SECTIONAL TOURNAMENTS (WHY ?)

[FANOSPORTS]

IMO, sectional tournaments in all sports no longer serve a purpose. Thru time in the last few decades we've gone from the old "county tournament" championships which everyone used to love (when there were more schools of equal size) to the sectional, district and regional tournaments leading up to the state. Sectionals used to include winning at least two or three games then a trophy was awarded and if you got knocked out in the district it was still a fine season. In the last couple decades some sectionals are decided in "one" game with the new and improved formats and divisions and you are declared "Sectional Champions" . Do they actually still receive hardware from the OHSAA for winning one game when they call it a sectional. My belief is that the "District" level in Ohio is the real second season in all sports except football where of course it all starts at the Regional level (qtrs, semis,etc.) because only a limited number of teams can participate. From what I've seen, half of these sectional champs just beat up on teams they beat up on during the regular season, then get crushed in the districts and think they had a good season. Is it just a feel good story so someone can put this "sectional title" in the local newpaper in today's world or am I just looking at this whole thing the wrong way ? (Example: Both Waverly and Portsmouth East supporter's have posted topics on the Softball forum that they are "Sectional Champs", They've both won ONE game so far).

[Mark May]

The D2 girls sectional at Adena still means something.Just ask anybody who has coached or played in it.

[FANOSPORTS]

The D2 girls sectional at Adena still means something.Just ask anybody who has coached or played in it.

From what I'm looking at, the so called "Sectional Championships" (Ohsaa softball link) were played at the higher seeded schools fields. The "District" will be played @ Unioto.

[Hardwood]

The Southern and Beaver Eastern was a pretty good sectional IMO.

[trojandave]

FANOSPORTS: I understand your point, but unfortunately mismatches happen often in sectionals because of seeding.......rarely do you have really good matchups in the first round, but there are exceptions.........for many years there used to be a sectional championship trophy awarded but those days are long gone........for a district title, not only does a champion get a trophy, but individual medals are handed out........but medals are not given to a regional champion, which I think is odd since winning a regional is a rare achievement which most schools never attain.

What I don't like about the SE district basketball tournament is the 2 weeks it takes to play it.......it used to be a Friday-Saturday affair.........now it may take as many as 10 days to complete district play, whereas the regional has 2 games in 3-4 days........a Wednesday/Thursday semifinal and a Saturday final.

I do believe that a sectional championship trophy should be awarded........otherwise, it makes it look like winning a sectional doesn't mean that much.......and to some schools, it is a nice accomplishment, especially for a school that pulled off a big upset......and getting to play at the Convo is a big deal for many schools.

[d young]

Sectional championship game in 2009, North Adams vs Portsmouth might have been worth the price of a ticket.

[boomer633]

Sectional championship game in 2009, North Adams vs Portsmouth might have been worth the price of a ticket.

Absolutely it was.

[Generals_85]

I do remember two years ago when Sheridan won a sectional by beating Fairfield Union in a one game sectional. That was a rematch of a season game. It was ridiculous that the state would do something like that. There are still some very good sectionals around, but some are a total joke. The Coshocton D2 sectional with John Glenn, Zanesville, Maysville, Meadowbrook, and a few others, is very tough. You have to win 3 games to get out if your not a #1 seed. I'm sure there are many others around southern Ohio.

[Out of Bounds]

G85, the state doesn't set the seeding, the coaches do. I hear a lot of complaining but what is the alternative. If you are coaching a team, and doing your summer shoot outs and get a pretty good assessment that your team might be down in the up coming year, you start motivating your team with goals of a strong tournament run. One win in an upset in a Sectional can be pretty big to a young program that will be returning some young players. I think the system is fine. Sectionals may not be exciting at times, but the kids that get to play at the Convo get memories that last a long time!

[Dundas]

The DII sectional at Logan this past season was stacked. Top 5 seeds were Logan Elm, Athens, Warren, Sheridan, and VC. Some sectionals are weaker than others, but this one was great! The champions definatly deserved some recognition coming out of this sectional and LE and Warren both had success at the Convo.

[VIKED_MAN]

Sectionals are part of the game, gives everyone a chance to win a post season game. I like it, but do think there should be some hardware presented for both team and individual efforts. Some places do allow net cutting, and that's about it.
GO VIKES

[bman]

Some schools still put numbers on banners for winning ONE tournament game and being a "sectional champion". That is a joke. There should be no trophies awarded for one or two sectional wins. If the district or host venue wants to allow a "sectional champion" to cut down the net, that is their business but that is the absolute most I'd do for it.

Tournament success today is judged at the district, regional and state level.

[boomer633]

Some schools still put numbers on banners for winning ONE tournament game and being a "sectional champion". That is a joke. There should be no trophies awarded for one or two sectional wins. If the district or host venue wants to allow a "sectional champion" to cut down the net, that is their business but that is the absolute most I'd do for it.

Tournament success today is judged at the district, regional and state level.

Who makes that judgement? Tournaments include the sectional therefore sectional wins count as tournament wins and are part of a schools tournament success. A school recognizing the effort put forth to win a sectional title is hardly a joke but I guess everyone is entitled to their opinion.

[bman]

^ Because winning one tournament game is not impressive. So going 1-1 in the tournament deserves a trophy or a banner in the school? The Central District does nothing for sectional winners. The reward is going to the Barn for the district tournament. Going to the Convo is the reward for us.

[boomer633]

^ Because winning one tournament game is not impressive. So going 1-1 in the tournament deserves a trophy or a banner in the school? The Central District does nothing for sectional winners. The reward is going to the Barn for the district tournament. Going to the Convo is the reward for us.

I'm very happy for you. How impressive the win is depends on who you are playing. Coach Young pointed out the North Adams vs Portsmouth game from year before last. One of the best games from any level of the tournament. North Adams put that on their sectional banner and I'd say the coaching staff would point it out as one of their toughest tournament wins. I always look for the sectional banner in any gym I walk into to see how they have fared in recent years. It is a pretty good indicator of what kind of program they have.

[VIKED_MAN]

^ Because winning one tournament game is not impressive. So going 1-1 in the tournament deserves a trophy or a banner in the school? The Central District does nothing for sectional winners. The reward is going to the Barn for the district tournament. Going to the Convo is the reward for us.

You are correct the district is where the awards are, but to get to the Barn or the Convo one must win their "sectional."
The sectional tournament is great! It's good that all schools are allowed to partake in the state tournament reguardless of their record. I can see where some may see that as "not impressive", but it's about the kids. It's about prolonging the season. It's about money for some venue. The players deserve to get to play as many games as they can.
If you go to sectional games you can feel the electricty.
Go Vikes

[bman]

^ I'm not saying eliminate sectional play. I just say we make a little too big deal out of winning a sectional championship, especially when it is just one game.

[bman]

I've been at sectional games where three-fourths of the gym is empty and there is no atmosphere whatsoever. It depends on matchups to generate atmosphere. If you get some good teams like the Logan sectional got this year, there will be a good atmosphere.

[VIKED_MAN]

^ I'm not saying eliminate sectional play. I just say we make a little too big deal out of winning a sectional championship, especially when it is just one game.

A win is a win so be it a worthless sectional game!
GO VIKES

[Jeff Lisath]

To win any kind of "Championship" in High School Sports is a big deal. I've coached kids that only experience winning a Sectional Title and when our paths cross they talk about the great memories of that game, cutting down the nets and making it to the Convo....in Southern Ohio that is special. Yes winning the District and beyond is more prestigious; however most high school kids will never experience getting to that level...so that's what makes a Sectional Title a big deal...some programs are spoiled and where the expectations are extremely high, they might not make a big deal about it....but I can tell you as a coach its a big deal and my story as a player, we faced a very good Ironton team in the first game of the Sectional and then played probably one of the best Wheelersburg Teams ever in the Finals...winning those two games were just as big as winning the state title that year...at least in our minds at that particular time....we still talk about that Burg game 54-52 @ Old Lucasville Valley gym, standing room only...score tied at 52...Burg's best free throw shooter at the line shooting two.... seven seconds to go....missed both...Craig Tubbs drives the length of the court finds me underneath....the next thing I remember was being carried off the court....54-52 at the buzzer!