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On your mark
Photo
Niles baserunner Patrick Barrett dives back into first base as Canfield’s Tony Mehle awaits a throw during a recent game at Canfield. Thursday, Canfield will play Poland at Cene Park in a Division II district semifinal.
Staff report
The busiest week of the spring sports season begins today.
By the end of Saturday’s action — weather permitting, of course — the area will know which boys tennis players are state qualifiers, and who’s advancing to regional play in baseball, softball and track and field.
In baseball and softball, 64 teams in each division remain after last week’s sectional tournaments.
Baseball action for area teams will be concentrated at Cene Park and Euclid High School.
Today, Division III takes the spotlight, with Ursuline playing Crestview and Girard taking on South Range at Cene Park at 4:30 p.m.
The winners return to Field 1 on Tuesday for the district title game.
At Euclid High School, Champion will play Grand Valley at 4:30 p.m. The winner of that game will play Tuesday in the championship against either Beachwood or Hawken.
Also on Tuesday, the Div. IV semifinals will be played, with Springfield meeting Western Reserve, and Warren JFK taking on McDonald.
On Wednesday, the Div. I semifinals will match up Boardman against Chardon and Howland against Solon, followed by the Div. IV title game.
Then on Thursday, Canfield meets Poland and Cardinal Mooney takes on West Branch in the Div. II semifinals, followed by the Div. I championship game.
The winning Div. II teams return on Friday at 6:30 p.m. for their title game.
In softball, no Div. I teams advanced, so action begins Tuesday with the Div. II district at Alliance High School.
Poland, the defending state champion, will play West Branch in the first game, followed by Canfield against Lakeview. The championship game is Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.
In Div. III, the semifinals are Wednesday at South Range High School. First, Girard takes on Ursuline, then Newton Falls meets East Palestine. The title game in Thursday at 4:30 p.m.
Also in Div. III, Champion, the defending state champ, plays Garrettsville Garfield today in a sectional final. The game was postponed, first by weather, then by last weekend’s prom. If the Golden Flashes win, they will play Pymatuning Valley on Wednesday at JAGS complex in Jefferson.
The Div. IV semifinals are Thursday at Lisbon and Cortland.
At the Lisbon Baseball/Softball Complex, Jackson-Milton plays Mineral Ridge, followed by Western Reserve against Columbiana.
At Lakeview High School, Mathews takes on Ledgemont, and Southington takes on Newbury.
Both championship games are Friday.
In boys tennis, district tournament play is Thursday and Saturday in Div. I at Rocky River and Div. II at Canton.
In Div. I, qualifiers are Tony El-Hayek (singles), Will Brown and Nicholas Debiec (doubles) of Canfield.
Div. II singles qualifiers are Mitch Maroscher (Salem), Garrett Gardner (Poland) and Jad Abdul-Aal (Warren JFK). Doubles qualifiers were Zach McDivitt and Aaron Paczak of Lakeview; Jay Linam and Andrew Pietrzak of Salem; Tyler Cole and John Nader of Warren JFK; and Ryan Calcagni and David Sohfstall of Poland.
Track and field district action takes place at Austintown Fitch (Div. I) and Springfield (Div. III) on Wednesday and Friday. Div. II athletes will compete at Salem’s Relly Stadium and Lakeview High School on Thursday and Saturday.