OHSAA approves track and cross country expansion

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Indians’ path in the postseason just got a bit easier.

Nearly a year after the Ohio High School Athletic Association approved expansion of postseason divisions for team sports, it approved the expansion for cross country and track and field on Jan. 16.

Track and field will expand from three divisions to five, while cross country goes from three to four.

The Ohio Association of Track and Cross County Coaches has made several proposals for expansion over the last several years, and was approved following the success of expansion in team sports such as volleyball, basketball, baseball and softball.

The expansion directly benefits the Tribe, as it recently moved from the northwest regional at Tiffin, in which seven cross country teams advance to the state tournament from the regional, to the southwest regional at Troy, where only three girls teams and four boys teams move on.

Last year, FRHS had it’s girls team and Reese Diller advance to the regional. The girls finished six spots away of a state berth, while falling 1 minute, 0.91 seconds short.

More information on the respective sports’ playoff formats will be available in the months leading up to each tournament.

Patriots fall

The Jay County Junior High School girls basketball team came up just short against St. Henry on Monday, suffering a 39-38 loss.

Karsyn Schwieterman led the way for the Patriots with 31 points.

Behind Schwieterman, Kendall Schemenaur put up four points and Avery Snow scored three.

Jay County will wrap up the regular season on Thursday at South Adams before hosting the first two rounds of the Allen County Athletic Conference tournament the following week.

Jay County is set to host the Starfires in the opening round of the tournament. Should they advance to the championship, it will be held on Feb. 1 at Southern Wells.