SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor
FAIRBORN — Marion Local’s size and length proved to be too much for Lincolnview to overcome, as the No. 1 ranked Flyers pulled away from the Lancers for a 46-30 win in the Division VI state semifinals at Wright State University’s Ervin J. Nutter Center Friday night, ending Lincolnview’s remarkable run.
With four of five starters going 6-2 or taller, Marion Local controlled the boards, finishing with a 26-14 rebounding advantage and eight blocked shots, not to mention a number of other Lincolnview shots that were altered by the taller Flyers.
“Coming in we knew Marion Local was going to be a heck of a basketball team,” Lincolnview head coach Brett Hammons said. “We told other people there’s a reason they’re No. 1 in the state, with their only loss to Delphos St. John’s. We knew it was going to be a challenge and we knew the uphill battle we had to face when it came to size and physicality – we preached that all week long.
“Coming in I thought our kids battled for the most part,” he continued. “We got in a little bit of foul trouble which kind of hurt us but I thought we battled, we just struggled to score and if you look at a lot of teams’ scoring outputs against them, a lot of teams are in the 30s because they do such a great job on the defensive end with their physicality and their length and how well they’re coached. It just gave us problems and it was tough to get shots off tonight and I think the final score doesn’t dictate how close the game was and how hard we battled.”
“Give credit to Marion Local – they were able to execute and make their free throws down the stretch. It’s a tough one to take.”
“I think that was a great basketball game between two really good northwest (Ohio) high school basketball programs,” Marion Local head coach Kurt Goettemoeller said. “Credit to coach Hammons – they are really hard to guard and he has absolutely maximized that team this year. They play as hard as anybody we’ve seen all year. They’re the best cutting team we’ve seen all year.”
The Lancers did indeed hang with Marion Local in the first quarter and trailed by just two, 14-12 at the end of the period. However, Gavin Evans was saddled with two fouls midway through the opening quarter and had to sit. Lincolnview’s only lead of the game was 8-7 on a layup by Chayse Overholt.
While the score remained close in the second quarter, points were at a premium. 6-2 senior Brayden Mescher scored six of Marion Local’s eight points in the quarter while Max Hammons accounted for all seven of Lincolnview’s points in the period, and Marion Local led 22-19 at the break.
Evans picked up his third foul 45 seconds into the third quarter and back-to-back buckets by Mescher put the Flyers ahead 29-22. Max Hammons answered with two buckets of his own to pulled the Lancers to within three 29-26, but Lincolnview did not score again for over five minutes and trailed 32-26 to start the final period.
(more…)POSTED: 03/21/26 at 12:36 am. FILED UNDER: Sports
Gavin Evans (10) tries for two against Marion Local during Friday night’s Division VI state semifinal game at Wright State University. Grant Zielke (15) looks to pass against the Flyers and Marshall Hammons (20) prepares to shoot against Brayden Mescher. Photos courtesy of Hanna Young
POSTED: 03/21/26 at 12:35 am. FILED UNDER: Sports
VW independent sports
A mere 13 miles separate Delphos St. John’s High School and Kalida High School, but the two will meet in the Division VII state championship game at UD Arena in Dayton today. It’s a rematch of the season opener between the two teams, which was won by the Blue Jays 45-30.
No. 1 Delphos St. John’s (28-0) routed Malvern 61-32 in Friday’s state semifinal game at Wright State. Cameron Elwer led the Blue Jays with 18 points. Kalida (17-11), who was just 4-9 after 13 games, rallied to defeat Hillsdale 58-46 in the Friday’s second Division VII semifinal matchup. Gavin Leis led the Wildcats with 14 points.
The title game is at 4:15 this afternoon. It will air live on WERT 1220AM/104.3FM via the Ohio High School Athletic Association Radio Network.
POSTED: 03/21/26 at 12:35 am. FILED UNDER: Sports
VW independent sports/submitted information
COLUMBUS — Senior Marcus Johnson of Garfield Heights High School was named 2026 Ohio Mr. Basketball on Thursday by the Ohio Prep Sports Media Association, edging out Delphos St. John’s senior guard Cameron Elwer and becoming the seventh player to earn the award twice since it was first handed out in 1988.
