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How could the 2025 high school volleyball postseason shake out for Southwest Ohio’s teams?

Published

6 months ago

October 10, 2025

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How could the 2025 high school volleyball postseason shake out for Southwest Ohio’s teams?

The Ohio high school volleyball postseason brackets were released with just over four weeks left in the season.
Cincinnati could potentially send up to six teams to the state tournament in Fairborn.
The article provides analysis and regional semifinal predictions for all seven divisions.
Several potential rematches from the 2024 postseason could occur on the path to the state tournament.

It’s hard to believe, but there are just over four weeks left in the Ohio high school volleyball season.

With the release of the statewide postseason brackets on Oct. 5, it’s time to analyze each team’s path to the Nutter Center in Fairborn.

Cincinnati could send as many as six teams to this year’s state tournament and there is the possibility for multiple rematches from the 2024 postseason along the way.

No matter which teams emerge out of each district, region and division, there will surely be some exciting volleyball along the way.

Here are the first-round matchups, analysis and regional semifinal predictions for each division.

Division I

First-round matchups: Springboro vs. Springfield, Hamilton vs. Fairfield, Mason vs. Hamilton/ Fairfield winner; Lakota West vs. Little Miami, Lebanon vs. Oak Hills; Sycamore vs. Milford; Seton vs. Western Hills, Lakota East vs. Princeton; Loveland vs. Middletown; St. Ursula vs. Walnut Hills, Colerain vs. West Clermont

Analysis: Having teams in multiple regions opens up the possibility for an all-Cincinnati state semifinal.

Seton, which has only dropped two sets all season, is the overwhelming favorite in Region 4. The Saints could see a regional final rematch with Mason, which has risen to No. 3 in the state in recent weeks. The Comets recently went on a 14-match winning streak but were swept by Seton on Oct. 7.

What are the odds that St. Ursula and Loveland, which played an epic DII regional final in 2024, could face off on the same stage this season after moving up to DI? It’s looking like a reality since both teams are in fairly weak district brackets. Granted, they’d both have to get past a Central district team in the regional semifinals.

My other two picks to make the regional tournament are Lebanon and Milford. District titles would be a pleasant reward for having to endure this year’s Eastern Cincinnati Conference gauntlet.

Regional semifinal predictions: Lebanon vs. Seton, Mason vs. Milford in Region 4; Loveland vs. Pickerington Central, St. Ursula vs. Olentangy Berlin in Region 3

Division II

First-round matchups: Kings vs. Winton Woods; Mount Notre Dame vs. Edgewood; Anderson vs. Harrison

Analysis: Kings and Mount Notre Dame have inside tracks to the regional tournament, as both are the only teams in their respective district brackets with winning records.

Anderson vs. Harrison could be the best district semifinal. The Raptors did beat the Wildcats in four sets on Sept. 13. The winner of that match will most likely face Northmont, which is the only team with a winning record out of the North.

Regional semifinal predictions: Kings vs. Dublin Scioto, Mount Notre Dame vs. Anderson

Division III

First-round matchups: Hughes vs. New Richmond, Mt. Healthy vs. Ursuline; Turpin vs. Northwest, Western Brown vs. Wilmington; Badin vs. Goshen, Withrow vs. Talawanda; Ross vs. Woodward, Monroe vs. Ross/Woodward winner

Analysis: Before the season, many would have seen Ursuline and Turpin playing in a second straight regional final. Instead, they will most likely meet in the regional semifinal.

Don’t be mistaken, the DIII regional tournament will be incredibly talented. Tippecanoe, which pushed Ursuline to five sets last year, is undefeated this season. Ross won its first outright Southwestern Buckeye League title and set a program record for wins.

The most intriguing bracket in DIII, Region 12 involves Badin and Talawanda. The Rams and Brave face off on Oct. 9 and will most likely see each other again in the district semifinal. Talawanda is 14-6 so far. Badin is 8-11 after graduating a talented senior class.

