West senior to-be two-way lineman Kade Woods (65)

Courtesy of Joey Shupert

SCIOTO COUNTY — West is moving down, Valley is almost moving up, and everybody else among Scioto County’s contingent of football teams is staying put.

The Ohio High School Athletic Association Board of Directors approved the 2024 football divisional breakdowns and regional assignments last Thursday during its April board meeting.

After a season without change for any of the nine programs for divisions and/or regions, West went down to Division VI — after several seasons in Division V.

It’s the only school that either moved down or even up, although the Valley Indians almost vaulted their way into the smallest Division V club.

The remaining Division V schools stayed there, and return to Region 19 —although actually Northwest was just three adjusted enrollment numbers away from joining Valley at the top of Division VI.

But West, with an adjusted football enrollment for the 2024-25 academic year of 152, is now near the Division VI ceiling—as the Indians are at 156 —boosted greatly by a competitive balance number of 18.

West senior to-be running back Mason Parker (2)

Courtesy of Joey Shupert

Northwest and Warren Champion are the second smallest Division V teams at 159, followed by four others at 158 including Barnesville, which Wheelersburg has defeated in the Region 19 playoffs the past two years.

Portsmouth (198 adjusted enrollment), Wheelersburg (195 adjusted enrollment), Minford (166) and Northwest (159) remain in Division V and Region 19 — as those playoff games are going to be against fellow Southeast District teams, or even against, once again, the East and Central Districts.

Last season, the water-cooler talk about Northwest was returning to the rugged Southern Ohio Conference Division II —after a decade of competing in the smaller-school SOC I.

Wheelersburg, Minford, West, Valley, Oak Hill and Division IV Waverly —now back in Region 15 incidentally — along with the Mohawks make up the SOC II, as Oak Hill jumped back to Division V, following back-to-back rebuilding years in Division VI.

Valley senior to be Aidan Waughtel (9)

Ed Litteral | Daily Times

Like Valley, the Oaks’ CB number is 18 —making their adjusted football enrollment at 170.

Valley and West, and even Rock Hill and Chesapeake of the Ohio Valley Conference, will compete in Region 24 —the Dayton and Cincinnati-centric Southwest quadrant of the state.

Waverly, long a Division IV and Region 16 program with an adjusted enrollment for 2024 of 222, is easily the largest SOC school.

The entire SOC I group consists of repeat teams to Division VII —including Scioto County’s trio of Notre Dame (68), Green (62) and East (57).

The others are second-year SOC school South Gallia (77), Symmes Valley (108), and outright champion Eastern (98).

All six return to Region 27 for the state playoffs.

Portsmouth plays in the OVC —along with Division IV Gallia Academy (241), and fellow Division Vs Fairland (172), South Point (164) and now Coal Grove (164).

Coal Grove was formerly the smallest school in the OVC, but bumped up to Division V for this coming season —thanks in part to a CB number of 20.

The Education Management Information System (EMIS) is a statewide data collection system for Ohio’s primary and secondary education, including demographic information, attendance, course information, financial data, and test results.

The OHSAA uses enrollment data provided by the Ohio Department of Education to determine each school’s base enrollment numbers for girls and boys sports, which will again be used for the 2024-25 (and 2025-26) academic year.

Divisional breakdowns for the sports that utilize competitive balance data — which include soccer, volleyball and football for the fall — are reconfigured every year, while non-competitive balance sports are reconfigured every two years using only base enrollment numbers.

Speaking of competitive balance, the talented, highly-touted and now for football independent Ironton Fighting Tigers — the three-time recent Division V state runner-up (2019, 2020 and 2022) —saw their CB number bump from 20 to 23.

Two years ago, with an enrollment of 201, Ironton was THE largest Division V program — thanks to a 2021 competitive balance number that was indeed 24.

A CB of 25 would have made those Fighting Tigers the smallest Division IV program, but now Lima Bath (204 adjusted enrollment) lands that distinction of being the largest Division V school.

Details of the competitive balance process are available at: https://www.ohsaa.org/School-Resources/Competitive-Balance-Resource-Center.

Ironton is once again in Region 19 —as is defending region champion Harvest Prep, as the Warriors’ whopping CB number is a massive 64.

The 2024 football regions are posted at www.ohsaa.org.

The 10-week regular season begins the week of Aug. 19, with the top 16 schools in each region qualifying for the playoffs that begin the final weekend in October.

The largest 70 schools are placed in Division I, and all remaining schools are divided as equally as possible into Divisions II through VII, with approximately 106 schools per division.

Of note, OHSAA member schools may opt to move up to Division I — if Referendum Issue 1B passes this spring.

Results of that referendum voting will be announced on May 16.

2024 OHSAA Football Divisions

and Playoff Regions

Division I – School List | Schools by Region | Regional Map

Division II – School List | Schools by Region | Regional Map

Division III – School List | Schools by Region | Regional Map

Division IV – School List | Schools by Region | Regional Map

Division V – School List | Schools by Region | Regional Map

Division VI – School List | Schools by Region | Regional Map

Division VII – School List | Schools by Region | Regional Map

Preseason Schedule

The official start date for practice is Thursday, Aug. 1.

High schools can schedule scrimmages with other schools after one full day of contact practice has been completed.

7^th and 8^th grade schools can schedule scrimmages after three full days of contact practice have been completed.

In addition, 7^th and 8^th grade schools can now play eight games — regardless of whether they have one or two preseason scrimmages.

Beginning on May 15, schools are permitted to have 13 days of practice without pads or hitting.

An additional five days are permitted beginning July 15 for schools to complete the mandatory five-day acclimatization period, if they so choose.

The OHSAA does not set a limit on physical fitness training and conditioning workouts in the summer.

2024 Football Season Calendar

May 15 through July 31 — Summer Period (see note above)

August 1 — Practice Begins

Week of August 19 — Season Begins

August 23 — First Friday Night

October 26 — Regular Season Ends

October 27 — Playoff Qualifiers Announced

Nov. 1 — Regional Playoffs First Round

Nov. 8 — Regional Quarterfinals

Nov. 15 — Regional Semifinals

Nov. 22 — Regional Finals

Nov. 28 — Thanksgiving

Nov. 29 — State Semifinals

Dec. 5-7 — State Championships, Canton

More information about OHSAA football is posted at: https://www.ohsaa.org/sports/football

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Information from the Ohio High School Athletic Association was used in this story

Reach Paul Boggs at (740) 353-3101 ext. 1926, by email at [email protected], or on X @paulboggssports © 2024 Portsmouth Daily Times, all rights reserved