District athletic boards throughout Ohio released their boys basketball tournament pairings, Sunday.
In the Southeast District, divisions two, three and four have been announced, with the few Division 1 schools located in the geographic area of the district, being moved to play in the Central District tournaments.
Chillicothe and Teays Valley are among area teams that will play in the Central District tournaments.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions there will be no high school tournament basketball games at the Ohio University Convocation Center for the 2021 season.
In the Southeast District, the top seeded area teams include #2 Logan Elm, #3 Hillsboro. #4 Waverly and #7 Unioto in Division 2.
Division 3 area tops seeds include #2 Wheelersburg, #3 Eastern Brown, #4 Adena and #6 Piketon.
In Division 4, New Boston is a top seed, with Lucasville Valley #4 and Whiteoak #5.
For complete bracket pairings for each of the Southeast District teams, see the provided links below…..
For complete bracket pairings for teams in the Central District, go to the link below.
Chillicothe Boys will play at Newark in Division 1 on February 23rd at 7pm. Teays Valley will host Dublin Scioto also at 7pm 2/23 in the D-1 tournament.
(OHSAA Update) — If you recall, the Executive Director’s Office removed the regulation last spring that limited coaches in team sports from coaching students from their school teams, and removal of that restriction was extended through August 31, 2020 (coaches in team sports were previously limited to coaching for 10 days between June 1 and July 31).
Member school administrators are reminded that, to ensure students can obtain coaching from their school coach during these uncertain times of the pandemic, the Executive Director’s Office has removed the 10-day limitation between June 1 and July 31 in 2021.
That means coaches in the team sports of baseball, basketball, field hockey, football, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball and volleyball MAY coach students from their school teams without restriction between June 1 and July 31, 2021. This regulation is explained further on page 65 of the 2020-21 OHSAA Handbook under General Sports Regulation 7.5.1. Note that:
1.) Participation under General Sports Regulation 7.5.1 cannot be mandatory;
2.) In the sport of football, only non-contact football is permitted;
3.) General Sports Regulation 8.2.1 should be reviewed since it pertains to out-of-season instruction, which is different than the regulations pertaining to General Sports Regulation 7.5.1;
4.) The 50 percent limitation (General Sports Regulation 7.3.1) must still be observed, and
5.) A similar regulation (General Sports Regulation 7.5.3) has already been in place for the individual sports of bowling, cross country, golf, gymnastics, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field and wrestling.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Many area schools play others from the Central District. The brackets for the Central District teams can be found below the Southeast District brackets.
Girls basketball teams in the Southeast District are learning of their tournament seeds and bracket assignments Sunday, January 31st.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the limited seating requirements at each game site, the Southeast District Athletic Board will be going with a format that has the higher seeded teams hosting games for the sectionals and district semis. The district finals will see neutral sites to host the games.
The same format will also apply to the boys tournaments with their brackets being released February 7th.
No local teams were voted top seeds. Vinton County and Circleville were the highest seeded teams in our immediate area at #2 and #3 respectively. SVC champion Adena was seeded 7th.
Here is a link to the Southeast District Athletic Board website, which allows you to go to the division you want to see. The brackets are scheduled to be uploaded by the district at 3:30pm, January 31st.
An official with the Southeast District Athletic Board has confirmed that no neutral sites will be used for girls and boys tournament basketball until the district championship games.
Southeast District Athletic Board member Mark Rose confirmed to Litter Media’s Mike Smith on Tuesday, that girls and boys sectional tournament basketball games will be hosted by the higher seeded teams in the sectional through district semis.
This will limit the number of teams at any one game site to only two teams, much like what was done during last fall’s volleyball tournament matches to limit the number of participants and fans to the COVID-19 virus.
Rose says the district is seeking neutral sites for the various district basketball championship games and said the district board has ruled-out the used of the Ohio University Convocation Center.
State guidelines limit the number of fans and sporting events to 15% of a gymnasiums’ seating capacity or a maximum of 300 people.
Girls tournament seeds will be released Sunday, January 31st with the boys on the following Sunday.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio High School Athletic Association Board of Directors held its regularly scheduled January meeting Thursday morning. The following are highlights from the meeting. Complete meeting minutes will be posted at OHSAA.org.
