Bellevue, Margaretta have favorable paths to regionals

Bellevue's path to a girls basketball regional — and maybe the state final four — is fairly clear after several high seeds placed their names on other district brackets for this year's state tournament. The bracketing process used by the OHSAA puts teams in groups and allows them to choose one of two districts. Coaches in Divisions III, IV, V, VI and VII placed their teams on brackets during Sunday's draw. Most high seeds chose to avoid Bellevue. In fact, only one other No. 1 seed — Liberty-Benton — is in the Lady Red's regional. Bellevue, the defending Division IV state champion, is the top seed in Northwest District Group B and will be the first area team to begin tournament play when it faces ninth-seeded Lexington at home at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 17. The No. 1 seed in Group A — Liberty-Benton — opted to play in another district, as did No. 2 seeds Genoa and Napoleon. The Lady Red, ranked No. 1 in the state and 18-0 heading into Monday's game against Clay, has only one 3 seed (Lima Bath) and one 4 seed (St. Marys Memorial) in its district, and they both are in the lower half of the bracket. If Bellevue gets past Lexington, it will play sixth-seeded Upper Sandusky in the second round Feb. 21. The district semifinals (Feb. 24) and final (Feb. 28) will be played at Fostoria High School. If Bellevue wins its district and the seeds hold, it would face a No. 8 seed in a regional semifinal in Bluffton. The state semifinals and finals will take place in Dayton on March 12-14. Vermilion, a 5 seed, is the only other area team in Bellevue's district. The Sailors open at home against sixth-seeded Lake on Feb. 21. A Vermilion win likely would pair the Sailors against Bellevue in a district semifinal. Two area Division IV teams in Bellevue's group that chose a different district are third-seeded Clyde and seventh-seeded Perkins, which both open tournament play at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21. Clyde hosts fourth-seeded Shelby while seventh-seeded Perkins visits second-seeded Genoa. Margaretta is ranked No. 1 in the state in Division VI and took a 19-1 record into Monday's home game against Eastwood. The Polar Bears and will tip off the postseason at home at 6 p.m. Feb. 19 against seventh-seeded Monroeville. A win would send the top-seeded Bears into a district semifinal against sixth-seeded Lakota on Feb. 25 at Fremont Ross. The district final, which could pit Margaretta against second-seeded Bucyrus Wynford, is scheduled for 3 p.m. Feb. 28 at Ross. If Margaretta wins its district, it would face the Northwest 1 district champion in a regional semifinal in Bluffton. A pair of No. 2 seeds — Ottawa Hills and New London — are the highest seeds in that district. Norwalk is a No. 2 seed in its Division III district and will play seventh-seeded Mansfield Senior in a tournament opener at 6 p.m. Feb. 19 in Norwalk. Sandusky, a 6 seed, travels to top-seeded Ashland the same day. If the seeds hold, Norwalk would face Ashland in a district semifinal at Buckeye Central at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 24. In Division V, fifth-seeded Edison travels to sixth-seeded Eastwood on Feb. 21 for a 2 p.m. tip. Sixth-seeded Port Clinton visits Oak Harbor on the same day. In another Division V district, seventh-seeded Huron plays at second-seeded Willard on Feb. 21. The winner likely will draw top-seeded Clear Fork in a district semifinal at Lakota High School. In Division VII, fifth-seeded St. Mary Central Catholic will host sixth-seeded Maumee Valley Country Day in a tournament opener at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18. The winner will visit second-seeded Danbury at 2 p.m. Feb. 21. St. Paul, a No. 3 seed, hosts fourth-seeded Old Fort at 2 p.m. Feb. 21.