Girls take center stage in district play
Monday, February 17, 2025
Staff Reports
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Whetstone’s Caniya Woods battles through Canal Winchester’s Lily Kissinger (left) and Ashley Cicora on Feb. 17, 2025, at Whetstone. Canal Winchester won the District III district semi-final 46-40. Photo: John Hulkenberg
This season’s OHSAA basketball tournament for both boys and girls is going to look a lot different. First, there are now seven divisions in high school play. The way that the teams were ranked going into the tournament draws was also updated using a combined system of competitive balance and the strength of a team’s opponents.
On the girls’ side of the ledger, there will be five district champs in Division I. That means that there could be two Central Ohio teams emerging from regional play to compete at the DI state tournament. Upper Arlington and Grove City, seeds 1 and 3, respectively, chose to take their chances at the Fairborn regional against southwestern Ohio opponents.
Canal Winchester’s Pierce Cephas tries to get by Whetstone’s Michelle Pierce on Feb. 17, 2025, at Whetstone. Canal won 46-40 during the Indians’ 46-40 DIII district semi-final victory. Photo: John Hulkenberg
One of the other changes this season is that games have once again been scheduled at the Ohio Expo Center, or as basketball fans know it from years gone by, the Fairgrounds Coliseum. In addition to a slew of district championship tilts at the Fairgrounds, the other four Division 1 district champions will play each other in the regionals there.
The number one seeds in the Central District this season are Upper Arlington (DI), Big Walnut (DII), Centennial (DIII), Buckeye Valley (DIV), Johnstown (DV), Newark Catholic (DVI), and Fisher Catholic (DVII). Earlier this month, Centennial won the City League championship, topping two-time defending state champion Africentric.
Whetstone’s Caniya Woods shoots a free throw against Canal Winchester on Feb. 17, 2025, during the District III semi-final contest at Whetstone. Photo: John Hulkenberg
Big games this week are Hilliard Darby (9) at Olentangy Berlin (8), Amanda-Clearcreek (4) at North Union (2), and Centennial (1) vs. Granville (2) at the Ohio Expo Center on Wednesday; Bishop Watterson (4) vs. Westerville Central (6) at the Ohio Expo Center on Thursday; and Worthington Kilbourne (3) vs. Mount Vernon (5) at the Ohio Expo Center on Friday.
In addition, there will be five DI district final games at the Ohio Expo Center Saturday beginning at 10:00 a.m. and finishing with an 8:30 p.m. contest. To see all of the Columbus-area brackets, go to the OHSAA Central District webpage.
Whetstone junior La’nyiah Allen cheers for the Braves during Canal Winchester’s DIII district semi-final win on Feb. 17, 2025. Photo: John Hulkenberg