MANSFIELD — Shelby will travel around 12 miles to Arlin Field in Mansfield on Friday night. Galion will go around 16 miles to the same site.
But both teams must feel a million miles away from the game the two powerhouse football squads played two months ago.
It was Sept. 12 at the Whippet Athletic Complex when Shelby (12-0) came from behind in the fourth quarter to defeat Galion (11-1), 45-34.
The two Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference foes will tee it up again Friday at 7 p.m. in the Division IV, Region 14 regional championship game. The OHSAA announced playoff game neutral sites across the state on Sunday afternoon.
Rather than a league title in mind, this one has a trip to the Final Four on the line inside the 12,000-seat stadium that has seen more than its share of big games since it opened in 1947.
Both coaches are ready for the rematch after each team posted wins in regional semifinal home games. It’s a clash that will continue a rivalry that dates back to 1894 when the two teams battled to a scoreless tie on Thanksgiving Day.
Offense has not been a problem for either team in 2025, including the most recent playoff wins.
Shelby hammered Lima Bath, 49-7, in a game that featured a running clock throughout the second half.
Galion rallied for a 17-14 win over 2024 state finalist Sandusky Perkins.
“I’m really proud of our guys and what they accomplished,” Shelby coach Rob Mahaney said after his team’s 12th win. “The regional semis is where (our) season has ended the last two years. To get over the hump and get to the regional finals is awesome.
“I’m really proud of these kids, but we’ve got more to do. This is not the end goal.”
Galion coach Matt Dick felt the same.
“We had a bad taste in our mouth when we went over to Shelby and didn’t find a way to win it in the fourth,” Dick said. “To have a chance to redo it is awesome.”
In the victory, Shelby quarterback Brayden DeVito rushed for 129 yards and three TDs on 18 carries. Headed to the Air Force Academy next season, the Mr. Football candidate also completed 19-of-26 passes for 155 yards and two more scores.
Galion quarterback Ayden Schmidt threw for 193 yards and four TDs, completing 7-of-16 passes. He also rushed 14 times for 37 yards. Jacob Chambers had three receptions for 130 yards and three touchdowns for the Tigers.
Two months ago, Dick also became clairvoyant.
“No moral victories, I’m never taking that, we’re past that as a program,” Dick said after the narrow loss in September to the Whippets.
“But what’s really cool is if we take care of business, they’re in our region and we might see them again at hopefully a neutral site.”
Arlin Field will be that neutral site on Friday night.
more coverage of shelby and galion playoff football
OHSAA Football Regional Final Playoff Pairings
Pairings shown with regional seed. All games on Friday, November 21, at 7 p.m.
Division I
Region 1
No. 1 Lakewood St. Edward (10-2) vs. No. 2 Mentor (12-0) at Parma Byers Field at Robert Boulton Stadium
Region 2
No. 1 Middletown (10-2) vs. No. 6 Huber Heights Wayne (9-4) at Trotwood-Madison High School Attorney Michael L. Wright SportsPlex
Region 3
No. 1 Lewis Center Olentangy Orange (12-0) vs. No. 2 Pickerington Central (11-1) at Columbus Historic Crew Stadium
Region 4
No. 1 Cincinnati Elder (12-0) vs. No. 3 Cincinnati St. Xavier (9-2) at Mason High School Tri-Health/Beacon Stadium
Division II
Region 5
No. 1 Akron Archbishop Hoban (10-1) vs. No. 2 Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit (10-1) at Bedford High School Bearcat Stadium
Region 6
No. 1 Medina Highland (12-0) vs. No. 3 Avon (11-1) at Brunswick High School Brunswick Auto Mart Stadium
Region 7
No. 1 Sunbury Big Walnut (11-1) vs. No. 3 Massillon Washington (9-3) at Zanesville High School Sulsberger Stadium
Region 8
No. 1 Cincinnati Anderson (12-0) vs. No. 3 Trotwood-Madison (8-3) at West Chester Lakota West High School Firebird Stadium
Division III
Region 9
No. 2 Cuyahoga Falls CVCA (11-0) vs. No. 4 Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph (10-1) at Twinsburg High School Tiger Stadium
Region 10
No. 5 Rocky River (11-2) vs. No. 6 Toledo Central Catholic (9-4) at Clyde High School Robert J. Bishop Jr. Stadium
Region 11
No. 1 Columbus Bishop Watterson (11-0) vs. No. 3 Steubenville (9-2) at Newark High School White Field
Region 12
No. 1 London (12-0) vs. No. 2 Tipp City Tippecanoe (12-0) at Fairborn High School Skyhawk Stadium
Division IV
Region 13
No. 1 Perry (10-2) vs. No. 2 Cleveland Glenville (9-3) at Ravenna High School Portage Community Bank Stadium/Harry Gilchrist Field
Region 14
No. 1 Shelby (12-0) vs. No. 2 Galion (11-1) at Mansfield Arlin Field
Region 15
No. 1 New Lexington (11-1) vs. No. 2 Gnadenhutten Indian Valley (11-0) at Coshocton High School Stewart Field
Region 16
No. 1 Cincinnati Indian Hill (12-0) vs. No. 2 Germantown Valley View (11-1) at Fairfield High School Alumni Stadium
Division V
Region 17
No. 1 Youngstown Cardinal Mooney (9-2) vs. No. 2 Girard (12-0) at Canfield South Range High School Rominger Athletic Complex
Region 18
No. 1 Liberty Center (12-0) vs. No. 3 Genoa Area (11-1) at Fostoria High School Memorial Stadium
Region 19
No. 1 Wheelersburg (12-0) vs. No. 3 Nelsonville-York (12-0) at Hamilton Township High School Alumni Stadium
Region 20
No. 2 Lewistown Indian Lake (10-2) vs. No. 8 Richwood North Union (9-4) at Marysville High School IMPACT Stadium
Division VI
Region 21
No. 1 Kirtland (12-0) vs. No. 7 Sugarcreek Garaway (10-2) at Louisville High School Leopard Stadium
Region 22
No. 2 Bascom Hopewell-Loudon (11-1) vs. No. 9 Carey (9-4) at Findlay Donnell Stadium
Region 23
No. 3 West Jefferson (11-1) vs. No. 5 North Robinson Colonel Crawford (12-1) at Marengo Highland High School Covrett Stadium Fishburn Family Field
Region 24
No. 5 Coldwater (9-4) vs. No. 6 Anna (10-3) at Piqua High School Alexander Stadium
Division VII
Region 25
No. 1 McDonald (12-0) vs. No. 3 Mogadore (11-1) at Macedonia Nordonia High School Boliantz Stadium
Region 26
No. 3 Leipsic (11-1) vs. No. 4 Columbus Grove (9-3) at Lima Shawnee High School Shawnee Stadium
Region 27
No. 1 Jeromesville Hillsdale (11-1) vs. No. 11 Danville (8-5) at West Lafayette Ridgewood High School Generals Stadium
Region 28
No. 1 Maria Stein Marion Local (12-0) vs. No. 2 St. Henry (11-1) at Wapakoneta High School Mercy Health VFW Post 8445 Field
