St. Xavier, Cincinnati, Ohio. The defending D1 Ohio state champions, The St. Xavier Bombers, are led by 6’1” 185 lb returning senior Quarterback Brogan McCaughey. The Bombers got off to an extremely hot start to the season, cruising through their first six games. They outscored opponents by a total of 202 points, including a huge win over number 6 ranked (according to MaxPreps) Lakota West. Week 7 took a turn for the worse for the Bombers, as they were upset by The Trinity Shamrocks (Louisville, KY) by a score of 33-22. Despite the week 7 loss, however, the Bombers are still ranked as the number 1 team in the state of Ohio, according to MaxPreps. And, filled from top to bottom with talent, they remain one of the clear favorites for the D1 state title. The team returns 9 offensive starters, including linemen Cameron Collins and Duke commit Brian Parker. Led by Miami of Ohio commit Grant Lyons, the defense, too, has shined, allowing an average of only 13 points per game. Will the Bombers go back-to-back? Nobody will know the state championship game on December 3^rd, from Tom Benson Stadium.

St. Edward, Lakewood, Ohio. After an early exit from the playoffs last season, the St. Edward Eagles have been one of the most dominant teams in all of Ohio this year. Led by Bowling Green baseball commit Christian Ramos, the Eagles are off to a 7-0 start to the 2021 season. Coming off of a huge 19-14 win against rival St. Ignatius, St. Eds is two games away from an undefeated regular season, including an away matchup against Archbishop Hoban in the final week. The Eagles are the 2nd ranked team in Ohio, according to MaxPreps, which is well deserved after cruising by the Massillon Tigers and pulling off a blowout 47-7 win against Mentor. The offense has been beyond stellar, showing how dangerous Ramos and his weapons can be with a remarkable 42 points per game. The defense is littered with talent as well, including Minnesota commit Trey Bixby—a leader crucial to the team’s success. Outscoring their opponents by 217 points through their first 7 matchups, the Eagles have shown that they are one of the most complete teams in Ohio. Looking to win its first state title since 2018, St. Eds has proven it has the potential to pull it off.

Medina, Ohio.  Led by the 40th ranked player and the fourth-ranked quarterback in the nation for the class of 2022 (according to ESPN), Drew Allar, Medina is having one of the best seasons in program history. Coached by Larry Laird, the Battling Bees are 8-0, thanks chiefly to the dominant offense. Quarterback Drew Allar is committed to Penn State, choosing the Nittany Lions over Ohio State, Michigan, and Notre Dame. The team’s success, however, is not exclusively due to the offensive performance. Sporting one of the best defenses the school has ever seen, the Battling Bees have managed to hold opponents to just above 12 points per game. Last year, Medina had a successful playoff run, upsetting two of Ohio’s powerhouses, St. Eds and St. Ignatius. Senior defensive tackle Nick Manley said of the victories, “it was sending a message to those schools that ‘own Ohio’.” Medina’s Cinderella story came to a close with a 49-14 defeat by Mentor, but the two schools would meet again in 2021. This time, Allar rose to the challenge in the October 1^st matchup, having a career night in a 35-14 victory that was televised on ESPN. The Battling Bees are currently ranked as the number 4 team in all of Ohio according to MaxPreps. Led by Allar and a highly experienced group, Medina looks to win their first state championship in school history.