CLEVELAND, Ohio – The girls basketball postseason began on Feb. 13 across Ohio with sectional games as part of district tournaments.
Here is a preview of each Division III district tournament in the cleveland.com coverage area. Check for information about Division I and Division II. Division III will be available on Monday cleveland.com.
Click on each district name for the updated bracket.
CRESTON DISTRICT
Teams: 1. Lake Ridge Academy, 2. Kidron Central Christian, 3. Dalton, 4. Rittman, 5. Mogadore, 6. Louisville St. Thomas Aquinas, 7. East Canton, 8. Open Door Christian, 9. Rootstown, 10. Our Lady of the Elms, 11. Lake Center Christian, 12. Jeromesville Hillsdale.
Takeaways: Lake Ridge didn’t make it easy for itself when the coaching staff created the schedule, but it should make them one of the strongest contenders. If the Royals find themselves in the district semifinals, Mogadore or Rittman could give them problems. Both teams have done well this season to prepare for the playoffs. Rittman lost to Lake Ridge in the finals.
Lake Ridge, minus a couple of graduating seniors, is the defending champion from a year ago.
Keep an eye out for Central Christian because the team won’t be let down so easily. In five of its six losses, Central Christian lost by an average of 2.6 points. (Last year’s bracket)
cleveland.com prediction
Lake Ridge over Kidron Central Christian
Preparation is one element to winning, but so is being tested and Lake Ridge is ready. I project the Royals to win the district. Lake Ridge played its share of leaders in the area and it will show starting this week.
Who will win the Creston district?
ORWELL DISTRICT
Teams: 1. Cuyahoga Heights, 2. Cornerstone Christian, 3. Windham, 4. Lutheran East, 5. Kinsman Badger, 6. Ashtabula St. John, 7. Bristolville Bristol, 8. Southington Chalker, 9. Maplewood, 10. Newbury, 11. Fairport Harding, 12. Richmond Heights.
Takeaways: Cornerstone Christian should be in good shape to defend its district title. The Patriots had their struggles to start the season, but has slowly put together some wins to have the second seed.
Grace Marino (13.1 ppg) has scored 69 3-pointers to lead Cornerstone in scoring along with Michaela Cloonan (9.5 ppg) and Mickayla Baldwin (9.0 ppg).
However, Windham and Cuyahoga Heights should not be overlooked. Cuyahoga Heights recently clinched its eighth Chagrin Valley Conference league title in the last nine years with a 38-33 win over Cardinal.
Emma Lipkowski (9.1 ppg) leads Cuyahoga Heights in scoring followed by Brooke Wilson (8.1 ppg, 6.4 rpg) and Lexi Martin (6.0 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.2 spg, 4.6 apg) who have been big contributors.
Windham is looking for its first trip to the district finals after falling to Cuyahoga Heights in the district finals in 2014. Lexi Knight from Windham is averaging 19.4 ppg, 6.0 rpg, and 4.4 steals through 22 games. She was a member of the team that went undefeated in the regular season two years ago. (Last year’s bracket)
cleveland.com prediction
Cornerstone Christian over Cuyahoga Heights
Cornerstone was in the state final four last year for a reason and it’s a challenge to overlook the team as a favorite. However, if the Patriots keep it close with Cuyahoga Heights they might give up the game to the CVC champs.
It will be interesting to see what the coaching staffs led by Al Martin (Cuyahoga Heights) and Lisa Stopp (Cornerstone) come up with for this projected matchup.
Who will win the Orwell district?
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