UNDATED — Conferences featuring local football teams will be well represented when the OHSAA playoffs open for business this weekend.

An unprecedented 448 high school football teams will take the field this Friday and Saturday after the OHSAA expanded the postseason tournament to allow 16 teams from each region to participate this year, up from eight qualifiers in each region previously.

Galion draws Clyde in first round

Galion (4-6), the No. 15 team in Division IV, Region 14, drew a first-round matchup with No. 2 Clyde (8-2). The Fliers will play host to the Tigers at 7 p.m. on Friday. To purchase tickets, go to www.ohsaa.org/tickets.

Clyde is riding a 4-game winning streak entering Friday’s game. The Fliers shared the Sandusky Bay Conference Lake Division championship with Bellevue. Each team finished 4-1 in divisional play.

Galion has struggled late in the season after starting out 3-1. The Tigers have lost two straight games and five of their last six contests.

Clyde is making its ninth consecutive trip to the postseason and 17th appearance overall. The Fliers program has captured two state championships (2019, 1995) and finished as state runnerup in 1994. The program’s postseason record is 29-14.

Galion is making its third consecutive playoff appearance and 11th overall trip to the postseason. The 1985 Tigers won a state championship. Galion’s postseason record is 5-9.

Fliers to watch

Quarterback Jaden Cook has completed 125-of-191 passing attempts for 1,886 yards this season. He has thrown 17 touchdowns and six interceptions.

Brady Wilson has been Cook’s favorite target, making 41 receptions for 803 yards and five touchdowns. Andrew Kauble has 19 catches for 374 yards and four scores. Kaiden Olson caught 22 passes for 220 yards and three touchdowns. Griffin Noftz has 15 catches for 261 yards and two touchdowns.

Running back Michael Daniels has rushed for 1,005 yards and 16 touchdowns on 213 carries.

Clyde’s defense has recorded 28 quarterback sacks, 13 interceptions, and eight fumble recoveries. The Fliers have scored two defensive touchdowns.

Linebacker Dillon Overmeyer has 104 total tackles and 2.5 sacks. Overmeyer also has an interception, three fumble recoveries, and a defensive touchdown.

Linebacker Jarin Bulger has recorded 65.5 total tackles and has 1 interception and one fumble recovery. Defensive lineman Remington Norman has recorded 11 sacks and 60 total tackles.

Free safety Kaiden Olson has three interceptions. Cornerback Brady Wilson and free safety Will Lozier each have two interceptions.

Tigers by the numbers

Quarterback Cooper Kent has passed for 815 yards in his sophomore season. He’s completed 56-of-129 passing attempts with six touchdowns and three interceptions. Kent’s best statistical performance of the season was against Clear Fork when he passed for 354 yards and three scores.

Running back Hanif Donaldson led the Tigers in rushing and receiving yards this season. He rushed for 1,063 yards — No. 1 in the MOAC — and nine touchdowns on 186 carries. Donaldson made 23 catches for 405 yards and three touchdowns.

Gabe Ivy rushed for 399 yards and four touchdowns on 64 carries. He also caught 11 passes for 85 yards.

Sam Wegesin rushed for 240 yards and a touchdown.

Linebacker Carson Frankhouse recorded 94 tackles and two interceptions, both numbers were good for third in the MOAC in their respective categories.

Defensive back Kyle Foust recorded four interceptions, second-best in the MOAC.

Defensive lineman Landon Kurtz recorded 12 sacks and linebacker Landon Campbell came up with eight sacks. Both players finished among the top five in the MOAC.

Who’s in the playoffs?

Six of the seven teams in the Mid Ohio Athletic Conference will be in action this weekend. Galion, Shelby, Clear Fork, River Valley, Pleasant, and Marion Harding each earned a postseason berth. Only Shelby will play at home this Friday.

The Whippets and Colts will square off for the second consecutive week. Shelby rolled over Clear Fork 49-19 in the season finale.

Likewise, six teams from the Knox-Morrow Athletic Conference are playoff-bound this weekend. Northmor and KMAC co-champions Highland and East Knox each earned home field advantage in the first round.Centerburg, Fredericktown, and Danville will be road warriors this week.

The Golden Knights and Fredericktown will meet for the second time this season. Northmor won the Week 6 encounter 40-20.

The Northern 10 Athletic Conference will be represented by Colonel Crawford, Wynford, Carey, Seneca East, and Mohawk. N10 champion Carey and runnerup Colonel Crawford will each play in front of home crowds on Saturday night.

The Northwest Central Conference, Crestline’s football home, has four entries in the OHSAA’s postseason tournament, including champion Upper Scioto Valley and runnerup Waynesfield-Goshen along with Lima Perry and Hardin Northern.

USV will play host to Lima Perry. The Rams beat Perry 34-14 in Week 6.

OHSAA Playoff Schedule

Friday, Oct. 29

Division IV, Region 14

(15) Galion (4-6) at (2) Clyde (8-2), 7 p.m.

(10) Clear Fork (6-4) at (7) Shelby (8-2), 7 p.m.

Division IV, Region 15

(9) Columbus Linden McKinley (8-2) at (8) Highland (7-3), 7 p.m.

Division II, Region 7

(10) Marion Harding (7-3) at (7) Uniontown Green (7-3), 7 p.m.

Division III, Region 10

(11) River Valley (5-5) at (6) Medina Buckeye (7-3), 7 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 30

Division V, Region 18

(16) Wynford (4-6) at (1) Tontogany Otsego (9-0), 7 p.m.

(15) Pleasant (2-8) at (2) Elyria Catholic (8-2), 7 p.m.

Division VI, Region 22

(14) Van Buren (4-5) at (3) Carey (9-1), 7 p.m.

(11) Seneca East (6-4) at (6) Defiance Tinora (9-1), 7 p.m.

(10) Oregon Cardinal Stritch Catholic (5-3) at (7) Colonel Crawford (9-1), 7 p.m.

Division VI, Region 23

(11) Fredericktown (5-5) at (6) Northmor (8-2), 7 p.m.

(9) Centerburg (6-3) at (8) Nelsonville-York (7-3), 7 p.m.

Division VII, Region 26

(16) Hardin Northern (6-4) at (1) Hopewell-Loudon (9-1), 7 p.m.

(11) Lima Perry (6-4) at (6) Upper Scioto Valley (9-1), 7 p.m.

(9) Mohawk (5-5) at (8) Waynesfield-Goshen (8-2), 7 p.m.

Division VII, Region 27

(16) Danville (4-6) at (1) Newark Catholic (9-1), 7 p.m.

(13) Reedsville Eastern (4-4) at (4) East Knox (8-2), 7 p.m.