Cassie Mattia is the Associate Editor of Loveland Magazine and lives in Historic Downtown LovelandCan’t imagine a Countdown without the Kid, Our Capt @tessbroermann AKA T-Wip! Tess has been my Coach on the floor for 3 yrs & now as a Sr she is the undisputed engine & leader of our program! Proud of you is an understatement! Let’s run it back one last time kid #OurWay – Coach Parker
Loveland, Ohio – It’s that time of year again that gives many, including myself, an endless amount of joy! You maybe asking yourself, “Well what is so significant about this time of year?” IT’S BASKETBALL SEASON BABY! Of course the single phrase has to be said in a Dick Vitale voice!
Basketball teams all across Ohio are preparing for what should be a very interesting season in light of COVID-19. The L.H.S Women’s Basketball team has not been letting the pandemic slow them down as they have been safely practicing hard in preparation for the first game that will be held on November 24th at the Tiger’s home gym against Lakota East at 7:30 P.M.
Coach Darnell Parker and Assistant Coach Keith (Breezy) Braswell celebrating the ECC Championship in 2020
L.H.S’s Women’s Basketball team is coming off of a historical 2019-2020 season, grabbing their first league title, sectional title, and an outstanding overall record of 22-4. Although they have lost some unbelievable female athletes such as the Tiger’s top performer, Jillian Hayes who will begin her career as Cincinnati Bearcat this year, Head Coach Darnell Parker says that he has two incredible leaders returning in Seniors Jenna Batsch and Tess Broermann that are sure to give the team that fire they need to succeed this year!
So without further ado, here is the 2020-2021 Loveland High School Women’s Basketball Season Preview!
The following graphics and photos provided by team photographer, Gayle Rothmeeler.
Tiger Nation let me introduce you to Our @ViviClayton AKA ViVi! Vivi is a team-first guard willing to do whatever her team needs! Greatness is already in your DNA kid, go ahead and put it on display for all to witness! Orange and Black looks good on you Viv!#OurWay – Coach Parker
Cassie – What have you and the Tigers been doing in preparation for this season?
Coach Parker – Preparation for this season started over the summer with our team lifting and conditioning sessions, as well as our super popular 6 A.M, Breakfast Club workouts. This is a great time for our kids as we start forming bonds and shaping the identity of this year’s team!
She had her coming out party against the number 1 team in the state last year and Our Miss @EarlyJosie is hungry for more! Ultra competitive guard with a knack for slicing through defenses! Remember the name folks, get your ready! #OurWay – Coach Parker
Cassie – What effect has COVID-19 had on your preparation?
Coach Parker – Keeping our Student-Athletes safe is our top priority. Each player, coach, and member of our program is diligent in following the guidelines set by our District and the OHSAA. Our kids have done a great job adjusting and it hasn’t affected our preparation too much.
No better place to start than with the Captain @JennaBatsch aka STRETCH! Don’t let the smoothness fool you, the Kent St commit is an absolute BEAST on the court! It’s her time to shine bright! #OurWay – Coach Parker
Cassie – Who are some of the players that are returning? Any starters? Who do you expect to be a captain or “leader” for the other ladies to look up to this year.
Coach Parker – SR-Jenna Batsch(Kent State Commit, Second leading scorer last year 11ppg)-Captain, SR-Tess Broermann(4-year starter 6.3ppg last season)-Captain, SO-Olivia Raby(Lead the team in FG% 52% 3.5ppg), SO-Josie Early(3ppg, Strong tournament run last season), Jr-Nia Kemper(PG Transfer from Wyoming 14ppg, Excellent shooter and defender), Jr-Vivian Clayton(G Transfer from Sycamore 8ppg, Great Defender and strong guard attacking the basket).
Next up it’s Our Miss @ellanagel_AKA Shirley(another inside joke)! A summer spent grinding and getting better, and the Jr is ready to Soar! You have the green light to be great kid! All gas no brakes!! #OurWay – Coach Parker
Cassie – Any big games you and the team are looking forward to?
Coach Parker – We always enjoy the matchups with Walnut Hills and West Clermont. They have been the Gold standards in the league for a lot of years. This year we add three new teams in Little Miami, Lebanon, and Winton Woods. Starting new rivalries with these schools will be fun!
LIV!!!!! Big sis may be gone but the Raby legacy continues! Our @Olivia_Raby_ established herself as a big-time rim protector last season and this Summer added to her offensive game! Don’t take my word for it though, just enjoy the show #OurWay – Coach Parker
Cassie – What will be some of your primary focuses or things you would like to improve on from last season this year?
Coach Parker – This season we will really focus on sharing the basketball and attacking opposing defenses from a lot of angles. We have 6-7 girls that could get double digits points on any given night and as a coach that is very exciting! Defensively our pressure is going to be suffocating and we are going to be able to pressure teams for 32 minutes or more if necessary!
I call her Laverne(inside joke) but Our @Yeager_Rachel15 is coming off of a solid Summer and ready to make her mark! You won’t find many who work as hard as Yeags, and that hard work is starting to pay dividends! Watch out Tiger Nation she’s ready to explode! #OurWay – Coach Parker
Cassie – Will the coaching staff be the same as last year or do you have any newcomers?
Coach Parker – We return our entire coaching staff from last year. Really helps with continuity.
Salute to the next in a long line of great #24s Our Miss Twitterless Gabby Saletta! The freshman is Lightning Quick on both sides of the ball and a ton of toughness after spending the fall on the pitch! Keep working Gabs! You got Next! #OurWay – Coach Parker
Cassie – Do you have any Freshmen or Sophomores that you are expecting big things from this season?
Coach Parker – Josie Early and Olivia Raby received significant minutes and experience as a freshman last year. They are going to be a big piece of the puzzle this season!
Tiger Nation allow me to introduce a NewComer to the program Our Miss @NiaKemper4 AKA FLEEK! Don’t Blink because if you do the ultra-quick sharp shooting PG will be gone! Don’t let the smile fool you she’s looking to take Someone’s lunch money on that Court #OurWay – Coach Parker
Cassie – What are some of your personal coaching goals this year? Team goals?
Coach Parker – Personally my goals have shifted based on my health situation. Every day that I am able to spend with my team is a blessing! When I am physically able I want to be with the team. I draw energy from them. The team really wants to defend out ECC crown and get back and when a District title. The community has really rallied behind myself and this team, I really feel we are destined for great things!
We play in the present but the future looks bright especially for Our @HannahPawlikow1! This is one tough Freshman who doesn’t mind mixing it up in the paint! Excited to watch her develop in the next 4 years!! #OurWay – Coach Parker
Cassie – Will you be competing against any schools that you haven’t competed against in the past or haven’t competed against in quite some time? If so what teams?
