{"id":190307,"date":"2025-03-03T21:58:12","date_gmt":"2025-03-04T02:58:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/?p=190307"},"modified":"2025-03-03T21:58:18","modified_gmt":"2025-03-04T02:58:18","slug":"random-thoughts-tourney-thoughts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/2025\/03\/03\/random-thoughts-tourney-thoughts\/","title":{"rendered":"Random Thoughts: tourney thoughts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

SCOTT TRUXELL\/<\/strong>independent sports<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This week\u2019s installment of Random Thoughts centers around a busy Friday night, girls state semifinals, a rushed process and good luck wishes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One night, two games, two divisions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Friday night will be a busy one indeed at the Elida Fieldhouse. Not one, but two girls basketball state semi-final games will be played there. At 6 p.m., Columbus Grove and Minster will square off in the Division VI semifinal game, then at 8:30 p.m., it\u2019s Ottoville and defending state champion Fort Loramie in the Division VII semifinal game. If you\u2019re going for the second game, be patient. It\u2019s going to take a bit to park, clear out the gym after the first game etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

State semifinals<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you look at the list of girls basketball state semifinal games, 14 games spread out over seven divisions, 13 of them are being played in high school gyms. The only one being played in a college arena is a Division IV state semifinal game between Fairfield Union and Kettering Archbishop Alter. That game will be played at Ohio Dominican University. Mansfield Sr. High School is hosting three games, Elida two, and St. Marys Memorial is hosting a game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is what many fans were afraid of when the new, expanded format was announced. Instead of a true final four experience with all semifinal and championship games being played at one venue, such as UD Arena, games are spread out all over the place, with just one at a college arena. Now, let me say this \u2013 the high school facilities I noted \u2013 Elida, St. Marys Memorial and Mansfield Sr. are outstanding facilities. I\u2019ve been to each of them so I can vouch personally for them. I also commend the athletic departments at those schools for stepping up and hosting those games. I\u2019ll go as far to say the other schools on the list are no doubt fine facilities. Some I\u2019ve been to, some I haven\u2019t but still, they are willing and able to host games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Again, with no disrespect intended to any host site, it\u2019s not the same as playing at UD Arena and prior to that, the Schottenstein Center and St. John Arena. I know each site will do their very best to give players and fans the best experience they possibly can. I have no issue with any site or any athletic department that chose to offer their facilities for these games. I can\u2019t stress that enough. You can\u2019t force a site to host. We\u2019ve had this discussion during playoff football time. It\u2019s a big undertaking and if a site can\u2019t do it or doesn\u2019t want to, that\u2019s the end of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Rushed<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I don\u2019t recall any big push by coaches or anyone else to expand from four to seven divisions in girls and\/or boys basketball. When the idea was first brought up by the Ohio High School Athletic Association, you knew it was going to happen. Yes, there was talk it was being studied etc., but it was just a matter of time. It turns out a very short amount of time. Last year, there were four divisions and right around state tournament time, the expansion was announced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strictly my opinion, but if expansion was going to happen, the OHSAA should have waited at least a year, maybe even two to implement the plan. That would have given everyone involved more time to figure out things such as venues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other words, this whole thing was unnecessarily rushed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good luck<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best of luck to Van Wert\u2019s Breese Bollenbacher, who will return to action at the OHSAA Wrestling State Tournament this Thursday. Teammate Owen Bates will serve as an alternate and could see action as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best of luck to Van Wert bowler Reagan Horine, who won the district as an indidivual and qualified for the state championship match in Columbus on Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you consider the Van Wert boys bowling team made it to state along with four swimmers, it\u2019s been a pretty good winter at VWHS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As always, if you have thoughts or comments on any of the above topics, feel free to email me at sports@thevwindependent.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SCOTT TRUXELL\/independent sports This week\u2019s installment of Random Thoughts centers around a busy Friday night, girls state semifinals, a rushed process and good luck wishes. One night, two games, two divisions Friday night will be a busy one indeed at the Elida Fieldhouse. Not one, but two girls basketball state semi-final games will be played […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-190307","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sports"],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-08-04 17:23:19","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190307","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=190307"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190307\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":190308,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190307\/revisions\/190308"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=190307"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=190307"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=190307"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}