The Board was updated by the OHSAA staff regarding the upcoming winter sports tournaments, with adjustments due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The previously established sectional tournament draw meeting dates will stay the same, along with the dates of the state tournaments.
o SWIMMING AND DIVING: The state tournament will remain at C.T. Branin Natatorium in Canton Feb. 24-27, but the format will be adjusted to remove preliminary sessions in swimming and complete each division in one day (timed finals) and allow a minimal number of people on the pool deck. The Division II girls swimming and diving finals will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 24, followed by Division II boys on Thursday, Feb. 25, Division I girls on Friday, Feb. 26 and Division I boys on Saturday, Feb. 27. Two spectators will be permitted for each diving state qualifier, while only one spectator will be permitted for each swimming state qualifier. Also of note, several sectional and district tournaments do not yet have a pool confirmed to host the event.
o GYMNASTICS: The state tournament will remain at Hilliard Bradley High School March 5-6, but the format and some traditional aspects of the state tournament will be adjusted, along with reduced number of spectators.
o BOWLING: The state tournaments will remain at Wayne Webb’s Columbus Bowl February 26-27 (Division II) and March 5-6 (Division I). The number of bowlers on qualifying teams will be reduced from eight to six bowlers per the COVID-19 Guidelines established in the fall. The number of spectators permitted is still to be determined.
o ICE HOCKEY: The state tournament venue is to be determined, as it is not yet known if Nationwide Arena will be able to host the event. Also of note, the two district tournaments in Northeast Ohio will both be held at the Brooklyn Recreation Center instead of having one tournament at Kent State University, which is not able to host the event. Spectator limitations are to be determined.
o WRESTLING: The state tournament will not be held at the Schottenstein Center, which is not able to host the event this year. The OHSAA is seeking three high schools, preferably in Central Ohio due to travel considerations, to each host a division. The district and state tournaments will include split sessions, with seven weight classes competing at a time, followed by a break and then the other seven weight classes. Spectator limitations are to be determined.
o BASKETBALL: The regional and state tournament sites are all to be determined. It is not yet known which of the previously announced sites will permit events to be held at their venue, or which will allow spectators. The OHSAA intends to use neutral sites for the regional tournaments
– The board approved the 2021 football regulations, which include adjustments due to the 2021 regular-season beginning a week earlier so that the playoffs can be expanded (as announced in May 2020:https://www.ohsaa.org/Sports/News/ohsaa-to-expand-football-playoffs-in-2021). Of note, schools may fulfill two of the required five acclimatization days in July in advance of official practice beginning on Sunday, August 1. Two scrimmages will be permitted between August 6-14. Either or both of the scrimmages may be conducted as jamboree games. The first Friday of the regular-season is August 20 and the regular-season will conclude on October 23, followed by six weeks of playoffs instead of five weeks (top 12 teams in each regional will qualify for the postseason).
– The board tabled a proposal from the Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches (OATCCC) to expand the track and field tournament to four divisions. At this time, the OHSAA’s focus is to conduct the 2021 season and tournament series, as a number of issues still need to be discussed regarding a potential expansion to four divisions. The site of the 2021 state tournament is still to be determined.
– Per OHSAA Constitution Article 6-1-9 (temporary suspension of strict compliance due to the COVID-19 pandemic), the board ratified a modification to waive the OHSAA scholarship bylaw for the remainder of the 2020-21 school year and the start of the 2021-22 school year, meaning all student-athletes are eligible insofar as OHSAA academic standards are concerned. Individual schools are permitted to maintain their own minimum academic standards for student-athletes.
– The Board reviewed the list of recent infractions by OHSAA member schools. Since the Board’s last meeting, consequences were issued to four schools for violations of OHSAA bylaws or sports regulations. The list of infractions will be included in the complete Board meeting minutes posted at OHSAA.org.
– The board approved Joe Siefke, Superintendent of Lisbon Exempted Village School District, to serve as an interim Class A representative on the Northeast District Athletic Board.
– The board approved recommendations for the 2021 OHSAA Naismith Award for Meritorious Service to Mary Jo Huisman from the Southwest District and the late Dave Young from the Southeast District.
The Big 10 voted to place Ohio State in its football championship game after meeting Wednesday. The comes the day after Michigan was forced to cancel their game with the Buckeyes Tuesday due to a high number of COVID-19 cases in its program.
In a release by the BIG 10 Conference on its twitter page: “The decision was based on a competitive analysis which determined Ohio State would have advanced to the Big Ten Football Championship Game on its undefeated record and head-to-head victory over Indiana regardless of a loss against Michigan.”
