Four teams remain No. 2 ahead of tourney draw

The Ohio High School Athletic Association's girls basketball statewide tournament draw is set for this Sunday. This season marked the third year that the MaxPreps Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) data rankings are being used to determine seeding for the district tournaments. The RPI formula was recommended by the Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association, adopted by the OHSAA, and is calculated using scores entered into MaxPreps. The formula is comprised of 40 percent winning percentage, 40 percent opponent's winning percentage, and 20 percent opponent's opponent's winning percentage. The school groupings are determined by the Northwest District Athletic Board, which divides its schools into smaller groups. New this season, similar to soccer and volleyball in the fall, teams put into groups will have their choice between two districts. In Div. III, Norwalk (15-5) is locked in to the No. 2 in its group behind Ashland (18-1), which it faced in a district title game last season at Buckeye Central High School. Other teams in the group in order of current rankings include Tiffin Columbian (12-7), Mansfield Madison (11-8), Ontario (8-12), Sandusky (3-13), and Mansfield Senior (0-18). The Truckers also have head-to-head wins over the Tornadoes, Rams, and Blue Streaks. Sectional final games are set for Feb. 19. District games will be played on Feb. 24 and Feb. 28. The Truckers will have the option of returning to Buckeye Central or making the long trek to Columbus Grove. The other group of schools Norwalk could potentially face at the Buckeye Central site includes the Toledo teams: Central Catholic (13-6), Notre Dame (10-9), St. Ursula (7-13), Rogers (8-8), Bowsher (6-14), Scott (2-15), Holland Springfield (2-19), and Waite (1-15). The group of teams who will be at the Columbus Grove site in order of their current ranking includes Celina (13-7), Maumee (12-7), Lima Shawnee (11-6), Defiance (8-10), Elida (10-8), Wapakoneta (7-12), Lima Senior (8-8), and Bowling Green (5-13). The Div. V sectional finals are set for Feb. 21, with district games again on Feb. 24 and Feb. 28. In Group B, Willard (16-3) remains second behind Clear Fork (16-3), which it lost to in the district championship last season. The rest of the group includes Oak Harbor (14-4), Eastwood (10-7), Port Clinton (8-10), Huron (7-13), Edison (6-12), and Galion (5-13). The Crimson Flashes are designated for either Defiance or Lakota for the district round. The other group will include Ottawa-Glandorf (20-0), Delta (16-3), Archbold (16-4), Paulding (18-2), Bluffton (11-9), Elmwood (7-11), Swanton (4-14), and Tontogany Otsego (3-15). In Div. VI, New London (17-3) is second behind Margaretta (18-1) in Group B. Other teams include Gibsonburg (13-4), Woodmore (13-5), Western Reserve (11-8), Lakota (6-11), and Monroeville (5-13). Potential district sites include Napoleon or Fremont Ross. The other groups eligible for the Napoleon site include Patrick Henry (15-3), Ottawa Hills (13-6), Evergreen (9-9), Toledo Christian (9-9), Liberty Center (8-10), Defiance Tinora (4-16), Montpelier (1-16), and Northwood (3-15). At Fremont, the other group would include Colonel Crawford (16-2), Bucyrus Wynford (14-5), Mansfield Christian (11-6), Crestview (11-7), Buckeye Central (4-14), South Central (4-15), and Bucyrus (1-17). In Div. VII, sectional games are on Feb. 18 and Feb. 21, with district games slated for Feb. 25 and Feb. 28. Group E has St. Paul (9-11) currently in the second position behind North Baltimore (15-2) and ahead of Danbury (9-8) thanks to a head-to-head win. The rest of the group includes Old Fort (9-10), St. Mary Central Catholic (9-8), Maumee Valley Country Day (6-12), Cardinal Stritch (5-15), Fremont SJCC (2-15), and Toledo Horizon Science Academy (0-3). The Flyers can choose between Archbold and Gibsonburg for district sites. The other group eligible for Gibsonburg includes Seneca East (14-6), Arcadia (13-5), Tiffin Calvert (11-6), Mohawk (8-11), Lucas (8-10), Hopewell-Loudon (6-12), Crestline (4-15), Plymouth (2-17), and New Riegel (0-18). At Archbold, the other eligible group includes Stryker (16-3), Edon (15-5), Fayette (13-5), Edgerton (11-7), Pettisville (7-12), Defiance Ayersville (5-14), North Central (6-12), Hilltop (5-15), and Holgate (0-19).