This season's rematch between Elder and Colerain will be played Friday at the University of Cincinnati's Nippert Stadium, the site of their first meeting in the season opener.

        Colerain beat Elder, then No.1 in The Enquirer's coaches poll, 14-7 on Aug. 26. Colerain (12-0) finished the regular season No.1 in The Enquirer's final poll. The Cardinals won the Greater Miami Conference title and beat Anderson and St. Xavier to reach the regional final. Elder (8-3) beat Lebanon and Fairfield in the playoffs.

        The site was welcome news to Cincinnati prep football fans. UC officials had told the Ohio High School Athletic Association commissioner that Nippert Stadium wouldn't be available due to UC's football game with Southern Miss at 1 p.m. Saturday, but details were worked out Sunday.

        “The type of game should be played at a nice facility,” said Elder coach Doug Ramsey. “Colerain brought a nice crowd to the St. X game Friday, and our fans will show up.”

        Ramsey said the Cardinals have gotten better since his team last played them.

        “Their defense was good at the beginning of the season and it's still very good,” Ramsey said. “It's their offense that has improved. Early on, you knew they would run the dive but now they throw the ball well and are good with the pitch.”

        Containing first-year quarterback Sean Jones is a big concern for Ramsey and the Elder defense.

        “For a kid who never played quarterback, I can't believe how good he's been,” Ramsey said of Jones. “He's a tough kid who throws the ball well and is very efficient with the pitch on the option.”

        Elder's Matt Scholl also is in his first first year playing varsity quarterback and has improved every game. But the Panthers offense is built around Kyle Koester, a 240 pound tailback.

        “Kyle is running much harder and the offensive line is blocking a lot better,” Ramsey said. “Our biggest improvement is the defense, which has played very well the past few weeks.

        Playing on Nippert's artificial turf isn't a concern for Ramsey, although Colerain has the speed advantage.

        “I never understood the logic that artificial turf favors one team over the other,” Ramsey said. “If it makes one team faster, it also makes the other faster. The one thing it does is take the weather conditions out as a factor.”

        Fairfield is the site of Friday's Division IV regional title game between Wyoming and Valley View. Reading will play Brookville for the Division V regional championship Saturday at Centerville.

        Wyoming and Valley View have met three times in the Division IV playoffs. Valley View won in 1994 and 1996, and Wyoming prevailed 28-18 in 1998, ending Valley View's 39-game winning streak.

        “They spread the offense, run the option and send out four receivers,” Wyoming coach Bernie Barre said of Valley View, which has qualified for the playoffs nine straight years.

        The only team to beat Valley View this season is Brookville, Reading's opponent in the Division V game.

Complete prep football coverage Enquirer.com/prepfootball

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Cincinnati football playoff pairings Elder, Colerain meet again at Nippert Ohio football playoff pairings Ohio football playoff scores Northern Ky. football playoff pairings Kentucky football playoff pairings Kentucky football playoff scores Indiana football playoff schedule Indiana football playoff scores Chaminade-Julienne 15, New Richmond 14 Colerain 35, St. Xavier 30 Elder 21, Fairfield 14 Piqua 28, Loveland 17 Portsmouth 37, Purcell Marian 6 Reading 50, Milford Center Fairbanks 8 Vandalia Butler 31, Edgewood 14 Wyoming 20, Blanchester 12 Bellevue 36, Nicholas Co. 9 Harrison Co. 42, Holmes 28 Highlands 49, Covington Catholic 27 Louisville Trinity 35, Ryle 3 Newport Central Catholic 17, Beechwood 14 Delta 28, East Central 14