Findlay football moved to Division II for 2026 season

COLUMBUS – Findlay High fans could be saving some at the pumps and seeing a renewal of more regional rivalries if the Trojans make the football playoffs in October.The Ohio High School, Athletic Association on Friday announced the divisional breakdowns and playoff regions for the 2026 season. Among the changes this season, Findlay High has dropped from Division I to Division II and, if the Trojans qualify for the playoffs, they will be competing in Region 6 instead of Region 2.Except for the boys basketball season in 2024-25, the first year the OHSAA went from four to seven divisions, Findlay has always competed in the post season at the Division I level. With only three Division I schools – Findlay, Toledo Whitmer, Perrysburg – in the Northwest District, those schools were bracketed either in Region 1 (Northeast District/Cleveland) or Region 2 (Central District/Columbus).Northwest Ohio has far more Division II schools, and Region 6 last year included 12 Northwest District schools. With Findlay dropping from a I to a II and Toledo Central Catholic bumping up from a III to a II, Region 6 will this fall have 14 Northwest District teams, including Anthony Wayne, Sylvania Northview and Oregon Clay, all members of the NLL Buckeye Division with Findlay, other NLL schools Sylvania Southview, (Holland) Springfield and Fremont Ross, and former Three Rivers Athletic Conference Findlay rivals Toledo St. John's and Toledo St. Francis.The cutoff between Division I and II was 601, and Findlay fell well below that number. With a base male enrollment of 513 (grades 9, 10, 11) and a competitive balance number of 27, Findlay's total was 540.A number of other area schools will be changing ranks as well this fall. Fostoria will be moving up from Division V to Division IV, and Bluffton climbs from Division VI to Division V. Hopewell-Loudon and Riverdale, both Division VI last season, are dropping to Division VII.Region 22, traditionally one of the state's strongest collections of Division VI teams, could be even more imposing this fall. Not only are Columbus Grove, Ada and Lima Central Catholic bumping up from Division VII to Division VI and realigning in Region 22, but Liberty Center, last year's Division state champion, dropped from a V to a VI but is now also in Region 22.