COLUMBUS - The state high school football championships will stay in Massillon and Canton for at least the next two years, with an option for 2006, the Ohio High School Athletic Association announced Thursday.

The OHSAA Board of Control rejected a proposal to bring the final games to the Columbus area. The Greater Columbus Sports Commission wanted to hold the games at Columbus Crew Stadium and Dublin Coffman High School Stadium, both of which have hosted semifinal games.

Stark County has hosted a final game every year since 1990. The latest contract with the organizing committee there expired after the 2003 final.

For the past six years, the championship games have been split between Paul Brown Tiger Stadium in Massillon and Fawcett Stadium in Canton.

''Virtually every school that has made the finals has raved about the outstanding treatment it has received in Stark County, so we did not feel making a change was in the best interest of our member schools at this time,'' said Rock VanFossen, president of the control board.