TORONTO — The Toronto football team ended the regular season on a positive note, and the Red Knights now look to build off their winning streak as the Red and White prepare for the postseason.

Toronto closed out the regular season with a 54-22 victory via mercy rule against Brownsville last Friday night on the road.

“The kids played well,” Toronto (9-1) head coach Jaret Aubiel said. “They executed the gameplan. The younger guys got to play, and that is always a good thing.”

The boys from the Gem City wrapped the regular season by winning three-straight games.

“The team has played very well,” Aubiel said. “We lost a lot of guys from last year, and I don’t know if people expected too much from us this season. I think we overperformed those expectations. We’re excited about playing a home playoff game.”

Toronto claimed the No. 6 ranking in the Ohio Division VI, Region 23 playoffs, and the Red Knights will take on No. 11 seed Grandview Heights at 7 p.m. Friday night at Clarke Hinkle Field.

The Bobcats (7-3) have a dangerous weapon on offense in running back Henry Ohlinger, who has committed to play in college at Indiana. Ohlinger has been banged up this season.

“They are kind of like us,” Aubiel said. “They are a little more run than pass. They have a lot of weapons, and he is one of them. He is a very good athlete. We’re going to prepare like he is going to be in the game.”

Winning the line of scrimmage will be crucial Friday night, and both teams have some good size up front.

“We’re about the same,” Aubiel said of the lines. “They have got some big guys. We’ve got some big guys. We’re looking forward to getting after it.”

Grandview Heights opened the season with wins against Briggs (2-8), 34-6, Whetstone (3-7), 53-0, Northridge (4-6), 35-14, Bexley (3-7), 35-0, and Chesapeake (1-9), 48-9.

The Bobcats followed up their hot start to the season by losing three of their next four games. The first two of those losses came against Linden McKinley (8-2), 19-13, and Worthington Christian (5-5), 13-6. Grandview Heights followed those losses a win against Grove City Christian (8-2), 27-15, before falling to Valley (8-2), 41-8. Grandview Heights closed out the regular season by shutting out Mifflin (0-10), 56-0, last week.

“Defensively, they use a couple different looks,” Aubiel said. “They have a really good linebacker (Cooper Bauer). He’s a good player, so we are going to have to be ready for that.”

The Red Knights know what they are going to have to do to be successful against the Bobcats.

“We’re going to have to play a clean game, not turn the ball over and have our home crowd carry us to a win,” Aubiel said.

The boys from Jefferson County are excited about being able to play a playoff game in front of their home fans once again this season.

“We love our crowd,” Aubiel said. “They are always there for us. Even on the road, they are there for us. We are proud to be able to play in front of our home fans one more time.”

Toronto qualified for the postseason last year in Division VI, however, the Red Knights were in Region 21. Toronto defeated Wickliffe, 33-31, in the first round before falling to Springfield, 29-28, on the road in the next round.

The boys from the Gem City have now qualified for the playoffs in seven-straight seasons and 14 times overall. Toronto first qualified for the playoffs back in 1997.

Grandview Heights has now made the playoffs for three-straight seasons and 11 times overall. The Bobcats first qualified for the playoffs back in 1987.

Grandview Heights was the No. 1 seed in the region last season, and the Bobcats advanced all the way to the regional final before falling short against Northmor, 37-6.