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Rematches feature in regional finals

A couple of rematches are in the spotlight Saturday night as the Ohio high school football playoffs reach the third of five weekends when regional champions will be crowned.

Third-seeded Hubbard (11-1) and fifth-seeded Girard (11-1) reprise their regular season Week 2 contest which the Eagles won, 42-26, on their home field. The Trumbull County neighbors will play for the Division IV, Region 13 title Saturday evening at Bo Rein Stadium in Niles.

John F. Kennedy, meanwhile, gets a rematch of its 2017 first-round playoff loss to Cuyahoga Heights. The Eagles (7-5) face the top-seeded Redskins (10-2) Saturday night at Nordonia High School in the Division VII, Region 25 championship game.

Cuyahoga Heights won a 40-12 decision over JFK last season, starting the Redskins on the path to the state title game, a 32-7 loss to Minster.

This season, Cuyahoga Heights lost to Division VI regional finalist Kirtland, and also to 5-5 Brookfield, 46-17, in Week 3 of the regular season.

JFK also finished 5-5 in the regular season, winning four of its last five to grab a playoff spot on the final weekend.

On Aug. 31, Hubbard jumped out to a 21-0 lead at home against Girard before the Indians cut the margin to 21-20 at halftime. The Eagles then outscored Girard, 27-12, in the second half.

That turned out to be the only loss of the season for the Indians, who have beaten Youngstown East, 34-30, and top-seeded Perry, 42-33, thus far in the playoffs.

Ironically, East handed Hubbard its only loss of the season, 26-21, in Week 9 of the regular season. Hubbard defeated Wintersville Indian Creek, 51-21, and another slightly more well-known team from Jefferson County — defending Division IV state champion Steubenville. That win was by a 34-16 score last weekend at Boardman.

In addition to the two rematch games, area football fans get a chance to see another regional final on Friday night when Canfield (11-1) and Chagrin Falls Kenston (11-1) vie for the Division III, Region 9 title at Mollenkopf Stadium in Warren.

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