Coach Parker – As Mentioned above we will start playing the new teams in our conference. We also open up with Lakota East who we haven’t played in recent times.
Big shoes to fill after she took over her pals # but Our @SophiaKapsz (just call me KAPS) is up for the challenge! Infectious energy and an animal on the boards, she ready to wreak havoc this year. I hope she even breaks out the dance moves #OurWay – Coach Parker
Cassie – Any new mottos this year other than your infamous #Ourway?!
Coach Parker – Haha, OurWay will always be the motto that we follow. With my diagnosis, the Girls have reached a Mantra of OURWAY, OURFIGHT. They are in this battle with me. That’s what Family does!!#OurWay
Another one of our Fab Frosh making the Countdown! Our Miss @bebout_sara is well on her way to being a force in the paint for our Tigers! The future is bright for you kid! Keep working and getting better every day!#OurWay – Coach Parker
For more of the Sports 411 with me, Cassie Mattia, stay tuned!
Cassie Mattia is the Associate Editor of Loveland Magazine and lives in Historic Downtown
Loveland, Ohio – It’s that time of year again to honor the L.H.S student-athlete Seniors as we send them on their way to play collegiate sports at the conclusion of this school year!
L.H.S’s National College Signing Day was held on November 12th at 2:30 PM, in the legendary Tiger gymnasium. Although the Loveland Athletic Department tried to make the ceremony as normal as they could for the student-athletes they did send out COVID-19 safety precautions so that everyone attending would feel as comfortable as possible. Below are some of the safety precautions L.H.S took for the National Signing Day ceremony:
1. Athletes, please e-mail Ms. Brulport the number of family members attending. We need to know this for seating and contact tracing.
2. Your family and student-athlete will be assigned seating in our Main Gym Bleachers. Please look for the placard with your child’s name on it. You will be socially distanced from other families.
3. No congregating is allowed prior to, during, OR after the ceremony. All families must leave immediately following the ceremony.
4. Face coverings ARE REQUIRED AT ALL TIMES.
5. No group photos of the student-athletes together is permitted. Only pictures of the student-athlete, with their family, will be taken.
6. There will be NO student body allowed. This is for immediate family ONLY, plus 1 coach.
The L.H.S National Signing Day ceremony turned out to be quite the event as the Tiger student-athletes’ coaches, parents and family members celebrated the Seniors’ achievements and wished them the best of luck in their future college endeavors! The following Senior student-athletes signed to participate in athletics and get a college education in 2021!
Photos and Graphics provided by the Loveland Athletic Department.
Sarah Lolli signed to compete in Water Polo at Indiana University.
Connor Ruble signed to play Tennis at Wittenberg University.
Lauren Donovan signed to play soccer at the University of Minnesota.
Carly Wilhoite signed to play lacrosse at the University of Tampa.
Hanna Wenger signed to play lacrosse at the University of Central Michigan.
Josey Storm signed to play lacrosse at Notre Dame College.
Sherron Peacock signed to compete in Bowling at Tiffin University.
Brock Perkins signed to play baseball at Bluffton University.
Spencer Rodriguez signed to play baseball at Clark State Community.
Jenna Batsch signed to play basketball at Kent State University.
We would like to take the time to congratulate these OUTSTANDING Tiger student-athletes for getting the opportunity to fine-tune their crafts at the collegiate level! It has been a joy watching each and every one of you thrive as students and excel as athletes. We will be cheering all of you on as you take the next step in your athletic and education journey! LONG LIVE THE LOVELAND TIGERS! GOOD LUCK SENIORS!
For more of the Sports 411 with me, Cassie Mattia stay tuned!
The above photo is Jenna Batsch in action in the District Semi-Final for the Loveland Tigers last season (Loveland Magazine file photo)
Cassie Mattia is the Associate Editor of Loveland Magazine and lives in Historic Downton.
Loveland, Ohio – As the end of the school year nears, L.H.S’s Senior student-athletes are making plans for the future! It was announced last week that two Tigers, Jenna Batsch and Lauren Donovan committed to playing collegiate athletics at two very prestigious schools.
Lauren Donovan
University of Minnesota’s Head Women’s Soccer Coach, Stefanie Golan, announced last Wednesday, that L.H.S’s Lauren Donovan would become a part of the Women’s Soccer 2021 Recruiting Class. Joining Donovan will be five other talented women, two forwards, two midfielders, one defender, and one goalkeeper.
Donovan has had quite the impressive Tiger journey earning All-City and First Team All-Southwest honors in 2019 for Soccer as well as two varsity letters in Basketball and Track and Field (in addition to Soccer). This year Donovan was apart of the 16-4 L.H.S Women’s Soccer Team that not only secured a District Championship but also Regional Runner-Up honors.
Head Coach Golan is excited to see Donovan’s contribution to what Golan thinks will be a stellar 2021 recruiting class!
In addition to playing soccer, Donovan will be majoring in Communications at the University of Minnesota.
The University of Kent State’s Women’s Basketball Coach, Todd Starkey, also announced on Wednesday that Loveland Tiger basketball stand-out, Jenna Batsch, along with three others, would be joining the 2021 Recruiting Class.
Head Coach Starkey said that he believes Batsch will be a much needed addition to an already talented group of student-athletes! Starkey then went on to predict a possible Mid-American Conference Championship throughout the course of the 2021 Recruiting Class’s four seasons.
Six-foot guard, Batsch was a part of last year’s Loveland Women’s Basketball Team that made history earning their first-ever ECC Championship, a Sectional Title, and a 22-4 record. Batsch collected First Team All-ECC, Honorable Mention All-District, and was ranked in the ECC’s top 10 in both steals and blocked shots, averaging 10.9 points, 2.5 steals, and 0.8 blocked shots per game.
Cassie Mattia is the Associate Editor of Loveland Magazine and lives in Historic Downtown.
Loveland, Ohio – Sports across the world have had many obstacles to overcome in 2020 as the spread of COVID-19 caused seasons and post-season tournaments to be canceled or rescheduled. Many Fall sports in the state of Ohio were able to postpone their seasons and eventually get back to the games they so cherish. Though athletes and coaches were worried that they wouldn’t be prepared for any type of competition due to only being able to virtually practice for several months, that just wasn’t the case for the Loveland Tigers!
Loveland High School’s Fall Sports teams excelled in their 2020-2021 seasons, many teams and individuals receiving several accolades for their performances. Without further ado, here is your Loveland Sports 411 with me, Cassie Mattia!
