The final week of the regular season always means big games, but the stakes are particularly high in six high school football matchups tonight.

        In each of those games, one team must win to earn a playoff berth. In two of the matchups, the winner goes on, the loser goes home.

        That's true when Walnut Hills and Western Hills play at Walnut. West Hi makes the Division I playoffs with a win; Walnut makes it in Division II with a win.

        “I told the kids that most players never get a chance to participate in a game that means so much,” Walnut coach John Young said.

        Fairfield and Winton Woods are in the same situation. The winner of the game at Winton makes the Division I playoffs.

        “With (computer ratings), other games affect things,” said Steve Shuck, who tracks the ratings. “But if we're guessing right, and we usually do, the (Fairfield-Winton) winner goes and the loser doesn't.”

        Shuck said there are four games where a win will get one team into the playoffs:

        ãColerain at LaSalle: The Lancers get in with a win, which would be a big upset. Colerain is the top Division I team in the area.

        ãWilliamsburg at New Richmond: Williamsburg makes the Division IV tourney with a win, but New Richmond (Division III) is 9-0.

        ãReading at Cincinnati Country Day: This is another case of a smaller school (CCD) needing a big upset to make it in Division IV.

        ãIndian Hill at Glen Este: Indian Hill will make the Division II tournament with a win.

        The teams won't officially know if they're in on not until Sunday. That's when the Ohio High School Athletic Association announces the pairing in all six divisions. The Ohio News Newtwork is airing the announcement live at noon. ONN is available for Time Warner Digital cable.

        Complete prep football coverage at Enquirer.com/prepfootball

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