Tuscarawas County boys teams learn tournament paths

On Sunday, Feb. 15, boys basketball teams in Divisions III-VII learned their postseason assignments. All nine Tuscarawas County teams are included, and while no bracket offers an easy path, some routes are more favorable than others.

Division III

New Philadelphia earned the No. 1 seed in the East/Southeast I District and received a sectional bye. The Quakers will play either No. 4 Dresden Tri-Valley or No. 5 Zanesville in a district semifinal at 7 p.m. Feb. 28 at a site to be determined.

Dover is seeded fourth in the East/Southeast District and will face top-seeded Steubenville in a district semifinal at 7 p.m. Feb. 28 at a site to be determined. The winner advances to the district final at 8:15 p.m. March 4 at the Ohio University Convocation Center. No. 2 Jackson and No. 3 Chillicothe are the other semifinal pairing.

Division IV

Indian Valley is seeded sixth among 14 teams and is the only team to receive a bye after higher-seeded teams declined. The Braves will face either No. 2 Cambridge or No. 12 Indian Creek in a district semifinal at 7 p.m. March 3 at a neutral site. The district final is set for 7 p.m. March 6 at a site to be determined. John Glenn is a potential opponent.

Claymont is seeded seventh and will host No. 10 Philo at 7 p.m. Feb. 27. The winner advances to face either No. 3 John Glenn or No. 13 Morgan at 7 p.m. March 3, with a berth in the March 6 district final at stake.

Division V

Sandy Valley is seeded 16th in the East District and will begin in a sectional final against either No. 2 West Muskingum or No. 17 Fairless. The game will be at West Muskingum or at Sandy Valley if Fairless advances. The winner moves on to a district semifinal at 7 p.m. March 4 against either No. 10 Barnesville or No. 12 Harrison Central. The district championship is scheduled for 7 p.m. March 7.

Tusky Valley, the No. 7 seed in the East 2 Sectional, will host No. 13 Rayland Buckeye Local at 7 p.m. Feb. 28. The winner likely faces No. 1 St. Clairsville at 7 p.m. March 4. The district final is set for 7 p.m. March 7 at a site to be determined, with No. 3 Martins Ferry and No. 6 Coshocton among potential opponents.

Division VI

Newcomerstown, seeded seventh in the nine-team district, will open at No. 4 Caldwell in a sectional final at 7 p.m. Feb. 27. The winner advances to a district semifinal at 7 p.m. March 3, likely against top-seeded Hiland. The district final is scheduled for 7 p.m. March 6. Sites are to be determined.

Division VII

Strasburg-Franklin is seeded fifth, and Tuscarawas Central Catholic is seeded ninth in the nine-team district. Both teams are in the same half of the bracket.

TCC will play at No. 4 Malvern in a sectional semifinal at 7 p.m. Feb. 24. The winner faces No. 6 Steubenville Catholic Central at 7 p.m. Feb. 27.

Strasburg-Franklin will play at No. 2 Bishop Rosecrans at 7 p.m. Feb. 27. If TCC and Strasburg-Franklin both advance, they would meet in a district semifinal at 7 p.m. March 3 at a neutral site. The district final is set for 7 p.m. March 6. Frontier is the top seed on the opposite side of the bracket.