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A look at the Southwest Ohio boys soccer district tournaments

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A look at the Southwest Ohio boys soccer district tournaments


All-to-play-for-time is here in Cincinnati high school soccer. The Ohio High School Athletic Association boys soccer tournament begins this week. Some brackets begin Oct. 16, with the big-school slates, Divisions I and II, starting next week.

Here is a look at some of the top teams and storylines in the postseason. The full brackets are linked in the first paragraph of each division

Who leads the OHSAA Division I boys soccer districts?

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Moeller has controlled the region in recent years, but this year it is more tightly contested with the Crusaders still in the mix. The top five seeds in order, are Mason, St. Xavier, Lakota West, Moeller and Sycamore.

Springboro is the No. 3 seed in the North bracket despite winning the Greater Western Ohio Conference by a narrow margin over top two seeds Centerville and Beavercreek. The Panthers have won four straight and have one of the region’s top scorers in senior Rowen Arnold (26 goals, 14 assists).

Lakota West (11-2-4) and Moeller are on a collision course for a district championship. They are bracketed to play in Region 4 with Columbus teams and likely Centerville. The teams drew 1-1 on Sept. 20. The Firebirds have one of the best offenses in the city behind seniors Sam Dragon, Ryan Boyd and Garret Marchand. Moeller (7-7-3) has battled injuries and a tough schedule but still has the tournament pedigree, plus one of the region’s top players in senior midfielder Karson Lang. Centerville is the favorite in a bracket that also includes Fairfield and West Clermont.

Mason is unbeaten at 13-0-3 and won the Greater Miami Conference this year despite losing their top two players from last season to club ball. Senior John Harris (12 goals) and sophomore Landon Miller (10 goals) pace the offense, but the Comets ride behind a defense that has allowed only seven goals all season.

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Sycamore (10-4-2) finished a game behind Mason for first in the league after drawing the Comets 1-1 this week. Senior Maxim Rozenfeld leads a balanced offense with seven goals and seven assists. If seeds hold, the Aviators would have to contend with Beavercreek in a district final. Sycamore would have to get past Milford (7-4-6) from the deep Eastern Cincinnati Conference first.

St. Xavier has struggled lately but has done well with a brutal schedule, with a draw against Mason and Moeller, and losses to Centerville and Moeller. They could have a GCL rematch against Elder in a district final, which the Bombers won 4-0 earlier.

If seeds hold, the Region 3 semifinal matchups would be St. Xavier vs. Springboro and Mason vs. Beavercreek.

Who leads the OHSAA Division II boys soccer districts?

The local bracket has few local teams but they are strong at the top, as the top four seeds are Kings, Anderson, Loveland and Harrison. The Knights (9-2-5) won their first-ever Eastern Cincinnati Conference championship, sharing it with Walnut Hills. Loveland (10-3-3) and Anderson (9-3-4) finished a game behind.

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Kings has only scored 21 goals for the season, seven in one game (Winton Woods) but has allowed only five goals. They have 12 clean sheets, including the last five games. That includes powerhouse non-league foes Mariemont, Madeira and Summit Country Day. Kings also beat Harrison 1-0 on Oct. 13. Kings plays No. 6 Edgewood, with a win likely setting up a district final against Troy, the No. 1 seed in the North bracket.

Loveland enters the playoffs with four shutouts in a row. Blake Hatfield leads the offense with eight goals. Loveland has scored 27 and conceded nine. Anderson had five straight before conceding four to Springboro in a 4-3 loss Oct. 14. Junior Brady Dorko leads the Raptors with 11 goals out of their 29, and they have nine shutouts. Harrison (9-4-4) has scored 36 goals and allowed 16. Loveland and Harrison play in the first round, with the winner facing either No. 3 seed Northmont or No. 4 Fairborn.

Anderson faces Winton Woods and with a win would face No. 2 seed Miamisburg or No. 5 Sidney, with the district champion playing a Northwest District team in the regional semis.

Who leads the OHSAA Division III boys soccer districts?

Most games start October 18 in the bracket with the district finals Oct. 25. The top seeds in order, are Turpin, Badin, Indian Hill, Monroe and McNicholas.

