By Ed Letsinger, Hacksports.com
Special to MaxPreps.com
Defending Ohio Division I state champion and top-ranked Moeller saw its season come to an unexpected end Saturday in a district final at University of Dayton Arena. The Crusaders (21-2), ranked No. 1 in Ohio by MaxPreps.com and No. 8 in the country by USA Today, were shocked by unranked Trotwood-Madison, 48-45.
Moeller had won 11-straight games after losing to USA Today No. 3-ranked St. Benedict’s Prep of New Jersey back on Dec. 29, and had not lost to an Ohio team all season.
Moeller rival St. Xavier is now the lone remaining Greater Catholic League team in the Division I tournament. The Bombers, 21-2 and ranked No. 3 by MaxPreps.com, advanced to the regional semifinals by thumping Clayton Northmont, 58-22, in a district final. The Bombers, whose only two losses on the season came to Moeller, will face No. 10 Princeton (18-5) on Wednesday night at the Cintas Center in a regional semifinal contest.
Withrow (21-3), behind another strong effort by University of Cincinnati recruit Yancy Gates, defeated Oak Hills, 69-48. Gates is averaging close to 30 points in his last three games. The Tigers will face Huber Heights Wayne (21-2) in the other Cintas Center regional game on Wednesday night.
Boys Basketball: Forfeit Creates Déjà Vu in Division IV
Seven Hills (22-1) will take a 22-game winning streak into its Division IV regional semifinal game on Tuesday night at University of Dayton Arena. The Stingers will be facing a familiar opponent in fellow Miami Valley Conference foe Lockland (23-1).
The pair met back on Jan. 4, with Seven Hills coming out on top, 73-67. The rematch almost did not take place. Lockland had originally thought its season was over after losing by 83-59 to Jefferson in a district final.
But Jefferson was charged with using an ineligible player and ultimately had to forfeit the game and its season, thus reinstating Lockland back into the tournament.
Boys Basketball: Trojans Continue March Toward History
North College Hill continued its assault on the Ohio high school boys’ basketball history books after defeating Arcanum, 62-48, in a Division III district final. The Trojans (16-7) are seeking to become the first boys’ basketball team in state history to win four consecutive state titles.
The Trojans will face their stiffest test yet on Wednesday night at Wright State University, when they face Anna (23-1), ranked No. 2 in Ohio in the Associated Press poll.
Upstart Shroder Paideia (8-16) continues its improbable tournament run in the other half of the DIII bracket and will take on Columbus Academy (20-4).
Girls Basketball: Mount Notre Dame, Lakota West Roll into State Semifinals
Two-time defending state champion Mount Notre Dame (24-2) and Lakota West (25-1) cruised through the girls’ regional tournament to advance to the Ohio Division I state semifinals next Friday at Ohio State's Value City Arena.
The No. 2-ranked Cougars routed Springboro, 68-42, and then defeated Oak Hills, 56-41, to win their fifth straight regional title. The Cougars will play Toledo Central Catholic (23-3).
Lakota West won its first-ever regional title in girls’ basketball by defeating Pickerington Central, 59-36, and polishing off No. 1-ranked and previously unbeaten Dublin Coffman, 62-48. The Firebirds will face unranked Youngstown Boardman (19-7) in the other half of the state bracket.
Ed Letsinger, the editor of Hacksports.com, covers Southern Ohio for MaxPreps.com.
