Which football division is deeper next year?
D2
Avon
Anderson
Big Walnut
Bishop Watterson
Hoban
LaSalle
Massillon
Medina Highland
Toledo CC
Trotwood
Walsh Jesuit
potentially Glenville after consolidation
+others
D6
Anna
Carey
Columbus Grove
Harvest Prep
Hillsdale
Kirtland
Liberty Center
South Range
St. Henry
Tri-Village
Versailles
+others
*Disclaimer*: these are preliminary. There’s still 2 things that could happen in the future that could move a couple teams around:
1) Teams now have a 2-week window to opt into D1
2) No enrollment data yet for Cleveland Metro or Youngstown City Schools. This will affect Glenville since they’re consolidating with Collinwood.
2026 OHSAA Football Divisions Announced! Here’s a list of all schools moving up and down.
6 teams that played in a 2025 State Final are moving divisions:
Moving Up
—Bishop Watterson (D3⬆️D2)
—St. Henry (D7⬆️D6)
—Toledo Central Catholic (D3⬆️D2)
—Hillsdale (D7⬆️D6)
Moving Down
—Liberty Center (D5⬇️D6)
—Hopewell-Loudon (D6⬇️D7)
@MartinRPI@OhioPrepWriters Definitely diminishes the achievement in my opinion.
Football is even worse and the representation around state is reflected by the readership of the local newspaper markets.
Some of these teams had so many “all state “ kids, it makes you wonder why they weren’t state champs.
The @OhioPrepWriters handed out 826 boys basketball All-Ohio awards this year—more than 1 per school.
—In 2025, the first year with 7 divisions, it was 770.
—In 2024, the last year with 4 divisions, it was 590.
—In 2000, it was 363. LeBron James didn’t even make 1st Team All-Ohio that season as a freshman.
And why do you need Special Mention AND Honorable Mention?
State Tourney Thoughts
D1: didn’t see any games
D2: Massillon so so impressive. True story of nobody picking them for a D2 title back in November and proving everyone wrong. What a comeback win over Westerville North.
D3: Santino Haney was one of my favorite players to watch this weekend. Trotwood has the best band in the state and I hope they make it to Dayton every year.
D4: Unreal how good Wyoming was. Idk how they lost any games this year.
D5: didn’t see any games
D6: Mark Schlabach has 22.2 wins per season since he started coaching. Guy runs a basketball factory at Hiland. Marion Local 20/43 from the FT line in the last two State Title games (10/25 vs Hiland).
D7: 300 boys basketball coaching wins for Coach Elwer. Cam finishes with 2,768 pts (6th) and a 91-14 record. DSJ one of the only teams this weekend who shot the ball really well. Can they repeat next year without Cam?
Also:
—Going from UD Arena to the Nutter Center is like going from the Taj Mahal to a JC Penney’s. Really hope all games are at UD next year.
—Crazy how differently the game is officiated in early December compared to Regionals & State. Guys were getting away with murder in a lot of games this weekend.
—Lutheran East first ever to 4 straight State Titles and now tied for 2nd most with 7 total. Duke would also win every NCAA Title if they played down in D3 come tourney time🤷🏻♂️
@_Tift For sure criticizing the system, not the kids. They have a group of tremendous players and earned their title(s). No doubt they could win them playing up in higher divisions.
BREAKING: Per the OPSMA, Marcus Johnson of Garfield Heights is Ohio's Mr. Basketball for the second straight season. Cameron Elwer of Delphos St. John's is also the runner-up again this season after Johnson received 99 votes, compared to 91 points for Elwer.
Very interested to see the Mr. Basketball voting results today. In football, Grady Kinsey edged out Brayden DeVito, 107-96.
I’d bet the basketball results will end up closer. To me, there’s 4 guys with a legit chance of winning the award.
Here’s how many career boys basketball coaching wins the 28 Final Four coaches have—6,601 combined wins!
—Dennis Tucci of @hornets_malvern got his 600th win in the Regional Final last week, good for 22nd All-Time. If you include his 57 wins for the Parkersburg Catholic (WV) girls program in the 80’s, he’s at 657!
—Mark Schlabach of @HilandAthletics has the Most Wins per Season of any coach in OHSAA History with at least 500 wins (22.1).
—Aaron Elwer of @DSJBasketball got his 250th win vs. Kalida last season. If DSJ wins the State Title, it’ll be his 300th win—and it could come against Kalida again.
—Brett Norris of @jagsbballnation began his head coaching career at Delphos St. John’s, racking up 177 wins for the Blue Jays from 1996-2005.
—Josh Hose of Massillon also has 109 wins when he coached the Tuslaw girls program prior to taking over for the Tigers.
—There’s 2 first-year head coaches. Andy Hoying of @PerkinsBasketb1 & Cole Smith of @WestMSports. Hoying was 2012 D4 Player of the Year and State Runner-Up at Jackson Center.