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If seeds hold, the district finals will be No. 3 Indian Hill vs. No. 3 Bellbrook, No. 1 Turpin vs. No. 4 Butler, No. 5 McNicholas vs. No. 1 Carroll, No. 2 Badin vs. No. 2 Tippecanoe.

Turpin (12-1-4) finished a game out of first in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference due to four draws in league play, including a tough 0-0 game at co-champ Kings Oct. 9. Turpin won five straight leading into that, all against bigger schools. Mitchell Iles leads the offense with nine goals, and Kai Keubler has six goals and 15 assists. Turpin has seven shutouts.

Badin (12-3-3) struggled in league play, including a recent 1-0 loss to McNick, but is 11-1-1 outside the GCL-Coed. Tanner Questa has 12 goals and 10 assists, and the Rams have only allowed six goals. McNick (8-8-2) finished 3-2 in league play and is led by senior Aiden Beverly with 12 goals.

Indian Hill, the 2024 DIV state champion, has struggled at times with a younger team, but was 4-2-1 in the Cincinnati Hills League. The Braves have lost to regional foes McNick, Tippecanoe and Carroll, but beat potential district final opponent Bellbrook, and recently beat reigning DV state champ Summit Country Day, 1-0.

Monroe (14-3-2) won the SWBL-Southwestern with a 9-0-1 record, and is bracketed with Badin in a semifinal match. Senior Caden Gronostaj has 15 goals and 14 assists, and senior Zachary Oborne 11 and 11. The Hornets drew 1-1 with Indian Hill this season.

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Who leads the OHSAA Division IV boys soccer districts?

The top four seeds are Wyoming, Mariemont, CHCA and Madeira.

Wyoming (13-1-4) edged Mariemont (14-2-1) to win the Cincinnati Hills League with a 6-0-1 record, a half-game ahead of the Warriors. Madeira (9-5-3) was fifth.

Wyoming’s only loss was to potential district final opponent Alter, 4-1, on Sept. 13. The Cowboys have won six of eight since, and have allowed only six goals in their other 17 games. Senior Eli Yunker leads a potent offense with 14 goals and eight assists, and junior Everett Johnson has nine goals.

Mariemont’s only losses are to Wyoming and Dayton power Oakwood, the No. 2 seed in the North. Junior Aidan Gross has 11 goals and 11 assists, and junior Santino Serger 11 goals, 7 assists. The Warriors have conceded eight all season.

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Madeira is led by senior Jake Hoffman with 13 goals, and have allowed 12 for the season. The Mustangs have struggled down the stretch with one win since Sept. 9 against a tough schedule.

CHCA (11-2-2) hopes to break up the CHL party. The Eagles shared the MVC-Scarlet title with Summit Country Day. They also have a 2-0 win over Madeira. Royce McKenzie leads the offense with 13 goals, and the Eagles have allowed 16.

Waynesville, the No. 4 seed in the North, (10-7) finished second to Oakwood in the SWBL-Buckeye but have a recent 5-0 loss to Wyoming. Junior Ross Barrett leads a balanced offense with 10 goals. Waynesville would likely face No. 3 seed Tipp City Bethel in the semis.

If seeds hold, the district finals are No. 1 Wyoming vs. No. 1 Alter, No. 2 Mariemont vs. No. 3 Tipp City Bethel, No. 2 Oakwood vs. No. 3 CHCA.

Who leads the boys Division V district tournament?

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The top seeds, in order, are Summit Country Day, Seven Hills, Cincinnati Christian and Fayetteville-Perry.

If seeds hold, the district finals are No. 1 SCD vs. No. 6 Preble Shawnee, No. 2 Seven Hills vs. No. 3 Dayton Christian, and No. 3 Cincinnati Christian vs. No. 2 Botkins.

Summit (5-6-6), the reigning state champs, does not have a great record but does have a lot of draws and defeats to Division I and II programs and could make another title run. They beat Seven Hills, 3-0, Sept. 11.

Seven Hills (11-5-1) is led by three double-figure scorers on offense: Seniors Davion Washington and Harrison Zhang, and freshman James Levesque.

Cincinnati Christian (12-3) won the MVC-Gray and is on a six-match winning streak. Junior Paxton Ball leads the offense with 13 goals. Steven Burton has 10 and Jacob Sheridan eight. Fayetteville (15-1-1) was co-champions of the Southern Hills Athletic Conference. Senior Ryder Luncan has 19 goals, senior Keegan Craycraft 11 and freshman Levi Espinoza 13.

