#4KIRTLAND HORNETS Football

Nine Northeast Ohio football teams advanced to the regional semifinals Friday as Kirtland, Perry, Garfield, West Geauga, Mentor, Mayfield, NDCL, University School, and Cuyahoga Heights earned playoff victories.

Tommy Caimi scored three touchdowns, including a 28-yard interception return, as Kirtland dominated Brookfield, 50-0, in a Division VI regional quarterfinal. The Hornets rushed for 324 yards and held the Warriors to just 27 total yards. Kirtland hosts Hillsdale on Friday.

Eleven regional quarterfinals involving OhioVarsity.com teams headline Friday's playoff schedule. Kirtland brings a perfect 16-0 historical Week 12 record into its matchup against Brookfield, Mentor gets another chance against Strongsville, and undefeated Perry, Garrettsville Garfield, Mayfield and Willoughby South look to extend their seasons.

Kirtland enters the 2026 regional quarterfinals with a perfect 16-0 historical Week 12 record, leading the OhioVarsity.com top 20. Mentor, Cuyahoga Heights, Perry, Mayfield and Hawken also rank among the area's most successful programs still alive in the playoffs.

Week 11 is about survival. Eleven Northeast Ohio football playoff matchups put seasons on the line Friday night, with rematches, dangerous underdogs and a trip to Week 12 at stake.

The road to Canton begins Friday as 336 teams enter the 2026 OHSAA football playoffs. Here's a look at every opening-round matchup, plus the 112 teams that earned first-round byes.

Writing Kirtland Football closed the regular season with a 49-7 win over Berkshire, rushing for 365 yards and scoring two defensive touchdowns. Sebastian Becker and Tommy Caimi led the Hornets, who finished 9-1, captured the outright CVC Valley Division championship and secured a first-round playoff bye.

Conference championships, undefeated seasons and postseason survival headline Friday's Week 10 football schedule. Perry hosts West Geauga, Lake Catholic visits NDCL, and Mentor and Riverside chase a Greater Cleveland Conference championship while playoff contenders battle for crucial computer points.

Three area football teams lead their respective regions, eight are positioned for first-round byes, and five are fighting to climb into playoff contention as the regular season concludes.

Several conference championships have been decided, but plenty remains at stake across Northeast Ohio. Friday's Week 9 high school football schedule featured a rivalry showdown...

Tommy Caimi rushed for 173 yards and three touchdowns, and Kirtland's defense posted its third consecutive shutout as the Hornets dominated Fairview, 40-0, to clinch the outright Chagrin Valley Conference Valley Division championship.

Tommy Caimi scored five touchdowns in four different ways, and Mario Lorber completed 6 of 7 passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns as Kirtland Football rolled past Beachwood, 59-0, on Friday. The Hornets can clinch the outright CVC Valley Division championship with a win in either of their final two games.

Perry, Willoughby South and Mayfield put perfect records on the line Friday as Cuyahoga Heights hosts Independence, Kirtland meets Beachwood and conference and playoff races intensify across Northeast Ohio.

Six touchdowns put Berkshire quarterback Oliver Miller atop the first Friday Night Fantasy leaderboard, but several Northeast Ohio standouts weren't far behind after monster Week 7 performances.

Eastlake North, Willoughby South, Perry and Mayfield remained unbeaten, while Cuyahoga Heights won a pivotal CVC Metro showdown during a busy Oct. 2 football slate.

Sebastian Becker rushed for 141 yards and two touchdowns on five carries, while Tommy Caimi totaled 275 yards from scrimmage as Kirtland blanked Crestwood, 32-0.

Kirtland has outscored its last three opponents 143-10 and takes sole possession of first place in the CVC Valley Division into Friday's road game at Crestwood.

Perry has won nearly 76 percent of its October football games since 1972, leading Mentor, Kirtland and Lake Catholic atop the OhioVarsity Football History leaderboard.

The OHSAA football computer ratings entering Week 7 have eight OhioVarsity-area teams positioned for first-round byes and 20 of the 27 highlighted programs currently inside their regional top 12.

Five area football teams remained unbeaten Friday as South survived Chardon, North made history, Perry recorded its third straight shutout and Wickliffe took sole possession of first place in the CVC Metro Division.