CLEVELAND, Ohio — The road to conference championships and high seeds for the playoffs are taking shape.

Week 7 of the high school football season is here, and it brings critical matchups across Northeast Ohio.

There are five games matching 10 teams ranked in this week’s cleveland.com Top 25, including No. 20 Perry at No. 14 Kirtland, No. 12 Hudson at No. 25 Nordonia, No. 13 Mentor at No. 6 Medina and No. 10 Olmsted Falls at No. 4 Avon on Friday night.

Twenty-four hours later, No. 2 St. Edward and No. 7 St. Ignatius renew their rivalry at Byers Field in Parma.

Learn about those matchups among the 12 biggest games for Week 7:

John Marshall (4-2) vs. John Hay (5-1)

When: 3 p.m. Friday

Where: Collinwood Athletic Complex

What to know: While Glenville (6-0) is the frontrunner for the Senate League title, the Lawyers and Hornets are chasing playoff spots with John Marshall currently 10th in Division I, Region 1 and John Hay 14th in Division II, Region 5. The Hornets also still have yet to play the Tarblooders, which will happen in Week 10.

cleveland.com pick: John Marshall

Woodridge (4-2) at Cloverleaf (5-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Gene Clark Stadium at Cloverleaf High School in Lodi

What to know: First place in the Metro Athletic Conference is on the line after Cloverleaf took down Streetsboro. Two weeks ago, Woodridge edged defending champion Norton in overtime to set up this matchup. The Colts rushed for 375 yards in their win last week against Streetsboro, while the Bulldogs used three special teams touchdowns — two by Nassir Abdullah and one by Robert Dixie — to blow past Akron Springfield.

cleveland.com pick: Cloverleaf

University School (5-1) at Mogadore (6-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Wildcat Stadium at Mogadore High School

What to know: Both teams are coming off big wins, starting with Mogadore taking down Division VII state power Warren JFK on Friday for a leg up in its Portage Trail Conference title quest. The Wildcats take a break from that to entertain University School, which handed Gilmour its first loss on Saturday behind Ryan Pattison’s 183 yards rushing and three TDs. Can the Preppers, whose line drew praise last week from coach Ben Malbasa, slow Ohio University commit Mason Williams? He has been dominant on both sides of the ball, scoring three times against JFK on a fumble return, pass reception from Zeke Cameron and with a short-yardage run.

cleveland.com pick: Mogadore

Bay (3-3) at North Olmsted (4-2)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: North Olmsted High School

What to know: If the Eagles get past Bay and Elyria Catholic can beat Westlake, they will meet next week in North Olmsted for the lead in the Great Lakes Conference West Division with a likely spot in the GLC’s Week 10 title game. First, though, Bay poses a tough challenge and is coming off a one-point loss at Rocky River. Junior Mac Weingart scored all three of the Rockets’ TDs and rushed for 60 yards to complement Brendan Spellman, who had 81 yards on 15 carries. Bay will need big games from them with quarterback Tony Buttari, as North Olmsted has scored at least 41 points in its last five games. Senior Jared Kelley rushed for 128 yards on 12 carries, added 72 yards in the passing game from Xavier Balson and scored three TDs in their 42-8 win at Westlake.

cleveland.com pick: North Olmsted

No. 24 St. Vincent-St. Mary (4-1) at Youngstown Ursuline (5-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Stambaugh Stadium at Youngstown State

What to know: St. Vincent-St. Mary rides a four-game winning streak into Youngstown. Seniors Santino Harper and D’Anthony Kelker keyed the Fighting Irish in last week’s 27-12 win at Warren Harding, as they rushed for 372 yards. Harper had 218 yards and three TDs on 23 carries, while Kelker added 139 yards and a score on 15 carries. They head to the east end of the state for a second straight week, as Ursuline has won two straight with wins against Harding and Youngstown Chaney, looking to build its resume as a contender in Division III, Region 9. STVM used to reside there for the playoffs but has since moved up to Division II. It will look to slow Ursuline junior running back Christian Lynch, who rushed for 899 yards and 10 TDs through the first five weeks. Ursuline’s balance includes junior quarterback Jack Ericson (873 yards, 70.7% completion rate through five weeks) and sophomore D.C. Ferrell (415 yards, four TDs on 27 receptions).

cleveland.com pick: STVM

Westlake (3-3) at No. 19 Elyria Catholic (5-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Dan Reaser Stadium at Elyria Catholic High School

What to know: Westlake looks to shake that tough loss to North Olmsted and shock the Panthers, who got senior Levi Ellis to 4,000 yards rushing for his career in a 42-7 win against Fairview. Ellis has 1,136 yards and 14 TDs on the year. Westlake has been paced by sophomore quarterback Sam Brucchieri with 909 yards and top targets Will Ostrowski (315 yards, two TDs on 29 receptions) and junior Cooper Rummel (258 yards, one TD on 19 receptions). This game is important for Westlake’s playoff hopes, as it sits 17th in Division II, Region 6. The Panthers are vying for a home game in Division IV, currently sixth in Region 14.