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Botkins (13-2-2) would be a tough out in the district final and has a 2-1 win over Madeira.



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Wisconsin women’s hockey vs Ohio State for NCAA title; live updates

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Wisconsin women’s hockey vs Ohio State for NCAA title; live updates


UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa – Sunday offers a chance for redemption for the Wisconsin women’s hockey team.

The last time the Badgers met Ohio State, the Buckeyes cashed in on a couple of chances and left Minneapolis with a 2-1 win in the championship game of the WCHA’s Final Faceoff March 7.

The loss dropped Wisconsin from No. 1 in the polls for the first time this season. Ohio State assumed that spot.

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But who is really the nation’s No. 1 team? We’ll find out this afternoon when No. 2 Wisconsin faces No. 1 Ohio State in the national championship game at Pegula Ice Arena.

This is the fourth straight year the teams have met in the final. Wisconsin (34-4-2) has a chance to capture its third title in four years; Ohio State (36-4) is going for its third championship in five seasons

Check here throughout the game for updates on the action.

Wisconsin has reclaimed the lead and its depth played key role in the score.

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Senior Claire Enright, a member of the Badgers’ fourth line, scored off an assist from third line center Marianne Picard to give UW a 3-2 edge with 6 minute 18 seconds to play.

The goal was Enright’s ninth of the season and her first since Feb. 14.

You just knew it wasn’t going to be easy against Ohio State.

The Buckeyes have stormed back with two goals in the span of about 2 minutes early in the third period.

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Kassidy Carmichael put Ohio State on the board at the 3 minutes 32 seconds into the third period off a pass from Mira Jungaker.

Jocelyn Amos evened the scored at the 5:34 mark. Ava McNaughton got the initial save, but Amos stuck with the play and back handed the tying goal.

Wisconsin 2, Ohio State 2, 13:33 to play.

The Badgers missed a great chance to add to its 2-0 lead 6 minutes into the second period when Ohio State’s Kassidy Carmichael was called for interference on Cassie Hall.

The  2 minutes produced no goal, and very few opportunities. It’s still a 2-0 game, but the Buckeyes are controlling the action. About 7 minutes have passed in the second period.

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Wisconsin leads, 2-0, after one period, but the Buckeyes almost cut that deficit in half when All-American Joy Dunne got a shot opportunity near the crease against Badgers goaltender Ava McNaughton.

In a matchup of two Olympians, McNaughton won the battle with an impressive save.

The play highlight a strong defensive showing for UW during the final half of the first period when it eliminated many of the shot opportunities that Ohio State was able to generate earlier

Ohio State leads the Badgers in shot attempts, but UW is making better use of its chances.

Wisconsin now has two goals in its first four shots. Junior defender Laney Potter did the honors this time at the 7:34 mark of the first period. Gorbatenko, who got UW’s first goal, got the assist as did Adela Sapovalivova.

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Gorbatenko and Sapovalivova have two point each and the Badgers are officially off to a hot start.

In the teams’ last meeting, Ohio State set the tone.

Not today.

Kelly Gorbatenko put the Badgers on the board 78 seconds into play off passes from Adela Sapovalivova and Lacey Eden. It was their first shot of the game.

And with 13:46 to play in the first period, UW leads, 1-0.

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The championship will feature 10 players who competed in the Olympics Games in Milan, Italy. Here is the run down.

Ohio State Buckeyes

16 – Joy Dunne, jr. F, Team USA:  The second-team All-American is averaging a career-best 1.67 points per game. That ranks fifth in the country. Her .90 goals per game average ranks third nationally. She scored the game-winning goal in the Buckeyes’ 1-0 win over Wisconsin in 2024 championship game..

14 – Mira Jungaker, fr., D, Sweden: At the Olympics she ranked second for Sweden in ice time. She has six goals and 18 assists this season.

9 – Jenna Raunio, fr., D, Sweden: She played in seven games at the Olympics and scored four points. She made the WCHA all-Rookie Team.

8 – Hilda Svensson, fr. F, Sweden: The WCHA rookie of the year leads the Buckeyes in points (51) and assists (33) and is third with a plus/minus of 46.

