The postseason playoffs aren't new to three Lawrence County teams, but it's still just as exciting each trip.

The Ironton Fighting Tigers, Chesapeake Panthers and Symmes Valley Vikings are going back to the Ohio High School Athletic Association postseason playoffs and all three are happy for the opportunity.

"Making the playoffs never gets old. We've been there 23 times and it's just as exciting this time as it was the first time," Ironton coach Bob Lutz said.

The playoff berth is the 23rd for Ironton and ties Cincinnati Moeller for second place behind Newark Catholic and its 24 qualifying spots.

Ironton will open the Division IV playoffs at 7:30 p.m. Friday at home against Westfall (7-3). It marks the first meeting ever between the two schools.

Chesapeake (8-2) is making its seventh playoff appearance. The Panthers will be on the road at West Lafayette Ridgewood (9-1) at 7 p.m. Saturday in a Region 19 Division V

game.

Symmes Valley (8-1) is playing in its fourth postseason game but this year marks the first home game for the Vikings. They will host Zanesville Rosecrans (8-2) in the Region 23 Division VI contest.

"It's nice to be at home for a change. We usually are on the road and making a long trip," Vikings coach Rusty Webb said.

The other Region 15 Division IV matchups have Portsmouth (7-3) at New Albany (9-1), West Muskingum (6-4) at Martins Ferry (9-0), and Wellston (7-3) making its first playoff appearance at Bellaire (7-3).

The second round will match the Ironton-Westfall winner against the Portsmouth-New Albany winner while the West Muskingum-Martins Ferry winner takes on the Wellston-Bellaire victor.

Besides Chesapeake and West Lafayette in Region 19 of Division V, the other games have Nelsonville-York (7-3) at Amanda Clearcreek (10-0), Steubenville Catholic (6-4) at Wheelersburg (9-1), and Crooksville (8-2) visiting Johnstown Northridge (10-0).

The second round will match the Chesapeake and West Lafayette winner against the Nelsonville-York and Amanda game, and the Steubenville Catholic and Wheelersburg winner will take on the Crooksville and Johnstown Northridge winner.

All Division V games are 7 p.m. Saturday.

At 7:30 p.m. on Friday will be the Division VI games including Symmes Valley and Rosecrans.

The other games have Danville (8-2) at New Matamoras Frontier (9-0), Lancaster Fisher Catholic (7-3) visits Glouster Trimble (8-1), and Marion Catholic travels to New Catholic (8-2).

The Vikings-Rosecrans winner will face the Newark Catholic and Marion Catholic winner while the Danville-New Matamoras winner plays the Lancaster Catholic and Glouster Trimble winner.