Scheduling error gives SBC teams a rare Friday off

Tiffin Columbian athletic director Bill Beaston was looking over basketball schedules this fall and discovered a lengthy gap between the end of the regular season and sectional play. The Sandusky Bay Conference Lake and Bay divisions were facing an unwanted break before the tournament began. "Being a former coach, I noticed that right away and knew our coaches wouldn't be happy about that," said Beaston, who is in first year as Columbian's AD. "I said, 'We gotta fix it.' " As a result of Beaston's alert discovery, the SBC Lake and Bay divisions get a rare Friday night off this week due to the scheduling glitch. Games originally scheduled for Friday were moved to the last week of the regular season. The SBC, in an attempt to lock in quality game officials, books its schedules about two years in advance. This season's schedules were compiled in late 2021 and early 2022. Looking at past history, the league's athletic directors determined when the sectional tournaments were likely to start. But they were off one week. "When we did the schedule almost two years ago, we looked at the state tournament, and based on history we would've been fine," Port Clinton athletic director Rick Dominick said. "But then the sectional backed up. "We looked at past history of when it would be and guessed from there. We guessed wrong." Dominick was grateful that Beaston discovered the issue. "He brought it to our attention: 'Guys, the Northwest District backed up the sectional tournament. If we stop where we are now we could have at least 10 days even if you don't take a bye,' " Dominick said. Conference coaches were polled about the issue and were adamant about not wanting a long gap between the end of the regular season and the start of tournament play. The solution was a no-brainer. "This week's games were moved to the end of the season simply so we wouldn't have that two-week period off before sectionals," Margaretta AD Drew Grahl said. "We thought that was the best way to fix it." Beaston said the SBC will have the same issue next season, but decided to move previously scheduled league games on Christmas week in 2024 to the end of the season. "It gives everyone flexibility," he said. "If you want to play in a holiday tournament you don't have a league game that conflicts." Dominick said that when this season's schedule was finalized, the OHSAA might not have had firm season dates because of the boys and girls state finals moving from Ohio State to Dayton. "When we did the schedule (the tournament) might not have even been on the calendar yet," Dominick said. "They were in a state of flux of where they were gonna play." There was talk of leaving the schedule in its original form so the final week could be used for makeup games postponed by inclement weather. But the SBC went for the sure thing. The end result was that each Lake and Bay team's final opponent will be the team they were scheduled to open with under the original schedule. The SBC River Division was not affected because that division has more teams than the Lake and Bay. Friday's River boys schedule includes Danbury at New Riegel and St. Mary Central Catholic at Fremont SJCC. There are several quality nonconference boys games scheduled for Saturday, including Perkins at Willard and Mansfield Senior at Sandusky. Saturday's girls slate features a full list of SBC matchups, including Norwalk at Sandusky, Perkins at Columbian and Margaretta at Port Clinton. Before playing on Saturday, Margaretta's boys will have their second straight Friday off because the Polar Bears originally were scheduled to play Oak Harbor last Friday (and Edison this week). The OH game was rescheduled to February 17 because of the Rockets' football playoff run. "In 18 years as an AD, I don't think we've ever had two Fridays off in a row (during basketball season)," Grahl said. ----- Area weekend schedule FRIDAY Boys basketball Danbury at New Riegel St. Mary CC at Fremont St. Joseph Plymouth at Monroeville SATURDAY Boys basketball Ashland at Clyde Edison at Wynford Mansfield Senior at Sandusky Margaretta at Calvert Norwalk at Olmsted Falls Perkins at Willard Girls basketball Danbury at Old Fort Edison at Vermilion Huron at Willard Margaretta at Port Clinton Norwalk at Sandusky Perkins at Columbian