March Madness starts early in the Upper Ohio Valley ever since the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference opted to stop letting the standings select a champion and allowed its teams to earn conference titles on the court.
Twenty games across five classes tip-off this week in the semifinal round for the OVAC Girls’ Basketball Championships.
Winners advance to Saturday’s championship games at Ohio University Eastern while the defeated will square off against one-another Thursday for third-fourth place.
Each class has a favorite, whether this year’s talent or tradition dictates such a designation. Each class is also packed with marquee players from the conference.
It’s the finest the valley has to offer in girls’ high school hoops and the road to the championship begins Monday night.
Here’s a brief rundown of Class AAAAA through A’s matchups.
Class AAAAA
The big question in 5A is will top-ranked Indian Creek and No. 2 Wheeling Park get a chance to battle again after an epic clash on Jan. 13 in Wintersville.
That game saw the Redskins hand the Patriots their first loss of the season in a battle of unbeatens, winning 65-55 after trailing by double digits in the third quarter.
The next three-ranked teams in 5A, Warren (17-1), New Philadelphia (14-3) and Dover (13-4), are not eligible for the tournament because of not playing enough conference games. So, the task to knocking off Park and Creek, respectively, falls to University and Weir, both of which are looking to make the most of this opportunity.
No. 4 Weir at No. 1 Indian Creek
Creek was rolling along till in ran into the buzzsaw that is Union Local, falling in the Buckeye 8 title game for its first loss.
The ‘Skins have regrouped and are looking for their first tournament crown since 2007-2008. That season, Creek beat Weir in the semifinals before knocking of John Marshall in the finals. That season also happens to be the last time the Red Riders made the OVAC tourney.
The top-seeded Redskins boast a balanced scoring attack, led by Kylie Kiger with 14.3 points per game. Posts Mackenzie Taylor (10-4) and Taylor Jones (12.8) form a nice tandem in the paint. Hailey Clark rounds out the leading scorers at 7.8 points a game and is the second 3-point threat behind Kiger. Jones averages a double-double with 10.3 boards a game.
Weir is led by senior guard Sophie Mikula, who earlier this season eclipsed the 1,000-point mark for her career. The Riders have some quality wins, including sweeping Steubenville Big Red. The lone game against the semifinalists was a 71-52 loss against Park.
No. 3 University at No. 2 Wheeling Park
Park recovered from the loss to Creek and finished 15-2, with its only other loss coming against Huntington.
The Patriots have beat University twice this season but aren’t looking at this game as a lock. After all, last season, the Hawks knocked Park out in the first round and are the defending 5A champs.
Wheeling’s diverse offense boasts a couple sharpshooters in Shanley Woods and Lindsay Garrison. Woods leads the way at around 20 points per game, including a career-high 38 with eight 3-pointers against Brooke. Garrison has canned six triples twice in a game and averages aroud 15 ppg. Not to be outdone by the guards, Bella Abernathy scores around 13 a game. Asia Roby and Kieran Johnson are also capable of heating up.
University is led by Ashten Boggs, a first-team all-W.Va. performer in both basketball and volleyballs. Boggs is backed by Mallory Napolillo, and Laura Dean.
Class AAAA
Class 4A is likely the most wide-open of the four classifications. While there are two clear frontrunners in top-ranked Martins Ferry and No. 2 Beaver Local, both St. Clairsville and Oak Glen are capable of getting hot and advancing to Saturday.
The Purple Riders and Beavers have met thrice this season, with Ferry winning two, including most recently in the Buckeye 8 third-place game. The Riders also own two wins against St. Clairsville.
No. 4 Oak Glen at No 1 Martins Ferry
Led by Richelle Spielvogel, Ferry has a balanced attack with inside and outside capabilities. Spielvogel leads the way with 13.4 ppg while Madison Ging hits for 10.6 per contest. Maria Clark leads a bevy of perimeter threats with 35 3-pointers and a 9.4 average. Shayla Schuster 6.8 and Jaden Stalder 6.4 have combined for 38 triples.
Oak Glen will counter with Reece Enochs, a capable scorer and first-team all-stater in soccer. Enochs is complemented by Alexa Andrews and Brittney Giogini, though Andrews suffered an ankle injury against Madonna and her status is up in the air.
No. 3 St. Clairsville at No. 2 Beaver Local
A rematch of last season’s 4A championship which Beaver Local won, 52-51. The Beavers have had St. Clairsville’s number recently in OVAC championship and postseason play, whether it be girls’ basketball or soccer.
If the Red Devils hope to make it to Saturday, they will have to figure out how to do what they couldn’t in last season’s title game—stop senior post Jenna Riccardo.
The all-Ohio and West Liberty signee averages 22 points and 13 rebounds per game, She’s the only Beavers player to average in double figures.
St. Clairsville has a balanced scoring attack with four players averaging at least eight points per game, led by Macy Malin at 14.4 per game. Keri Klinkoski comes in at 12.4 and Katie Strama and Alexis Thoburn each average 8.8. Strama’s ACL injury prevented her from playing in the title game last season.
Class AAA
Class 3A may be the best of the five this season. It boasts the valley’s only undefeated team in Union Local (20-0), the valley’s premier offensive threat in Bellaire’s Katrina Davis (26.7 ppg), and one of its year-in, year-out premier teams in Fort Frye. Monroe Central is no slouch either, boasting some big wins, including topping Shadyside.
