The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Scouting 2023 area baseball district tournaments
DIVISION
I Northeast 1 Nordonia
Top seeds: 2 Walsh Jesuit, 8 GlenOak, 9 Louisville Other area teams: 22 South
Favorites: Walsh Jesuit Up next: District champion advances to regional semifinal
Northeast 2 Euclid
Top seeds: 3 Aurora, 5 Stow, 6University, 11Roosevelt
Other area teams: 14 Riverside, 23Mayfield 25 Mentor
Favorites: Aurora, Stow, University
Up Next: District champion advances to regional semifinal
Outlook: This is a loaded bracket. Aurora is the top seed, followed by Stow, with University not too far behind. The Preppers had good wins during the season but also some low points. Recently, the Preppers turned their luck around. In three of its past four games, University scored 10-plus runs. On the bottom half of the bracket, University would likely see Stow in a district semifinal. A win would set up a showdown with the Greenmen, and potentially Evan Shapiro (Kent State signee) and Ben Schechterman (Ohio State signee) battling on the mound. The Preppers first have to work around sneaky 25seed in Mentor. The Cardinals are playing strong down the stretch as they’ve won eight of their last 12. An interesting firstround matchup is the third meeting of Riverside and Mayfield. The two met last year in the postseason, with the Wildcats winning. But the Beavers have gotten the best of their pair of games this year. A sectional final of Aurora vs. Riverside would be an interesting look for an upset by the Beavers.
Northeast 3 Canton
Top seeds: 1 Jackson, 4 Chardon, 7 Hoban, 10 Massillon
Other area teams: 33 North, 34 Euclid Favorites: Jackson, Chardon, Hoban
Up next: District champion advances to regional semifinal
Outlook: This bracket is one of the most interesting. You have the top seed in the district pool on the top half of the bracket and a D-II state championship rematch from the 2022 season on the bottom. Chardon took a bye into a sectional final and would welcome either 35 seed Cleveland JFK or 20 seed Canton McKinley to Munson Township Park. Chardon needs its bats to get going early rather than waiting for the final innings if it hopes to replicate last season’s run. If the seeds play out, the Hilltoppers will face Hoban in a district semifinal. But Hoban has to focus on a sectional final as Ellet is an interesting 17 seed. The Chardon-Hoban winner would meet Jackson in an interesting clash for a trip to regionals, as all three are no strangers to close games.
DIVISION II Northeast 1 Struthers
Top seeds: 2 Canfield, 4 Field, 5 Geneva, 6 Ursuline, 8 Poland Seminary
Other area teams: 18 West Geauga, 21 Harvey Favorites: Canfield, Field, Geneva, Ursuline
Up next: District champion advances to regional semifinal
Outlook: This is a loaded bracket, especially with three of the top seeds in the bottom half. Fifth seed Geneva selected a bye into a sectional final, and sixthseeded Ursuline picked the sectional semifinal that feeds into that final. The two met early in the season with the Irish winning (9-1). The Eagles have won 12of their last 15and won their first CVC Chagrin title since 2009. If the seeds play out, the Eagles would face fourth-seeded Field in a district semifinal, a Falcons team that has held 12 teams to two runs or fewer. Canfield and Poland Seminary would meet on the top half of the bracket if the seeds play out as the Cardinals look to return to the regional round after they were upset by Niles McKinley last year in a district semifinal.
Northeast 2 Louisville
Top seeds: 1 Alliance, 3 West Branch, 7Hubbard, 9 Marlington
Other area teams: 13 NDCL, 17 Madison Favorites: Alliance, West Branch
Up next: District champion advances to regional semifinal
Northeast 3 Twinsburg
Top seeds: 3 Lake Catholic, 4Norwayne, 7Woodridge, 9 Kenston
Favorites: Lake Catholic, Norwayne
Up next: District champion advances to regional semifinal
Outlook: If the seeds play out, the top half of the district semifinals would be Lake Catholic vs. Kenston, who have had different styles of seasons. The Cougars have had consistent momentum all season and are on a seven-game win streak, including a win over North Royalton on the road. Lake Catholic looks for its first regional trip since 2012. Kenston currently sits at 12-11 and have won four of their last six. While the Bombers’ results have been mixed, they have been in all of their games. A tough slate last season prepared them for a run to the D-I state semifinals, and they hope to see that trend continue this postseason. If the seeds play out, the Cougars and Bombers would meet in a district semifinal, while Woodridge and Norwayne are in the bottom half of the bracket. Padua, the 18th seed, could be a spoiler. The Bruins had some momentum going into their doubleheader with Lake Catholic.
