Cincinnati Elder is right back where it left off a year ago. Where will the state finals be a year from now?

Defending Division I champion Elder returns to Canton Fawcett Stadium this weekend to take on Lakewood St. Edward in the state high school football finals.

''We do have 11 guys that started in the championship game last year, so maybe we know what to expect a little more,'' Elder coach Doug Ramsey said. ''But I don't know if it's a huge advantage. It's two pretty evenly matched teams.''

Elder (13-1) and St. Edward (11-3) play in the featured 8 p.m. showdown on Saturday night. Five other state champions will be decided, half of the games played in Canton and the other half at Massillon Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.

One of the biggest questions hovering around the 32nd annual state finals is whether the games themselves will be back next year to Canton and Massillon. The sanctioning Ohio High School Athletic Association's board of control will announce future sites when it holds its monthly meeting on Dec. 4 in Columbus.

The only two bidders on the three-year contract are Canton/Massillon and Columbus. At least a portion of the games have been held in Stark County each year since 1990. If Columbus wins the contract, four games will be played at Crew Stadium, home of the Major League Soccer franchise, and two at Dublin Coffman High School.

St. Edward is among four schools making its first appearance in a state championship game, joining both Avon Lake and Trenton Edgewood in Division II and Columbus Grove in Division VI.

But it's not as if St. Edward's Eagles haven't been around.

''We're battle-tested,'' coach John Gibbons said. ''We've played in Pennsylvania, Indiana and Cincinnati this year and I think it really worked out to our benefit.''

In the playoffs alone, the Eagles have beaten two of the best teams in Ohio, poll champion Warren Harding and Mentor.

''Beating those teams did wonders for our confidence,'' Gibbons said. ''We've got a great attitude going in.''

So do the Elder Panthers, who are 69-15 in Ramsey's seven seasons.

''As the season went on, I think our guys gained more confidence and truly believed they could be back in this game,'' Ramsey said. ''Especially our defense - they have stepped up their game and played even better than in the regular season.''

The 2003 finals kick off Friday with Columbus Academy (12-2) meeting 1999 and 2000 state champ Amanda-Clearcreek (13-1) for the Division V crown, followed by two-time defending state champ Kenton (11-3) playing Cleveland Benedictine (13-1) in Division III. The nightcap pits Trenton Edgewood (14-0) against Avon Lake (14-0) for the Division II title.

Avon Lake comes in as No. 1 in the final AP regular-season poll.

''That puts the bull's-eye on your back,'' coach Dave Dlugosz said. ''We tell the kids don't pay attention to outside influences, and our kids have been exceptional about that.''

Edgewood coach Steve Channell said he had trouble finding any weaknesses while watching video of Avon Lake. But that doesn't mean he's conceding anything.

''I don't want to underestimate the guys we have, either,'' he said. ''We're a good football team ourselves. We're a bunch of gritty little guys looking forward to playing in the game.''

Saturday's action begins with Maria Stein Marion Local (11-3), winner of state titles in 2000 and 2001, taking on Columbus Grove (14-0) for the Division VI trophy. In the Division IV game, Versailles (14-0) tackles Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph (10-4). Those set the table for the Elder-St. Edward showdown.

Versailles has won five state titles, but not since 1998. Benedictine has four, the last coming in 1996.

Avon Lake, Versailles and Columbus Grove won AP poll titles, with Benedictine third, Trenton Edgewood fourth and Amanda-Clearcreek fifth. Only three of the finalists - Kenton, Villa Angela-St. Joseph and Columbus Academy - were unranked.