Ohio high school girls basketball playoffs: A quick analysis of all 16 regions
By Sam Houseworth | Photo by Ben Jackson
Usually, Tuesdays are reserved for looking at which games are going to be the most exciting and impactful in the girls basketball postseason.
But with 16 teams remaining in each of the four divisions, every game is important and every game is impactful with trips to UD Arena on the line. But not all regionals are created equal.
Beginning Tuesday and going throughout the week, it will be time to narrow the field of 64 down to the 16 teams heading to state.
Ohio high school girls basketball brackets, 2022 state playoff matchups
Division 2
Regional Semifinals: Tuesday
Regional Final: Friday
Barberton Regional (Norton vs. West Branch, Salem vs. Canal Fulton Northwest)
The Barberton Regional is arguably the most balanced across all four divisions. West Branch will enter as the slightest of favorites, opening against Metro Athletic Conference champion Norton. The other semifinal between Salem and Northwest is a figurative coin flip. If Salem wins and faces West Branch, it would be their third meeting of the season with Salem winning the first two contests.
Zanesville Regional (Sheridan vs. John Glenn, Vincent Warren vs. Tri-Valley)
Sheridan spent all season in the SBLive Top 25 and for good reason. The Generals came out on top in the Muskingum Valley League and will be the favorites in a regional that features three teams from that conference. The odd one out is Warren, which finished at the top of the East Central Ohio League. The Warriors have the horses to give Sheridan a run and make this regional interesting.
Springfield Regional (Eaton vs. Badin, Granville vs. Kettering Alter)
Eaton's Cinderella run has caught the eyes of southwest Ohio. The Eagles have knocked off a 5 seed, a 3 seed and a pair of 1 seeds to get to the regionals. To see them continue their journey would be poetic. However, none of their previous tests have been Kettering Alter. The GCL Co-Ed champions come in with one blemish, a one-point loss to Hoban in late January. This regional is theirs for the taking.
Mansfield Sr. Regional (Bishop Hartley vs. TCC, Copley vs. Shelby)
The opening contest between Hartley and TCC features two of the best private school programs outside of D-I. As far as regional semifinals go, there may not be a more competitive one in the state. However, Shelby is the likely opponent for the winner of that semifinal. At 26-0, there is no telling how far this team can go.
Division 1
Regional Semifinals: Tuesday
Regional Finals: Saturday
Medina Regional (Massillon Jackson vs. Green, Hoban vs. St. Joseph Academy)
Hoban finished the regular season undefeated and No. 2 in the SBLive Top 25. The Knights were never challenged throughout the sectionals and districts, and it's hard to believe that things will change in the regionals. The Jackson Polar Bears are a solid team playing their best basketball of the season. They could give Hoban a run in the regional final, but don't bet on it.
Cincinnati Regional (Winton Woods vs. Mason, Princeton vs. Mount Notre Dame)
All eyes will be on the back end of the Tuesday doubleheader as Princeton and MND meet for the second time this season. Princeton broke the Cougars' historic win streak before they didn't, and the game was forfeited to Mount Notre Dame earlier this season. The rematch will be tense to say the least. While Mason should have no problem with a scrappy Winton Woods team, the Comets would be the underdog against whoever wins the Princeton/MND rematch. Ohio has three representatives in the McDonald's All-American Game, and all three are in this regional — Winton Woods' Chance Gray, Mason's Kyla Oldacre and Mount Notre Dame's KK Bransford.
Westerville Regional (Dublin Coffman vs. Pickerington Central, Gahanna Lincoln vs. Reynoldsburg)
What a stacked regional, the deepest in the state. That doesn't mean that any team can win it though. Reynoldsburg has been at the top of the SBLive Top 25 most of the season, and there's no reason to believe the Raiders aren't the favorites heading into Westerville. The Dublin Coffman-Pickerington Central game will be the best regional semifinal in the state, having the feel of a college game with the talent on the floor.
