Monroeville seeded fifth at Willard to highlight tournament draws

Feb. 5—WILLARD — Monroeville as the No. 5 seed at the Division IV Willard district was the highest seed for an area team as the statewide boys basketball tournament draw was held on Sunday.

The Eagles (11-8) face No. 11 Crestline (5-14) at 6 p.m. on Feb. 22 in a sectional semifinal at Crestview High School. The second game that night features No. 3 Seneca East (12-7) facing No. 9 Buckeye Central (6-13).

The two winners will then come back in a sectional championship game at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 24 back at Crestview.

The Eagles lost 62-60 in the closing seconds in the season opener at Seneca East back on Nov. 25, and the potential rematch could be for a spot in the district semifinals. Monroeville also recently beat Buckeye Central, 55-25, on Jan. 31.

The other sectional games at Crestview has No. 2 Lucas (15-4) facing No. 14 Mansfield St. Peter's (1-18) at 6 p.m. on Feb. 21. The winner of that game faces No. 13 New London (2-16) in the 6 p.m. sectional title game on Feb. 24.

In the upper half of the Willard district bracket, No. 12 Plymouth (4-15) takes on No. 10 St. Mary Central Catholic (5-14) at 6 p.m. on Feb. 21 in Shelby. That winner draws top-seeded Colonel Crawford (14-5) at 6 p.m. on Feb. 24 in the sectional title game.

At 6 p.m. on Feb. 22, St. Paul (8-10) is the No. 7 seed and will face No. 4 Mansfield Christian (13-5) in a sectional semifinal. The nightcap then features No. 8 South Central (8-11) taking on No. 6 Danbury (10-9).

The Flyers did not see the Flames during the regular season, and the same goes for the Trojans against the Lakers. St. Paul and South Central played two one-possession games that saw a total cumulative score of 100-98, with each team winning at home.

The Trojans do have a 52-44 win over the Flames on Jan. 7 in Mansfield.

Those two winners from Feb. 22 then return in the second sectional title game at Shelby at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 24.

The Willard district semifinals are set for 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 28, with the two winners returning at 6 p.m. on March 3 in the title game.

DIVISION II

Norwalk draws Mansfield

ASHLAND — At the Div. II Ashland district, which record-wise is one of the deepest in the entire Northwest region, the Truckers (9-10) are the No. 9 seed among 12 teams and will face familiar teams in their potential tournament path.

Norwalk will first have to face No. 5 Mansfield Senior (11-7) at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 22 in a sectional semifinal at Bucyrus High School. The first game will feature No. 8 Perkins (10-8) facing No. 12 Vermilion (5-14) at 6 p.m. for a third time this season.

Should the Truckers beat the Tygers — who they faced in 2012 and 2013 in district semifinal games at the Div. I level — they would advance to face No. 4 Bellevue (13-5) in the 7:30 p.m. sectional title game on Feb. 24 back at Bucyrus.

The first sectional title game that night has top-seeded Sandusky (18-1) facing the Perkins-Vermilion winner at 6 p.m.

The bottom half of the Ashland district has four sectional games at Mansfield Madison.

Willard (12-8) earned the No. 6 seed and will face No. 10 Galion (6-12) at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 22. That game follows No. 7 Ontario (11-7) against No. 11 Clear Fork (6-13) at 6 p.m.

In the Feb. 24 sectional title games, the Ontario-Clear Fork winner draws No. 2 Shelby (16-2) at 6 p.m., while the Willard-Galion winner faces No. 3 Lexington (16-2) at 7:30 p.m.

The district semifinals at Ashland High School are slated for 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on March 2, with the two winners returning at 4 p.m. on March 4 in the title game.

DIVISION III

Western Reserve No. 7 in deep field

NORWALK — In a district that features six teams with at least 11 wins, the Roughriders (10-7) settled into the No. 7 seed after four straight wins.

Western Reserve will head to Hopewell-Loudon at 6 p.m. on Feb. 21 and take on No. 8 Oak Harbor (7-13) in a sectional semifinal. The winner advances back to Hopewell at 6 p.m. Feb. 24 to face No. 5 Margaretta (13-7) for a district spot.

In the season opener on Nov. 23 in Collins, the Polar Bears cruised to a 60-22 win over the 'Riders.

The second game on Feb. 21 has No. 11 Edison (3-16) facing No. 13 Lakota (2-16) at 7:30 p.m. That winner will draw No. 1 Oregon Cardinal Stritch (16-3) at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 24 back at Hopewell-Loudon.

The top bracket within the district has three sectional games at the Monroeville Athletic Complex.

At 6 p.m. on Feb. 21, No. 6 Bucyrus Wynford (11-7) faces No. 4 Genoa (14-4) in a solid sectional semifinal matchup. That winner will advance to face No. 2 Ashland Crestview (17-2) at 6 p.m. on Feb. 24 for the sectional title back at Monroeville.

In two sectional semifinal games on Feb. 22 at Monroeville, No. 3 Huron (13-4) faces No. 12 MIllbury Lake (1-17) at 6 p.m., followed by No. 10 Bucyrus (4-14) facing No. 9 Northwood (4-14) at 7:30 p.m.

Those two winners return to face each other in the 7:30 p.m. sectional title game at Monroeville.

The district semifinals will be held at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on March 1 at Norwalk High School. The two winners return for the 7:30 p.m. championship game on March 4.