Many may look at Union Local’s record and margins of victory—the Jets average more than 70 points per game—but anyone counting out Fort Frye needs a quick reassessment of their powers of prognostication.
No. 4 Monroe Central at No. 1 Union Local
The aforementioned Jets are coming off a scare at home against a gaming Linsly club. The pressure mounts the longer the perfection continues, but Coach Rob Barr’s quint of underclassmen have yet to buckle under pressure.
They are long, fast and capable of hurting a defense from multiple spots. But first and foremost, UL will try to turn this into a track meet and dine on transition points.
Freshman Reagan Vinskovich leads the way with 20.9 ppg and 12.5 rebounds. Fellow frosh Torre Kildow backs her at 16.3. Sophomore Hannah Merritt checks in at 11.3 and junior Casey Kildow at 10.3 Sophomore Keira Gregor rounds out the starting five at 7.1 ppg but is a threat to hit for double digits every night.
If anyone is up to the task of slowing down UL, it’s Coach Troy Baker’s Seminoles.
Monroe led the Jets in the second half of their mutual season opener. UL also won the rematch, but it was far from a blowout.
The Seminoles boast a pair of threats on the perimeter in leading scorer Kalista Friday (38 3-pointers, 16.5 ppg) and Kaylyn Hines (33 and 9.3). Amy Bettinger averages 10.9 a game.
No. 3 Bellaire at No. 2 Fort Frye
Davis has put up insane numbers for Bellaire this season as slowing her down has proven problematic at best.
If any coach can game plan to slow her down, it’s longtime Fort Frye boss Dan Liedtke.
The Cadets have won the tournament five times since 2010 (in ’10, ’12, ’13, ’15 and ’16). They are led by Hannah Archer at 15.1 points per game and Lexie Huck at 10.1. Both are deadly from the outside, with Archer netting 45 triples and Huck 43. Kenzie Dalton scores 8.8 per game.
Davis is not a one-woman team, though statistically, it may look that way given her numbers.
Mia Gavarkavich is a solid complement at 6.5 points per game and junior Jayden Lowe is close behind and plays aggressively in the paint on both ends.
Bellaire also boasts one of the more deadly full-court presses around with Davis accumulating steals in bunches.
Class AA
The winner of the Shadyside vs. Wheeling Central game is likely the favorite. This may be one of those scenarios where fans refer to the semifinal game as the actual championship, though that would be a disservice to both Steubenville Catholic Central and Shenandoah.
But to be fair, the Tigers and Knights have faced tougher schedules and feature more star power.
No. 4 Wheeling Central at No. 1 Shadyside
The Tigers have twice beaten the Knights this season, 57-55 and 64-61. Both games were close, so the outcome of Monday’s third meeting is far from a certainty.
Shadyside is led by Bailee Wach’s 17 points per game and Tory Hendershot’s 16.8. Brooke Selman is at 6.9. Wach has drained 60 3-pointers this season.
Wheeling Central’s big-three may be down to one for this game depending on the health status of senior post Kaylie Reinbeau, who was injured in the Knights’ most recent game. Central has already been down to its other Division-I signee in Eden Gainer for most of the season.
That leaves Hannah White to lead the charge against Shadyside. She’ll be backed by Tristan White and Marissa Horan. The Maroon Knights are the only sub-500 team in the tournament as injuries and a brutal schedule have taken their toll.
No. 3 Shenandoah at No. 2 Steubenville Catholic
This game figures to be an interesting matchup.
Catholic Central has beat both Madonna and Weir but has also lost some games it likely should have won. The squad is led by senior guard Julia Zatta and junior post Bella Oliver. SCC hasn’t won a girls’ team championship since 1989.
Shenandoah will counter with 6-foot, first-team all-district post Raegan Flood, along with Buckeye Trail transfer Ashleigh Wheeler and Kendall Mackie. Wheeler has been huge in taking some of the scoring load pressure off Flood.
Class A
Like Class 4A, there are likely many already penciling in the Blue Devils as the eventual victors in Class A. After all, they are the defending champions and feature two of Class A’s top players.
But that’s why they play the game’s folks. Anything can happen.
Hundred may not have the reputation and strength of schedule as the other four teams, but that also could be a strength as they are a bit of an unknown, aside from Cameron which beat the Hornets earlier this season.
No. 4 Hundred at No. 1 Beallsville
Beallsville has beaten Cameron twice this season, took down Central, but also lost to Madonna. The Blue Devils are led by Team Ash—Ashlie Louden and Ashley Howell.
Louden leads the way with around 18 points per game while Howell is a double-double machine in the post with 14.5 points per game.
Hundred may have an answer inside with 6-footer Mahalah Britton setting up shop on both ends of the court.
Britton is aided by Rachel Snedden and Sydnie Duckworth.
No. 3 Madonna at No. 2 Cameron
Cameron is two years removed from its last OVAC tourney title and needs to get by a tough Madonna team to play for another.
The Dragons beat both the Blue Dons and Hornets this season but lost twice to Beallsville.
They are led by Lili Neely, along with Maelyn Canaa and Reagan Gray.
Madonna, meanwhile, has been a typical tale of two seasons.
The Blue Dons started off the season 6-1 but a broken foot suffered by Kennedy Martin has derailed the team’s season somewhat.
Madonna still has the services of Jazzy Melnyk, but the loss of a sesoned senior like Martin has made the back half of the season a struggle at times.