Football
The Loveland Tigers Football Team had quite the year as they had to deal with their season and post-season being held-up due to COVID-19. Even though the Tigers had a lot to overcome, they still gave their best effort during their competitions. The Tigers rounded up their season 0-4 in the ECC and 1-6 overall. The ECC 2020-2021 Champions this year were both Kings and Winton Woods.
Tiger’s playoff game against Little Miami on October 9.
Calvin Cloud had a stellar season placing 2nd in the ECC in Offensive Passing Yards with 1,950. As of current, the ECC has not published the post-season football awards.
Women’s Volleyball
The Loveland Women’s Volleyball Team made it quite far in the post-season tournament, getting all the way to the 3rd round!
On October 22nd the Tigers played Little Miami in the 1st round of the post-season tournament at Lakota East. Loveland beat the Panthers in 3 out of the 4 games, 22-25, 26-24, 25-15, 25-16.
On October 24th the Tigers faced West Clermont in the 2nd round of tournament play where they won 3 out of the 4 games, 25-14, 25-23, 23-25, 25-22.
Finally on October 27th Loveland played powerhouse Mount Notre Dame in the 3rd round of the tournament and lost 25-10, 25-14, 25-9.
The Loveland Women’s Volleyball finished their hard-fought 2020-2021 season 8-8 in the ECC and 14-10 overall. Loveland also had some impressive Tigers make into the top 5 in several categories in the ECC! Diana Clark placed 3rd in the ECC in Digs with 399 and 1st in the ECC in Pass Points with 1,266. Abbie Miller placed 5th in the ECC in Assists with 428 while Audrey Planner placed 4th in the ECC in Pass Points with 899 and 5th in Kills with 249.
Several Loveland Women’s Volleyball Tigers were awarded ECC honors for their regular season performances! Diana Clark received ECC’s 1st Team, Audrey Planner was awarded 2nd Team, and Maya Jepson was honored with ECC’s Honorable Mention.
The ECC Women’s Volleyball Champions for the 2020-2021 season was Lebanon.
Men’s Soccer
The Men’s Soccer Team had a great season earning OHSAA District Runner-up.
The Loveland Men’s Soccer Team ended the season with a bang also making it far into the post-season tournament and racking up some well-deserved ECC accolades!
On October 19th the Tigers played Withrow in the 1st round of the post-season tournament and won 7 – 0.
On October 22nd Loveland faced Mount Healthy in the 2nd round of the post-season tournament and again captured a very impressive victory, winning 9 – 0.
The Men’s Soccer Team played Elder on October 24th in the 3rd round of the tournament at Sycamore High School. The game was a nailbiter as it went into overtime where the Tigers claimed another win 3-2!
The Loveland Men’s Soccer Team rounded out the season 6-1-1 in the ECC and 13-3-3 overall making them the 2020-2021 ECC Champions along with Turpin. This was the 3rd season in a row that Loveland claimed the ECC Champions title!
Several Tigers ranked in the top 5 in the ECC in several categories. Helge Harris placed 3rd in the ECC in Offensive Points with 35 and Kees Ciric placed 5th with 33. Harris also placed 3rd in the ECC for Goals with 15 and Ciric grabbed 5th place in Assists with 9. Dylan Schwinn placed 1st place in the ECC in Shutouts with 7.5. Coach Mike Dunlap received ECC Coach of the Year for the 3rd year in a row and Kees Ciric was honored with Player of the Year and ECC’s 1st Team. Helge Harris and Nick Williams received ECC’s 1st Team honors as well. Addison Hearn and Joe Stepaniack were honored with ECC’s 2nd Team while Peyton Kubin was awarded Honorable Mention.
Women’s Soccer
Head Coach Todd M. Kelly was named ECC’s Women’s Coach of the Year
The Loveland Women’s Soccer Team claimed the ECC 2020-2021 Champions title with a 7-0-1 ECC record and a 14-1-3 overall record. The Tigers have now been ECC Champions 6 times out of the past 9 seasons!
— Loveland Strength & Conditioning (@Loveland_SC) October 16, 2020
On October 24th the Tigers played West Clermont in the 1st round of the post-season tournament winning1 – 0.
Loveland then went on to face Oak Hills in the 2nd round of the tournament and after giving all that they could give, the Tigers lost1 – 0.
2020 ECC Girls Soccer Champions
The success of the Women’s Soccer Team showed as several of the Tigers placed in the ECC in several categories! Lauren Donovan placed 4th in the ECC in Offensive Points with 26 and finished in 1st place in Assists with 12. Shraya Smolenski also placed in the ECC in Assists, grabbing 3rd with 7. Eva Dudeck placed 1st in the ECC with 13.0.
Loveland racked up quite a few post-season ECC awards for their successful 2020-2021 season! Head Coach Todd M. Kelly was awarded ECC’s Coach of the Year and Lauren Donovan was honored with Player of the Year and ECC’s 1st Team. Eve Dudeck, Abby Pawlikowski, and Leiah Goedde also received 1st Team ECC honors. Ella James and Brooke Hatfield received ECC’s 2nd Team and Sophia Kapzukiewicz was awarded Honorable Mention.
CONGRATULATIONS to our Lauren Donovan – on being named this week's @RPDiamondprint Athlete of the Week! Lauren led our Lady Tigers Soccer Team to an undefeated regular season and an ECC Championship – also finished first in the ECC in assists. Great season Lauren. Go Tigers! pic.twitter.com/pIMM4cbyPd
The Loveland Men’s Cross Country Team is having a historical season this year as they recently qualified for the 2020 OHSAA State Cross Country Tournament as a team, something they haven’t done in 49 years!
The Tigers had several top performers in the ECC after the regular season meets, 7 ranking in the top 25! Below are Loveland’s personal best times for the season and where they fell among the top 25.
On October 17th the Loveland Men’s Cross Country Team placed 2nd in ECC Championship Meet at Home of Brave Park. Loveland scored 57 points. If you would like to see the full results from the meet click the following link: 2020 ECC Cross Country Championship Results (Boys). Ryan Chevalier was the ECC 1st place champion finishing with a time of 15:51.60. Brady Steiner also placed in the top 10 grabbing the 7th place spot with a time of 16:39.98.
District Runner-ups
Junior Ryan Chevalier broke the Loveland XC School Record on October 3 at the Sycamore Sunset Invitational. His winning time of 15:34.5 bettered Mark Weden’s record of 15:44 set at the Saint Xavier Invitational fifteen seasons ago. (Loveland Magazine file Photo from 2019)
The OHSAA District Cross Country Championship meet was held at Voice of America Park on October 24th where the Tigers successfully qualified for Regionals as a team! Loveland finished in 2nd place with 66 points. If you would like to check out the full results from the meet click the following link: Division I Boys – District A – Voice of America Park, West Chester. Ryan Chevalier was the Tigers top performer finishing in 4th place with a time of 15:39.3. Sam Neiger also finished in the top 10 securing a 9th place finish with a time of 16:29.5.