Northeast 4 Gilmour
Top seeds: 1 Gilmour, 6 Benedictine, 11 Buckeye, 12 Hawken
Other area teams: 21 VASJ Favorites: Gilmour, Benedictine
Up next: District champion advances to regional semifinal
Outlook: It’s home-field advantage for Gilmour as the Lancers play host to their own district round. The Lancers selected the bottom half of the bracket and a bye into a sectional final. They could see a big challenge if the seeds play out and they face 11 seed Buckeye. Also on the bottom half of the bracket is 12 seed Hawken, who beat the Lancers earlier in the season. The Hawks look to return to Figgy Field and the district semifinals. A rematch between Gilmour and Hawken with a trip to the district final would make for an interesting clash. Benedictine is in the top half of the bracket with a bye into a sectional final. While the Bengals would first take on either 21seed VASJ and 26seed Copley, a district semifinal with Cloverleaf could be a very interesting matchup. The Bengals have some strong pitching that would look for a way to calm the Cloverleaf bats, which has posted five or more runs in 12 games.
DIVISION III Northeast 1 Struthers
Top seeds: 1 Lakeview, 4 Kirtland, 5Garrettsville, 8 Perry
Other area teams: 10 Berkshire, 13 Cardinal Favorites: Lakeview, Kirtland, Garrettsville
Up next: District champion advances to regional semifinal
Outlook: This bracket could be the most interesting to watch. Kirtland took a bye into a sectional final on the bottom half of the bracket. The Hornets would play Columbiana before a potential district semifinal against Garrettsville if the seeds play out. Kirtland brings a strong young group into the tournament as they look to build on a CVC Valley championship season. The top half has several storylines. Perry matches up with 23seed Southeast and Berkshire clashes with 21 seed Grand Valley. If the seeds play out, the two cross-division CVC rivals will meet in a sectional final. Both teams bring in a lot of young talent and look to build on strong regular seasons for a trip to the district round. Cardinal could play spoiler. If the Huskies beat 25seed Liberty, they would travel to top-seeded Lakeview. If Jake Bean is on the mound in that contest, that could spell trouble for the Bulldogs.
Northeast 3 Norwayne
Top seeds: 3 Waynedale, 4 Chagrin Falls, 5 Black River, 9 Beachwood
Favorites: Waynedale, Chagrin Falls, Black River
Up next: District champion advances to regional semifinal
Outlook: It’s been an upand-down season for the young Tigers, as their bats try to find their swing. The pitching staff has continued to keep games close as they’ve held opponents to about four runs a game. The Tigers welcome either 13 seed Rootstown or 18seed Chippewa in a sectional final. If Chagrin Falls wants to make it three straight trips to the regional round, it will need the bats to provide early run support. Beachwood sits at the top half of the bracket and opens with 23seed Clearview. The Bison have won 12of their last 13with strong pitching performances, including a shutout of Lutheran West to win the CVC Metro for a second year in a row. If the seeds play out, the Bison would play 10 seed Wellington in a sectional final for a chance to play 3 seed Waynedale in a district semifinal. A matchup with last year’s D-III state champion would need the Bison to click on all cylinders to pull an upset.
Northeast 4 Tri C West
Top seeds: 1 Triway, 2 Manchester, 6Independence, 7 Canton Central Catholic Other area teams: 14 Wickliffe
Favorites:
Up next: District champion advances to regional semifinals
Triway, Manchester
DIVISION IV Northeast 3 Medina
Top seeds: 1, Dalton, 2 Hillsdale, 3 Columbia, 4 Loudonville
Other area teams: 8 Cornerstone, 9AndrewsOsborne
Favorites: Dalton, Hillsdale Up next: District champion advances to regional semifinals