Playoff fever has begun.

The first Ohio High School Athletic Association computer ratings have been released, and five local teams have cracked the early top 10.

The Ironton Fighting Tigers (4-0), almost an annual qualifier, leads the way with a second-place spot in Region 15 of Division IV.

Bellaire leads the region with an 8.790 average and Ironton is close behind at 8.6000.

Westfall, Coshocton and River Valley, another member of the Ohio Valley Conference, hold down spots 3-5 and then the Fairland Dragons (3-1) come rolling in at six with a 4.9470 average.

Granville and St. Clairsville are seventh and eighth followed by the Rock Hill Redmen (2-2) with a 4.0050 average.

Fairland has an easy game with Meigs, but Rock Hill faces a key game toward making the playoffs by hosting Wellston. Ironton has potentially a solid points game at Boyd County, Ky.

In Division V, the Wheelersburg Pirates (3-1) are third in Region 19 of Division V behind Shenandoah and Amanda-Clearcreek.

Two other Southern Ohio Conference teams are in the top 10. Minford (4-0) is fifth and Lucasville Valley (3-1) is 10th.

Wheelersburg beat Valley two weeks ago and plays Minford Friday night in a game that will not only be a key computer points game, but could also go a long way toward determining the SOC championship.

An SOC Division I school joins the ratings notables as the Symmes Valley Vikings (3-1) find themselves ninth this week with a 3.4500 average.

The top eight teams in each region of each division qualifies for the postseason playoffs. The top four teams in each region get a first-round home game.