The high school football postseason doesn’t begin until this weekend. But it’ll take some doing to convince Shawnee of that.

The Braves have been in must-win mode since opening at 1-2. This season wasn’t supposed to have started that way, not for a program that advanced to the Division III state championship in 2011.

Overcoming several injuries to key players, Shawnee’s recovery peaked with last week’s regular season-ending 20-14 defeat of Tippecanoe.

“That’s how we took it,” Meeks said. “We told the kids that this is for the playoffs. We start (last) week; if we don’t win, we don’t get in. If you win, you get in. We understand that urgency.”

Both Central Buckeye Conference Kenton Division rivals earned playoff spots.

The Braves will need all that new-found unity and more against Alter (8-1-1) in a D-III, Region 12 first-round game. The site should be announced today.

Shawnee will be joined in the postseason by area teams Tecumseh (D-II), Urbana (D-III), Triad (D-V) and West Liberty-Salem (D-V).

There were 192 teams throughout Ohio that qualified for the state high school football playoffs. There are six divisions, with 32 teams in each division. Each division is made up of four regions of eight teams.

It takes five weeks to win a state title, culminating with championship weekend at Canton and Massillon on Nov. 30-Dec. 1.

Divisions II, IV and VI will play on Friday throughout the postseason. Divisions I, III and V will play on Saturday. This is the 41st year for playoffs in Ohio.

Qualifying is based on a computer point system that rewards teams for points earned for wins and second-level points for wins earn by beaten opponents. The top four seeds in each region host first-round games. All the following playoff games will be held at neutral sites.

The Ohio High School Athletic Association announced first-round matchups on Sunday afternoon.

Shawnee leading rusher Alex McCrory (988 yards, eight touchdowns) limped through much of the first half of the season on a high ankle sprain. Jordan Higgins, the leading receiver during last season’s state final run, was hurt in preseason and lasted a little more than one quarter when he returned in Week 4. A separated shoulder ended his season.

Mix in some discipline issues and it’s not hard to figure out why the Braves’ season went sideways early. But Meeks directs a different team now.

“We really just got it going here in the last four weeks,” he said.

Tecumseh (8-2) won the CBC Kenton title and earned a rematch at top-seeded Dresden Tri-Valley (10-0) on Friday. Last year Tri-Valley delivered a 48-30 first-round knockout.

Like Shawnee, Tecumseh recovered from a 2-2 start and will bring a six-game win streak to the town that Longaberger Baskets calls home.

It’s the fifth consecutive season that the Arrows have qualified for the playoffs and sixth in seven years.

“It’s a new season for us,” Tecumseh coach Kent Massie said. “Anything goes and we’re very optimistic.”

Playoff-tested West Liberty-Salem (10-0) will host upstart Dayton Christian (10-0) in a rare first-round matchup of D-V, Region 20 unbeatens.

It’ll be the first time in program history for DC to make the playoffs. And it’s loaded with a big-time running back in Heath Harding.

In contrast, it’s the eighth playoff berth for WLS since 2004. The Tigers have posted two straight 10-0 regular seasons and also went 10-0 in 2008.