DON McCORMACK
With the respective high school fall sports seasons turning for home and headed for the wire, the Ohio High School Athletic Association has released the whos, whats, whens and wheres for its respective winter sports postseason tournaments.
So, though (hopefully!) the white stuff is still a way from beginning to pile up, let’s take an indepth look at what will be on tap for the tournaments that will host our area squads at the conclusion of the 2009-10 winter sports regular seasons.
Girls basketball
n Dates to remember — The seeding meetings for the respective tournaments will all be held on Feb. 7 at 2 p.m. Sectional play will begin the week of Feb. 22. District play will commence the week of March 1. Sectional-district tournaments must be completed by March 6.
n Division II, at Pymatuning Valley — The biggest change here is that Hathaway Brown won’t have the rest of the field to kick around anymore.
Coach Paul Barlow’s defending Division II state champion Blazers, along with the likes of Collinwood, Cleveland East and East Tech, have been shifted to the D-II tournament at St. Joseph Academy, a move even Barlow has been campaigning for.
That gives perennial contenders such as Geneva and Lake Catholic a realistic opportunity of advancing from Andover Township to the Sweet 16.
Area squads Conneaut, Edgewood, Perry and Jefferson — along with Geneva — will combine with Lake Catholic, Harvey, Kenston, Lakeview, Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin and West Geauga to fill the 11-team field.
The esteemed Ron Weaver returns once again as tournament director.
n Division III, at Lakeside — This is not good news for teams that hang their hats here for sectional-district play — perennial powerhouse Regina, which is said to be in its final year of having the doors open at the school, is back on the marquee at Lakeside Gymnasium.
Berkshire is once again expected to be a high seed at this tournament and would have been considered the favorite... until Regina came back, of course.
Area squads Grand Valley and Pymatuning Valley, along with Badger, Beachwood, Cardinal, Gilmour Academy, Hawken, Richmond Heights and Wickliffe and the aforementioned Regina, Villa Angela-St. Joseph and Berkshire will round out the 13-team field.
Former Lakeside AD Tim Neal is listed as the tournament director.
n Division I, at Perry — Spectator Gymnasium will once again be the site of a big-school tournament, with area schools Lakeside, Madison and Riverside among the 13-team field.
The Dragons, Blue Streaks and Beavers will be joined by Brush, Chardon, Cleveland Heights, Euclid, Glenville, Mayfield, Mentor, North, Shaw and South in Perry.
Good-guy John Dorko is once again the tournament director.
n Division IV, at Hubbard — The SS. John and Paul Heralds, the area’s lone D-IV team, will journey all the way to Hubbard for postseason play.
The Heralds will be joined by Columbiana, Crestview, Heartland Christian, Jackson-Milton, Leetonia, Lowellville, Maplewood, Mathews, McDonald, Warren JFK, Wellsville and Youngstown Christian in the big 14-team field.
Bill Agona is the tournament director.
Boys basketball
n Dates to remember — The seeding meetings for the respective tournaments will all be held on Feb. 14 at 2 p.m. Sectional play will tip off the week of March 1. District play will get going the week of March 8. Sectional-district tournaments must be completed by March 13.
n Division I, at Euclid — Area teams Geneva, Lakeside, Madison and Riverside will be part of the 13-team field at Doc Daugherty Gymnasium.
They will be joined by Brush, Chardon, Glenville, Mayfield, Mentor, North, Shaw, Solon and South at Euclid.
Tom Banc returns as the tournament director.
n Division II, at Mentor — Locals Conneaut, Edgewood, Jefferson and Perry are part of the 13-team field.
Also included are Beachwood, Collinwood, Cleveland East, East Tech, Harvey, John Hay, Lake Catholic, Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin and West Geauga.
Chad Russo is the tournament director.
n Division III, at Howland — Area squads Grand Valley and Pymatuning Valley will be joined by Berkshire, Brookfield, Cardinal, Champion, Garfield, Girard, LaBrae, Lakeview, Liberty, Mineral Ridge and Newton Falls in the 13-team field.
Ron McCrary is the tournament director.
n Division IV, at Harding — Like their girl counterparts, SJP is the lone D-IV boys squad.
The Heralds will join Badger, Bloomfield, Bristol, Fairport, Ledgemont, Lordstown, Maplewood, Mathews, Mogadore, Newbury and Windham to make up the 13-team field.
The tournament director is Paul Trina.
n Worth noting — The gymnasium at the new Harvey High School will be hosting the D-III sectional district that had been held at Lakeland Community College for many a year this winter.
Bob Booher will remain the tournament director.
Wrestling
n Dates to remember — The seeding meetings for the respective tournaments will all be held on Jan. 31, though unlike girls and boys basketball, no mandatory time has been announced. Sectional action will get started the week of Feb. 15. District competition will get under way the week of Feb. 22. Sectional-district tournaments must be completed by Feb. 27.
n Division I, at Austintown-Fitch — Area squads Lakeside and Madison will be part of an 11-team field here.
They will be joined by Austintown-Fitch, Boardman, Chardon, Howland, Hudson, Kent Roosevelt, Solon, Stow and Twinsburg.
John James is the tournament director.
n Division I, at Maple Heights — Riverside will be on its own, at least in terms of area schools, as part of this 12-team field.
The Beavers will join Bedford, Brush, Euclid, Garfield Heights, Glenville, John Adams, Maple Heights, Mayfield, North, Shaw and South here.
The tournament director is Tom O’Connor.
n Division II, at Lake Catholic — Locals Conneaut, Edgewood, Geneva, Jefferson and Perry will represent one third of this 12-team field.
They will be joined by Cleveland East, East Tech, Harvey, Lake Catholic, Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin, University School and West Geauga here.
Sam Colacarro is the tournament director.
n Division III, at Beachwood — This big 14-team tournament will include area squads Grand Valley and Pymatuning Valley.
The Mustangs and the Lakers will be joined by Beachwood, Berkshire, Cardinal, Chagrin Falls, Fairport, Hawken, Kirtland (guided by former Jefferson coach Scott “Cliff” Francis), Ledgemont, Newbury, Richmond Heights and Villa Angela-St. Joseph.
The tournament director is Ryan Peters.
McCormack is the sports editor of the Star Beacon. Reach him at donmac@suite224.net.
