Here are five things to know:
1. Springboro is still on the hunt for redemption
The Panthers (20-4) won the GWOC last season, but they came up just shy of the ultimate prize.
Immediately after falling 52-45 to Olmsted Falls in the Division I state championship game, they talked openly about returning to UD Arena for another shot at the crown this season.
Now, though, head coach Mike Holweger said they are a less focused on anything that far in the future and more on what is immediately in front of them.
“It’s really easy for us,” Holweger said after his team beat Seton 41-27 in a district final on Saturday in Fairborn. “Our daily goal, whether it’s Nov. 20 or Feb. 22, is we’re going to have fun. We’re going to improve. We’re going to compete, and if we get the opportunity, we’re going to repeat it tomorrow. We don’t look ahead. We don’t talk a lot about winning and losing. We talk about playing with urgency and playing with energy.”
Senior guard Bryn Martin scored 17 points to lead all scorers against the Saints after totaling 60 points in two state tournament games last season.
“She’s simply the best,” Holweger said. “Once in a lifetime player. If they haven’t seen Bryn play, come out and watch her. She’s got great teammates around her, but in a sentence, it’s just simple. Her consistency and efficiency are just remarkable. And the last thing, and her two greatest qualities are she prepares like no other, and her competitiveness you can’t measure.
“She also recognizes that her success is part of having wonderful teammates.”
Credit: Marcus Hartman
Credit: Marcus Hartman
2. An all-GWOC state semifinal is still possible in Division I
No. 2 seed Springboro plays Upper Arlington, a No. 1 seed from the Central district, in a regional semifinal Wednesday night back at Fairborn.
The winner set to take on No. 1 seed Mason or Perrysburg there again on Saturday to decide the Region 3 champion.
Meanwhile, Fairmont is a No. 1 seed in Region 4. The Firebirds (22-2), who beat Lakota West on Saturday to win a district title of their own, swept Springboro in the regular season and won the GWOC with a 16-0 record in conference play.
They face No. 5 Princeton on Wednesday night at Fairfield with the winner to play No. 2 Mount Notre Dame or No. 3 Walnut Hills in a regional final on Saturday at Fairfield.
Regional champs will face off the following weekend, but the bracket and the sites for the state semifinals are still to be set.
3. Carroll and Badin are set for another grudge match in Division III.
No. 1 seed Carroll beat No. 7 Western Brown on Saturday while No. 2 Badin outlasted No. 4 Bellbrook 58-55.
The Patriots and Rams are set to play for a third time season season when they tip off at 6 p.m. Tuesday night at Lakota East. Carroll won both of those matchups and the GCL-Coed championship, but the Patriots are still thinking about revenge for a 51-41 loss to the Rams in this round last season.
“Sometimes you can get a little lazy when you play a team that’s not as strong as you so I’ve already told them tomorrow and Thursday, we’re having a hard practice,” Carroll coach Cecelia Grosselin said after beating Greenville 56-19 in a district semifinal last week. “We have to prepare because a week from today, we can play a really, really tough team in a regional game.”
Chaminade Julienne and three-time defending state champion Purcell Marian will follow Carroll-Badin with the winners set to play at 2 p.m. Saturday in the same location.
4. Fort Loramie is still a threat to repeat
In Division VII, the top-seeded Redskins became the first girls basketball team in Ohio to win 1,000 games all-time Saturday when they destroyed fellow No. 1 Middletown Christian 65-31 and get No. 2 seed Delaware Christian next at 6 p.m. Wednesday night at Butler High School.
The winner of that game will take on another area team — No. 3 Legacy Christian or No. 5 Mississinawa Valley, who will play the nightcap Wednesday at VBHS.
5. Three area teams are also still alive in Division V and VI
No. 1 seed Anna improved to 22-3 with a 50-35 win over Fayetteville-Perry on Saturday and will face Newark Catholic at 5:30 on Wednesday night at Springfield High School.
Minster and Arcanum, both three seeds, will play the nightcap at SHS with that Division VI regional final set for 2 p.m. Saturday.
Minster upset No. 1 seed Marion Local 32-29 on Saturday to reach the regional semifinals while Arcanum trounced Fort Recovery 44-25.
In Division V, No. 1 seed Waynesville plays No. 2 Fairland in the second game at Lakota East on Wednesday night.
The first game will pit No. 2 seed Brookville against No. 4 Versailles at 6 p.m.
That regional final is scheduled for 5 p.m. Saturday.
(All regional finals are scheduled to be played at the same site as the semifinals unless noted.)
About the Author