Marcus won the award last year as a junior, giving his family the first father-son Ohio Mr. Basketball combination. His father, Sonny, the head coach at Garfield Heights, won the award at Garfield Heights in 1998.
Johnson was also a Mr. Basketball finalist as a sophomore and has been an All-Ohio first-team selection since his freshman year. The state’s reigning Mr. Basketball has been even better this season, averaging 30.1 points with 7.1 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 2.7 steals.
Johnson won this year’s award with 99 points from the statewide panel. Delphos St. John’s senior Cam Elwer was the runner-up with 91 points. Elwer was the runner-up last season, but significantly closed the gap after receiving 48 points in 2025, while Johnson had 110 points last year. Other finalists included Brunswick senior Trey Drexler, Maysville senior Gator Nichols, Tri-Village senior Trey Sagester, Columbus Academy senior Jason Singleton and Lakota West junior Josh Tyson.
Garfield Heights finished the season 18-7 and lost in the Division III regional semifinals. Delphos St. John’s is currently 27-0 and will play in the Division VII state semfinals on Friday.
Now in its 39th year, the prestigious Ohio Mr. Basketball award was first given by the Associated Press in 1988. It has been voted on by the Ohio Prep Sports Media Association since 2017.
Ohio Mr. Basketball Winners
(more…)POSTED: 03/19/26 at 1:34 pm. FILED UNDER: Sports
SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports
The best of the best remain and will compete at the 104th OHSAA boys basketball state tournament at Wright State University and the University of Dayton, which runs through Sunday.
The Lincolnview Lancers are representing Van Wert County, but the area has four other teams competing as well – Marion Local, Delphos St. John’s, Kalida and Lima Sr.
Two of those teams – Lincolnview and Marion Local – will meet in the Division VI state semifinals at the Ervin J. Nutter Center at Wright State University at 8 p.m. Friday. The winner will move on to the Division VI state championship game, which is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the University of Dayton. The opponent will be Berlin Hiland or Kirtland.
It’s been well documented that Lincolnview is the biggest turnaround team of the season, but most fans surely couldn’t have predicted a run to the state semifinals. The Lancers have defeated Hicksville, Tinora, Gibsonburg, Crestview and Colonel Crawford to get to this point. Colonel Crawford came in as the defending regional champion but Lincolnview raced out to a 14-8 first quarter lead and never looked back on the way to a 58-45 victory. The Lancers did suffer a costly loss in that game though. 5-10 junior guard Zander Coil, a threat to score and a more than solid defender, went down with a broken collarbone late in the third quarter.
This is Lincolnview’s fourth state tournament appearance (1996, 1997, 2016). The Flyers won the Division IV state title in 1997 and finished as the runner-up in 1996 and 2016.
The Flyers endured a close district semifinal game against New Bremen (43-41), but have cruised since, including a 57-43 win over No. 2 and previously undefeated Tri-Village in the regional finals. In that game, the Patriots were held to 25 points below their season average.
Defense has been the calling card all season for the Flyers, holding 17 opponents to 40 points or less. Offensively, Marion Local has a balanced attack featuring Brayden Mescher (13 points per game) and Kale Ahrens (12.9 points per game).
(more…)POSTED: 03/18/26 at 8:41 pm. FILED UNDER: Sports
SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports
For the fourth time in school history, Lincolnview is in the OHSAA boys basketball state tournament and the number six seems to be a common theme. The Lancers qualified for the state tournament in 1996, 2016, and 2026. Lincolnview won the Division IV state title in 1997.
For head coach Brett Hammons, it’s the second time he’s taken a team to the state tournament. His 2016 team rolled to a 21-1 record season record and won sectional, district and regional titles. The Lancers then defeated Jackson Center 52-39 in the semifinals before falling to Cornerstone Christian Academy 72-54 in the state championship game and finishing the season 27-2.
Coming off a 5-18 season, an outright NWC championship, along with sectional, district and regional titles and 22 wins didn’t seem to be in the cards for the Lancers this season.
Even so, Hammons was asked if he could find any comparisons at all between the two seasons.
“I feel it can go either way,” Hammons said. “Both runs to state have been a joy to be a part of, and were extremely difficult to get through. They were both filled with a lot of tough games where you had to beat really good teams.”
