Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

It’s official.

Three local teams have added at least one extra week to their football season by qualifying for the Ohio High School Athletic Association playoffs.

In Region 17 of Division V, the Ironton Fighting Tigers (6-4) will play at top-seed Wheelersburg (10-0) while the Rock Hill Redmen (6-3) will visit Albany Alexander (9-1) at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.

The other two regional quarterfinal games have River Valley (7-3) at Zane Trace (10-0) and Harrison Central (8-2) is at West Lafayette Ridgewood (9-1).

The playoff appearance is the 32nd for Ironton while Rock Hill is making its fifth appearance in the postseason.

River Valley is making its first-ever playoff appearance.

The Ironton-Wheelersburg winner will advance to play the Harrison Central-Ridgewood winner and the Rock Hill-Alexander winner will face the River Valley-Zane Trace survivor.

Those winners will meet in the regional finals.

Chesapeake (8-2) qualified in Division V Region 21 as the Panthers will play at Lucasville Valley (8-1) at 7 p.m. on Saturday.

Chesapeake is making its ninth postseason appearance.

In the other Region 21 quarterfinals pairings, Fredericktown (8-2) is at Fort Frye (10-0), Newark Catholic (8-2) goes to Paint Valley (9-1) and Hannibal River (9-1) visits Columbus Grandview Heights (9-1).

The Chesapeake-Valley winner will play the River-Grandview Heights winner and the Newark Catholic-Paint Valley winner goes against the Fredericktown-Fort Frye winner.