Here are game preview capsules heading into Week 11 within the Journal-News coverage area:
Division 1, Region 4
Hamilton at Lakota West
The No. 10-seeded Hamilton Big Blue (4-6) will travel to face the No. 7-seeded Lakota West Firebirds (6-4).
Lakota West has program tradition, home crowd and the advantage of hosting on their side this weekend. The Firebirds will seek to assert that advantage early — controlling possession, establishing the run game and keeping Hamilton off balance.
Hamilton, meanwhile, must find a way to disrupt Lakota West’s tempo and limit turnovers.
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
Little Miami at Winton Woods
The No. 12-seeded Little Miami Panthers (3-7) travel to face the No. 5-seeded Winton Woods Warriors (8-2) in a first-round tilt.
Winton Woods enters on a roll. The Warriors most recently posted a 31-10 road win at Lebanon. Winton Woods’ defense has held numerous opponents to 17 points or less, showing an ability to clamp down under pressure.
Little Miami has struggled this season, and was previously handled 35-7 by Winton Woods earlier in the year. For the Panthers, the key will be staying competitive early, avoiding big plays, and hoping to catch Winton Woods off-guard.
Oak Hills at Lakota East
The No. 11-seeded Oak Hills Highlanders (4-6) will visit the No. 6-seeded Lakota East Thunderhawks (7-3), with Lakota East riding high after ending a rivalry drought against Lakota West in Week 10.
The Thunderhawks will lean on their experienced players, desire to extend the season and home-field crowd to advance.
Oak Hills earned its way in despite a losing record. The Highlanders will enter as underdogs but with nothing to lose. The key for Oak Hills is to keep this one close early, defend aggressively and make East uncomfortable.
Mason at Fairfield
Two teams with identical 5-5 records meet for a first-round Region 4 showdown — the No. 9-seeded Mason Comets at the No. 8-seeded Fairfield Indians.
The even records make this an appealing toss-up with little separation on paper. Fairfield enters at home and will likely leverage that advantage.
Division 1, Region 2
Fairmont at Lebanon
No. 8 Lebanon (7-3) hosts No. 9 Fairmont (5-5). The Warriors earned their position by finishing strong in the regular season, while Fairmont scrambled to reach a .500 finish.
For Lebanon, the storyline is opportunity. The Warriors fell to Winton Woods to close out the regular season. That defeat could serve as a motivator.
Lebanon secured its sixth straight playoff appearance. On offense, the Warriors will look to balance their attack, control the clock and avoid mistakes in the red zone. Defensively, they must clamp down early and keep Fairmont from gaining momentum.
The Firebirds arrive with plenty of resiliency, having battled through a difficult schedule. They posted wins over Beavercreek (14-7) and Springfield (10-7) down the stretch to get into the field, winning four of their last five.
The key for Fairmont will be keeping this game manageable — staying in down-and-distance situations, winning the field-position battle and forcing Lebanon into uncharacteristic mistakes.
Division III, Region 12
Goshen at Talawanda
In Division III, Region 12, the No. 7-seeded Talawanda Brave (9-1) host the No. 10-seeded Goshen Warriors (7-3).
Talawanda’s season has been characterized by dominance — big wins, consistent offense and a stingy defense. They suffered their lone loss to Harrison 14-0.
Goshen enters with solid momentum but facing a tough road trip and opponent. The Warriors must bring their best — execute on both sides of the ball, win the trenches and force Talawanda into uncomfortable situations.
D-IV, Region 16
Fenwick at Brookville
The No. 11-seeded Fenwick Falcons (6-4) hit the road to face the No. 6-seeded Brookville Blue Devils (9-1) in what should be a challenging opener for Fenwick.
Brookville has shown consistency. In their 10 regular-season outings, the Blue Devils put up strong numbers both offensively and defensively.
The Falcons will need to limit big plays, force three-and-outs and take advantage of any Brookville mistakes.
D-V, Region 20
West Liberty-Salem at Carlisle
The No. 12-seeded West Liberty‑Salem Tigers travel to meet the No. 5-seeded Carlisle Indians in a Division V, Region 20 opener.
Carlisle (8-2), with its stronger record and home-field benefit, carries momentum into this playoff contest. The Indians have one of the best arms in the SWBL in Kolby Morgerson.
West Liberty-Salem (5-5) must lean into its underdog status — force turnovers and hope for a momentum-shifting play or two.
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