cleveland.com pick: Elyria Catholic

No. 20 Perry (5-1) at No. 14 Kirtland (6-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Rogers Field at Kirtland High School

What to know: Kirtland’s 51-game winning streak in the regular season is on the line, as is the Chagrin Valley Conference’s Chagrin Division title. Perry has won five straight games since a season-opening setback at Riverside. Bob Gecewich’s Pirates offer the toughest road block for Kirtland in its bid to repeat as CVC champs before the Division VI playoffs. An upset for Perry should go a long way in locking up a high enough seed to clinch home games for the first two rounds of the Division V, Region 17 playoffs. Perry is already well on its way to that, second in the region. No one has been able to slow Kirtland, led by Tommy Gogolin (418 yards, four TDs), junior Rocco Alfieri (356 yards, 10 TDs) and Philip LaVerde (217 yards, four TDs) in the run game.

cleveland.com pick: Kirtland

No. 12 Hudson (6-0) at No. 25 Nordonia (5-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Boliantz Stadium at Nordonia High School in Macedonia

What to know: Nordonia’s hopes to enter this game with an undefeated record, too, took a hard hit with last week’s 41-14 loss at Wadsworth. Just a week earlier, Hudson left Wadsworth with a 17-7 win that has it in the driver’s seat for a National Conference crown in the Suburban League. The Explorers followed that up Friday with a career-high 231 yards rushing and four TDs from junior Ian Ludewig in a 45-0 win at Brecksville-Broadview Heights. The Explorers also are chasing Archbishop Hoban and Riverside for a top seed in Division II, Region 5. A win against the Knights will help, but a top four seed is all that’s required to lock up home games for the first two rounds before the playoffs switch to neutral fields.

cleveland.com pick: Hudson

No. 13 Mentor (3-2) at No. 6 Medina (5-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Ken Dukes Stadium at Medina High School

What to know: Last year, ESPN came to Mentor to broadcast the Bees’ 35-14 win that set them en route to a Greater Cleveland Conference crown and undefeated regular season. This year, Medina finds itself favored to repeat with junior quarterback Danny Stoddard (2,356 yards, 27 TDs to five interceptions) and a talented slew of receivers, including senior Brennen Schramm (763 yards, seven TDs on 51 receptions) and junior Austin Knowles (775 yards, 10 TDs on 45 receptions). Can Mentor curtail that high-powered offense? The Cardinals bounced back from their Week 4 loss to Canada’s Football North, as senior defensive lineman Ryan Lawson notched four tackles, six assists, two TFL and a sack in their 35-14 win at Brunswick. They also have Notre Dame commit Brenan Vernon on the edge, senior linebackers Collin Orosz and Kadyn Burkholder and a secondary led by Caleb Pohto (two interceptions) and Jacob Snow (one interception).

cleveland.com pick: Medina

No. 4 Avon (5-1) at No. 10 Olmsted Falls (5-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Charles A. Harding Memorial Stadium at Olmsted Falls High School

What to know: Elyria nearly spoiled Olmsted Falls’ bid to make this a Southwestern Conference showdown of undefeated teams in SWC play. The Bulldogs rallied from a 14-7 deficit and scored three unanswered touchdowns with senior Rocco Conti for a 25-14 win. Conti rushed for 166 yards, and they have won five straight, including three in the SWC. Avon similarly pulled away from the Pioneers a week earlier and then added a 63-7 win Friday against North Ridgeville, as senior quarterback Sam DeTillio threw for 312 yards and four TDs on 12 of 16 passing. This is a rematch from last year’s Division II regional semifinals. Avon won both meetings, 41-29 in the regular season and 49-21 in the playoffs.

cleveland.com pick: Avon

Columbus Bishop Hartley (2-4) vs. No. 23 Villa Angela-St. Joseph (5-1)

When: 6 p.m. Saturday

Where: DiSanto Field at Case Western Reserve in Cleveland

What to know: VASJ faces its toughest test from an in-state opponent since opening the year with Hamilton Badin. The Vikings have won five straight since then, as junior Amani Powell has established himself in the Vikings’ run game. Hartley found its stride with wins against Cincinnati Archbishop McNicholas and Lima Central Catholic before a 7-2 setback last week at Columbus St. Francis DeSales. Like VASJ, the Hawks are road warriors. They don’t have a home game until Week 9. VASJ has found multiple venues to serve as home field, with Case Western Reserve being this week’s stop.

cleveland.com pick: VASJ

No. 2 St. Edward (5-1) at No. 7 St. Ignatius (4-1)