“I think the main difference was that there was could have been more pressure on the 2016 team, he continued. “When you’re eight games into a season, and you get put as the No. 1 team in Division IV, a lot can be expected of you. You’re expected to win every game, and that can be hard to do. Those kids were awesome, welcomed that challenge, and got close to pulling it off.”
“This year’s team has been really good throughout the year, and they just continue to prove people wrong. In some of our games this year, we probably weren’t picked as the favorite to win that game. Let it be in the regular season or in the tournament, but they just continue to win. They are a group that, even though they are undersized, plays so well together and just find ways to get it done.”
Lincolnview’s success this season earned praise from Marion Local head coach Kurt Goettemoeller, who leads his No. 1 ranked Flyers into Friday’s state semifinals against the Lancers.
“In addition to their skill level, Lincolnview plays as hard as any team we’ve seen all year,” Goettemoeller said of the Lancers. “They are fearless and Brett has done a tremendous job with his group. They are sound on both sides of the ball. We expect a great game Friday.”
(more…)POSTED: 03/17/26 at 8:48 pm. FILED UNDER: Sports
SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports
The latest installment of Random Thoughts centers entirely around the basketball state tournament, including expansion, the underdog, a heartbreaking end for one team, the MAC and public vs. private/parochial.
Great showing
Admittedly, I’m still kind of on the fence about the expansion to seven divisions in basketball. As I’ve stated before, it’s probably more the fact that the OHSAA’s Board of Directors went ahead and did it, rather than putting it to a vote of member schools. Who knows, maybe schools would have approved it, but we’ll never know for sure.
What I like about the expansion is it’s give more teams more opportunities to make it to regionals and beyond. This part of northwest Ohio is a prime example. Five teams from the area have made it to the state semifinals – Lima Sr. in Division II, Lincolnview and Marion Local in Division VI and Delphos St. John’s and Kalida in Division VII. There’s no way that would have happened before.
Underdog
Who was the underdog going into Saturday’s Division VI regional championship game between Lincolnview and Colonel Crawford? Well, I suppose it depends on who you ask.
The Lancers and their fans seemed very confident going into the game. It’s probably fair to say Colonel Crawford players and fans felt the same way. Plus, the Eagles were there last year and won it.
I’ll admit, I wasn’t quite sure what to think before the game. It seemed like you could make a case for both teams. Before the first quarter was over, it wasn’t too difficult to tell the Eagles were in trouble. They were already gassed and it showed. I don’t say that to be disrespectful. Obviously, they were one of the best Division VI teams in Ohio. They had great players and a superb coaching staff. But Lincolnview was quick and aggressive and the Lancers didn’t take their foot off the gas.
Congrats to Brett Hammons and the Lancers – Division VI regional champions.
No lead is safe
It was a tough weekend for Margaretta’s boys basketball team.
(more…)POSTED: 03/16/26 at 8:35 pm. FILED UNDER: Sports
VW independent sports
Here are this week’s boys basketball state tournament broadcast schedules for radio stations 99.7FM WKSD and WERT 1220AM/104.3FM. All games will air live.
WKSD
Friday, March 20 – Division VI state semifinals: Lincolnview vs. Marion Local, 7:30 p.m. pregame, 8 p.m. tipoff
Saturday, March 2 – if Lincolnview wins, Division VI state championship game vs. Berlin-Hiland/Kirtland, 7 p.m. pregame, 7:30 p.m. tipoff
WERT (games via the OHSAA Radio Network)
Friday, March 20 – Division VII state semifinals: Delphos St. John’s vs. Malvern, 11:45 a.m. pregame, 12 p.m. tipoff
Friday, March 20 – Division VII state semfinals: Kalida vs. Hillsdale, 1:45 p.m. pregame, 2 p.m. tipoff
Saturday, March 21 – Division VII state championship game: Delphos St. John’s/Malvern winner vs. Kalida/Hillsdale winner, 3:55 p.m. pregame, 4:15 p.m. tipoff
POSTED: 03/16/26 at 8:32 pm. FILED UNDER: Sports
SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports
From 5-18 last season to 22-5 this season, outright Northwest Conference champions, Division VI sectional and district champions and now, Bowling Green regional champions and state-semifinalists. That’s the story of the 2025-2026 Lincolnview Lancers in a nutshell.
