Local teams enter OHSAA girls basketball tournament with high hopes

It’s everyone’s favorite time of year with the Ohio High School Athletic Association girls basketball playoffs upcoming over the next few weeks and into March. Everyone has a dream, a sparkle in their eye, a clean slate, and hope flows anew. It’s a new start, where anything can happen.

Below is a breakdown of the area teams' postseason paths.

Division IV

Team: West Holmes (fourth seed).

Outlook: Looking to contend out of the East 2 District, the Knights are clearly battle-tested and will be ready. They open at home against John Glenn, a team West Holmes beat earlier in the season 48-32. The Knights will have a tough road out as they could potentially play No. 5 Morgan in districts, then have a showdown with No. 1 Carrollton, a squad that has similar results to a couple of common opponents with West Holmes or teams on its schedule.

Div. V

Teams: Norwayne (second), Chippewa (fifth), Triway (11th), Orrville (16th), Tuslaw (25th) and Northwestern (30th).

Outlook: A year ago Chippewa and Norwayne locked up in a 42-38 regional thriller as the talented Bobcats made school history with their first trip to the Div. V state finals. The two Wayne County Athletic League rivals definitely know each other well and have plenty of history between them. If both squads handle their business, as many pundits believe they will, the area could potentially see round two this year, this time in a regional final tilt. The Chipps' biggest hurdle in district play in Northeast 1 will be fourth-seeded Berkshire, a team that hopes it has improved since its 59-33 loss to Norwayne in its second game of the season. The Bobcats in Northeast 2 will be the odds-on favorite to come out of their district, with potential matchups with eighth-seeded Fairview and ninth-seeded Girard looming. Still, Norwayne’s biggest challenges should come in regional action, where it could play LaBrae (third) or Keystone (sixth) in an opening regional game.

“We have two big games this week that we’re focused on,” Bobcats coach Jake Shoup said. “It’s one day at a time, one game at a time. As for the tournament, we like our draw. It’s nice to get two home games, but definitely also some tough teams on the horizon with Girard, LaBrae, Crestview and Chippewa.”

Looking to change that flavor of LaBrae and Keystone and having the potential to do so is Triway, which will host Liberty to open sectional play. The Red Riders will travel to Garfield (15th) in a game that could go either way. There is no question the Northeast 3 District could play out as the RPI would indicate, but this bracket is one that could be ripe for some fun hoops and no sure bets. This time of year, a team's strength of schedule is important, and there is no question the WCAL was one of the region's best leagues this year.

Div. VI

Teams: Hiland (fourth), Waynedale (seventh), Dalton (eighth), Loudonville (ninth), Garaway (10th), Smithville (13th) and Hillsdale (22nd).

Outlook: Four of the area’s premier teams will hit the hardwood in the Hawks, Golden Bears, Bulldogs and Smithies. Of the four, Smithville is a team no one wants to play as it is on fire and clicking on all cylinders at the perfect time of year. With wins over Waynedale and Chippewa over the last two weeks, the Smithies just might be the best 13th seed around and wouldn’t surprise anyone if they met Rootstown in the district finals of the Northeast 2 bracket, a rematch of last year's Div. VI regional final that saw the Smithies fall 37-36. Over the past three years, Smithville has gone 9-3 in the tournament. Locally, the area could have a fun district battle with the Smithies against Loudonville if the ‘Birds beat the winner of Independence and Mogadore.

“We’re playing our best at tournament time,” Smithville coach Eric Nickles said. “We’re happy with the draw, but we want to keep improving in the last week of the season. There are good teams in our bracket like Loudonville, Rootstown and Mogadore, but we’re excited. This is what you work for all year, and our kids have really gotten better as the season has progressed.”

Dalton will be an odds-on favorite to make it to the district finals in the Northeast 4 bracket, and Waynedale just might have the toughest road out in Northeast 1, but under Rick Geiser’s leadership, the Golden Bears have gone 24-8 in the OHSAA tournament. Playing a stacked schedule doesn’t reflect well in the RPI, which is basically driven by total wins, but has proven to be a recipe for success for the Golden Bears. Waynedale will likely play No. 4 Mineral Ridge at districts and, with a win, meet No. 5 Southern in the finals. Either way, there is a chance the area could get three teams out of the Northeast.

Hiland, an area best 142-21 in the OHSAA tournament since 2004, in many eyes will be the favorite to advance to regionals out of the East District, but it will have its hands full. With potential matchups with No. 3 Shenandoah, No. 1 Fort Frye and No. 2 Monroe Central, the Hawks will ride on a tough regular-season schedule to set themselves up for success. The Pirates will open on the road against Fort Frye.

Div. VII

Teams: Rittman (17th) and Central Christian (18th).

Outlook: Both locals will hit the road to open their sectionals with the Indians in Northeast 1 at Bristol and the Comets in Northeast 3 at Lowellville.

Note: Wooster's draw is a week later due to limited teams in its division.