When: 7 p.m. Saturday

Where: Byers Field in Parma

What to know: Potentially the final meeting between the Eagles and Wildcats in coach Chuck Kyle’s 40-year tenure at St. Ignatius. The Wildcats look to give Kyle at least one more win in the rivalry, barring a rematch in the Division I, Region 1 playoffs. Kyle owns a 26-16-1 record, and his defense is revved up after senior end Eugene Gibbons notched a school-record five sacks in their 21-14 win Friday at River Rouge (Mich.), bouncing back from the Wildcats’ lone loss the previous week at No. 1 Archbishop Hoban. Plenty of playoff points should be on this one, with St. Edward first in Region 1 and St. Ignatius third. The Eagles also needed to bounce back last week from their first loss and did, as their defensive front led a 37-6 win against Rock Creek Christian Academy from Maryland. Andrew Haas and Wyatt Gedeon each had two sacks and two TFL, while Marvin Bell Jr. rushed for 79 yards and Casey Bullock found Kyan Mason for 56 of his 122 yards passing. This marks their first matchup at Byers Field since a first-round playoff game in 2018, as St. Ignatius’ home games in the series have been at FirstEnergy Stadium since 2016. The Eagles won last year, 19-14, in Lakewood.

cleveland.com pick: St. Edward

FULL WEEK 7 SCHEDULE

All times are 7 p.m., unless noted.

Thursday

Akron City Series

Ellet vs. North at Ellet

Friday

Akron City Series

Firestone vs. East at Ellet

Chagrin Valley Conference Chagrin Division

Ashtabula Lakeside at Chagrin Falls

Perry at Kirtland

West Geauga at Orange

Chagrin Valley Conference Metro Division

Cuyahoga Heights at Brooklyn

Chagrin Valley Conference Valley Division

Orwell Grand Valley at Cardinal

Wickliffe at Crestwood

Berkshire at Hawken

Crown Conference

Walsh Jesuit at Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin

Greater Cleveland Conference

Mentor at Medina

Brunswick at Solon

Great Lakes Conference

Westlake at Elyria Catholic

Rocky River at Fairview

Parma at Lakewood

Buckeye vs. Normandy at Byers Field

Bay at North Olmsted

Lake Erie League

Cleveland Heights at Bedford

Garfield Heights at Lorain

Shaker Heights at Shaw

Lorain County League

Oberlin at Black River

Firelands at Clearview

Wellington at Columbia

Brookside at Keystone

Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference, Grey Division

Campbell Memorial at Garrettsville Garfield

Metro Athletic Conference

Woodridge at Cloverleaf

Ravenna at Coventry

Streetsboro at Field

Norton at Springfield

Northeastern Athletic Conference

Vienna Mathews at Fairport Harding

Windham at Andover Pymatuning Valley

Portage Trail Conference

Louisville St. Thomas Aquinas at Ravenna Southeast

Rootstown at Warren JFK

Principals Athletic Conference

Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy at Canal Fulton Northwest

Wooster Triway at Manchester

Senate Athletic League

John Marshall vs. John Hay at Collinwood, 3 p.m.

JFK vs. Glenville at Bump Taylor Field, 4 p.m.

East Tech at John Adams, 4 p.m.

Collinwood vs. Lincoln-West at Rhodes, 4 p.m.

Southwestern Conference

Avon Lake at Amherst

Berea-Midpark at Midview

Elyria at North Ridgeville

Avon at Olmsted Falls

Suburban League American Conference

Copley at Barberton

Revere at Highland

Aurora at Kent Roosevelt

Cuyahoga Falls at Tallmadge

Suburban League National Conference

Hudson at Nordonia

Twinsburg at North Royalton

Wadsworth at Stow

Western Reserve Conference

Madison at Kenston

Willoughby South at Mayfield

Eastlake North at Riverside

Nonconference

St. Francis (N.Y.) at Archbishop Hoban

Lutheran East at Beachwood

Rhodes at Canfield

Lake Catholic at Canton Central Catholic

Erie Cathedral Prep (Pa.) at Euclid

Youngstown Chaney at Harvey

Green at Louisville

University School at Mogadore

Maple Heights at Padua

Austintown-Fitch at Strongsville

Brush at Youngstown Cardinal Mooney

St. Vincent-St. Mary at Youngstown Ursuline

Independence vs. Warrensville Heights at Maple Heights

Saturday

Akron City Series

Kenmore-Garfield at Buchtel, noon

Chagrin Valley Conference Metro Division

Lutheran West vs. Trinity at Cuyahoga Heights

Great Lakes Conference

Valley Forge vs. Holy Name at North Royalton

Nonconference

Gilmour at Cleveland Central Catholic, 1 p.m.

Columbus Bishop Hartley vs. Villa Angela-St. Joseph at Case Western Reserve, 6 p.m.

Brecksville vs. Benedictine at Euclid

St. Edward vs. St. Ignatius at Byers Field

Contact sports reporter Matt Goul on Twitter (@mgoul) or email (mgoul@cleveland.com).