Regional semifinal predictions: Ursuline vs. Turpin, Ross vs. Tippecanoe

Division IV

First-round matchups: DePaul Cristo-Rey vs. North College Hill, McNicholas vs. DPCR/ NCH winner; Gamble Montessori vs. Clinton-Massie; Waynesville vs. Dunbar; Bethel-Tate vs. Purcell Marian; Indian Hill vs. BT/ PM winner, Fenwick vs. Shroder; Taylor vs. Roger Bacon, Mercy McAuley vs. Taft; Batavia vs. Wyoming, CHCA vs. SCPA

Analysis: Cincinnati has four of the top five teams in the state in Division IV (No. 1 McNicholas, No. 2 Fenwick, No. 3 CHCA, No. 5 Taylor). Add in Roger Bacon and Mercy McAuley, who, even with sub-.500 records, will always be competitive in the postseason. One word to describe the regional tournament: electric. No matter which teams will be featured, those three matches will produce some of the best volleyball in the state.

Taylor, Roger Bacon and Mercy McAuley all being in the same district is tough. Whichever team makes it out alive will earn a berth to the district final and should advance to the regional semifinal.

Regional semifinal predictions: McNicholas vs. CHCA, Fenwick vs. Mercy McAuley

Division V

First-round matchups: Georgetown vs. Blanchester, Madeira vs. Georgetown/ Blanchester winner, Seven Hills vs. Norwood; Clermont Northeastern vs. Mariemont, Deer Park vs. Williamsburg; Summit Country Day vs. Clark Montessori, Reading vs. Finneytown

Analysis: Division V is where we start to see a lot of Cincinnati Hills League, Miami Valley Conference and Southern Buckeye Athletic & Academic Conference teams.

Madeira is the highest seed in its portion of the bracket. The Amazons would face either Norwood or Seven Hills in the district semifinal. Those two are a combined 0-5 against the CHL this season.

As for the Clermont Northeastern/ Mariemont/ Deer Park/ Williamsburg sector, you could pick a name out of hat as to who makes the district final. Mariemont and Deer Park split their season series, as did CNE and Williamsburg.

Once the postseason begins, Summit Country Day will be five wins away from its first-ever state tournament. The regional tournament could be the hardest part of the journey as the Silver Knights would probably face either Milford Center Fairbanks or Versailles, which ended SCD’s 2024 campaign in the district final. Both teams appeared in the 2024 DV regional tournament.

Regional semifinal predictions: Versailles vs. Milford Center Fairbanks, Summit Country Day vs. Miami East

Division VI

First-round matchups: MVCA vs. Oyler, Fayetteville-Perry vs. Cincinnati Christian; Cincinnati Country Day vs. St. Bernard-Elmwood Place, East Clinton vs. CCD/ SBEP winner

Analysis: Two teams from The Enquirer’s coverage area are guaranteed to make the district finals. East Clinton (19-2) and MVCA (15-4) are the top two seeds in the South brackets. East Clinton could face North No. 1 seed Arcanum (17-4), which has won three straight Western Ohio Athletic Conference titles but has also only won three postseason games since 2021.

An intriguing early-round possible matchup is MVCA vs. Cincinnati Christian. The Lions won their third Miami Valley Conference title in the last five years, but the Cougars have arguably played a tougher schedule.

Regional semifinalist predictions: St. Henry vs. MVCA, East Clinton vs. Fort Recovery

Division VII

First-round matchups: Felicity-Franklin vs. Spencer, New Miami vs. Felicity-Franklin. Spencer winner; CCPA vs. Lockland, Middletown Christian vs. CCPA/ Lockland winner;

Analysis: Just like in DVI, Southwest Ohio is guaranteed two district finalists. The only problem is, whichever teams make it that far will most likely face state-ranked Russia and Covington.

