COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The sectional semifinal round has passed in all four divisions. Let’s take a look at what went down in the first round across the area.
In Division I, No. 31 Dublin Jerome was the only lower seeded team to win a game. And they even needed every break they could get as freshman Ryan Nutter was fouled with 1.2 seconds remaining and hit two cold-blooded free throws to come away with a road win at No. 20 Olentangy Orange.
In Division II, higher seeded teams won every game but one, as No. 18 Bexley shocked No. 9 Bishop Watterson, 42-38, behind a big night from senior Damian Davis. Watterson’s upset loss concludes a rather confusing season for the Eagles. With wins over No. 1 Jonathan Alder, No. 4 Buckeye Valley and OCC-Central champion Marysville, Watterson went out against a Bexley team that came in at 5-17.
Bexley’s win now heightens the chances for No. 1 Jonathan Alder to reach the district finals, as the Pioneers will take on the winner of Bexley and No. 17 Lakewood, the latter who likely did not anticipate that they would host a tournament game at any point this season.
Much like D1 and D2, Division III featured just one victorious lower seeded team when No. 14 Fairbanks went on the road and dominated No. 11 Elgin, 45-23. Avenging an early season loss to the Comets, Fairbanks used a big night from junior Braylon Green to put Elgin away for good.
Division IV was much different with four lower seeded teams winning sectional semifinal and final games. No. 5 Newark Catholic secured the biggest win of all, going on the road and ending No. 4 East Knox’s first winning season since 1996. The Green Wave are now matched up with No. 6 Fisher Catholic in a rematch from a game earlier in the year that Newark Catholic dominated. The unfortunate part is the winner will more than likely match up with top-seeded Grandview Heights that outscored sectional opponents by 80 combined points.
Sectional final action will conclude in Divisions I-III this weekend, while we will see district semifinal games in Division IV.
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