Anderson's football team has clinched a top-eight spot in the OHSAA Division II, Region 8 playoff field with two regular-season games still to play.

The Raptors locked up the berth after their 78-19 rout of Walnut Hills on Friday, Oct. 9, according to playoff projections analyst Joe Eitel's rankings as reported by WCPO. The clinch is unofficial, based on Eitel's projections rather than a formal OHSAA announcement. The final ratings report determining playoff berths comes out Oct. 25.

The top 12 teams in each region qualify for the postseason. A top-four seed earns a first-round bye when the playoffs begin Oct. 30.

Anderson entered Week 8 ranked No. 1 in Region 8 with a 17.8786 computer rating, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. The Raptors have been the Division II state runner-up the past two seasons, falling in the championship game at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton in both December 2024 and December 2025.

Head coach Evan Dreyer signaled his team's intentions in a July preseason feature, telling WCPO, "We've got a bunch of depth, a bunch of experience and a lot of seniors that want to get back and know what we have to do to get back."

Friday's blowout gave Dreyer his 150th career coaching victory. He is 106-30 at Anderson, with earlier stints of 43-19 at Western Brown and 1-9 at Oak Hills, according to the Enquirer.

The Raptors scored 70 points in the first half against Walnut Hills and piled up 454 yards of total offense. Senior quarterback Owen Scalf completed 16 of 17 passes for 230 yards and five touchdowns. Senior cornerback Ace Alston, a four-star Notre Dame verbal commit, returned a punt for a touchdown. Harrison Sefakis added a pick-six interception.

Anderson's only loss this season came in the opener, a 59-13 defeat to Louisville Trinity in August.

Now the schedule gets tougher. Winton Woods, also 7-1 overall and 7-0 in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference, visits Anderson at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16. The Warriors routed West Clermont 57-0 in Week 8. The winner will have the inside track to the ECC title and a potential top seed in Region 8 heading into the final week.

The Division II state championship is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 3, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.