The Chillicothe High School Athletics Hall of Fame Committee announces the 2020 Class of new inductees into the Chillicothe Athletics Hall of Fame. The class is made up of four individuals and one recognized with the Award of Merit.
Those inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame include:
Rey Bradley, an educator for 35 years and former longtime Chillicothe Teacher, Coach and served as Athletic Director before his death in 2011. He was a graduate of Virginia State College.
Heather Rose Beamer, a 2003 CHS graduate Heather was All-Ohio in 2002 finishing 4th in the state and was the 2002 Ohio Junior Girls Golf Champion. She golfed collegiately at Michigan State University where she’s listed in the Top-10 best stroke total all-time.
Anthony “Humpty” Hitchens, a 2008 CHS graduate and 1st Team Division II All-Ohioan, 2008 Southeast District Player of the Year and a member of the 2008 Ohio Division II State Boys Basketball Champions. Hitchens played basketball at the University of Akron and James Madison University.
Seth Dawes, a 2009 graduate and All-Ohioan, Four-time All Southeast District and 2009 SEOAL MVP in Baseball, and a member of the 2008 Ohio Division II State Boys Basketball Champions. Dawes played baseball at Xavier University.
Recognized with the Award of Merit for his longtime contributions to Chillicothe Athletics as football and basketball scoreboard operator, Scott Merrill.
Chillicothe High School Athletic Director Mike Barren indicates a recognition ceremony is tentatively scheduled to be held on the night of January 30, 2021 in connection with the CHS boys basketball game with St. Charles Prep School.
Frontier Athletic Conference Commissioner, Terri Tutt, visited with Litter Media’s Dan Ramey to discuss the pandemic’s affect on the Winter Sports season and the dilemma facing the Chillicothe Cavaliers seasons being suspended until January 5, 2021.
Tutt talks about the pandemic and its affect on the FAC and compares the wide spread postponements with the blizzards of the 1970s.
Much like in the fall, winter sports’ regular season games can be played right up to the week of the state championships.
Tutt also discusses the rescheduling Chillicothe will need to do because of suspending their seasons and the potential difficulties placed on swimming and bowling if fitness centers are closed,
Tutt shares what she learned from the FAC schools’ handling of the Fall Seasons and upcoming conference discussions.
November 20th, the Ross County Health District released an open letter cautioning citizens about the amount of new COVID-19 cases reported to the Health District offices (484 since November 1st and over 700 in October) and the deaths of 56 residents due to the coronavirus as a concern for a potential increase in hospitalizations. “We face an uncertain future with a decrease in hospital capacity and limited staffing” stated the letter.
This week, RCHD made a recommendation to the county school districts regarding youth sports and extra curricular activities. In a release (see below) to local schools Wednesday, RCHD recommended “the postponement of winter youth sports games/competitions and extracurricular activities for schools in our jurisdiction. This recommendation is a mitigation strategy aimed at reducing the severity and lowering harm. This is a not a cancellation, but a postponement to help get us through the holiday season.”
Of Ross County’s districts, only Chillicothe City Schools took the RCHD’s recommendation, suspending athletic competitions and extra curricular activities until January 5, 2021.
By placing their seasons on hold, Chillicothe High School and Middle School Athletic Departments have begun rescheduling games. CHS AD Mike Barren told Litter Media Wednesday afternoon he’s rescheduling as many of the games he can, with priority given to the games in the Frontier Athletic Conference. At the varsity level, that means the Boys and Girls Basketball teams will miss the entire first round of FAC play, five games each, plus six non-conference Girls games, four Boys games, ten Bowling matches, six Swim Meets and two Wrestling Meets.
RCHD explained “We certainly understand the impact of our recommendations, but the health district is looking at the totality of the situation. Case counts are just one factor that we must take into consideration when formulating our recommendations. Outpatient visits, emergency department visits, hospital admissions, and Intensive Care Unit bed availability in our region are all reaching critical levels. We do not make this recommendation lightly but do so to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 within our schools and communities.”
The recommendation is effective immediately and will last until January 1, 2021.
“At that time, we will reassess the situation and evaluate the data to determine whether the recommendation shall continue” stated the release. “This is not an order, but a recommendation and it has been made in consultation with our school leaders.”
