Diocesan high school football fans got to see improved performances overall with five of the six schools advancing to the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) football playoffs.
Saint John School in Ashtabula, Youngstown Ursuline, Youngstown Cardinal Mooney, Canton Central Catholic and Warren John F. Kennedy (JFK) all qualified for the first round of the playoffs in their respective regions.
Louisville St. Thomas Aquinas, under new Coach Isaiah Robinson, fell short of the playoffs, but with a 3-7 record, accumulated more wins for this season than the Aquinas Knights have had over the past several seasons combined.
Ashtabula St. John with a regular season record of 8-2, competing in Region 25 in the OHSAA Division VII playoffs, won their first round against Vienna Matthews, 6-4, who the St. John Heralds beat earlier in the season. The Heralds improved this year from a 5-5 record last season in which they also advanced to the first round of the playoffs.
On November 6, the Heralds face Mogadore, 8-2, in the regular season, in the regional quarter-finals at Mogadore.
Youngstown Ursuline, 6-4, coming off an abbreviated 2-0 seasons with accompanying complications, won the first round on October 30 in the Region 9, OSHAA Division III playoffs against Mentor Lake Catholic, who finished 6-4 in the regular season. Ursuline triumphed in a closely fought 34-20 game over the Lake Catholic Cougars. The Ursuline Fighting Irish will square off with undefeated Willoughby South at Willoughby November 6 in the regional quarter-finals.
Youngstown Mooney, 7-3, facing Canton Brewster Fairless, 6-4, on October 30 in Region 17 of the OSHAA’s Division IV, advanced to the quarter-final round with a 47-14 win. In the quarter-finals on November 6, the Mooney Cardinals will go up against Youngstown Girard, who was undefeated in the regular season, at Girard. Last season, Mooney finished 6-3 in the regular season and were 3-1 in the playoffs – advancing to the Division V semi-finals.
Canton Central Catholic, 6-4 in the regular season, have advanced to the second round after a forfeit win against Youngstown Liberty, 9-1, in regular season play in Region 17 of the OHSAA Division V.  During the closely-contested game on October 30, the Liberty Leopards outscored the Central Catholic Crusaders 26-16, but Liberty’s use of an ineligible player resulted in a forfeit win for Central Catholic. For 2026, Central improved from a 1-9 season.
Warren JFK, 6-4, faced Hanoverton, Columbiana County, 8-1 in the regular season in Region 21 of the OHSAA’s Division VI, losing in a hard-fought 21-6 contest. The JFK Eagles last year had a 5-5 regular season record and were 1-1 in the playoffs.
