CINCINNATI — The Division I, Region 4 football final is moving to Paycor Stadium.
Friday’s heavily anticipated showdown between Elder (12-0) and St. Xavier (9-2) will take center stage at the home of the Cincinnati Bengals.
The game was originally scheduled to be played at Dwire Field at Tri-Health/Beacon Stadium (7,000 seating capacity). Tickets for the matchup at Mason sold out online in about an hour early Monday afternoon.
"This will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for so many of the young men who take the field Friday night," said Hamilton County Commission President Denise Driehaus. "Paycor is a publicly owned stadium – it only makes sense that the public should be able to access it for big events like Elder versus St. X.”
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.
"This was one of the main points in (Hamilton County and the Bengals') recent lease negotiations," Driehaus said. "Hopefully it is indicative of many similar events to come."
Friday is the 110th meeting between Elder and St. Xavier, according to the schools. 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.
Elder, 12-0 for the first time in program history, defeated host St. X 23-13 on Sept. 26. Elder rallied for a 23-point second-half deficit to defeat visiting Princeton 32-30 in a regional semifinal.
Watch our highlights from the last Elder vs. St. X matchup in the player below:
St. X (9-2) defeated Moeller 17-13 in a regional semifinal at Welcome Stadium. St. X snapped a seven-game losing streak to Moeller.
Friday will be the first postseason matchup between Elder and St. X since Nov. 5, 2021 (St. X 42-7 win).
It 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, with the opponent and location to be determined. The Division I state final is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.