Middletown Christian and New Miami are the top two seeds in the South and will each only have to win one game to get to the district final.

Regional semifinalist predictions: Russia vs. Leipsic, Covington vs. Fort Loramie

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Thousands head to Columbus for 23rd annual Home Improvement Show at Ohio Expo Center

Published

4 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

Thousands head to Columbus for 23rd annual Home Improvement Show at Ohio Expo Center

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Thousands of people are expected to head to downtown Columbus for the 23rd annual Home Improvement Show this weekend.

Organizers say visitors can find ideas for everything from small interior design projects to major renovations.

The event is being held at the Ohio Expo Center and includes seminars, exhibits and demonstrations from local and national companies.

The show begins at noon Friday and runs until 6 p.m.

It continues Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Adult tickets cost $5 at the door.

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Matt Patricia sought stability in return as Ohio State football defensive coordinator

Published

16 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Matt Patricia sought stability in return as Ohio State football defensive coordinator

Matt Patricia’s contract extension earlier this offseason included a pay raise that figures to make him the highest-paid assistant coach in college football this year.

But Patricia, who will make $3.75 million in guaranteed compensation as Ohio State’s defensive coordinator in 2026, also held an appreciation for his situation.

“Ohio State is such a special place, not only just the history, the tradition, the football program, the school, but the people here,” Patricia said. “Having a chance to have a little stability with my family, it’s hard when you have to move your family around, your kids and the new school and all that.”

Before he joined Ryan Day’s staff last year, the 51-year-old Patricia had bounced around as an assistant in the NFL for much of the decade.

He spent 2021 and 2022 in a variety of roles with the New England Patriots, then a year as a defensive assistant with the Philadelphia Eagles. He took off from coaching in 2024. The frequent relocation gave him perspective.

“We had an unbelievable experience settling into Columbus,” Patricia said. “Everybody’s been so nice and welcoming. It feels like home. It’s a big deal for us to be in a place where everybody’s happy. That’s really important.”

Patricia had a significant impact on the Buckeyes in his first year replacing Jim Knowles. Despite heavy roster attrition following their national championship season, he kept the defense atop the Football Bowl Subdivision. For the second straight season, no one allowed fewer points than Ohio State.

The 9.3 points per game allowed by the Buckeyes were the fewest by any defense since Alabama in 2011.

The success made Patricia a hot commodity on the coaching market, rebuilding his reputation as a sharp and creative football mind only a decade removed from his tenure as a Super Bowl-winning defensive coordinator for the Patriots. He was a finalist for the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant.

Patricia said he heard about opportunities in the NFL and elsewhere across the college football landscape, though none of them would pry him away from Ohio State.

“It wasn’t necessarily something where you’re looking to leave,” Patricia said, “but you do have to listen when those things come up. I’m just glad everything worked out.”

His challenge in his second season mirrors his previous one, as the Buckeyes are again managing the loss of eight starters on defense.

But unlike 2025, they have fewer returning pieces, relying on a larger class of transfers to help fill the holes on the depth chart.

“With as much coming into the program for the first time, not only are you trying to catch them up on the football scheme, but you’re also trying to catch them up on everything else,” Patricia said. “This is how we work, this is how we do things, this is the standard we’re looking for, this is how we practice, this is how we prepare, this is how we go to school. That has to be also taught. It becomes a lot, but that’s why you bring in the right guys that have the mental makeup to do all that.”

Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com and follow him on @joeyrkaufman on X.

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Which central Ohio schools get the best results for their money?

Published

1 day ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Which central Ohio schools get the best results for their money?

Which central Ohio school districts get the most bang for their buck?

On average, school districts in Ohio spend $16,069 per-pupil for education, according to the education think tank Fordham Institute.

However, different district types spend different amounts of money. For example, large urban districts with very high poverty spend around $21,000 per-pupil, but small towns with low poverty spend around $14,900. The district type closest to the state average are those considered rural and high poverty and suburban districts with low poverty.

