Monday Mailbag: NWC, sectional hoops

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

This week’s Monday Mailbag features questions about the newest additions to the Northwest Conference and a change involving sectional basketball sites.

Q: I’m interested to hear what you think about the additions of Lima Central Catholic and Fort Loramie to the NWC. Name withheld upon request

A: I think given the circumstances and remaining options, this was probably the best possible solution.

I am a little surprised Lima Central Catholic was invited as a full time member. I know the Thunderbirds were voted out about 10 years ago but times are different now and circumstances are different. However, I did think they would be invited as a football-only member. I do think it will be a good fit overall.

As for Fort Loramie, it’s not official yet but it should be tonight. The school reached out to the NWC about football-only membership months ago and I’d be shocked if their school board doesn’t approve it tonight.

Geographically it’s probably not the best fit, but it’s not horrible either. From Fort Loramie to Crestview or vice-versa it’s about an hour and 10 minute drive. Spencerville is the closest school, about 40 minutes away. Everyone else is roughly an hour away. But Fort Loramie ensures a full conference football schedule, they have a conference title to play for and I think both schools make the NWC more competitive. All things considered, it’s probably a win-win.

Q: Why didn’t the NWC invite Wayne Trace and Paulding to join, and why didn’t they push Delphos St. John’s and Parkway harder? It could have been a 12 team conference with two divisions. Name withheld upon request

A: Paulding left the conference in 2021 and I’m not sure why they’d come back, especially so soon. From all indications, Paulding is happy in the GMC, as is Wayne Trace. Why would either of them want to move, given travel time, competitiveness, etc?

As far as Delphos St. John’s and Parkway, all the pushing in the world wouldn’t have made a difference. Both schools considered an invitation and decided to do what they thought was best for their respective athletic programs, which was to stay in the MAC.

Q: What are your thoughts on the change in sectional basketball? Why make a change and give higher seeds an even bigger advantage with home court? Name withheld upon request

A: You’re referring to the decision by the Northwest District Athletic Board’s decision to switch from neutral sites to the higher seed hosting sectional semifinal and finals games in boys and girls basketball.

To be blunt, I think a mountain is being made out of a mole hill.

If I’m not mistaken, the other three districts in Ohio (southwest, northeast and southeast) have had the higher seed host sectional basketball games for many years now.

The most common argument I’ve heard against the change is it will kill the atmosphere and eliminate doubleheaders at sites. Let’s think about this objectively for a moment – when’s the last time you truly saw a gym full or sold out for sectionals? I’m not saying it doesn’t happen but if/when it does, it’s pretty rare. Crowds tend to pick up dramatically at districts and there’s no change there – district games will be played a neutral sites.

If anything, having the higher seed host games might actually increase the size of crowds, at least for the home team.

I’m going to use this as an example – in February, 2022, Van Wert and Elida met in the Division II girls sectional semifinals. Remember where it was? It was at Ayersville High School. Now, Ayersville has a fine facility, no complaints there at all. But it makes no geographic sense for two schools 30 minutes apart to travel to a site like that and I have no doubt that some fans probably thought twice about going, especially with February travel conditions. I can bring up plenty of other examples, but I hope you get the point.

If any coaches out there think differently, I’m certainly open to hearing their thoughts.

If you have a question or comment for the next Monday Mailbag, please email it to sports@thevwindependent.com.