Championship week starts Monday, May 12 around the Marion area.
Besides conference meets being held in track and field, league races will be decided in baseball, softball and boys tennis.
Here’s what we know heading into the week:
Marion Harding tennis closer to title
The Presidents are 8-0 in the Mid Ohio Athletic Conference in boys tennis. They were to host River Valley and Ontario this weekend and play host to Pleasant, which is 4-2, on Monday. Looming is a makeup match with Clear Fork Tuesday in Lexington. Clear Fork is 7-1 in the MOAC and lost at Harding 3-2 on April 10.
Highland baseball claims another title
Championship week came early for the Scots as they won a seventh straight league crown this week. The Scots are 10-1 in the MOAC, while Galion, Clear Fork, Marion Harding and Shelby all have five losses in the conference.
Nevertheless, Highland has to finish out league play with a home-and-home against Ontario May 13 and 14 and a makeup game with Pleasant May 20.
The Scots have won four straight titles in the MOAC and earned three in a row while in the Knox Morrow Athletic Conference before rejoining the MOAC. Since 2005, Highland had earned 16 conference crowns.
River Valley-Clear Fork will be the decider
The MOAC race is not over in softball. Heading into the week, River Valley is alone in first at 10-2, while Clear Fork is 9-3. The Vikings travel to Clear Fork May 13, and the Colts reciprocate on May 14. If RV sweeps, they are alone. If there is a split, RV still wins a piece but will share it with Ontario, which is in the barn with an 11-3 record. If Clear Fork sweeps, they will share with Ontario.
Elgin baseball hanging on in the NWCC
Perry is finished with Northwest Central Conference play at 7-2. Elgin and Hardin Northern are both 6-1. North Baltimore and Upper Scioto Valley are each 5-2. If the Comets can handle their business at home Monday with Ridgedale, it sets up a beauty with Hardin Northern coming over on Wednesday for what would be a league championship matchup for Elgin. The Polar Bears still need to play North Baltimore on May 19, which is no easy ask.
Elgin, Ridgedale softball in the mix
Waynesfield-Goshen is 6-1 in the NWCC softball race and only needs to beat one-win Upper Scioto Valley Monday to get at least a share of the conference. Ridgedale is in a similar spot, needing to win at Elgin on Monday to claim a second-straight NWCC crown. Elgin is 5-1 and besides the tough matchup with the Rockets, they also must play Hardin Northern Wednesday, which is 14-4 overall and 4-2 in the league.
Cardington baseball needs help
Cardington will be rooting for East Knox this week. The Bulldogs play Centerburg in a home-and-home series, and the Pirates need Centerburg to lose at least one of those games if they are going to win the KMAC. Centerburg is 10-2 and Cardington 9-3. The Pirates play rival Northmor Monday at home and Tuesday at the Golden Knights’ complex.
League track meets this week
Harding Stadium will host the MOAC Track and Field Championships. Field event finals and track prelims will contested Tuesday at 4 p.m. with track finals taking place Thursday at 4:30 p.m.
Elgin is hosting the NWCC Tuesday and Friday. The KMAC will hold its meet Tuesday at Northmor. North Union will travel to Kenton Ridge Tuesday and Friday to compete in the Central Buckeye Conference meet.
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This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Which Marion-area teams are still in the hunt? Spring sports vying for championships
Reporting by Rob McCurdy, Marion Star / Marion Star
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