Monroeville, Willard top seeds in new tourney format

Willard and Monroeville are No. 1 seeds in their respective districts, while both Norwalk and St. Paul are No. 3 seeds as the statewide OHSAA volleyball brackets were drawn on Sunday. The Northwest district is using a brand-new tournament format that saw teams get seeded in groups. But teams were given the option to place themselves on brackets at different district sites. For example, in Division VII, the Eagles (17-2) will await the winner of No. 2 Fremont St. Joseph Central Catholic (17-3) and Toledo Horizon Science at 6 p.m. Oct. 20 in a district semifinal at Clyde High School. But in the second district semifinal match that night at Clyde, the winner of No. 6 St. Mary Central Catholic (6-14) and No. 3 St. Paul (13-6) takes on either No. 5 Oregon Cardinal Stritch (12-6) and No. 4 Danbury (10-10). However, that winner will head to a district title match in Archbold, while the Monroeville-SJCC/Horizon Science winner has a championship match at a site to be determined. Both district champions then head to different regional sites as well. In other matches in Monroeville's district, No. 2 Mohawk (15-4) hosts No. 4 Hopewell-Loudon (6-12), and No. 7 Plymouth (3-17) takes on No. 3 Old Fort (13-4) in a pair of sectional final matches on Oct. 15 at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at Mohawk High School. The district semifinal for that half of the bracket is set for Oct.20 at 7:30 p.m. at Seneca East, with the winner heading to potentially take on the Eagles at the district final site yet to be determined at 6 p.m. Oct. 22. Also Oct. 15, St. Paul will host its match against SMCC, as well as the Stritch-Danbury matchup at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. in Norwalk. The opposite side of the Archbold district shows No. 5 Edgerton (11-9) at No. 3 Stryker (11-7) on Oct. 15, with that winner taking on top-seeded Edon (15-5) at 6 p.m. Oct. 20 in Archbold. The potential district title match for the Flyers is 6 p.m. Oct. 22 in Archbold. In Div. III, Norwalk (10-9) is a No. 3 seed in the Findlay Liberty-Benton district. The Truckers face No. 4 Ontario (12-8) at 6 p.m. Oct. 15 in a sectional final at Lexington High School. The second match has host No. 2 Lex (16-3) taking on No. 7 Mansfield Madison (5-14). Should Norwalk win, a rematch with Lex would likely await at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 20 in Willard. The two teams just met last Saturday (Oct. 4) in Norwalk, and Lex won with scores of 26-24, 25-20. The other side of the L-B district has top-seeded Lima Shawnee (14-5) and Nos. 4 and 5 Defiance (7-12) and Elida (8-13). That district semifinal is at 6 p.m. Oct. 20 at L-B High School. The district title match is also at 6 p.m. Oct. 22 at Liberty-Benton. In Div. V, the top-seeded Crimson Flashes host No. 7 Clear Fork (5-15) at 6 p.m. Oct. 16. Willard will then host a nightcap of No. 4 Edison (8-11) rematching with No. 5 Western Reserve (8-8) at 7:30 p.m. The Chargers won a five-set match in Collins on Sept. 15. The winner of those two matches then face off in a 7:30 p.m. district semifinal on Oct. 21 at Seneca East. The opposite side of the bracket has the No. 4 Paulding (15-4) and No. 2 Liberty-Benton (14-5) winner from Oct. 16 taking on No. 3 Tontogany Otsego (13-7) at 6 p.m. Oct. 21 at Kalida High School. The district title match is also in Kalida at 6 p.m. Oct. 23. In Div. VI, New London is a No. 3 seed in the Shelby district. The Wildcats (11-9) face No. 5 Mansfield Christian (11-9) at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 16 at Buckeye Central in a sectional final. That match follows No. 1 Buckeye (16-4) taking on No. 8 Bucyrus Wynford (5-14). Those two winners then have a 6 p.m. district semifinal on Oct. 21 at Shelby. A year ago, the 'Cats upset Buckeye in a thrilling five-set district final. The other side of the bracket includes Nos. 1 Van Buren (15-4) and No. 2 Carey (14-5). Those two would potentially play in a district semifinal at Hopewell-Loudon on Oct. 21 before shifting over to Shelby for the district title match at 6 p.m. Oct. 