was what the players wanted.
“Everyone on the team, collectively we don’t want to play somewhere else,” star slotback/safety Trevor Thome said. “We want to play at Buckeye. It would mean a lot more to us, and it will be a lot more special there.”
Heading into Week 10 action, the odds favored Buckeye getting a home game against Louisville (9-1). The Bucks put themselves in position with a 35-0 win over Brookside, but Poland Seminary was upset by Canfield 7-6, thus flipping Poland Seminary and Buckeye in the computer ratings.
When the dust settled, the Bucks were the third seed behind parochial superpowers Hoban (9-1) and St. Vincent-St. Mary (9-1), and Louisville instead will travel to Poland Seminary. The Buckeye-West Geauga winner will play either St. Vincent-St. Mary or Canfield (8-2) at a neutral site.
“It was kind of not expected,” Thome said of playing West Geauga. “(The Poland Seminary loss) threw a wrench into things because you didn’t know how everything was going to fall to place. But it worked out, so we were happy.”
The Bucks joined Black River (1996-99), Brunswick (2001-09) and Highland (2013-present) as Medina County schools to qualify for the playoffs in three straight years.
“It says everything about the kids,” said Buckeye coach Mark Pinzone, an assistant on those Blue Devils teams. “They’re a special group of young men.”
On the eastern side of the county, Highland will be looking to regroup after getting upset by Kent Roosevelt in overtime Friday night.
First-year coach Mike Gibbons’ squad put itself in prime position for a postseason berth when it upset then-undefeated Aurora 38-28 in Week 6, but a realistic shot at a first-round home game was lost with losses to sub-.500 Green and Roosevelt.
Regardless, the matchup against Avon was expected — though the feeling of déjà vu remained.
“It seems like lately we’ve been playing them every year,” All-Ohio center Tyler Frederick quipped. “In my case, I’ve won against them (in the 2013 regional finals), and I want to go out on a positive note against them. I know they’re a good team from what I’ve been told and what I’ve seen on film. If we play like we did against Aurora, we’ll have a good shot.”
Other Gazette coverage area schools to make the playoffs were Stow (D-I, Region 1 vs. Berea-Midpark), Elyria (D-I, Region 1 at Olentangy), Euclid (D-I, Region 1 vs. Fitch), Solon (D-I, Region 1 vs. Olentangy Liberty), Mentor (D-I, Region 1 vs. GlenOak), Nordonia and Aurora (D-II, Region 3 at Aurora), Hudson and Copley (D-II, Region 3 at Copley), Firelands and Woodridge (D-IV, Region 11 at Woodridge) and Columbia (D-VI, Region 19 vs. Smithville).
Playoff pairings
DIVISION I
Games at 7 p.m. Saturday
Region 1
No. 16 Cleveland Heights (4-5) at No. 1 St. Edward (9-1), No. 15 Berea-Midpark (6-4) at No. 2 Stow (10-0), No. 14 Elyria (6-4) at No. 3 Olentangy (9-1), No. 13 Toledo Start (9-1) at No. 4 Westerville Central (9-1), No. 12 Austintown Fitch (7-3) at No. 5 Euclid (8-2), No. 11 Canton McKinley (7-3) at No. 6 Toledo Whitmer (8-2), No. 10 Olentangy Liberty (7-3) at No. 7 Solon (8-2), No. 9 Canton GlenOak (7-3) at No. 8 Mentor (7-3).
Region 2
No. 16 Dublin Coffman (7-3) at No. 1 Colerain (9-1), No. 15 Central Crossing (7-3) at No. 2 Hilliard Davidson (9-1), No. 14 Reynoldsburg (7-3) at No. 3 Huber Heights Wayne (10-0), No. 13 Hilliard Darby (8-2) at No. 4 Lancaster (8-2), No. 12 Fairfield (8-2) at No. 5 Cincinnati Elder (7-3), No. 11 Springboro (8-2) at No. 6 Mason (8-2), No. 10 Upper Arlington (7-3) at No. 7 Pickerington Central (8-2), No. 9 Cincinnati St. Xavier (6-4) at No. 8 Gahanna Lincoln (7-3).
DIVISION II
Games at 7:30 p.m. on Friday
Region 3
No. 8 Nordonia (7-3) at No. 1 Aurora (9-1), No. 7 Warren G. Harding (7-3) at No. 2 Madison (9-1), No. 6 Chardon (8-2) at No. 3 Mayfield (9-1), No. 5 Hudson (8-2) at No. 4 Copley (9-1).
