How did Plain Dealer staff fare in annual state football playoff predictions?

From staff reports, November 23, 2009 6 p.m.

The Plain Dealer's high school sports staff did well predicting state champions with five of six picks reaching this week's state semifinals, including Lake Catholic. But the reporters didn't fare as well predicting the 24 regional champs. - (Thomas Ondrey / The Plain Dealer)

Prior to the first week of the high school football playoffs, The Plain Dealer's high school sports reporters annually predict the state final four and champion in each of the six divisions. Read what Bob Fortuna, Tim Rogers and Tim Warsinskey predicted in their division previews and how they're doing so far.

Division I

PD: Final four -- St. Ignatius, Massillon, Hilliard Davidson, Cincinnati Moeller. Champion -- St. Ignatius.

Actual: Glenville, Massillon, Davidson, Cincinnati Elder.

Comment: Whoops. Warsinskey was lazy with Iggy pick. At least now Northeast Ohio will have a shot at a first-time playoff champion.

Division II

PD: Final four -- Lake Catholic, Toledo St. Francis de Sales, Louisville, Cincinnati Turpin. Champion -- Lake Catholic.

Actual: Lake Catholic, Maple Heights, Marion Franklin, Winton Woods.

Comment: Eighth-seeded Marion Franklin and No. 6 Maple Heights busted Rogers' bracket. Watch out for Winton Woods.

Division III

PD: Final four -- Youngstown Cardinal Mooney, Columbus St. Francis DeSales, Steubenville, Wyoming. Champion -- DeSales

Actual: Mooney, DeSales, Steubenville, Wyoming.

Comment: Rogers nailed it. But hold the applause. He picked three No. 1 seeds and a No. 2. Think he might want that DeSales pick back?

Division IV

PD: Final four -- Chagrin Falls, Genoa, Amanda-Clearcreek, Kettering Alter. Champion -- Kettering Alter.

Actual: Chagrin Falls, Ottawa-Glandorf, Coshocton, Kettering Alter.

Comment: Fortuna picked the wrong hyphenated school to reach the final four. And for the champ, he went with defending champ Alter instead of going bold with Chagrin.

Division V

PD: Youngstown Ursuline, Patrick Henry, Wheelersburg, Coldwater. Champion -- Ursuline.

Actual: Ursuline, Patrick Henry, Ridgewood, Coldwater.

Comment: Coldwater won regional final in four OTs. Warsinskey knew it all along. A late fumble at the 1 in round 2 doomed Wheelersburg.

Division VI

PD: Wynford, Delphos St. John's, Columbiana, Maria Stein Marion Local. Champion -- St. John's

Actual: Norwalk St. Paul, St. John's, Grove City Christian, Marion Local.

Comment: Warsinskey correctly picked 5-5 Marion Local to win regional, but whiffed on St. Paul. Who knew Grove City Christian would beat the Nos. 1, 2, and 3 seeds? He should have.

Overall: PD prognosticators picked 14 of 24 state semifinalists, and five of six state champs still are alive. Not great, but hey, that's why they play the games.