One of the many benefits to a highly successful regular season is the opportunity for high school basketball coaches to attempt to align their squads to make a run in the postseason.
For girls coaches across the Buckeye State, that opportunity was Sunday, when draws for sectional-district tournaments were conducted.
Only two area squads earned top-4 seeds and, not surprisingly, they were Geneva and Pymatuning Valley.
Coach Nancy Barbo’s high-flying, state-ranked Geneva Eagles (16-1) — having already clinched a share of the Premier Athletic Conference championship, with two opportunities to wrap it up outright — were accorded the top seed at the Pymatuning Valley Division II sectional-district tournament.
Coach Jeff Compan’s Pymatuning Valley Lakers (16-2) were voted the third seed at the Mineral Ridge Division III sectional-district event.
Here’s a breakdown of how the area’s teams made out at their respective draws Sunday:
Division II
While Geneva is the top seed at PV, four other area teams are part of this 12-team tournament, two of which will face off in a sectional semifinal.
First, though, the Eagles, who will have a first-round bye then meet the winner of a sectional semifinal between ninth seeded Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin (6-11) and 10th seeded Conneaut (7-12). Those two will play the first game of the tournament Feb. 16 at 6 p.m., with the survivor earning the right to square off against Barbo & Co. in a sectional championship game Feb. 21 at 6 p.m.
The matchup featuring two area teams will pit seventh seeded Jefferson (7-11) against eighth seeded Perry (7-12) in a sectional semifinal that will be a nightcap of the NDCL-Conneaut clash Feb. 16 at 7:30. The winner of that contest will play fourth seeded Lakeview in a sectional championship match as the nightcap of Geneva’s sectional title game Feb. 21 at 7:30.
The other area team here — Edgewood (3-14) — will play sixth seeded West Geauga (7-11) in a sectional semifinal Feb. 18 at 6, with the winner taking on second seeded Chagrin Falls (14-4) in the sectional championship game Feb. 23 at 1 p.m.
The bottom quarter of the bracket has 12th seeded Orange (1-14) meeting second seed Lake Catholic (10-9) in the sectional semifinal Feb. 18 at 7:30, with the winner taking on fifth seeded Harvey (11-7) in a sectional title clash Feb. 23 at 2:30.
The district semifinals will be played Thursday, Feb. 28 at 6 and 7:30, with the district championship clash set for Saturday, March 2 at 2.
Division I
The highest area seed at this 12-team event is Madison, which is the sixth seed, and will play the winner of a first-round matchup between ninth seeded Shaw and 10th seeded South in the sectional title game Feb. 22 at 6.
Riverside is the seventh seed and will play fifth seeded Mayfield in a sectional semifinal Feb. 20 at 6, with the survivor moving on to play fourth-seeded Chardon in a sectional championship game Feb. 23 at 1.
The area’s other team here is Lakeside, which is the 12th seed and must deal with top-seeded Mentor in a sectional semifinal Feb. 18 at 7:30, with the winner moving on to play 11th seeded Brush in a sectional title clash Feb. 22 at 7:30.
The district semifinals will be contested Wednesday, Feb. 27 at 6 and 7:30, with the district title game being played Saturday, March 2 at 1.
Division III
South County rivals PV and Grand Valley are the only area teams at this 13-team field.
Compan’s Lakers will take on 12th seed East Palestine (3-14) in a sectional semifinal Feb. 16 at 1, with the winner moving on to play 11th seeded Springfield in a sectional title game Feb. 21 at 6.
Grand Valley (12-7) is the seventh seed and will play sixth seed Champion (11-9) in a sectional semifinal Feb. 16 at 2:30, with the survivor advancing to play second seeded Newton Falls (16-1) in a sectional championship matchup Feb. 21 at 7:30.
The district semifinals will be played Thursday, Feb. 28 at 6 and 7:30 and the district championship game will be contested Saturday, March 2 at 2.
Sports
Related Photos
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BECKY DEPP and the rest of coach Nancy Barbo’s Geneva Eagles are the top seed at the Pymatuning Valley Division II sectional-district tournament. WARREN DILLAWAY
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GEENA GABRIEL and the rest of coach Jeff Compan’s Pymatuning Valley Lakers are the DIvision III sectional-district at Mineral Ridge. WARREN DILLAWAY
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D-II
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Discussion
Seeds of success
Barbo’s bunch No. 1 at PV in D-II; Compan’s crew No. 3 at D-III at Mineral Ridge
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Scholastic Statistics:
SOFTBALL
DIVISION II
DISTRICT SEMIFINAL
Geneva 5, Jefferson 2
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Scholastic Schedule:
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Division I
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Area High School Softball Statistical Leaders:
INDIVIDUAL BATTING (minimum 40 at-bats)
PLAYER SCHOOL AVG OB% SLG% AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Lexi Zappitelli Conneaut .605 .632 .921 76 28 46 22 6 2 23 17
Brittany Baitt Riverside .518 .560 .831 83 32 43 5 6 3 21 0
Deanna Comp Jefferson .511 .582 .851 47 17 24 6 2 1 10 9
Amanda Mangelo Madison .486 .537 .806 72 23 35 2 6 3 20 0
Nikki Ochoa Madison .476 .533 .890 82 29 39 12 2 6 23 0
Abbie Thompson Madison .453 .500 .523 86 23 39 0 3 0 13 0 -
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Area High School Softball records:
(throughTuesday)
TEAM OVERALL
Geneva 19-2 * 11-1 (PAC)
Riverside 22-4 9-3 (PAC)
Jefferson 21-5 * 9-1 (AAC)
St. John 9-3
Conneaut 13-7
Perry 12-7
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