Tournament tickets on sale
Tickets for the Madison boys and girls tournament basketball games are available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday in the athletic office.
Cost in advance is $6 per ticket. At the door, tickets are $8 each.
The boys play at 8 p.m. Wednesday against Taft in the Division III regional semifinals at Kettering’s Trent Arena.
The girls play at 1 p.m. Thursday against Ironton in the D-III state semifinals at Value City Arena at the Jerome Schottenstein Center in Columbus.
MADISON TWP. — On Saturday, March 13, the Madison High School girls basketball team became the first in the program’s history to win a regional championship and qualify for the state final four.
But the girls haven’t had the high school gym all to themselves. The Mohawks boys are still competing as well.
The teams are a combined 50-0 with the girls at 26-0 and the boys 24-0.
It’s been a ride players and coaches from both sides have enjoyed.
“We just keep cheering each other on,” sophomore Brittany Shields said.
The boys will play Taft at 8 p.m. Wednesday at Kettering’s Trent Arena, while the girls will be preparing for a 1 p.m. tip off with Ironton on Thursday in the state semifinals.
“It’s craziness,” said coach Jeff Smith, who has guided the boys team into the regional tournament for the first time since 1972 when the Mohawks won their only regional championship. “The kids are really fired up. The community is very excited and are coming out in big numbers to support these teams. I know the players appreciate it.”
Madison is just one of three schools remaining in Ohio tournament play to have both boys and girls teams still playing. Ironton and Fort Loramie are the others.
“It’s quite an accomplishment,” girls coach John Rossi Jr. said. “I know Jeff is extremely proud and we echo that.
“I don’t know how rare it is, but it is definitely a good situation,” he continued. “I’m extremely proud of the way we have approached this season and I’m sure the boys are just as proud of themselves.”
Both teams also were ranked in the final Division III state poll. The boys finished as the second-ranked team behind Findlay Liberty-Benton, while the girls finished fourth behind Findlay Liberty-Benton, South Euclid Regina and Oak Hill.
“The pressure is off for an undefeated season,” Smith said. “Now it’s just about playing to stay alive because if you lose, you’re putting away the equipment.”
The same goes for the girls.
“To be one of (three) schools left in Ohio that has both teams still playing says a lot about these kids,” Rossi said. “But our girls are just trying to stay focused right now. We can only control what we can control.”
Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2852 or sweaver@coxohio.com.
About the Author