Four Ohio High School football matchups to watch in the fourth round of the playoffs

COLUMBUS – Week Four and the regional finals round of the OHSAA State Tournament kicks off on Friday. Hundreds of teams in Ohio will continue their pursuit of an OHSAA State Championship.

Lettermen Row has found a few matchups to watch in Week Four of the OHSAA State Tournament. Here are the four matchups that Ohio high school football fans should be watching on Friday.

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No. 1 Archbishop Moeller vs No. 5 Cincinnati St. Xavier

A matchup in Region Four of the OHSAA Division I State Tournament bracket has led off this list for the first three weeks of the playoffs so of course the regional final makes the cut. No. 1 Cincinnati (Ohio) Archbishop Moeller vs No. 5 Cincinnati (Ohio) St. Xavier is the only top-five matchup in the state this week.

Archbishop Moeller has been the most dominate team in the state of Ohio this season. The Crusaders only loss this season was by a touchdown to Mallard Creek out of North Carolina. Moeller has scored 30 or more points in 12 of their 14 games this season. 2026 On300 quarterback Matt Ponatoski is QB1 for the Crusaders. He has thrown for 3,406 yards and 48 touchdowns to just two inceptions this season. The Moeller has a talented defense as well but this team is led by Ponatoksi and its high-powered offense.

St. Xavier is led by a strong defense that features 2026 four-star linebacker and Ohio State target Kobe Clapper. The Bombers have only allowed 30 points or more twice this season. St. Xavier also has a potent offense with 2025 three-star quarterback Chase Herbsteit under center. He is son of former Ohio State quarterback and long-time ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit.

These two teams met in week one of the season and Archbishop Moeller beat St. Xavier 45-37 behind a 28-point first quarter.

Score Prediction: Archbishop Moeller 35, St. Xavier 21

Win Probability: Archbishop Moeller 75%, St. Xavier 25%

No. 6 Walsh Jesuit vs No. 7 Archbishop Hoban

No. 6 Stow (Ohio) Walsh Jesuit vs No. 7 Akron (Ohio) Archbishop Hoban is the only other top-10 matchup in the state of Ohio in Week Four of the playoffs. A rematch of last season’s Region 8 regional final.

Walsh Jesuit has a high-powered offense led by 2025 quarterback Keller Moten and 2026 three-star wide receiver Milan Parris. The Warriors have scored 20 or more points in all but one game this season which was a 19-14 win over Archbishop Hoban in Week Seven of the regular season. Walsh Jesuit also has a pretty talented defense that has a couple of Division I prospects.

Across the field, Archbishop Hoban hangs its hat on a strong defense. 2025 Ohio State linebacker commit Eli Lee sets the tone for the Knights defense. Hoban also has 2026 four-star cornerback and Ohio State target Elbert Hill, the No. 1 cornerback in the On3 Industry Rankings, in the secondary. Offensively, the Knights want to run the ball behind 2026 four-star offensive and Ohio State target Sam Greer.

Once again, Walsh Jesuit beat Archbishop Hoban 19-14 in Week Seven of the regular season. The Knights beat the Warriors 30-6 in the Region 8 regional final last season, however.

Score Prediction: Archbishop Hoban 30, Walsh Jesuit 21

Win Probability: Archbishop Hoban 67%, Walsh Jesuit 33%

No. 3 Avon vs No. 12 Medina Highland

The winner of Walsh Jesuit vs Archbishop Hoban will likely play the winner of No. 3 Avon (Ohio) vs Medina (Ohio) Highland in the Division II State Final Four. The Eagles and Hornets will face off on Friday in a battle of unbeaten teams.

Avon is one of the best all-around teams in the state of Ohio. 2025 Kent State quarterback commit Nolan Good calls the shot for the Eagles high-flying offense that has scored at least 35 points in 12 of 13 games this season. Defensively, Avon has 2026 four-star athlete and Ohio State target Jakob Weatherspoon in the secondary. He primarily plays safety for Avon and is an impact player in the backend.

Highland has also put up points this season. The Hornets have scored 30 or more points in every game. Additionally, they have only given up double-digit points twice this season on defense. Highland has 2025 Miami (Ohio) defensive line commit Carson Noonan in the trenches.

Score Prediction: Avon 36, Highland 26

Win Probability: Avon 67%, Highland 33%

No. 11 St. Edward vs No. 13 Mentor

The other game to watch in the OHSAA Division I State Tournament bracket is No. 11 Lakewood (Ohio) St. Edward vs No. 13 Mentor (Ohio). St. Edward has won three straight Division I State Championships but Mentor has the potential to stop that streak this season.

The Eagles snuck into the playoffs at 5-5 after losing a lot of talent from last season’s team including three Division I offensive linemen. Regardless, St. Edward has found its stride in the playoffs with three straight double-digit wins. The Eagles do not have the talent that they have had in the past but they are still a sound football team.

As for Mentor, the Cardinals had their best regular season in recent history behind a high-powered offense. 2025 West Virginia quarterback commit Scotty Fox is under center with 2026 three-star wide receiver Justen Hodge out wide. The combination has combined for 913 yards and nine touchdowns this season. Mentor also has a strong offensive line led by 2026 offensive tackle Landry Brede at left tackle.

Score Prediction: St. Edward 34, Mentor 14

Win Probability: St. Edward 83%, Mentor 17%