Wayne County soccer teams prepare for postseason push after OHSAA tournament draw

As Wayne County sports go, Central Christian may get the least run in terms of attention. The Comets boys soccer team is looking to change that now and is in a prime position after getting the No. 2 seed in the massive 44-team Northeast Ohio Division V super-district, which features five district brackets.

Central, which was 11-1-1 at the time of the vote, is set to host a pair of games, beginning with a first-rounder against No. 44 Hillsdale (0-14) on Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. The winner will move on to face No. 25 Waynedale (5-9-1) or No. 38 Wickliffe (2-9), which also meet in the first round Oct. 16. Central would host that game as well.

Should the Comets move past the Waynedale-Wickliffe winner, they would play Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. in a district final at Sebo Stadium in Salem. The highest seed Central could face at that point would be No. 12 Mineral Ridge (8-3-2).

Seeded ahead of the Comets is Warren Champion (13-0-1), with Rootstown (10-3-1) and Columbia (11-2) just behind.

The following is a look at where other Wayne County-area boys and girls teams will head on their respective soccer tournament paths:

Div. IV boys

Orrville (5-6-2) got the No. 22 seed and a first-round bye. The Red Riders will play Oct. 18 at 7 p.m., most likely at No. 6 West Branch (10-3), which did not take a bye and faces No. 33 Woodridge (2-10-1) in the first round. If Woodridge upsets West Branch, it would come to Orrville. Either way the district semifinal will kick off Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. The district final is at a site and time yet to be determined.

Div. V boys

Smithville (7-4-2 at the draw) got the No. 5 seed and has a chance to host a pair of games. The Smithies will host No. 43 Mathews (0-10-1) in a first-round game Oct. 16 at 4:30 p.m. The winner will play Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. Smithville would be the host team and play either No. 7 Bristol (12-2) or No. 27 Youngstown Liberty (6-6-1). The district final will be Oct. 23 at 4 p.m. at Sebo Stadium in Salem.

Waynedale will play its first-round game at home Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. against No. 38 Wickliffe. The winner will take on Central Christian, assuming it gets past No. 44 Hillsdale.

Div. IV girls

Orrville took an 8-5-1 record into the vote and got the No. 14 seed in a 39-team super-district field. The Lady Red Riders will get at least one home game, beginning at 7 p.m. on Oct. 14 when they host No. 28 Hubbard (2-10-2). The winner will move to a district semifinal on Oct. 21, also at 7 p.m., most likely at No. 6 Tuslaw, which needs to get past No. 32 Canton South (3-10) in the first round. The district semifinal winner will move on to the Oct. 25 district final at 1 p.m. at Parma Padua. The top four Div. IV seeds are McKinley (12-0-1), West Branch (12-0-2), West Geauga (10-4) and Lakeview (8-3-2).

Div. V girls

Waynedale had a 7-6 record at the time of the vote and got the 18th seed in a 42-team super-district and will get a home game to start. The Lady Golden Bears will play Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. against No. 29 Lake Center Christian (3-6-2). The winner will play in a district semifinal on Oct. 22 at 7 p.m., most likely in Youngstown against No. 5 Cardinal Mooney (8-3). The district final will be Oct. 25 at 5 p.m. at Girard Arrowhead Stadium.

Smithville (3-8-2) got the No. 26 seed and will play its first game after a healthy trip to Mentor, where the Smithies will face No. 12 Cornerstone Christian (8-3-2) at Christian Life Church on Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. The winner will play in a district semifinal Oct. 21 at 7 p.m., most likely at No. 13 United, which must get past No. 39 Rittman (1-8-2). The district final will be Oct. 25 at 2 p.m. at Magnificat High School in Rocky River.

The top seeds in Div. V are Chippewa (13-1), Warren JFK (11-2), Norwayne (10-3) and Bristol (13-0-1).