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21 – Sanni Vanhagen, fr., F, Finland: In addition to her Olympic experience she has played five World Championships for Finland. She entered the final with 14 goals and 15 assists. She scored in the semifinal win over Northeastern.

4 – Caroline Harvey, sr. D, Team USA: The Olympic MVP was named the winner of the Patty Kazmaier Award March 21. She ranks second in the country with 1.97 points per game and first with 1.41 assists.

10 – Laila Edwards, sr., F, Team USA: She played defense for Olympic team, but has split time between forward and defense for the Badgers. She has played forward the past couple of games and scored two game-tying goals in the semifinals.

27 – Kirsten Simms, sr., F, Team USA: Her overtime goal against Penn State Friday was her fourth game winner in the Frozen Four. Her average of 1.97 points per game is tied for second in the nation.

 30 – Ava McNaughton, jr., G, Team USA:  The all-WCHA second-team selection didn’t get much playing time in the Olympics. Since her return she has recorded two shutouts and posted a 1.7 goals against average.

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26 – Adela Sapovalivova, fr., F, Czechia: Spent a good portion of the season as the Badgers’ No. 1 center, but has played with the second since returning from the Olympics. She ranks seventh on the team with 45 points.

Last year’s national title game between the Badgers and Buckeyes symbolized the slim difference there is between winning and losing in this rivalrly. This will be the 17th straight gamesthe teams have met ranked 1-2 in the country. Seven of those games ended in one goal or a tie.

Here is a look at back at least year’s classic.

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How to watch Ohio State, Wisconsin in NCAA women’s hockey title game

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How to watch Ohio State, Wisconsin in NCAA women’s hockey title game


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Wisconsin and Ohio State ought to just put the NCAA title game on their schedules.

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For the fourth consecutive season, the Badgers and Buckeyes will play for the NCAA title in women’s hockey on Sunday, March 22. Top-seeded Ohio State beat Northeastern in the Frozen Four semifinal while defending champion Wisconsin, the second seed, edged Penn State in overtime.

“It’s special and I’m just really pumped to be able to try and do it again [Sunday] with this group that we have here,” Wisconsin’s Kirsten Simms told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel after the Badgers’ Frozen Four win on Friday, March 20. 

“It’s a special team, a special group, a special energy, and so I’m really excited that that put us into the game Sunday.”

Here’s how to watch the NCAA title game:

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When and where is the NCAA title game?

The NCAA championship game is at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 22. It will be played at Pegula Ice Arena on the Penn State campus.

How to watch the NCAA title game

The NCAA hockey championship game will air on ESPNU.

How to stream the NCAA title game

The Frozen Four games will be streamed on ESPN+. 

Who is playing in the NCAA title game?

Ohio State and Wisconsin, and it’s going to be a doozy. The Badgers were the No. 1 team in the country for most of the season until the Buckeyes upset them in the WCHA title game. Now Wisconsin gets a chance to avenge that loss with a national title on the line.

The teams have met in the last three NCAA title games, with Wisconsin winning last year and in 2023 and Ohio State winning in 2024.

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Players to watch

Wisconsin is led by Caroline Harvey, who added the Patty Kazmaier Award for college hockey’s best player to her MVP award from the Milano Cortina Olympics. The Badgers also have Olympic gold medalists Laila Edwards, Ava McNaughton and Simms.

In addition to Olympian Joy Dunne, Ohio State has the country’s best freshman, Hilda Svensson.



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City of Dublin, Ohio unofficially breaks Guinness World Record with human shamrock

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City of Dublin, Ohio unofficially breaks Guinness World Record with human shamrock


An Ohio city appropriately named Dublin had the luck of the Irish on its side this St. Patrick’s Day, unofficially breaking a Guinness World Record by organizing 1,050 people into the shape of a shamrock.

The human shamrock, which took on its verdant hue thanks to the green ponchos worn by participants, was formed immediately following the St. Patrick’s Day parade in the city, located 15 miles northwest of downtown Columbus, and nicknamed “The Other Dublin.”

This human shamrock was formed in Ohio on St. Patrick’s Day.

The record-breaking attempt was hosted by the creative agency Cornett and the tourism group in the city, as per Marketing Communication News.

The impressive feat topped the previous record of 815 participants, set by Dublin, Ireland — though the new mark won’t be official until Guinness certifies it.

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