On the Tournament Trail

The tournament trail continues tonight.
Small-school pride will be on display tonight as Division IV boys district action gets underway across Northwest Ohio.
I get the plum assignment tonight. I get to cover the Division IV district tournament at Liberty-Benton. Two outstanding match ups featuring Van Buren (19-2) and Ottawa Hills (17-4) and Continental (16-5) and Toledo Christian (21-0).
Simply outstanding. I’m looking forward to watching some great basketball tonight. Honestly, I really am. I’d have to give the nod to Van Buren and Toledo Christian but one thing I’ve learned over the years covering this district and that’s NEVER count out Continental. Kevin Homier’s Pirates always come to play.
Six other area boys teams will be in action.,
Columbus Grove (13-8) and Fort Jennings (10-11) will battle in the first game at Elida and Ottoville (18-3) will play Pandora-Gilboa (11-10) in the second game. Grove is playing pretty well right now and Ottoville has been terrific. I don’t think either game will be a blow out though because Fort Jennings and Pandora-Gilboa are both well-coached and have some solid athletes and when four PCL schools get together anything can happen.
Plus when the Big Green and Rockets met earlier in the season Ottoville only won the game 42-40 and that was at home. Columbus Grove beat the Musketeers in their regular season meeting 60-54.
The other two area teams -- Vanlue and Ada -- play in the second game at their respective district sites.
The Wildcats take on Midland Athletic League co-champion Mohawk at Fostoria in a rematch of their Jan.27 game the Wildcats won in convincing fashion 72-57.
Ada is on a 10-game win streak and faces a 10-12 Marion Local team at Wapakoneta.
Area girls regional tournaments get underway for Divisions I and II
Findlay takes on Brunswick in the first game at the Division I regional at Norwalk. The Trojans will be trying to erase the memories of last year’s Nightmare in Norwalk when they lost to Solon by 31 points.
At Ontario, Ottawa-Glandorf plays Akron Hoban in the regional semifinals. Interestingly enough, Akron Hoban bounced O-G’s girls soccer team from the regional tournament last fall.
It seems like our area girls teams always have trouble with those pesky teams from the Northeast.

TONIGHT’S BOYS SLATE FOR NW OHIO
Tuesday's District Semifinals
Division IV
At Elida
Columbus Grove (13-8) vs. Fort Jennings (10-11)
Ottoville (18-3) vs. Pandora-Gilboa (11-10)
At liberty-benton
Van Buren (19-2) vs. Ottawa Hills (17-4)
Continental (16-5) vs. Toledo Christian (21-0)
At Fostoria
Wynford (15-5) vs. Tiffin Calvert (10-10)
Vanlue (16-5) vs. Mohawk (15-5)
At Napoleon
Montpelier (8-14) vs. Holgate (13-8)
Hicksville (12-9) vs. Pettisville (17-4)
At wapakoneta
New Knoxville (22-0) vs. Lima Perry (16-5)
Marion Local (10-12) vs. Ada
At willard
Sandusky St. Mary's (15-6) vs. Lucas (12-10)
Norwalk St. Paul (10-12) vs. Buckeye Cent. (16-5)

TONIGHT’S GIRLS GAMES
At Norwalk
Findlay (19-4) vs. Brunswick (19-4)
Strongsville (20-2) vs. Tol. Cent. Cath. (17-7)
FINAL: Saturday, 1 p.m.
Division II
At Ontario
Ottawa-Glandorf (21-2) vs. Akr. Hoban (19-4)
Sandusky Perkins (19-3) vs. Lexington (21-2)

NEWSWORTHY:
NW Ohio Wrestling News and Info
Findlay Courier Tuesday Sports
Tears prevail on OHSAA Tourney trail
Fostoria Review Times Tuesday Sports
Lima News Tuesday Sports
BG Sentinel Tribune Sports
Defense keys Ottoville’s district title
Defiance Crescent News Sports