Region 11 Playoff X-Factors: Seeds 1-8

Region 11 is widely considered to be the deepest region in the state. With such a variety of talent within Region 11, we will cover an athlete from every team within Region 11. This article will begin with seeds 1-8 and cover athletes from teams seeded 9-16 in a later article. Here are some players to look out for in the top half of Region 11.    [player_tooltip player_id='930271' first='Drew' last='Bellisari'] is the quarterback for the best team in region 11 and one of the best teams in the state. Bellisari has great legs and can take off out of pockets to make plays. He throws with anticipation and is on time with his receivers on the deep ball. Drew has racked up over 1400 total yards on the season with 25 touchdowns. He also plays FS on the defensive side of the ball, and his range is his biggest asset. After a loss in the D3 state final last season, Bellisari looks to get through region 11 and win it all with his fellow Eagles.      Minniefield is the lead back for a Big Red team run by a committee. Finding gaps is what Minniefield is all about, and his long strides lead to some explosive runs. His timing on when to burst and when to work around defenders is impressive, and running back play like his will lead to success in a playoff run. On defense, his long arms are a pop on film. Whether he's making a play at the line tackling or breaking up a pass, his arms are there, and he plays with physicality and aggression. In Steubenville's first season in D3 since 2021, Minniefield and the Big Red will look to make their mark.      Tri-Valley has seen some great playoff runs, and this year should be no different. Under [player_tooltip player_id='863708' first='Max' last='Lyall'], Tri-Valley has a 28-6 record and has been a top-6 seed every year. Lyall has good size and a smooth throwing motion that gets the ball out quickly. His sideline deep ball is his best throw, and he is a very accurate quarterback in general. As a field general type of quarterback, he does a great job and has improved every year. Going into the playoffs, Lyall looks to break the second-round curse and take his Scotties deep.      Licking Valley is heading into the playoffs at 9-1 and LCL champions for the first time since 2020. Kamden Walker is a big reason why, serving as the Panthers WR1 and SS. Kamden is an absolute ball hawk who can easily trick a quarterback into throwing his way. As an athlete, he has grown a ton and has noticeably added some explosiveness from his junior season, and his game has taken a new level this season. As a wide receiver, his hands are great, and he can track the ball well. He has greatly improved as a player and is taking Licking Valley back to where they were.      Bloom Carroll has been a staple of the region 11 playoffs recently, and [player_tooltip player_id='1068868' first='Ethan' last='Thanthanavong'] will look to take the Bulldogs back to that same level of success. He has dominated the MSL-Ohio, as he only has one conference loss in his career, and was the quarterback of the state championship runner-up team in 2022. Thanthanavong has an incredible arm and gets more accurate as he goes down the field. Thanthanavong has been asked to do more as a quarterback every season in his career, and he has developed a ton in the processing department. He can also create deep chances with his legs and knows when to do so. Thanthanavong is leading the best offense in Bloom Carroll history and will look to take his Bulldogs back to the state championship game.       [player_tooltip player_id='824947' first='Kyle' last='Kirby'] is one of the best linebacker prospects in the state in the class of 2026. He has led a Granville defense that allows under 10 points per game. Kirby shows a great gap burst and hands at the line of scrimmage, which leads to big and easy tackles. His intelligence is easily identifiable, and he fits the part of being a leader and a great player on the field. Kirby is becoming a bigger player in the recruiting trail, which is much deserved. For Granville, they ran into a scorching Bellefontaine team last season in the regional semis. This year, this defense led by Kirby is the real deal, and they'll look to rely on his leadership to survive and advance.     Leo Martin may be small but is Athens' most lethal weapon. Martin is extremely physical for his size, and he uses his lower center of gravity to his advantage. Martin can burn you from any level and he only gets quicker throughout his run. Making his man miss is his game and he can get out of a lot of situations that many couldn't get out of. Ball tracking for him comes natural and he can hawk balls as a DB at a great level. Athens hasn't seen this level of success in a long time, but here they are and Martin and his Bulldog teammates will look to bring a regional title home to Athens.      [player_tooltip player_id='1154747' first='Bodhi' last='Wolford'] has filled some big shoes left behind by Jacob Winters, the current backup quarterback for the Ohio Bobcats. Wolford is perfect for the vertical offense Jackson runs. He has a big arm and a release that gets the ball out quickly. Primarily, play action has been the go-to for the Ironmen, and Winters often gets the ball to his receivers from a standing release. His mobility offers him the chance to make plays from play action and he can open up boots for easy completions. Wolford, now in his second season with Jackson, can look forward to advancing in the playoffs this year and making his first run with the Ironmen in his junior season.

Region 11 is widely considered to be the deepest region in the state. With such a variety of talent within Region 11, we will cover an athlete from every team within Region 11. This article will begin with seeds 1-8 and cover athletes from teams seeded 9-16 in a later article. Here are some players to look out for in the top half of Region 11.