Cougars, Lancers ranked in final poll

Van Wert independent sports

Van Wert County finished with a pair of state-ranked baseball teams in the final 2021 poll issued by Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association.

Van Wert (21-6) finished the season tied with Hillsboro for No. 16 in Division II. The Cougars finished as Western Buckeye League co-champions with Defiance. The Bulldogs are ranked No. 5 in the final poll and one other WBL school, Shawnee, is ranked 12^th.

In Division IV, Lincolnview (19-8) is tied with Fort Loramie for the No. 6 spot. It’s the third consecutive year the Lancers have finished ranked No. 6 or higher. Lincolnview was No. 5 in 2018 and No. 2 in 2019.

Other area teams ranked in the final OHSBCA poll include Tinora (No. 8, Division III), Coldwater (No. 12, Division III), New Bremen (No. 11, Division IV), Antwerp (No. 13, Division IV), Ayersville (No. 14, Division IV), St. Henry (No. 18, Division IV) and Kalida (No. 20, Division IV).