On Halloween, the Tigers traveled to Troy, Ohio to compete in OHSAA’s Regional Cross Country meet. In order to qualify for the State Championship, which will be held at Fortress Obetz in Obetz, Ohio on November 7th, Loveland had to be one of the top 5 teams and they did just that! The Men’s Cross Country team finished in 5th place with 168 points. If you would like to see the full results of the Regional meet click the following link: Region 4 – Division I Boys. Ryan Chevalier was the top finisher for the Tigers grabbing the 7th place spot with a time of 15:58.8. Sam Neiger finished 37th with a time of 17:00.4, Cayden Dyer placed 40th with a time of 17:02.0, Ajay Stutz crossed the finish line in 48th with a time of 17:09.6, Brady Steiner placed 53rd with a time of 17:11.4, Colin Beran finished in 71st place with a time of 17:34.5, and Grant Hanson placed 109th with a time of 18:32.1. The Tigers will run the Division 1 Championship at 3 PM on November 7th.
The Tigers’ successful season brought one individual on the team a huge honor within the ECC! Ryan Chevalier was selected as the 2020-2021 ECC Runner of the Year. Lebanon claimed the 2020-2021 ECC Champions Title.
Women’s Cross Country
Emmy Sager will compete in the State Cross Country meet on November 7th at 4 PM.
Advancing to the Regional Meet
The Loveland Women’s Cross Country team ran like true Tigers this season as the team advanced to Regionals!
On October 17th the Tigers ran at the Home of the Brave Park for the ECC Championship meet. Loveland placed 2nd with 61 points. For the full ECC Championship meet results click the following link: 2020 ECC Cross Country Championship Results (Girls) Emmy Sager was the top Tiger finisher placing 6th with a time of 19:23.98. Jessie Gibbins also placed in the top 10 finishing in 8th place with a time of 19:32.59.
On October 24th Loveland competed in OHSAA’s District Cross Country meet at Voice of America Park. The Tigers qualified for the Regional Cross Country meet by placing 2nd with 75 points. To see the full meet results click the following link: Division I Girls – District B – Voice of America Park, West Chester. Emmy Sager finished in the top 10 crossing the finish line in 3rd place with a time of 18:59.6.
On October 31st in Troy, Ohio at OHSAA’s Regional Cross Country meet Loveland missed making the State Tournament as a team by one spot finishing in 6th place with 169 points. To see the full meet results click the following link: Region 4 – Division I Girls.
In order for individual runners on their designated team to qualify for the State Championship, the runner had to finish in the top 20. Emmy Sager who finished in 8th place with a time of 19:01.9 was the only Tiger to qualify for the State Meet, which will be held in Obetz, Ohio on November 7th.
The rest of Loveland’s Women’s Cross Country team ran great races Jessie Gibbins finishing in 23rd with a time of 19:39.6, Maaike Snider placing in 45th with a time of 20:15, Sophia Huff finishing in 47th with a time of 20:20.4, Ally Colegate finishing in 63rd with a time of 20:43.2, and Ellie Carr placing in 103rd with a time of 22:03.7.
After so many great performances throughout the season, several Tigers ended the 2020-2021 season ranked within the top 20 in the ECC for their stellar 5k times. Below are where each individual runner placed and their season personal best 5k time.
The Men’s Golf Team won the ECC this year with an undefeated record! This is the 2nd year in a row that the Tigers have managed to grab the ECC Champions title.
Head Coach David Allan won ECC Coach of the Year and Tyler Vallee was awarded Golfer of the Year. Several other Tiger golfers received ECC honors for their excellent performances during the 2020-2021 season. Joe Jankowski, Anthony Moran, and Tyler Vallee joined ECC’s First Team, Aiden Callahan was awarded 2nd Team, and Ben Kirlin joined 3rd Team.
There were a couple of top-performing Tiger golfers that were honored with ECC accolades for the 2020-2021 season. Emme Amy was awarded ECC’s 2nd Team and was ranked 17th in the league for her performance with a 48.00 average and 171 holes. Kristin Dygert received ECC’s 3rd Team.
Congratulations to these 3 fine Tennis Players. All moving on to round two. Maira Hoder wins 6-3, 6-4. Babs and Batsch win 6-0, 6-2. Go Tigers! pic.twitter.com/BpU9v2pX2G
The Loveland Women’s Tennis Team had a historical 2020-2021 season as they finished at the top of the ECC with a 7.5 for the regular season and an 11.0 for the tournament totaling 18.5! The Tigers were ECC Champions for the second year in a row with a 5-2 league record and a 14-4 overall record.
Congratulations to our Girls Tennis team on an outstanding fall season. We finish the season as ECC Champions! We appreciate your hard work and dedication. Forever, Go Tigers! pic.twitter.com/7wYxG1r9n0
The Loveland Tennis Team gathered several ECC awards as Head Coach Mikayla Pitman received ECC’s Coach of the Year and Maira Hodar was awarded ECC’s 1st Team in Singles. Tess Broermann and Hannah Wenger also received ECC’s 1st Team in Doubles. Jenna Batsch and Babs Dwyer were awarded ECC’s 2nd Team in Doubles and Grace Haught received Honorable Mention in Singles.
Thus far into the 2020-2021 Athletics season, Loveland is in 2nd place with 74 points for the ECC’s All-Sports Trophy. Turpin currently is in the top spot for the All-Sports Trophy with 76 points.
Here at Loveland Magazine, we want to congratulate the Loveland Tigers Fall Athletic squads for all the hard work and dedication they put into perfecting their craft! We understand it has been a difficult time for the sports world, but we couldn’t be prouder of how Loveland Athletics was able to overcome the obstacles that were thrown at the high school student-athletes, coaches, parents, and administrators. We can’t wait to see what’s to come in Tiger sports for the remainder of the year! GO TIGERS!!
Stay tuned for more of your Loveland Sports 411 with me, Cassie Mattia!
Cassie Mattia is a resident of Historic Downtown Loveland and the Associate Editor of Loveland Magazine
by Cassie Mattia
Loveland, Ohio – This Loveland Tiger Homecoming was one for the history books! Although many locals pray to never have to orchestrate a “COVID-19” Homecoming again here at Loveland Magazine we felt as though we should still celebrate and document the memorable event for those who were not able to get a glimpse of what it was like.
