Facts about OHSAA

NUMBER OF SCHOOLS

There were 717 football-playing schools this year — 87 percent have made the state football tournament at least once in school history.

TICKET BUYERS FROM NEAR AND FAR

The six-game ticket packages have been sold to a sprinkling of fans from California, Kentucky, West Virginia, Michigan, Indiana and Florida, said Tonja Marshall, sports promotions manager of the Canton/Stark County Convention & Visitors’ Bureau.

ATTENDANCE

In 2011, attendance for the state football finals (six games) totaled 48,695, compared to 35,737 in 2010. In 2001 and 2002, roughly 65,000 people attended the state finals each of the years — ranking No. 1 and No. 2 for record attendance.
For single game state finals attendance, No. 4 all-time is 20,325 for the McKinley vs. Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller game in 1981 at the Akron Rubber Bowl. No. 2 is 22,751 for Massillon vs. Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller in 1980 at Nippert Stadium at the University of Cincinnati.

THE FINAL 12

Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller is appearing in the finals for the 12th time. The school won the championship in 1975, 76, 77, 79, 80, 82 and 85.
Toledo Central Catholic won the Division II state title in 2005.
Trotwood-Madison won the Division II crown in 2011.
Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary won the state championship in 1972, 81, 82 and 88.
Bellevue, St. Clairsville, Toledo Whitmer and Clarksville Clinton-Massie are playing in title games for the first time.
Newark Catholic won the state championship in 1978, 82, 84, 85, 86, 87, 91 and 2007.
Maria Stein Marion Local won the state title in 2000, 2001, 2006, 2007 and 2011.
Coldwater is the seventh school in OHSAA history to play in four or more consecutive championship games.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Trotwood-Madison’s Isreal Green ran the ball 35 times for 327 yards and six touchdowns in the 2011 Division II state title game as a junior.

TEAM TO WATCH

Pending verification of the point totals, entering the Division IV title game, Clarksville Clinton-Massie has scored 776 points this season, breaking the state record for points in a season.

TOP STADIUMS

Fawcett Stadium and Paul Brown Tiger Stadium were named No. 1 and 10, respectively, among the nation’s best high school football stadiums, as voted by ESPN.com in 2009.
Both stadiums have been named “Famous High School Venues” by the National Federation of State High School Associations.

NEW ARRANGEMENT

This weekend’s state title games are the first of a two-year contract the OHSAA signed to alternate game sites. In 2014, the games will move to Ohio Stadium in Columbus for two years.

CHANGES COMING

The OHSAA is adding a seventh division in football next year and expanding the playoffs by 32 teams. The top 10 percent of enrollment will make up Division I.
With the additional division, games are expected to take place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday in 2013.

SOURCE: Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA)