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Which Cincinnati-area teams could win softball sectional, district championships?

brendan connelly, cincinnati enquirer
·4 min read

With one week left in the Ohio high school softball regular season, there are still some marquee matchups on tap as a few conference races are undecided.

Thanks to Sunday's draw, teams are beginning to prepare for their first-round sectional opponents and beyond. Let's look at how the state tournament draw shook out for Southwest Ohio teams. All statistics and records are through April 28.

Division I

The DI district tournaments are going to be fun. It helps that many of the major contenders are spread out across the four districts, and even further, the eight sectionals.

Isabella Zimmerman has been a key contributor as Milford has soared to the top of the Eastern Cincinnati Conference standings.
Isabella Zimmerman has been a key contributor as Milford has soared to the top of the Eastern Cincinnati Conference standings.

The bottom half of the Southwest 2 bracket could be the most competitive sectional in DI. It features Lakota East, Mount Notre Dame, Oak Hills, St. Ursula, Turpin and West Clermont. The Cougars have locked up the Girls Greater Catholic League and the Thunderhawks are in contention in the Greater Miami Conference. A few teams struggled in the regular season but there is no telling what could happen in the postseason.

The most anticipated sectional final is a predicted game between Mason and Milford. The Comets own a one-run loss to Kings but recently beat Lebanon, 2-1. The Eagles could stretch their winning streak from five to 10 games to end the regular season.

Also, keep an eye on Talawanda. The Braves are looking to make a run to the district final but will have to go through league foe Harrison before facing Lakota West or Western Brown. They've won the Southwest Ohio Conference for the first time and have a winning record for the fourth straight season.

Cincinnati DI girls softball district championships predictions in 2024

Southwest 1: Fairfield vs. Kings

Southwest 2: Lebanon vs. Lakota East

Southwest 3: Mason vs. Beavercreek

Southwest 4: Centerville vs. Talawanda

Division II

Each district bracket featuring at least one Cincinnati-area team also features a team ranked in the latest statewide top 10 poll. In other words, it's going to be tough, but not impossible, for a local DII team to make it to the regional tournament.

Taylor's Camrynn Linneman is the reigning Cincinnati Hills League player of the year. She has a .549 average this year with 41 RBIs and recently surpassed 700 career strikeouts as a pitcher.
Taylor's Camrynn Linneman is the reigning Cincinnati Hills League player of the year. She has a .549 average this year with 41 RBIs and recently surpassed 700 career strikeouts as a pitcher.

Taylor is in the same sectional as conference opponents Reading and Wyoming. The Yellowjackets also face Mercy McAuley later this week; the two could also play in the postseason. Taylor has three losses, each by one run, but is winning its games by an average of 11 runs.

Wilmington and Fenwick are the fifth and sixth seeds in the Southwest 2 district, but they must go through one or both of second-seeded Franklin and third-seeded Eaton.

Badin's Halle Klaiber is 14-2 this season with a 2.03 earned run average and 136 strikeouts.
Badin's Halle Klaiber is 14-2 this season with a 2.03 earned run average and 136 strikeouts.

Look for Badin and New Richmond to clash in their sectional final. The Rams have won 14 of 17 thanks to the return of starting pitcher Halle Klaiber. The Lions showed their potential with an early-season win over Taylor and will finish their season with contests against Mount Notre Dame, Western Brown and Wyoming.

Cincinnati DII girls softball district championships predictions in 2024

Southwest 1: Taylor vs. Greenville

Southwest 2: Kenton Ridge vs. Eaton

Southwest 3: Badin vs. Indian Lake

Division III

Williamsburg is having its best season since it advanced to the 2021 regional final. The Wildcats have a solid path to the divisional final; the only other team in their sectional with a winning record is Seven Hills. Their reward for a sectional championship would most likely be Miami East, currently ranked No. 5 in DIII.

Waynesville received the top seed in Southwest 2 thanks to a 14-3 record. Their only conference losses are to Carlisle, the top seed in Southwest 3. Opposite Waynesville, Bethel-Tate and Clermont Northeastern should do battle for the right to face the Spartans. The Rockets have beaten the Tigers twice this season.

In the top half of the Southwest 3 bracket, Cincinnati Country Day, East Clinton, North College Hill and Norwood will all try to take down Carlisle, which received the top seed in the bracket.

Cincinnati DIII girls softball district championships predictions in 2024

Southwest 1: Miami East vs. Williamsburg

Southwest 2: Waynesville vs. Clermont Northeastern

Southwest 3: Carlisle vs. Arcanum

Division IV

All of the Cincinnati-area teams are grouped in the bottom half of the Southwest 3 bracket. Cincinnati Christian will face the winner of Lockland and New Miami while Fayetteville-Perry will take on Georgetown.

Cincinnati DIV girls softball district championships predictions in 2024

Southwest 3: Ansonia vs. Fayetteville-Perry

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Southwest Ohio softball district tournament reactions, predictions