Loveland High School and the Loveland Athletic Boosters tried their best to make the 2020 Homecoming Game as normal as possible despite COVID 19 restrictions that “Ruled Sovereign” over the evening that had no crowning of a Queen or King. Loveland’s Principal Peggy Johnson after the Homecoming event assured families, students, friends, and Tiger fans that she hopes to make up for students missing the traditional Homecoming experience and would like to hold the Homecoming Saturday night dance this winter if the pandemic restrictions ease.
Even though there wasn’t a tradition Homecoming Saturday night dance Loveland Magazine’s David Miller did catch the Tiger Band busting a move for a few seconds at the Homecoming game against Little Miami!
The “non-traditional” Homecoming Parade consisted of cheerleaders and players escorted to the High School upon the red chariot of a local fire truck provided by the Loveland-Symmes Fire Department! Luckily we captured the impromptu Homecoming parade on video for you our loyal readers as it left Historic Downtown and crossed over the Little Miami River.
The tradition of delivering the game ball via helicopter did continue as Grand Marshall Otto Huber, the Loveland-Symmes Fire Chief, landed mid-field to hand off the ball to the officiating crew.
In the video below Loveland Magazine’s David Miller captured the Marching Band and Color Guard during the opening ceremony playing the fight song and the National Anthem. The video also includes some action clips from the game including the opening kick-off and the traditional pre-game fireworks as the Loveland Tigers ran onto the field!
The visiting Little Miami Panthers ruled the field of play, beating our Tigers 55-20.
Our Tigers traveled to Covington, Kentucky on Friday, September 25th to play the Holmes Bulldogs. Loveland grabbed their first win of the season, 48-14! The Tigers are now 1-3 overall and 0-3 in the ECC. The Loveland Football team will play again on Friday, October 2nd at Kings at 7 p.m.
Loveland, Ohio – Loveland High School’s Fall sports seasons have finally taken off! Although COVID-19 has made school vs. school competitions this Fall season somewhat difficult the Eastern Cincinnati Conference (ECC) and the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) has implemented safety protocols that have allowed high school student-athletes to have the sports seasons they have been dying to have!
Last week in LHS sports proved to be quite the success as several Tiger squads had victories! Here’s the Loveland Sports 411 for the week of September 7th-13th as well as what competitions you should expect for this week in the LHS sports world!
FOOTBALL
The LHS Football team was supposed to have the ultimate rivalry game at Milford on Friday, September 11th, but unfortunately, the game had to be canceled due to a positive COVID-19 test involving a Milford Football player. The schools are working on rescheduling the contest.
Currently, the LHS Football team is sitting at 0-2, with losses against Turpin and West Clermont. The Tigers are looking to grab their first win at home against Little Miami on Friday, September 18th.
VOLLEYBALL
The LHS Women’s Volleyball team is sitting right in the middle of the pack in the ECC with a 4-4 overall record (2-3 in the ECC). On Tuesday, September 8th the Tigers traveled to Turpin. While Loveland battled hard, they ended up losing 25-23, 25-12, winning 22-25, and losing the final game 25-15.
On Wednesday, September 9th Loveland played at home against Lebanon. The Tigers played 3 games losing 25-14, 25-8, and 25-17. On Saturday, September 12th the Lady Tigers came back with a vengeance facing one of the best teams in the GMC, Lakota West, at home. The Tigers played 5 games losing the 1st and 2nd games 23-25, and 20-25. Loveland than collected 2 wins in the 3rd and 4th games, 25-22, and 25-24. Unfortunately, the Tigers lost in a very close 5th game, 15-13.
The LHS Women’s Volleyball team will be back in action this week on Monday, September 14th at home against Little Miami at 6:30 p.m, Tuesday, September 15th at Anderson at 6:30 p.m, and at home against Kings at 6:30 p.m.
MEN’S SOCCER
The Loveland Men’s Soccer team played at Milford on Thursday, September 10th. The Tigers ended up losing 2-1 in a close battle. The Tigers are sitting at 3 wins, 1 loss, and 1 tie (1-1-0 in the ECC) thus far for the 2020 Fall season.
The Men’s Soccer Team this week will be hosting Little Miami on Tuesday, September 15th at 7 p.m.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
The Loveland Women’s Soccer team has kicked off the 2020 season with a bang sitting at 1st place in the ECC with a 5-0-0 record overall (2-0-0 in the ECC). On Tuesday, September 8th they played Milford at home collecting a 3-0 win! Ryann Eversole, Brooke Hatfield, and Shraya Smolenski all had a goal in the big Tiger win.
On Saturday, September 12th the Lady Tigers faced Sycamore at home, in which they grabbed another win, 2-1. Leiah Goedde and Brooke Hatfield both had a goal for the Tigers.
This week the Loveland Women’s Soccer team will play 3 games, 1 on Tuesday, September 15th at Little Miami at 7 p.m, another on Thursday, September 17th at home against Kings at 7 p.m, and on Saturday, September 19th at Mason at 5 p.m.
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
The Loveland Men’s Cross Country team has had quite the successful season thus far clocking times at the top of the ECC! On Saturday, September 12th the Tigers traveled to Corwin Nixon Park for the Mason Invitational. Loveland finished in 4th place as a team with 116 points. Ryan Chevalier took the gold for the entire invitational finishing in 1st place with a time of 16:14.8. Ajay Stutz was next finishing in 16th place with a time of 17:15.5, followed by Sam Neiger in 22nd place with a time of 17:42.5, then Caden Dyer in 38th place with a time of 18:00.4. The next finisher was Colin Beran in 59th place with a time of 18:31.1, followed by Grant Hanson in 66th place with a time of 18:40.1, then Alex Salatin in 71st place with a time of 18:44.7, and Zach Mays in 79th place with a time of 18:52.1. Rounding out the Tigers was Alex Saletta in 86th place with a time of 18:56.4.
Junior Ryan Chevalier’s 1st place performance out of 381 runners at the Mason Invitational gained him an ECC Athlete of the Week Nomination! Chevalier is currently sitting in 2nd place in the ECC with a time of 16:06, in which he ran at the Loveland Invitational on Saturday, September 5th.
The Men’s Cross Country team will compete again Saturday, September 26th at the Saturday Night Lights Meet at Centerville High school.
The Loveland Women’s Cross Country team is running off the ECC competition this 2020 Fall season with their unbelievable 5k times! The Tigers competed in the Mason Invitational on Saturday, September 12th at Corwin Nixon Park finishing in 2nd place out of 15 teams with 87 points.
