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Local hoops teams have pivotal tournament games upcoming

MIKE MORRISON The Marietta Times Warren’s Molly McCutcheon, right, handles the ball as Marietta’s Morgan Connolly defends during a high school girls basketball game last week at Sutton Gym.

With high school basketball postseason tournaments in full swing, several local teams await must-win games this week.

All six Washington County schools will have a team in action from today through Saturday, hoping to “survive and advance” as the old saying goes. Below is guide to when and where each team is scheduled to play and where each team is headed should it advance:

Today, three area girls hoops teams will be in action. While Pioneer Valley Conference teams Frontier and Fort Frye both open up tournament action, the Warren girls are set to compete in a district semifinal.

After defeating rival Marietta in a Division II sectional semifinal and then Fairfield Union in the final last week, the Lady Warriors are slated to take on Chillicothe at 6:15 p.m. at Southeastern High School in a district semi. Last year, Warren lost in the district semifinal to Circleville in the same location, and Circleville went on to lose in the district championship to Chillicothe. The Lady Cavaliers come into the game at 21-3 while the Warriors are 20-4.

While that’s going on, Fort Frye and Frontier will be looking to advance in Division IV action. The Lady Cadets (11-11) will play host to Shadyside and the Lady Cougars (16-6) entertain fellow PVC foe Shenandoah. Both games are scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m.

Wins for either team would send them to a sectional final game Saturday. Being the best remaining seed, Frontier and Fort Frye would again host the games.

In boys action on Friday, the Warren Warriors begin their quest for a deep tournament run. Warren (18-4) takes on Logan Elm in a D2 sectional final at 8:45 p.m. at Logan High School’s Jim Myers Gymnasium. A win would punch the Warriors’ ticket to the Convocation Center on the campus of Ohio University in Athens for the district tournament, where it would need two more wins to claim the school’s second district title in history.

In the same district, Marietta (14-9), which defeated New Lexington, 62-50, Wednesday in a sectional semifinal, is set to match up with top-seeded and state-ranked Vinton County at 7 p.m. Saturday at Jim Myers Gym. Rivals Marietta and Warren only would meet if both teams made it to the district championship game.

That won’t be the only action Saturday, as defending state-champ Waterford continues its quest for a repeat while Belpre also is in action.

The Lady Wildcats (20-4) are ranked fourth in the state in Division IV, most recently dominating Trimble, 51-24, in a sectional final.

Now, they’re scheduled to face Fairfield at noon in a district semifinal at Jackson High School. Immediately following the conclusion of that game, the Lady Golden Eagles (16-7) will take on South Webster in a district semi at the same venue.

Belpre bested Southern, 42-34, last week to earn its second straight sectional crown.

The winners of both games will meet in next Thursday’s district final, with the winner of that advancing to the regional tournament, or the “Sweet 16.”

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