Dover takes OCC lead as season enters final stretch

Quietly, and with most of the league schedule behind it, Dover’s boys basketball team has moved into first place in the Ohio Cardinal Conference.

The Tornadoes headed into the middle of the week — with weather putting a lot of games in jeopardy — tied for first with Ashland.

After beating Wooster 44-31 and Lexington 54-31 on Jan. 20, Dover was 10-6 overall and 8-2 in the OCC.

Against Wooster, Robbie Copple led all scorers with 14 points. Dieter Weber had 11 and Rowdy Dailey scored eight. Dover led by double digits early, went up 19-7 at halftime and led 24-7 early in the third quarter.

The Tornadoes followed the win over Wooster with a home victory against Lexington. Dover jumped to a quick 7-0 lead, led 17-8 after one quarter and 27-11 at halftime, then cruised. Weber led Dover with 13 points and six rebounds.

Dover and Ashland were one game ahead of Mansfield Senior, which stood at 7-3 in the OCC. New Philadelphia also had three conference losses, with one fewer game played, so the Quakers will be a factor as the race heads down the stretch.

In the teams’ first meeting, Dover beat Ashland 52-46 at home on Dec. 12. The Tornadoes also beat New Philadelphia the first time around, 37-34 on Dec. 23.

Dover fell 62-55 at Mansfield in the teams’ first meeting on Jan. 9. A week later, Dover lost to Ashland 67-41, part of a four-game losing streak.

Down the stretch, Dover’s final two OCC games — barring weather-related schedule changes — are Feb. 6 at home against Mansfield and Feb. 13 at New Philadelphia, with plenty potentially riding on the latter.

Ashland and Mansfield were scheduled to play Jan. 27, but with schools already closed a day or two earlier, the game was in jeopardy. Ashland and New Philadelphia are scheduled to play Jan. 30, so there could still be jostling atop the standings.

The wins lifted the Tornadoes’ overall record to 10-6 as they try to improve their RPI. Dover is currently third in the five-team Division III East District standings, just behind New Philadelphia.

In other area boys basketball news:

IVC outlook: Down the stretch in the IVC Southern Division, Claymont, at 12-4 overall, remained in the hunt but will need help. The Mustangs, whose four-game win streak ended Jan. 20 with a loss at Coshocton, were 6-2 in the league — two games back in the loss column behind Hiland.

Indian Valley was 4-2, so it remained in the race despite heading into the week on a six-game losing streak. Home games against Claymont (Feb. 10) and at Hiland (Feb. 12) are must-wins for the Braves.

In the Northern Division, Buckeye Trail was 8-1 in the league, one game ahead in the loss column of Malvern (6-2). It shapes up as a two-team race down the stretch, barring a spate of upsets that could let Newcomerstown (4-3) back into contention.