The top finisher for Loveland was Sarah Madix clocking a 2nd place finish with a time of 19:32.6. Ellie Carr finished next in 18th place with a time of 20:43.4, followed by Sophia Huff in 20th place with a time of 20.50.1, and next in 25th place was Ally Colegate with a time of 20:58.4. The next finisher for the Tigers was Ansley Richards in 27th place with a time of 21:01.5, followed by Maaike Snider in 29th place with a time of 21:07.9, and Audrey O’Keefe in 34th place with a time of 21:14.5. Other finishers for the Lady Tigers were Lauren Gard with a time of 21:27.3 and Meghan Tibbs with a time of 21:34.3.
Junior Sarah Madix was the 2nd Loveland Tiger this week to be nominated for the ECC Athlete of the Week for her performance at the Mason Invitational. Madix not only had the 2nd fastest time out of 347 runners she was also 1 out of only 4 girls to break 20 minutes on the new Mason 5k course.
Currently, in the ECC several Lady Tigers are sitting in the top 10 for their Loveland Invitational 5k times. Emily Sager is in 2nd place with a time of 18:53.5, Sarah Madix is sitting in 4th place with a time of 19:18.2, and Ellie Carr is in 7th place with a time of 20:04.03.
The Loveland Women’s Cross Country team will be competing again on Saturday, September 26th at the Saturday Night Lights Meet at Centerville High School.
The Loveland Men’s Golf team has been having a great season as they are sitting at the top of the ECC with a 7-0 record overall (6-0 in the ECC)! On Tuesday, September 8th the Tigers beat Anderson 159-160 at Legendary Golf Course. Over the weekend Loveland competed twice, traveling to Heatherwoode Golf Course on Saturday, September 12th, and to Glenview Golf Course for the Hadley Invitational on Sunday, September 13th. The results for both competitions have yet to be posted on the ECC website.
Several Tigers are in the top 10 in the ECC for their golf performances! Tyler Vallee is in 2nd place with a 38.36 average, Anthony Moran is in 4th place with a 38.63 average, Joe Jankowski is in 5th place with a 39.09 average, and Matthew Geist is in 9th place with a 40 average.
The Men’s Golf team will be competing again on Monday, September 14th at Miami Valley Golf Course for the Alter Invitational and on Tuesday, September 15th at Shaker Run Golf Course against Lebanon at 3:30 p.m.
WOMEN’S GOLF
The Women’s Golf team, currently 1-4 in the ECC, competed at Harmon Golf Course against Lebanon on Wednesday, September 9th. The Tigers lost 212 to 191.
This week the Loveland Women’s Golf team will be traveling to Eagles Nest Golf Course to face Little Miami at 3:24 p.m and then will be heading to Walden Ponds for the ECC Tournament on Thursday, September 17th at 8 a.m.
WOMEN’S TENNIS
The Women’s Tennis Team is in 4th place in the ECC with a 10-2 overall record (3-2 in the ECC)! Loveland took on the Mason B Team on Wednesday, September 9th gaining another win, 4-1. Since collecting the Mason win, the Lady Tigers are ranked at the top of the ECC in Singles and Doubles. Maira Hodar is in 4th place in First Singles with a 6-6 overall record (2-3 in the ECC), while Grace Haught is in 6th place in Second Singles with a 9-3 overall record (3-2 in the ECC). Tess Broermann and Hanna Wenger are in 1st place in the ECC in First Doubles with an 11-0 overall record (5-0 in the ECC), while Jenna Batsch and Babs Dwyer are in 1st place in the ECC for Second Doubles with an 11-0 overall record (4-0 in the ECC).
The Loveland Women’s Tennis Team will be playing 3 times this week! On Monday, September 14th Loveland will be competing against Indian Hill at 4 p.m, then on Tuesday, September 15th at Lebanon at 4 p.m, and on Wednesday, September 16th against St.Ursula at 4 p.m.
Stay tuned for more of the Loveland Sports 411 With Me, Cassie Mattia!
Columbus, Ohio – On Tuesday, the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) introduced their new Executive Director, Doug Ute, making him the 11th person to fulfill the prestigious position!
Ute, a Bellville, Ohio native, began his journey in 1988 when he became a part-time business teacher and a basketball coach at Noble Local Schools. Eventually, he went on to teach, coach, and fulfill the athletic administrator position at Buckeye Central High School.
Over the last 20 years, Ute acted as school Superintendent, 9 of those years being at Marion Elgin Local Schools and 11 of those years being at Newark City Schools. During Ute’s time at Newark, he created the Social, Emotional, and Academic Success (SEAS) program. The SEAS program allows counselors, teachers, and staff to get together and discuss ways to help their students succeed in life. Ute also expanded the free lunch program and made free breakfast available to all students. With all of Ute’s hard work and efforts at Newark, the school district had its highest graduation rate of all time.
Ute went on to accept the position as Deputy Director of the Buckeye Association of School Administrators, but shortly after was asked to fill the Executive Director position with the OHSAA.
Ute said in a press release sent out by the OHSAA that he has always had the mindset of a coach and athletic director so OHSAA would be the perfect place for him to be.
“I am humbled to be selected by the Board of Directors for this position and join a great team at the OHSAA office. We are all aware of the uncertainties that are before us due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but I know that together we can and will be stronger together,” Ute explained, “My focus has always been on helping students become better people, and athletics are such an important part in that. That is true now more than ever. I can’t wait to get started and help lead our member schools.”
President of the OHSAA Board of Directors and Athletic Director at Mentor High School, Jeff Cassella, expressed his excitement for bringing Ute onto the OHSAA team in OHSAA’s press release.
“We are excited to have someone lead our organization with Doug’s experience, both in working with student-athletes and with his experience in the workings of the OHSAA,” Cassella said, “The Board of Directors is confident that Doug’s leadership style and experience is a great fit to lead the OHSAA through this unique year.”
Ute played basketball at Ashland University and graduated with a bachelor’s in Business Administration and Marketing. He later earned his Master’s Degree in School Administration, a Graduate Teaching Degree in Business, A Principal’s License, and a Superintendent’s License from Ashland University. Ute and his wife Kory, now have 4 children and 8 grandchildren.
To stay up to date on Ohio and Loveland’s latest sports news tune into the Sports 411 With Me, Cassie Mattia!
Loveland, Ohio – A former LHS student-athlete has found himself on another prestigious list for excelling in the game of football! Ball State redshirt Senior, Drew Plitt, was placed on the watch list for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award just two weeks after being placed on the watch list for the Manning Award, which recognizes the top-performing quarterback in America.
The Golden Arm Award was named after Johnny Unitas, an 18-year NFL veteran, who began his stellar football career with the Baltimore Colts in 1958. Unitas was not only responsible for creating football’s 2-minute drill he also racked up some very impressive stats throughout his career.
