J-M, Lisbon reunion is on deck

May 16, 2016 at 12:05a.m.

Crismons have ties to both

NORTH JACKSON

One of the more interesting district tournament softball match-ups this week will take place at Western Reserve High School on Thursday when Jackson-Milton takes on Lisbon in Division IV.

Lisbon, which advanced with a 7-1 victory over Wellsville, is coached by Dave Crismon and one of his assistants is his daughter Katy. Last winter, the Crismons were assistants to Jackson-Milton girls basketball coach Pat Keney.

Bluejays catcher Katie Rago, who also played basketball, is excited for the reunion.

“My basketball coach coaches Lisbon,” Rago said with a smile on Friday after the Bluejays shut out Lowellville, 8-0. “It’s a pretty big rivalry between us — there were always jokes at [basketball] practices.

“It will be fun.

“[Softball] is my favorite sport so it’s really great to go this far,” said Rago, explaining that the Bluejays were eliminated in the sectional round last spring.

Western Reserve will play St. Thomas Aquinas in the other semifinal game. That’s a rematch from 2015 when the Blue Devils ousted the Knights.

Also in Division IV, top-seeded Mathews is the team to beat at the district tournament at Candlelite Knolls in Bazetta Township. The Mustangs will play Maplewood while McDonald takes on Bristol in the semifinals.

Canfield and Boardman are the only two Division I teams still alive and the U.S. 224 rivals will play each other today in Solon in the semifinals. The winner will play the Nordonia/Solon winner on Tuesday.

Four local teams have qualified for the Alliance Division II district that begins on Tuesday. After West Branch and Hubbard play at 3 p.m., Poland and Lakeview will face off.

Division III has two local districts. In New Middletown, Springfield High School will be the host for today’s semifinals that have Waterloo playing Ursuline and top-seeded South Range taking on Cardinal Mooney.

In Leavittsburg, LaBrae High School will be the host as Champion plays Brookfield on Wednesday at 3 p.m. The Kirtland-Newton Falls game will follow.