Region 4
No. 8 Olmsted Falls (6-4) at No. 1 Midview (10-0), No. 7 North Ridgeville (7-3) at No. 2 Perrysburg (10-0), No. 6 HIGHLAND (6-4) at No. 3 Avon (9-1), No. 5 Holland Springfield (9-1) at No. 4 Glenville (9-1).
Region 5
No. 8 Mansfield Senior (8-2) at No. 1 Massillon Perry (8-2), No. 7 Wooster (8-2) at No. 2 Pataskala Licking Heights (9-1), No. 6 Uniontown Lake (6-4) at No. 3 Worthington Kilbourne (9-1), No. 5 Dresden Tri-Valley (9-1) at No. 4 Boardman (6-4).
Region 6
No. 8 Vandalia Butler (7-3) at No. 1 La Salle (8-2), No. 7 Teays Valley (8-2) at No. 2 Kings (9-1), No. 6 Glen Este (8-2) at No. 3 Cincinnati Turpin (9-1), No. 5 Lima Senior (8-2) at No. 4 Miamisburg (9-1).
DIVISION III
Games at 7:30 p.m. on Friday
Region 7
No. 8 New Philadelphia (8-2) at No. 1 Archbishop Hoban (9-1), No. 7 Canfield (8-2) at No. 2 St. Vincent-St. Mary (9-1), No. 6 West Geauga (9-1) at NO. 3 BUCKEYE (10-0), No. 5 Louisville (9-1) at No. 4 Poland Seminary (9-1).
Region 8
No. 8 Bowling Green (8-2) at No. 1 Benedictine (10-0), No. 7 Rocky River (8-2) at No. 2 Toledo Central Catholic (8-2), No. 6 Sandusky Perkins (8-2) at No. 3 Clyde (9-1), No. 5 Bay (9-1) at No. 4 Ashland (9-1).
Region 9
No. 8 Columbus Bishop Watterson (5-4) at No. 1 Columbus Hamilton Township (8-2), No. 7 Chillicothe (7-3) at No. 2 Columbus St. Francis DeSales (9-1), No. 6 Columbus Beechcroft (7-2) at No. 3 Zanesville (9-1), No. 5 Bexley (8-2) at No. 4 Jackson (9-1).
Region 10
No. 8 Dayton Belmont (7-2) at No. 1 Wapakoneta (10-0), No. 7 Piqua (6-4) at No. 2 Tippecanoe (9-1), No. 6 Celina (7-3) at No. 3 Trotwood-Madison (7-3), No. 5 New Richmond (7-3) at No. 4 Cincinnati Mt. Healthy (7-3).
DIVISION IV
Games at 7 p.m. on Saturday
Region 11
No. 8 Firelands (8-2) at No. 1 Woodridge (10-0), No. 7 Holy Name (7-3) at No. 2 Perry (8-1), No. 6 Cortland Lakeview (7-3) at No. 3 Crestwood (8-2), No. 5 Youngstown Ursuline (5-5) at No. 4 Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin (7-3).
Region 12
No. 8 Port Clinton (7-3) at No. 1 Bishop Hartley (6-3), No. 7 Bellevue (8-2) at No. 2 Wauseon (9-1), No. 6 Kenton Ridge (7-3) at No. 3 Jonathan Alder (9-1), No. 5 Ottawa-Glandforf (7-3) at No. 4 Lewiston Indian Lake (8-2).
Region 13
No. 8 Wintersville Indian Creek (7-3) at No. 1 Steubenville (9-0), No. 7 Byesville Meadowbrook (9-1) at No. 2 Johnstown-Monroe (10-0), No. 6 Newark Licking Valley (6-4) at No. 3 St. Clairsville (8-1), No. 5 Salem (9-1) at No. 4 Gnadenhutten Indian Valley (9-1).
Region 14
No. 8 Hamilton Badin (7-3) at No. 1 Middletown Bishop Fenwick (10-0), No. 7 Cincinnati Wyoming (8-2) at No. 2 Cincinnati Indian Hill (10-0), No. 6 Cincinnati Taft (7-2) at No. 3 Clarksville Clinton-Massie (9-1), No. 5 Reading (9-1) at No. 4 Kettering Archbishop Alter (9-1).
