As we've reached the halfway point of the season, it's a good time to take a look back at my annual region-by-region outlook for our high school football preview.

Some projections went well, others not so much.

Obviously, only the top eight make it in each region except for Region 1, which will have 16. A 12-team group is always used in other regions to account for playoff-bound teams and those who are relatively close:

RANKINGS COMPILED FROM JOEEITEL.COM
(News-Herald area teams are in bold and CAPS; teams crossed out are not currently in the top 12 for all regions except for Region 1, which was top 16)
DIVISION I
Region 1
(in alphabetical order)
Projected top 16: Austintown-Fitch, Canton GlenOak, Canton McKinley, Cleveland Heights, Elyria, Hudson, Massillon Perry, MENTOR, North Canton Hoover, Shaker Heights, Solon, St. Edward, St. Ignatius, Toledo Whitmer, Warren Harding, Westerville Central
Missed on: Brunswick, Marysville, Massillon Jackson, Medina, Stow, Wadsworth
Total: 10 of 16

DIVISION II
Region 3
(in alphabetical order)
Projected top 12: Bedford, Brecksville-Broadview Heights, BRUSH, Glenville, Kent Roosevelt, MADISON, Maple Heights, MAYFIELD, North Olmsted, RIVERSIDE, SOUTH, Westlake
Missed on: Garfield Heights
Total: 11 of 12

DIVISION III
Region 7
(in alphabetical order)
Projected top 12: Akron Buchtel, Akron SVSM, Alliance, Aurora, CHARDON, Hubbard, KENSTON, Marlington, Poland Seminary, Ravenna, Warren Howland, WEST GEAUGA
Missed on: GENEVA, Louisville, Norton, Tallmadge
Total: 8 of 12

Region 8
(in alphabetical order)
Projected top 12: Clyde, Defiance, Elida, LAKE CATHOLIC, Mansfield Madison, Napoleon, Norwalk, Sandusky Perkins, Tiffin Columbian, Toledo Central Catholic, Toledo Rogers, UNIVERSITY
Missed on: Cloverleaf, Maumee, Medina Buckeye, Padua
Total: 8 of 12

DIVISION IV
Region 11
(in alphabetical order)
Projected top 12: BENEDICTINE, Cardinal Mooney, CHAGRIN FALLS, Cleveland Central Catholic, Cortland Lakeview, Edgewood, John Hay, Minerva, NDCL, PERRY, Streetsboro, Struthers
Missed on: CVCA, Fairview, Orange, Woodridge
Total: 8 of 12

DIVISION V
Region 15
(in alphabetical order)
Projected top 12: Akron Manchester, BEACHWOOD, Canton Central Catholic, Columbiana Crestview, Garrettsville, GILMOUR, Hanoverton United, HAWKEN, Independence, Ursuline, Warren Champion, Youngstown Liberty
Missed on: Black River, Fairless, Harrison Central, WICKLIFFE
Total: 8 of 12

DIVISION VI
Region 19
(in alphabetical order)
Projected top 12: Brookfield, Cuyahoga Heights, Dalton, Jeromesville Hillsdale, KIRTLAND, McDonald, Mogadore, Newcomerstown, New Middletown Springfield, Salineville Southern, South Range, St. Thomas Aquinas
Missed on: New London, VASJ
Total: 10 of 12
(For the record, yes I know that's a big miss on VASJ. I honestly believed on paper it was a year away from this, but it's great to see the Vikings rise up and start 5-0. My bad, Viking Village.)

DIVISION VII
Region 23
(in alphabetical order)
Projected top 12: Berlin Center Western Reserve, Danville, FAIRPORT, Lucas, Mineral Ridge, Monroeville, Norwalk St. Paul, Plymouth, Southington, Trinity, Wellsville, Youngstown Christian
Missed on: Leetonia, Lowellville, Mapleton, Vienna Mathews
Total: 8 of 12

TOTAL FOR ALL REGIONS: 71 of 100

So it's not a fantastic percentage, and wow were there some misses in there. All things considered, though, since this exercise is done when everything is on paper and no football has been played, I'll take 71 percent and move on.

- Chris Lillstrung | @CLillstrungNH