There is no preparing for the fallout of beating mighty Alter in football for the first time. That’s why Fenwick’s work was just beginning after a program-defining 35-34 defeat of the Knights last week.

“We’ve settled down and we’ve grounded the kids,” assured coach Fred Cranford, whose Falcons can clinch an outright Greater Catholic League North Division title by winning at Carroll on Friday. “Not many people thought we’d be able to do that in this decade.”

There are no unbelievers among the Fenwick faithful now. The Falcons (7-2) are among 16 area high school teams that already have clinched a spot in the first round of the playoffs that begin after this weekend’s end of the regular season.

There are just as many area teams that will get postseason invites should they post Week 10 wins. On the outside looking in are a handful of teams that must win this week and have a lot of other results go their way.

Thirty-two teams from each of the six divisions and 24 regions throughout the state will qualify for the playoffs. That is determined by a sliding computer point system that combines wins and wins accumulated by a beaten opponent. Points also are affected by higher divisions; D-I the greatest; D-VI the fewest.

Teams that place among the top four in each region earn first-round home games. Beginning with round two (regional semifinals) all games are at neutral sites. It takes five games — or half a regular season — to win a state championship.

The Ohio High School Athletic Association will announce first-round playoff pairings on Sunday.

Fenwick has secured a spot in the D-IV, Region 16 playoffs. The Falcons had never gotten through the gauntlet of Alter and Chaminade Julienne since it joined the GCL North in 2004. But that all changed with a 35-7 blitz of CJ two weeks ago and the defeat of Alter.

Those two wins determined their playoff fate, but they weren’t the only things that helped the Falcons. So did an early season schedule switch that dropped Talawanda (1-8) in favor of Mount Healthy (8-1), which beat Fenwick.

“We got more out of losing to Mount Healthy than we could have beating Talawanda by 50,” Cranford said.

“It’s an incredible honor once you make it (into the playoffs), because you have to earn it.”

Fenwick has won four straight since losing 45-44 at McNicholas in overtime. Alter (7-1-1) must beat CJ (6-3) to land a D-III, Region 12 invite.

• Springboro (9-0) and Wayne (7-2) are the only area teams to have secured D-I, Region 4 spots. Lakota West (8-1), coming off its only setback to unbeaten Colerain, must beat rival Lakota East to get in. Incredibly, Miamisburg (6-3) even has an outside playoff shot under first-year coach Steve Channell. That’s as many wins as the Vikings earned in the previous four seasons combined.

• Dayton Christian (9-0) has earned its first postseason despite being independent. The Warriors are part of a logjam of area 9-0 teams in D-V, Region 20, joining top-seeded Coldwater, West Liberty-Salem and Covington.

• As is its habit, the Midwest Athletic Conference has packed at least four teams into the postseason; Coldwater and Marion Local, Minster and St. Henry in D-VI, Region 24. Top-seeded Ada and Tri-County North also have qualified in Region 24, meaning there’s just one spot remaining.

• Trotwood-Madison (7-2) is the defending D-II state champ and has played in that title game the last two seasons. But the Rams still haven’t clinched anything. They’ll host Butler (6-3) on Friday to decide the GWOC North title and a playoff berth for either team in Region 8. Both teams are 4-0 in the GWOC North.