DIVISION V
Games at 7:30 p.m. on Friday
Region 15
No. 8 Berkshire (6-4) at No. 1 Columbiana Crestview (8-2), No. 7 East Palestine (7-3) at No. 2 Sandy Valley (9-1), No. 6 Hawken (8-2) at No. 3 Canton Central Catholic (7-3), No. 5 LaBrae (8-2) at No. 4 Grand Valley (7-2).
Region 16
No. 8 Galion (7-2) at No. 1 Edison (9-1), No. 7 Rossford (8-2) at No. 2 Norwayne (9-1), No. 6 Chippewa (8-2) at No. 3 Millbury Lake (10-0), No. 5 Waynedale (7-3) at No. 4 Swanton (9-1).
Region 17
No. 8 Ironton (6-4) at No. 1 Wheelersburg (10-0), No. 7 Bidwell River Valley (7-3) at No. 2 Chillicothe Zane Trace (10-0), No. 6 Ironton Rock Hill (6-3) at No. 3 Albany Alexander (9-1), No. 5 Cadiz Harrison Central (8-2) at No. 4 West Lafayette Ridgewood (9-1).
Region 18
No. 8 Carlisle (6-4) at No. 1 Brookville (10-0), No. 7 North Union (5-5) at No. 2 Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy (9-1), No. 6 Bethel-Tate (6-3) at No. 3 Coldwater (10-0), No. 5 Jamestown Greeneview (7-3) at No. 4 West Milton Milton-Union (6-4).
DIVISION VI
Games at 7 p.m. on Saturday
Region 19
No. 8 Berlin Center Western Reserve (8-2) at No. 1 Kirtland (9-1), No. 7 Smithville (7-3) at No. 2 Columbia (10-0), No. 6 Cuyahoga Heights (8-2) at No. 3 Columbiana (9-1), No. 5 Brookfield (9-1) at No. 4 Lisbon David Anderson (9-1).
Region 20
No. 8 Delta (6-4) at No. 1 Bucyrus Wynford (9-1), No. 7 Attica Seneca East (8-2) at No. 2 Defiance Tinora (8-1), No. 6 Defiance Ayersville (8-2) at No. 3 Colonel Crawford (9-1), No. 5 Van Buren (7-3) at No. 4 Gibsonburg (10-0).
Region 21
No. 8 Fredericktown (8-2) at No. 1 Beverly Fort Frye (10-0), No. 7 Chesapeake (8-2) at No. 2 Lucasville Valley (8-1), No. 6 Hannibal River (9-1) at No. 3 Grandview Heights (9-1), No. 5 Newark Catholic (8-2) at No. 4 Bainbridge Paint Valley (9-1).
Region 22
No. 8 Casstown Miami East (8-2) at No. 1 Maria Stein Marion Local (9-1), No. 7 Williamsburg (8-2) at No. 2 Mechanicsburg (10-0), No. 6 Spencerville (9-1) at No. 3 Delphos Jefferson (9-1), No. 5 West Liberty-Salem (8-2) at No. 4 Cincinnati Country Day (9-1).
DIVISION VII
Games at 7:30 p.m. on Friday
Region 23
No. 8 Sandusky St. Mary Central Catholic (6-4) at No. 1 Warren John F. Kennedy (9-1), No. 7 North Jackson Jackson-Milton (7-3) at No. 2 Mogadore (9-1), No. 6 Monroeville (6-4) at No. 3 Norwalk St. Paul (9-1), No. 5 Vienna Mathews (6-2) at No. 4 Toronto (9-1).
Region 24
No. 8 Convoy Crestview (4-6) at No. 1 McComb (9-1), No. 7 Tiffin Calvert (5-5) at No. 2 Hicksville (8-2), No. 6 West Unity Hilltop (6-4) at No. 3 Lucas (8-1), No. 5 Arlington (5-5) at No. 4 Leipsic (5-5).
Region 25
No. 8 Crown City South Gallia (6-4) at No. 1 Danville (10-0), No. 7 Portsmouth Sciotoville Community (6-4) at No. 2 Caldwell (9-1), No. 6 Shadyside (4-6) at No. 3 Glouster Trimble (8-2), No. 5 Belpre (8-2) at No. 4 Canal Winchester Harvest Prep (8-2).
Region 26
No. 8 Fort Loramie (6-4) at No. 1 Minster (8-2), No. 7 Sidney Lehman Catholic (6-4) at No. 2 Covington (8-2), No. 6 Cincinnati Miami Valley Christian Academy (8-1) at No. 3 Fort Recovery (8-2), No. 5 Ada (6-4) at No. 4 DeGraff Riverside (9-1).