CINCINNATI — Friday’s Elder versus St. Xavier regional final football game at Paycor Stadium is generating significant fan interest this week.
There have been 17,311 tickets (and counting) sold as of 3 p.m. Thursday for the Division I, Region 4 final Friday night, according to the Ohio High School Athletic Association. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Friday at the home of the Cincinnati Bengals.
The high school football showdown has been in the spotlight all week after it sold out in its original location of Mason in about an hour early Monday afternoon.
The regional final was originally scheduled to be played at Dwire Field at Tri-Health/Beacon Stadium (7,000 seating capacity).
The Bengals, Hamilton County and OHSAA announced late Tuesday afternoon the game would move to Paycor Stadium. Tickets went on sale at 10 a.m. Wednesday. Since that time, 10,311 tickets have been sold (in addition to the 7,000 already sold) as of 3 p.m. Thursday.
The expanded capacity at Paycor Stadium made an incremental 20,000 tickets available for sale. All tickets previously purchased for the game’s original host site at Mason will be valid. All tickets are general admission.
The game featuring the Greater Catholic League South Divisions rivals is also being billed one of the nation’s top 10 high school football games to watch by MaxPreps this week.
Friday marks the 110th meeting between Elder (12-0) and St. X (9-2). This will be the eighth postseason meeting between the programs, with St. X leading 4-3 in the series, according to the St. X athletic department.
The first Elder versus St. X game occurred Nov. 28, 1923, according to St. X Athletic Operations Specialist Cameron Ridolfo. St. X won 20-0.
Friday is believed to be the first time Paycor Stadium will host a high school football game since the 2018 season opener, when St. Xavier defeated Lakota West 34-0.
It will also be the first postseason matchup between Elder and St. X since Nov. 5, 2021 (St. X 42-7 win).
Friday is the first time that Elder and St. X have met in the regional final since 2001. That was the season when the Bombers won 24-21 at Nippert Stadium and completed their journey as a state runner-up.
Friday’s regional champion advances to play in a state semifinal Nov. 28 against the Region 2 winner of Middletown (10-2) and Huber Heights Wayne (9-4). The location of the state semifinals will be announced this weekend.
The Division I state final is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.