23 against the winner of New London's side of the bracket. Also in Div. VI, South Central (7-12) is the No. 6 seed and takes on No. 4 Seneca East (7-12) at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 16 at Colonel Crawford. The No. 2 Eagles (13-7) host No. 7 Bucyrus (6-13) in the 6 p.m. sectional title match. Those two winners would play at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 21 in a district semifinal at Shelby, following the potential New London/Buckeye Central matchup. The district championship is on Oct. 23 at Wapakoneta, where top-seeded and state power New Bremen (18-2) likely awaits. ------------------------------------- OHSAA volleyball district pairingsDIVISION IIIFindlay Liberty-Benton districtOct. 13Sectional semifinalsNo. 9 Holland Springfield (0-18) at No. 1 Lima Shawnee (14-5), 6 p.m.Oct. 15Sectional finals at Lima Shawnee or DefianceNo. 5 Elida (8-13) at No. 4 Defiance (7-12), 7:30 p.m.Shawnee-Springfield winner vs. No. 8 Lima Senior (9-10), 6 p.m.Sectional finals at LexingtonNo. 4 Ontario (12-8) vs. No. 3 Norwalk (10-9), 6 p.m.No. 7 Mansfield Madison (5-14) vs. No. 2 Lexington (16-3), 7:30 p.m.Oct. 20District semifinals at Liberty-BentonShawnee-Springfield-Lima Senior winner vs. Defiance-Elida winner, 6 p.m.District semifinals at WillardNorwalk-Ontario winner vs. Madison-Lexington winner, 7:30 p.m.Oct. 22District championship at Liberty-BentonTeams TBD, 6 p.m. DIVISION VKalida districtOct. 16Sectional finals at WillardNo. 7 Clear Fork (5-15) at No. 1 Willard (15-3), 6 p.m.No. 4 Edison (8-11) vs. No. 5 Western Reserve (8-8), 7:30 p.m.Sectional finals at Liberty-BentonNo. 4 Paulding (15-4) vs. No. 2 Liberty-Benton (14-5), 6 p.m.Oct. 21District semifinals at KalidaLiberty-Benton-Paulding winner vs. No. 3 Tontogany Otsego (13-7), 6 p.m.District semifinals at Seneca EastWillard-Clear Fork winner vs. Edison-Western winner, 7:30 p.m.Oct. 23District championship at KalidaTeams TBD, 6 p.m. DIVISION VIShelby districtOct. 16Sectional finals at Buckeye CentralNo. 8 Wynford (5-14) vs. No. 1 Buckeye Central (16-4), 6 p.m.No. 5 Mansfield Christian (11-9) vs. No. 3 New London (11-9), 7:30 p.m.Sectional finals at Van BurenNo. 8 Northwood (4-15) vs. No. 1 Van Buren (15-4), 6 p.m.No. 7 Woodmore (5-15) vs. No. 2 Carey (14-5), 7:30 p.m.Oct. 21District semifinals at ShelbyWynford-BC winner vs. Christian-NL winner, 6 p.m.District semifinals at Hopewell-LoudonVan Buren-Northwood winner vs. Woodmore-Carey winner, 7:30 p.m.Oct. 23District championship at ShelbyTeams TBD, 6 p.m. Wapakoneta districtOct. 16Sectional finals at New BremenNo. 8 Perry (2-17) vs. No. 1 New Bremen (18-2), 6 p.m.No. 7 Allen East (7-16) vs. No. 2 Minster (11-9), 7:30 p.m.Sectional finals at Colonel CrawfordNo. 7 Bucyrus (6-13) vs. No. 2 Colonel Crawford (13-7), 6 p.m.No. 6 South Central (7-12) vs. No. 4 Seneca East (7-12), 7:30 p.m.Oct. 21District semifinals at WapakonetaPerry-New Bremen winner vs. Allen East-Minster winner, 6 p.m.District semifinals at ShelbyCrawford-Bucyrus winner vs. SE-South Central winner, 7:30 p.m.Oct. 23District championship at WapakonetaTeams TBD, 6 p.m. DIVISION VIIArchbold districtOct. 15Sectional finals at StrykerNo. 5 Edgerton (11-9) vs. No. 3 Stryker (11-7), 6 p.m.Sectional finals at St. PaulNo. 6 St. Mary Central Catholic (6-14) vs. No. 2 St. Paul (13-6), 6 p.m.No. 5 Cardinal Stritch (12-6) vs. No. 4 Danbury (10-10), 7:30 p.m.Oct. 20District semifinals at ClydeSt. Paul-SMCC winner vs. Danbury-Stritch winner, 7:30 p.m.District semifinals at ArchboldStryker-Edgerton winner vs. No. 1 Edon (15-5), 6 p.m.Oct. 22District championship at ArchboldTeams TBD, 6 p.m. Clyde districtOct.15Sectional finals at Fremont SJCCNo. 7 Toledo Horizon Science vs. No. 2 Fremont SJCC (17-3), 7:30 p.m.Sectional finals at MohawkNo. 4 Hopewell-Loudon (6-12) vs. No. 2 Mohawk (15-4), 6 p.m.N. 7 Plymouth (3-17) vs. No. 3 Old Fort (13-4), 7:30 p.m.Oct. 20District semifinals at ClydeScience-SJCC winner vs. No. 1 Monroeville (17-2), 6 p.m.District semifinals at Seneca EastMohawk-HL winner vs. Old Fort-Plymouth winner, 7:30 p.m.Oct.22District championship at ClydeTeams TBD, 6 p.m.