By Andy Walter

DOVER — The largest fields ever for the DIAA football state tournaments — 31 teams — were unveiled this afternoon.

Those 31 squads, including 11 downstate programs, are spread out over three classes for the first time under the state’s first-year alignment. There were 45  football progams in the state this fall.

Smyrna earned the No. 1 seed in Class 3A according to the tourney points system while Laurel is the top seed in Class 1A. Woodbridge is seeded second in Class 2A.

The top five seeds in Class 3A — where all 11 teams made the tourney — earned first-round byes with the top four squads in the 12-team Class 2A not playing in the first round.

Also, because it has only eight teams, the Class 1A tourney will have an open date next weekend.

The downstate teams playing next weekend in Class 3A are No. 6 Sussex Central (5-5) which hosts No. 11 Caesar Rodney (0-10) on Friday at 7 p.m. and No. 10 Cape Henlopen (1-9), which goes to No. 7 Appoquinimink on Saturday at 7 p.m.

In Class 2A, No. 6 Delmar hosts No. 11 Newark at 7 p.m. on Friday while No. 10 Sussex Tech goes to No. 7 Tower Hill on Saturday at 7 p.m.

In the Class 3A quarterfinals, No. 1 Smyrna (8-2) hosts the William Penn/Hodgson winner on Nov. 26 with No. 5 Dover (6-4) playing at No. 4 St. Georges on Nov. 27 at noon.

In Class 2A, No. 2 Woodbridge (10-0) hosts the Sussex Tech-Tower Hill winner on Nov. 26 at 7 p.m.

In Class 1A, No. 1 Laurel hosts No. 8 Odessa on Nov. 26 at 7 p.m. while, on Nov. 27, No. 5 Indian River plays No. 4 St. Andrews at 1 p.m. at a site TBA with No. 6 Seaford going to No. 3 Tatnall at 1 p.m.

Many of the state tournament pairings are rematches from the regular season.

In Class 3A, Sussex Central just beat CR, 42-6, on Friday while Dover edged St. Georges, 21-14, on Sept. 18.  Appoquimink downed Cape Henlopen, 55-27, on Oct. 28.

FOOTBALL
DIAA State Tournaments
Class 3A
First round
Friday, Nov. 19

11-Caesar Rodney (0-10) at 6-Sussex Central (5-5), 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 20

9-Hodgson (2-8) at William Penn (4-6), noon
10-Cape Henlopen (1-9) at 7-Appoquinimink (5-5), 7 p.m.

Quarterfinals
Friday, Nov. 26

William Penn/Hodgson at 1-Smyrna (8-2), 7 p.m.
Appoquinimink/Cape Henlopen at 2-Middletown (7-1), 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 27

5-Dover (6-4) at 4-St. Georges (7-3), noon
Sussex Central/CR at 3-Salesianum (7-2), 7 p.m.

Semifinals
Saturday, Dec. 4

Times and sites, TBA

Finals
Saturday, Dec. 11

Time and site, TBA

Class 2A
First round
Friday, Nov. 19

Games at 7 p.m.

9-Howard (5-5) at 8-St. Mark's (7-3)
12-Concord (4-6) at 5-Delaware Military (9-1)
11-Newark (5-5) at 6-Delmar (6-3)

Saturday, Nov. 20

10-Sussex Tech (6-4) at 7-Tower Hill (7-2), 7 p.m.

Quarterfinals
Friday, Nov. 26

Tower Hill/Sussex Tech at 2-Woodbridge (10-0), 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 27

St. Mark's/Howard at 1-Archmere (10-0), noon
DMA/Concord at 4-Caravel (9-1), 7 p.m.
Delmar/Newark at 3-Wilmington Friends (9-1), 1 p.m.

Semifinals
Dec. 3 or 4

Sites and times, TBA

Finals
Dec. 11

Site and time, TBA

Class 3A
Quarterfinals
Friday, Nov. 26

Games start at 7 p.m.

8-Odessa (3-7) at 1-Laurel (8-2)
7-Wilm. Charter (6-4) vs. 2-St. Elizabeth (9-1), at TBA

Saturday, Nov. 27

Games start at 1 p.m.

5-Indian River (5-4) vs. 4-St. Andrews (6-4), at TBA
6-Seaford (7-2) at 3-Tatnall (6-4)

Semifinals
Dec. 3 or 4

Sites and times, TBD

Finals
Saturday, Dec. 11

Time and site, TBD