Sandusky Regional (Start vs. Highland, Anthony Wayne vs. Olmsted Falls)
Olmsted Falls went unblemished through the best suburban conference in northeast Ohio. Its only two losses came to the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the state by a combined nine points. It doesn't hurt that the Bulldogs avoid some of the powerhouses in northeast Ohio with a favorable draw. Anthony Wayne and Highland have shown flashes of dominance throughout the season, but neither has experienced a team quite like Olmsted Falls.
Division 3
Regional Semifinals: Wednesday
Regional Finals: Saturday
Cuyahoga Falls Regional (Waynedale vs. Youngstown Liberty, Garfield vs. Warrensville Heights)
If you don't know about the Waynedale Golden Bears, this is a great time to get familiar with them. Despite having lost only one game in the past two seasons, the Golden Bears have continued to fly under the radar statewide. The defending regional champion is looking to make back-to-back state appearances this week. Standing in their way is a formidable Warrensville Heights team that is riding a 21-game win streak after an opening-night loss to Bishop Hartley.
Springfield Regional (Pleasant vs. East Clinton, Waynesville vs. Purcell Marian)
We have talked about Purcell Marian all season long. From the early weeks to March, the Lady Cavs have been the favorite to win D-III and nothing has happened to change that belief. The Cavs should roll through this regional, comfortably punching their ticket to Dayton. If there is an upset, it would come in the semifinals, as Waynesville's defense-first style could keep it close. But that would be the biggest upset on the postseason, by a long shot, if it were to happen.
Logan Regional (Fairland vs. Fort Frye, Union Local vs. Wheelersburg)
Down in the mountains is the most competitive region in D-III. Yes, Union Local was a regular in the SBLive Top 25 at the end of the season, but Fort Frye and Fairland were always in the conversation each week. Their semifinal will be a closely contested one. However, the Jets of Union Local spent much of their season going toe-to-toe with West Virginia's best. If they bring that same fire, their next stop will be UD Arena.
Lexington Regional (Margaretta vs. Worthington Christian, Wauseon vs. Ottawa-Glandorf)
Before this past weekend, Liberty-Benton was the heavy favorite to win this regional, given how they constantly went out of conference to butt heads and beat western Ohio's best. However, O-G pulled off one of the biggest upsets in the postseason with a 35-31 win in Saturday's district final. Worthington Christian enters as the slight favorite to win the regional with O-G the expected opponent in the regional final.
Division 4
Regional Semifinals: Thursday
Regional Finals: Saturday
Elida Regional (Columbus Grove vs. Toledo Christian, New Knoxville vs. Convoy Crestview)
Easily the deepest regional in D-IV, fans in northwest Ohio are going to see some excellent basketball Thursday and Saturday at the Elida Fieldhouse. New Knoxville found a home in the SBLive Top 25 in the final weeks of the season en route to a MAC Championship. The Rangers will enter the weekend as the favorite, but it would be foolish to dismiss Toledo Christian, the TAAC Champions.
Vandalia Regional (Tri-Village vs. Danville, Cincinnati Country Day vs. Fort Loramie)
Only two other regions have three teams from the last SBLive Top 25, and both of them are in D-I. Fort Loramie and Tri-Village spent the final weeks in the top 10, while CCD was in the top 25 all season long and defeated a fellow top 25 team, Russia, to get to Vandalia. Despite a tougher semifinal, the defending champions Fort Loramie are the slight favorite, but it would be foolish to count out Tri-Village or CCD.
Pickerington Regional (Trimble vs. Monroe Central, Waterford vs. Berne Union)
Waterford and Trimble finished No. 1 and No. 2 in the Tri-Valley Hocking Division, absolutely dominating the rest of the conference in the process. The two squads split their season series, both earning victories away from home. Waterford looks to be the slight favorite, but there's no doubt that any of the four teams in Pickerington could put together a pair of excellent games and move on to the state semifinals.
Massillon Regional (New Middletown Springfield vs. Buckeye Central, Bristol vs. Dalton)
If you're looking for a lock to get to UD Arena, look at Buckeye Central. The Bucks stormed through the Northern 10, finishing with a perfect record in conference. Out of conference, their only loss came at the hands of another regional team in D-II Shelby. For a dark horse, Dalton has a great team and could challenge the Bucks in the regional final.
