J-M, Ridge set for rematch

Staff report

Three weeks ago — Oct. 10, to be precise — Jackson-Milton’s volleyball team visited Mineral Ridge for a non-league match.

The Bluejays won a thrilling match in five sets; only one of the sets was decided by more than four points, and Jackson-Milton won the deciding set 15-12.

Those teams will get to play a rematch on Wednesday, only the stakes will be much higher.

They will meet in the second semifinal of the Division IV regional tournament at Solon High School.

Jackson-Milton and Mineral Ridge are half of the area’s remaining teams in the hunt for a state championship, joining Canfield in Div. II and Girard in Div. III.

Also, four teams remain in the state soccer tournament — Lakeview (Div. II) and Crestview (Div. III) in the boys side, and Canfield (Div.II) and Champion (Div. III) on the girls side.

Action gets underway on Tuesday with both boys soccer semifinals. Lakeview takes on Richfield Revere at Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School, and Crestview plays Doylestown Chippewa at Twinsburg High School. Both matches start at 7 p.m.

On Wednesday, Canfield’s girls soccer team takes on Walsh Jesuit at Ravenna Stadium, and Champion’s girls meet Lake Center Christian at Nordonia, again both at 7.

In volleyball, Girard meets Gates Mills Gilmour Academy at 7:30 p.m. at Barberton High School.

On Thursday, Jackson-Milton meets Mineral Ridge, and Canfield’s volleyball team heads to Stow-Munroe Falls High School to take on Cleveland Heights Beaumont at 6 p.m.

And on Saturday the state will host the cross country championships at a new site in Licking County, at National Trail Raceway.

The championships were moved from Scioto Downs, a horse-racing track in Columbus, when slot machines were approved for the facility.

Teams from the area who qualified were the Poland girls in Division II, and Maplewood and McDonald boys and girls in Division III.

There were several individuals also qualifying. A preview of the state meet will appear in The Vindicator later in the week.