Aaron Churchill, lead Ohio researcher for the Fordham Institute, said that urban districts – like Columbus City Schools, the state’s largest district – often have higher spending because they can pull more in tax revenue and the state supports them at a higher rate because they are serving a higher proportion of disadvantaged students. Small, high-poverty towns on the other hand, generate less tax revenue from property values and district employee wages, the highest expense for schools, may be lowered by less market competition.

Churchill said schools should be focused on directing their funding toward initiatives that improve student outcomes and achievement.

“It’s making sure we’re focused on quality, we’re focused on performance, and that we’re rewarding performance,” Churchill said. “And we don’t do enough of that in the education system now.”

Churchill said there is a long-running debate among education researchers about whether increasing spending translates to meaningful results for students. Overall, school funding has increased on average over $2,000 per-pupil since 2015 and reached a record-high in 2025, according to the Fordham Institute.

“You can see in the numbers that we’re spending more than we ever have,” Churchill said. “The real million-dollar question is ‘Can our schools spend the money well?’”

Which central Ohio districts have the best results compared to funding?

The Dispatch compared overall spending per-pupil for central Ohio school districts to the ODEW’s performance index, using 2025 state data.

The Performance Index uses the performance level results for students in third grade through high school on Ohio’s state testing. The Performance Index (PI) score accounts for the level of achievement of every student, not just whether they are “proficient.” Higher performance levels receive larger weights in the calculation, but all achievement levels are included. Overall, the state average of performance scores was 91.8, according to 2025 state data.

The central Ohio school district with the highest spending was Columbus City Schools, which spent $24,505 per pupil and received a PI score of 60.7. The district with the highest PI was Grandview Heights Schools, which received a 106 PI score and spent $21,567 per pupil. New Albany-Plain Local Schools was a close second in PI at 105.1 while spending more than $4,000 less than Grandview Heights at $16,923 per-pupil.

Here’s how central Ohio schools stack up by spending versus achievements on tests, according to the Ohio Department of Education (sorted by highest spending per-pupil):

Columbus City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $24,505; PI score: 60.7
Grandview Heights Schools – Spending per-pupil: $21,567; PI score: 106
Bexley City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $21,025; PI score: 102.7
Dublin City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $18,702; PI score: 97.6
Worthington City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $18.573 ; PI score: 94.3
Madison-Plains Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $17,646; PI score: 88
New Albany-Plain Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $16,923; PI score: 105.1
Westerville City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $16,815; PI score: 89.7
Olentangy Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $16,780; PI score: 103.9
Groveport Madison Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $16,236; PI score: 72.6
Upper Arlington City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $16,282; PI score: 103.6
Canal Winchester Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $16.154; PI score: 89.1
Average Ohio school district – Spending per-pupil: $16,069; PI score: 91.8
Reynoldsburg City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $15,956; PI score: 72.2
Gahanna-Jefferson City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $15,742; PI score: 89.7
Hilliard City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $15,694; PI score: 90
South Western City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $15,600; PI score: 78.5
Whitehall City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $15,593; PI score: 66.95
Johnstown-Monroe Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $15,163; PI score: 94.5
Jonathan Alder Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $14,803; PI score: 95.9
Pickerington Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $14,470 ; PI score: 90.9
Big Walnut Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $14,239; PI score: 95.1
London City – Spending per-pupil: $13,750; PI score: 81.3
Marysville Exempted Village Schools – Spending per-pupil: $13,608; PI score: 95.5
Licking Heights Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $13,585; PI score: 85.4
Hamilton Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $12,971; PI score: 82.2
Bloom-Carrol Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $12,720; PI score: 90.89
Licking Valley Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $12,587; PI score: 85

Cole Behrens covers K-12 education and school districts in central Ohio. Have a tip? Contact Cole at cbehrens@dispatch.com or connect with him on X at @Colebehr_report

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