The Chesapeake Panthers have traveled five hours and two hours. Now, they're going less than an hour.

The Panthers and their fans won't have to leave too early for Saturday's Division V Region 19 championship game since Chesapeake will meet Amanda-Clearcreek at Portsmouth's Spartan Stadium.

Chesapeake (9-3) is making its first regional final appearance. The Panthers meet Clearcreek (10-2) for the second time in four years. The Aces won a second-round meeting 43-13 in 1999 at Athens High School.

The other regional finals for Division V had Smithville (12-0) against Dalton (11-1) at Orrville, Castalia Margaretta (10-2) against Delphos St. John's (9-3) at Fostoria, and Marion Pleasant (12-0) against Columbus Academy (11-1) at Olentangy.

The Chesapeake-Amanda winner will play the Marion Pleasant-Columbus Academy winner in the state semifinals.

Another area regional final will be played close to home. The Portsmouth Trojans will meet the Portsmouth West Senators at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Ironton's Tanks Memorial Stadium.

Tanks Stadium seats more than 5,000 and parking is also available across from the stadium at Central Christian Church or the expanded parking lot of Ohio University Southern Campus near the stadium's back entrance.

Portsmouth is the home team and will sit on the covered stadium side.