The recipient for the Golden Arm Award each year is selected by the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Selection Committee. The top Senior quarterback is chosen based on their performance on and off the field. This year Plitt joins Kent State’s Dustin Crum on the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award watch list. Plitt and Crum are the only MAC quarterbacks on the list.
2020 Golden Arm Award Watch List
Jack Abraham, Southern Miss Jake Bentley, Utah James Blackman, Florida State Ian Book, Notre Dame Alan Bowman, Texas Tech Myles Brennan, LSU Charlie Brewer, Baylor Chase Brice, Duke Anthony Brown, Oregon Shane Buechele, SMU Sean Clifford, Penn State Jack Coan, Wisconsin K.J. Costello, Mississippi State Dustin Crum, Kent State Micale Cunningham, Louisville Sam Ehlinger, Texas Justin Fields, Ohio State Feleipe Franks, Arkansas Chase Garbers, California Jarrett Guarantano, Tennessee Donald Hammond III, Air Force Sam Hartman, Wake Forest Hendon Hooker, Virginia Tech Josh Jackson, Maryland Mac Jones, Alabama D’Eriq King, Miami
Trevor Lawrence, Clemson Levi Lewis, Louisiana Adrian Martinez, Nebraska Dylan McCaffery, Michigan Davis Mills, Stanford Kellen Mond, Texas A & M Tanner Morgan, Minnesota Jamie Newman, Georgia Patrick O’Brien, Colorado State Asher O’Hara, Middle Tennessee Brandon Peters, Illinois Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh Drew Plitt, Ball State Brock Purdy, Iowa State Peyton Ramsey, Northwestern Shawn Robinson, Missouri Anthony Russo, Temple Nick Starkel, San Jose State Zach Smith, Tulsa Zac Thomas, Appalachian State Skylar Thompson, Kansas State Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA Kyle Trask, Florida Brady White, Memphis Zach Wilson, BYU Terry Wilson, Kentucky
After the MAC made the decision to postpone all scheduled fall contests in 2020, as well as MAC championships, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Plitt expressed his feelings on the cancellation and the honor of being placed on the Golden Arm watchlist.
“This has been an unexpected and frustrating year for us and the cancellation of the season was extremely disappointing. The team was playing really well having a lot of fun and enjoying the little bit of normal we were experiencing when on the field for practice,” Plitt explained, “For all us, football is an escape from reality, a time to forget everything else in the world, put on the helmet and pads and be a kid again and it’s very disappointing and very frustrating that we won’t be playing and really didn’t have much say in the entire decision making. The award watchlist is a tremendous honor and really a testament to my teammates because, without them, I wouldn’t be able to do what I do. It’s awesome to be apart of the watchlist but I’ve got other things on my mind like winning a MAC championship first and foremost! That’s what our team wants, the awards come when a team performs great and wins.”
Plitt’s parents Steve and Julie said they couldn’t be prouder of their son’s accomplishments and hope they will get to see him play his final college season.
“As Drew moves through each phase of his sports career and life he continues to amaze me and make me proud. This is just another example,” Julie Plitt said, “He is privileged to have great coaches and players to help him in this journey.”
Bryce, Julie, Marie, Steve, and Drew Plitt at Marie’s volleyball Senior night in 2019
“For me personally, being raised and growing up in Baltimore, this resonates deeply inside. Johnny Unitas went to our church and I saw him there often,” Steve Plitt explained, “His youngest son graduated from the same high school as I did. Johnny Unitas was the pinnacle of success in Baltimore, not for just being maybe the best QB of all time, but his time off the field spent in the community helping others. My roots are from Baltimore, and I know that there is a little of that ‘blue-collar’ Baltimore grit in Drew’s spirit as well. Johnny U was my father’s favorite QB, Drew never had the chance to meet his grandfather, so in some way this connection is both humbling and very, very special for me.”
Here at Loveland Magazine, we want to congratulate Drew Plitt for representing Loveland in such a positive way! We admire Plitt’s hard work and dedication and commend his parents for raising such a top-notch student-athlete! We will be rooting for you Drew when you get back out on the field!
For more of Ohio and Loveland’s sports updates stay tuned to the Sports 411 With ME, Cassie Mattia!
Loveland, Ohio – Student-athletes all across Ohio jumped for joy Tuesday when Governor Mike DeWine announced that he will be signing a new Ohio Department of Health order. This order will permit the Fall contact sports of Field Hockey, Soccer, and Football, to move forward with competition against other schools.
Although the Governor confirmed his support for the new health order in a press conference on Tuesday he also said he wanted to ensure that Ohio’s coaches continued to inspire their student-athletes to follow safety precautions. DeWine stated that he hopes that by allowing high school athletes to have a season that will then inspire them to be as careful as they can be.
“I hope that our coaches will use this an opportunity to focus on helping these young people understand what really is at stake,” Dewine said, “Coaches, you, in a normal year, inspire, you mentor, you instruct, you instill discipline and self-discipline in your student-athletes. For all of that, we are very grateful for what you do. You make a lot of sacrifices, work long hours and you inspire our kids. We thank you very much for that. But this year, it’s going to take more. It’s going to be inspiring them in regards to the goal of keeping COVID out of their team,” DeWine added.
Field hockey, Soccer, and Football will now be joining the OHSAA’s previously approved Fall sports, which were Girls and Boys Golf, Girls Tennis, Girls Volleyball, and Girls and Boys Cross Country.
With the majority of high schools in Ohio desperately wanting to play sports this Fall, the OHSAA has been working with the Governor’s Office and the Ohio Department of Health to create a new health order that contains modifications from the previous health orders released. With the new Health Director’s Order comes two separate mandates and recommended best practices documents for schools to follow for competitions. If practices aren’t followed the OHSAA could issue consequences for the violation of these requirements as prescribed in Bylaw 11, Penalties. The new health order will still include symptom assessments, mandated facial coverings, enforcement of social distancing, cleaning and sanitizing, and what to do when faced with confirmed COVID-19 cases or exposure to the virus. The finalized health order will be sent to schools this week.
Bob Goldring, the OHSAA’s Interim Executive Director, also voiced his support of contact sports being allowed to compete in Ohio.
“The OHSAA is moving forward because we want kids to have an opportunity to participate, and the Governor’s Office is providing that opportunity and a chance,” Goldring explained, “So for that, we are most appreciative. It’s important to remember that our student-athletes have been practicing and training with others for weeks and even months, and it has gone well. So, we believe they deserve the chance to move forward, and that the high school space is also different than the collegiate space.”