The stunning turnaround is believed to be the biggest one in all of Ohio this season.
Lincolnview’s remarkable season continued with Saturday’s dominating 58-45 Division VI regional championship victory over defending regional champion Colonel Crawford at the Stroh Center. The Lancers trailed just twice, early in the first quarter and literally ran by the Eagles. Zander Coil provided a spark off the bench in the first quarter, scoring eight points while providing to be too quick for Colonel Crawford. Unfortunately, Coil, a high-flying 5-10 junior guard, broke his collarbone late in the third quarter, ending his season.
Gavin Evans and Max Hammons supplied all of Lincolnview’s second quarter points and defensively, the Lancers managed to keep the Eagles off-balance and uncomfortable offensively. By the fourth quarter, the Lincolnview led by as many as 17 points. Anytime Colonel Crawford scored, it seemed as though Lincolnview had an answer and every single Lancer player that entered the game provided a meaningful contribution. After the game, Eagles had coach Dave Sheldon admitted Lincolnview was too quick for his team and he offered nothing but praise for the Lancers during his postgame press conference.
Brett Hammons and two of his players, Max Hammons and Gavin Evans, also spoke with the media and the elder Hammons was asked if, in his wildest dreams, when the season started if he believed this team would earn the title of regional champions.
“No,” Hammons said. “I’m not going to sit here and say coming in I thought we’d be there. I’m just running through my head our senior class – a couple of them played some for me their freshman year, Gavin (Evans) came in his sophomore year at the varsity level toward the end of that season. They went from two wins to six wins to five wins. Now we’re sitting here with 22 wins.”
“It’s a credit to these guys and the effort they put in and I don’t think anyone would have imagined that a team that was 5-18 would turn it around the way we have,” he continued. “They bought into it and they gained a lot of confidence and they had a lot of belief in themselves. We’re a team that’s playing with a lot of confidence.”
(more…)POSTED: 03/15/26 at 8:31 pm. FILED UNDER: Sports
VW independent sports/submitted information
COLUMBUS — The 104th annual Ohio High School Athletic Association boys basketball state tournament tips off Thursday at the Nutter Center at Wright State University and the University of Dayton Arena.
Northwest Ohio is well represented at the state tournament, with Lima Sr. (Division II), Lincolnview and Marion Local (both Division VI), Delphos St. John’s and Kalida (both Division VII) advancing to the semifinals. Lima Sr. (22-4) will face Massillon Washington at the Ervin J. Nutter Center at Wright State University at 1 p.m. Saturday. Lincolnview (22-5) and Marion Local (26-1) will play at 8 p.m. Friday at the Nutter Center. Delphos St. John’s (27-0) will play Malvern (19-9) at 12 p.m. Friday at the Nutter Center, followed by Kalida (16-11) and Hillsdale (20-7) at 2 p.m. Friday.
Division I
Cincinnati Princeton (23-3) vs. Lakewood St. Edward (22-4), Saturday, March 21 at Nutter Center at 5:30 p.m.
Hilliard Bradley (24-2) vs. Pickerington Central (18-8), Saturday, March 21 at Nutter Center at 7:30 p.m.
State Championship: Sunday, March 22 at UD Arena at 3:15 p.m.
Division II
Westerville North (25-1) vs. North Royalton (21-5), Saturday, March 21 at Nutter Center at 11 a.m.
Lima Senior (22-4) vs. Massillon Washington (25-1), Saturday, March 21 at Nutter Center at 1 p.m.
State Championship: Sunday, March 22 at UD Arena at noon
Division III
Toledo Central Catholic (23-3) vs. Trotwood-Madison (21-4), Thursday, March 19 at UD Arena at 6 p.m.
Steubenville (25-1) vs. Akron Archbishop Hoban (20-7), Thursday, March 19 at UD Arena at 8 p.m.
State Championship: Friday, March 20 at UD Arena at 7:30 p.m.
(more…)POSTED: 03/15/26 at 3:33 pm. FILED UNDER: Sports
