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Area teams mostly stay in same divisions

COLUMBUS — Crestview is the only area football team changing divisions this fall.

The Rebels will drop to Division VI, according to new divisional breakdowns released by the Ohio High School Athletic Association on Thursday

Salem is only three boys shy of moving up to Division III, while South Range is among the smallest Division V schools, one boy above the Division VI line.

No schools in Divisions II through VII opted to move up to Division I.

Twelve additional schools moved up a division due to the OHSAA’s competitive balance process that analyzes data from roster information provided by each school from the previous season. Those 12 schools join 34 schools that remain in a higher division this year due to competitive balance, for a total of 46 schools that were moved up a division from the base male enrollment count.

Schools can have up to 13 days of practice without pads during the summer, beginning May 12. An additional five days are permitted beginning July 15 for schools to complete the mandatory five-day acclimatization period. The OHSAA does not set a limit on physical fitness and conditioning workouts in the summer.

The first Friday for football is Aug. 22, 2025.

The OHSAA recently conducted a survey with member schools regarding the format of the postseason tournament. More information on those results will be released at a later date.

2025 Football Calendar

Summer Period: May 12 through July 31 (13 practices permitted, plus five days for acclimation)

• Practice Begins — August 1.

• Regular-Season Begins — Week of August 18 (first Friday is August 22).

• Regular-Season Ends — Saturday, October 25.

• Playoff Qualifiers Announced — Sunday, October 26.

• Regional First Round –Friday, October 31.

• Regional Quarterfinals — Friday, November 7.

• Regional Semifinals — Friday, November 14.

• Regional Finals — Friday, November 2.1

• State Semifinals — Friday, November 28.

• State Championships — December 4-6, Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Canton.

2025 Divisional breakdowns

Div. Adjusted Enrollment Teams

I 592 and more 72

II 378 to 591 104

III 268 to 377 107

IV 202 to 267 105

V 157 to 201 106

VI 112 to 156 106

VII 111 and less 106

Total Teams 706

Where area teams are

How area football teams stack up in the OHSAA new divisional breakdowns. The first number is the boys in grades 9-11 as of October 2023. The second number is the adjusted enrollment that includes competitive balance numbers:

DIVISION IV

Salem 255 265

West Branch 232 253

Beaver Local 228 253

East Liverpool 238 249

Minerva 225 229

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DIVISION V

South Range 145 157

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DIVISION VI

Crestview 140 151

United 124 133

Columbiana 119 132

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DIVISION VII

Lisbon 102 106

East Palestine 100 102

Wellsville 72 89

Western Reserve 66 85

Leetonia 75 77

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