ASHLAND – The path to Dayton has been laid for the girls basketball teams across the state.
Coaches in all divisions picked their spots in brackets on Sunday and learned who they’ll face, when they’ll play, and — for the most part — where they’ll travel.
Let’s take a look at how Ashland County’s nine teams fared.
Division III
NORTHWEST 1 DISTRICT
Consistently one of the best teams in the area this season, the Ashland Arrows nabbed the top-seed in the Columbus Grove district tournament. They will host six-seed Sandusky for a sectional championship on Feb. 19 at 6 p.m.
Should the Arrows win that, a trip to Buckeye Central awaits on Feb. 24 for a district semifinal against two-seed Norwalk who opted to bypass the first round; that game would tipoff around 7:30 p.m. And whoever comes out on top of the clash of top seeds will travel to Columbus Grove on Feb. 28 for the district championship at 3 p.m. against any of the following — No. 4 Elida, No. 5 Defiance, No. 6 Wapakoneta, No. 7 Lima Senior.
Division V
NORTHEAST 4 DISTRICT
Northwestern is our lone representative in D-V and the Huskies might have a short tournament ahead of them having been tabbed the No. 30 seed and paired with top-seed Columbiana Crestview who has just one loss this season to Shaker Heights Laurel, the second-best team in Division IV per MaxPreps and No. 5 overall in the state across all divisions. That game will be at Crestview on Feb. 21 at 7 p.m.
Division VI
NORTHEAST 1 DISTRICT
We get a county clash to open the Girard district tournament as No. 22 Hillsdale hosts No. 29 Black River in what should be a competitive sectional semifinal on Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. The winner will then advance to face five-seed Salineville Southern two nights later with a spot in the district tournament on the line, that game tips off at 7 p.m. as well.
And should either the Falcons or Pirates take down the undefeated Indians, they will get the winner of No. 10 Columbia Station Columbia and No. 31 Medina Christian at a to be determined site on Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. The district championship will be at Girard High School on Feb. 28 at 1 p.m.
NORTHEAST 2 DISTRICT
Loudonville, a nine-seed, opted to go to the Creston district tournament and the Redbirds will host the winner of No. 20 Independence and No. 21 Mogadore on Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. in a sectional championship.
Assuming they defend home court, a clash with either No. 13 Smithville or No. 32 Fairport Harding in the district semifinal awaits on Feb 24 at 7 p.m. at a site still to be determined. The district championship would be on Feb. 28 at 1 p.m. at Norwayne High School with top-seed Rootstown the likeliest opponent.
NORTHEAST 3 DISTRICT
Rounding out the northeast teams is Mapleton who earned the 11-seed and will immediately get a challenge with 12-seed McDonald in the sectional title game on Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. Luckily for the Mounties, they’ll be at home.
And if they can get past the Blue Devils, a district semifinal against the winner of No. 6 Grand Valley and No. 16 Springfield would be next. That site is still to be determined, but the game would be on Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. with the district championship four days later at Girard High School with a 4 p.m. tipoff.
NORTHWEST 1 DISTRICT
Flipping regions, New London was awarded the two-seed and hosts Firelands Conference rival Western Reserve, a five-seed, on Feb. 19 at 6 p.m. in a sectional championship.
If the Wildcats can make it three-for-three over the Roughriders this season, they’ll head to Fremont Ross on Feb. 25 for a 7:30 p.m. district semifinal against the winner of No. 3 Gibsonburg and No. 4 Woodmore. And should they keep winning, a trip to Napoleon three days later for a district title game at 3 p.m. would likely be against No. 2 Ottawa Hills or No. 3 Evergreen.
NORTHWEST 2 DISTRICT
South Central, a six-seed, heads out of the road to face No. 2 Wynford to open postseason play in the Fremont Ross district tournament. That sectional championship would be on Feb. 19 at 6 p.m.
If the Trojans can upset the Royals, they’ll advance to a district semifinal at Shelby High School on Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m. against either No. 5 Buckeye Central or No. 4 Mansfield Christian. Three days later, whoever the lucky team to make it past the first two rounds will get the No. 1 in the state Margaretta at Fremont Ross High School on Feb. 28 at 3 p.m.
NORTHWEST 4 DISTRICT
Rounding out the area is Crestview, a three-seed, who opted for the Shelby district tournament. And that’s not all the Cougars decided, they don’t even have to play in the sectional round after selecting the lone spot in the district semifinals.
They’ll get a much needed week off to rest, recover, and prepare for the winner of No. 1 Colonel Crawford and No. 7 Bucyrus on Feb. 25 at 6 p.m. And if the Cougars utilized the week off to the fullest, a potential district championship would be in the cards on Feb. 28 at 3 p.m. back at Shelby most likely against No. 1 Columbus Grove or No. 2 Carey.
zholden@gannett.com | 419-617-6018 | Twitter/X: @Zachary_Holden
This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Ashland girls nab top seed in district basketball tournament
Reporting by Zachary Holden, Ashland Times-Gazette / Ashland Times Gazette
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