COLUMBUS – The Licking Valley baseball team is chasing a second straight state championship, and the Panthers now have a clear route to the title. Valley (17-3), which moved down from Division III to Division IV, secured the No. 2 seed during the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s Central District tournament draw on May 10. Meanwhile, Northridge in Division V is enjoying a strong season, and Newark Catholic in Division VII hopes to reach the state final again; both earned No. 1 seeds.
Valley kicks off its postseason by hosting either No. 9 Bishop Ready or No. 12 Marion-Franklin in a district semifinal on May 27. A victory would send the Panthers to a district final at 5 p.m. on May 29 at Denison, where they could face No. 3 Buckeye Valley or No. 5 Heath.
Licking Valley holds the No. 2 seed in Division IV for the Central District tournament.
Heath (11-10) hosts No. 7 Lakewood (7-14) at 2 p.m. on May 23. The winner would likely travel to Buckeye Valley for a district semifinal on May 27. Johnstown (8-11) is the No. 6 seed and hosts No. 8 River Valley at 2 p.m. on May 23. A win could set up a trip to No. 4 Highland for a district semifinal on May 27.
The top-seeded Vikings (12-7) in Division V host either No. 11 Utica or No. 12 North Union in a district semifinal at 5 p.m. on May 26. Utica (5-18) hosts North Union at 2 p.m. on May 23. The district semifinal winner advances to a district final at 5 p.m. on May 28 at Beavers Field in Lancaster, potentially facing No. 4 Mount Gilead.
Newark Catholic is the No. 1 seed in Division VII for the Central District tournament. The top-seeded Green Wave (14-6) host either No. 4 Shekinah Christian or No. 8 Madison Christian at 2 p.m. on May 23. With a win, NC would host a district semifinal on May 27 against either No. 9 Liberty Christian (5-10) or No. 11 Northside Christian. The potential district final is set for 10 a.m. on May 29 at Beavers Field, with No. 2 Fairfield Christian and No. 3 Ridgedale as possible opponents.
Newark (17-3) is the No. 7 seed in Division I and plays No. 12 Hilliard Darby in a district semifinal on May 26 at Dublin Coffman. The winner plays either No. 6 Coffman or No. 8 Lancaster in a district final at 5 p.m. on May 28, with the highest remaining seed hosting.
Watkins Memorial (12-8) is the No. 4 seed in Division II and hosts either No. 9 Dublin Scioto or No. 18 Mifflin in a district semifinal on May 26. A win would put the Warriors at home against either No. 5 Worthington Kilbourne or No. 12 Mount Vernon for a district final at 5 p.m. on May 28. Licking Heights (5-12) is the No. 14 seed and plays No. 15 Briggs in a district semifinal on May 27 at New Albany, with the winner likely facing the No. 1 Eagles in a district final on May 29.
Granville (11-9) is the No. 6 seed in Division III and hosts No. 14 Whitehall at 2 p.m. on May 23. A win likely sends the Blue Aces to No. 4 Bloom-Carroll for a district semifinal on May 27, with No. 1 Bishop Watterson as a potential district final opponent. Granville Christian (11-8) is the No. 11 seed in Division VI and visits No. 5 Grandview Heights at 2 p.m. on May 23. The winner travels to No. 4 Northmor on May 26 for a district semifinal.
**Softball Brackets Released**
The Division I and II softball brackets were finalized a week after the other five divisions. Watkins Memorial (16-7), aiming for a sixth consecutive district championship, earned the No. 8 seed in Division I and hosts No. 25 Westerville South for a semifinal at 5 p.m. on May 18. A win would send the Warriors into a district final at 5 p.m. on May 21 at London against either No. 12 Dublin Coffman or No. 14 Pickerington North. Lakewood (15-9) is the No. 15 seed.