The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Mentor gets top seed at Euclid District
Heights controversy looms over seeding
Mentor (12-5) on Feb. 9 was awarded the top seed at Euclid, followed by Brush (14-5).
The news of the Cleveland Heights boys basketball being removed from the postseason by the Ohio High School Athletic Association surely raised eyebrows throughout Northeast Ohio.
None more than the schools competing at the Division I Euclid District, where Cleveland Heights was designated to compete. It could have been awarded the No. 1 seed based on its solid season to this point. But no one will ever know that now.
That’s because Mentor (12-5) on Feb. 9 was awarded the top seed at Euclid, followed by Brush (14-5), Harvey (12-4), University (12-5) and Benedictine (9-9).
The Tigers are 16-5, and on Feb. 7 beat highly regarded Lorain, 66-62, and are in position to win the Lake Erie League. There’s no doubt Cleveland Heights would have been a factor at the Euclid District.
“They have three Division I players,” said Mentor coach Bob Krizancic. “Yeah, it changes the dynamic of the district.”
Athletic Director Joe D’Amato told cleveland. com Cleveland Heights plans to appeal the decision by the OHSAA.
The status of the Euclid District might change — pending Cleveland Heights’ appeal — but as of now the Cardinals are the top seed and are peaking at the right time. Krizancic’s team has won eight of its last nine with the only setback being at narrow loss at state-ranked Lakota East.
“I thought we were playing well enough to get the one seed. I thought it would be close,” said Krizancic. “But it’s never a guarantee. What I’ve learned over the years is that it’s not about where we’re seeded. It’s about how you are playing at this time of the year. And it’s 99 percent about us and 1 percent about who we are playing.”
Mentor plays in its first tournament game against the winner of Willoughby South-Riverside on Feb. 29. That means the Cardinals get a bye into Round 2 of the district, which has irked Krizancic ever since the Northeast District board instituted a rule a few years ago in which the top district seeds earn a bye.
In previous seasons, the top seeds had the choice to play in the first round or take a bye. Krizancic always chose the former.
“I don’t agree with it,” he said. “If you are playing in OHSAA, everything should be the same. But the Northeast District makes their own rules. Very bizarre.”
In other Euclid District matchups, No. 2 seed Brush will play the winner of Mayfield-Lakeside, and No. 3 seed Harvey gets the winner of North-Madison. No. 5 seed University plays No. 4 seed Benedictine.
In other district seeding results involving area teams:
• Lake Catholic — at No. 2 — was the area’s highest seeded team at the D-II Lakeside District. Other area top seeds include VASJ (No. 4), West Geauga (No. 5) and Perry (No. 6). Lutheran East is the No. 1 seed.
• At the D-II Stow District — where Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary is the top seed — Gilmour is the fourth seed, and Chagrin Falls the sixth seed.
• At the D-III Bedford District — where Fairview is on the top line — Beachwood is the No. 5 seed, and Kirtland the No. 6.
• At the D-IV Norton District, Richmond Heights is the No. 1 seed, and on Feb. 28 will play the winner of Lake RidgeOpen Door in its firstround game.