Sectional finals preview: Cougars, Knights

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

Crestview and Van Wert will play for sectional championships on Friday, with the No. 2 Knights in action against Temple Christian and the Cougars playing No. 5 Wauseon.

Crestview vs. Temple Christian at Van Wert

On paper, this game is a mismatch.

Crestview (21-1, 7-1 NWC) ended the regular season with a 61-44 win over Columbus Grove plus a co-championship with the Bulldogs, while Temple Christian finished the regular season 8-14 (3-5 NWCC).

The Knights, who chose to take a sectional semifinal bye, are the overall No. 1 seed at the Elida district. Crestview enters the tournament averaging 59.3 points per game while allowing 39.5 points per outing.

The Pioneers snapped with a seven game losing streak with a 61-51 victory over Monclova Christian in the regular season finale, then edged Fort Jennings 48-47 in Tuesday’s sectional semifinal.

Temple Christian averages 50.7 points per game and allows 53.5 points per contest. The Pioneers have not beaten a team with a winning record.

Friday’s game will tip off at 6:15 p.m. and will air live on WKSD 99.7FM.

The winner will claim the upper bracket sectional championship and will advance to Tuesday’s district semifinal to play Delphos St. John’s or Lima Central Catholic. Those two teams will play after Crestview and Temple Christian.

Van Wert vs. Wauseon at Findlay High School

These two teams met in last year’s Division II district semifinals at Ohio Northern University, with the Indians claiming a 51-41 win. This year, Van Wert and Wauseon will meet for the upper bracket sectional championship at Findlay High School.

The Cougars (14-9, 6-3 WBL) finished the regular season by winning eight of their last 10 games, then opened tournament play with a 66-47 victory over Bath on Tuesday.

Through 23 games, Van Wert is averaging 54.9 points per game and allowing 54 points per game.

Wauseon (18-4, 6-1 NWOAL) enters Friday’s game as the No. 2 seed, and the Indians tied Cincinnati Taft for No. 5 in the season’s final Associated Press Division II poll.

Wauseon enjoyed a first round bye and will enter Friday’s game averaging 57.5 points per game while allowing just 45.7 points per game.

Van Wert and Wauseon will tip off at 6:15 p.m. Friday at Findlay High School and will air live on WERT 1220AM/104.3FM.

The winner will play the winner of Friday’s night’s second game at Findlay, Defiance or Wapakoneta in the Division II district semifinals at 8 p.m. Wednesday at Ohio Northern.