The OHSAA staff has also been consistently working hard to create sport-specific modifications and recommendations for schools when conducting interscholastic competition. If you would like to read over the updated sports modifications and safety precautions you can click on the following link:https://ohsaa.org/Home/OHSAA-COVID-19-Correspondence.
OHSAA’s Goldring, like Governor DeWine, when speaking on Tuesday also emphasized the importance of student-athletes, coaches, and school administrators being the absolute best advocates for safety.
“COVID-19 certainly has created a risk factor, and that is something on which each family has to decide for their student, and each local school district has to make decisions on moving forward based on all the information they have been presented,” Goldring continued. “But we also believe our student-athletes, coaches and school administrators – in education-based programs – are suited to be the best advocates for safety, strongly promoting and following mandates and recommendations to wear facial coverings, stay socially distanced and so forth. Our coaches, especially, are role models to so many of our student-athletes. So hopefully our student-athletes will follow their lead and guidance, especially when they talk to students about what to consider away from school.”
OHSAA’s Fall Sports Seasons are Scheduled to Begin on the Following Dates:
Friday, Aug. 21 – Soccer and Field Hockey
Monday, Aug. 24 – Volleyball, Cross Country, and Football
Both Golf and Girls Tennis Seasons have already begun.
Have more questions about the new sports health orders and mandates? The Governor’s Office, the Ohio Department of Health, the National Federation of State High School Associations, colleagues at other state high school athletics/activities associations, members of the OHSAA’s Joint Advisory Committee on Sports Medicine, and members of the Governor’s Sports League Advisory Group created a series of questions and answers for those wanting to learn more! Click on the following link to read:https://ohsaaweb.blob.core.windows.net/files/Sports/2020/OHSAAReturnToPlayQA.pdf.
For the latest updates in the world of sports be sure to tune into Sports 411 With ME, Cassie Mattia!
OHSAA adjusts high school season if football is approved by Governor
by Cassie Mattia
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Governor’s recommendation to shorten Ohio’s High School Football seasons has been approved! The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) announced Friday that due to concerns COVID-19 may spike in the early winter, all Ohio HS football teams will enter into the playoffs on October 9th. The HS State Championship games would be played no later than November 21st. This is only in the event that the Governor’s Office approves Ohio HS Football being played this year.
The proposal for a shorter football regular season was approved by the OHSAA Board of Directors with a 9-0 vote. OHSAA released a press release after the vote saying that they considered the proposal a win-win situation for all schools because it would then not matter how many games each team played leading up to the playoffs.
So how will it be determined which HS football teams qualify for the playoffs you may be asking yourself? Well, instead of using the traditional computer ratings system, coaches in each region will conduct a tournament seed meeting the week of September 28th in order to form the regional brackets. This is very similar to how several other team sports within the OHSAA determine which teams qualify for playoffs.
Loveland High School is apart of the Eastern Cincinnati Conference.
The shortened football season guidelines state that schools may keep their first six previously scheduled games, but all regular-season football contracts will be now voidable by either school. This is especially important in the event that conferences redo their league schedules so that games will fit into the first six weeks. The OHSAA will also determine new playoff regions in September. Teams that are eliminated from the playoffs may continue to schedule regular-season games up until November 14.
MAC Announces Postponement of Fall Sports
The Mid-American Conference (MAC) has announced the postponement of all scheduled fall contests, as well as MAC championships, due to continuing concerns related to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Read on…
The Big 10 is expected to announce the cancelation of the Fall football season on Tuesday.
Those schools that have paused sports due to COVID-19 are still able to begin their season in September or early October as well as compete in the playoffs. If a school finds that they would rather play regular-season games up until November 14th and not compete in playoffs they are able to do so.
“To both ensure we can offer students the opportunity to participate in education-based athletics but do so with their best interests in mind, we believe this modified plan offers a positive solution by addressing many of the concerns of our member schools,” President of the OHSAA Board of Directors and Athletic Administrator at Mentor High School, Jeff Cassella said, “Those that are able to start their seasons on time will be able to do so. Those that are starting later can still have a season. Add in the option of all schools entering the playoffs and the possibility of schools still being able to play 10 regular-season contests, and this plan is helpful to virtually all of our schools.”
Here are the most important details in regards to the OHSAA’s modified Ohio HS Football season and changes to the Playoffs process:
Regular-season games will begin the week of August 24 (same regular-season starting date).
All teams are eligible to enter the OHSAA playoffs. New regions will be determined in September.
The number of playoff rounds is dependent upon the number of schools entering the playoffs in each division. Coaches in each region will seed all playoff teams in the region to form a bracket, similar to other OHSAA sports.
Schools eliminated from the OHSAA playoffs or those schools that choose not to enter the OHSAA playoffs have the option to schedule additional regular-season contests through Saturday, November 14 (maximum of 10 regular season contests permitted).
Playoff seeding will be determined via a vote of the coaches the week of September 28 (Harbin Ratings is suspended for the 2020 season).
All playoff contests through the regional semifinals (and possibly the regional finals) will be hosted by the higher-seeded team.
Schools must commit to participating in the playoffs by 11:59 PM on Thursday, September 17.
Playoff regions will be drawn on Friday, September 18.
Schools may withdraw from the playoffs without a penalty until Thursday, September 24.
Below is what the new modified Ohio HS Football season will look like:
Regular season Week 1: Week of August 24
Regular season Week 2: Week of August 31
Regular season Week 3: Week of September 7
Regular season Week 4: Week of September 14
Regular season Week 5: Week of September 21
Regular season Week 6: Week of September 28
Playoffs begin Friday, October 9
State Finals end no later than Saturday, Nov. 21
Still, have questions on OHSAA’s modified football season and the new Playoffs process? Click HERE for all of the Q&A’s!
Thus far the decision on whether or not spectators will be allowed to be present at contact sports this year has not been made yet. The OHSAA stated that “At a minimum, parents should be permitted to attend.”
Luckily four of the OHSAA’s Fall sports, golf, tennis, volleyball, and cross country, have been determined to be low-contact by the Governor’s Office which means these particular sports will be permitted to have contests with other schools. The remaining Fall sports, field hockey, soccer, and football, have been determined to be high-contact, so the OHSAA, the Governor’s Office and the Ohio Department of Health are working together to create a safe game plan so that these three sports may participate in contests with other schools as well.
To get the latest 411 on which of Ohio’s High School sports will be competing this year and the most up to date COVID-19 sports safety protocols stay tuned to the Sports 411 With me, Cassie Mattia!
MAC Announces Postponement of Fall Sports
The Big 10 is expected to announce the cancelation of the Fall football season on Tuesday.