Playoff Roundup: Waynedale wins third straight district, Norwayne loses in regional semi
Nothing was going to stop Waynedale from winning its third straight district championship.
The Golden Bears put together perhaps their most dominant performance during their three-year run of undefeated postseason play, dominating Columbia in a 17-1 Div. III district championship title game at Medina High School.
Waynedale has now won 17 straight playoff games dating back to 2022.
The Golden Bears move on to face South Range — a team they beat 14-1 in last year's regional finals — May 30 at Massillon Washington High School at 5 p.m.
'We really believed': Defending state champ Hiland wins district title
And with star pitcher Otto Solorzano sidelined with an injury, Kolten Roeder pitched brilliantly during the biggest start of his career, tossing four innings of one-run ball, allowing just two hits. But it was the offense that was really clicking against a Columbia team that only had four losses on its resume before Wednesday evening.
Tate Venables, Cam Miller and Logan Troyer had three hits apiece, with Miller driving in four runs to lead the team. Brayden Steiner and Tristan Franks had two-hit days as well, as the Bears put together 15 hits as team, scoring 16 of its runs over the third, fourth and fifth innings, including eight in the fifth.
With only two extra-base hits, it's not that Waynedale was destroying the ball Wednesday but rather steadily eroded Columbia with single after single.
All but one of Waynedale's nine starters in the lineup scored a run. The Bears have now outscored opponents 25-1 during the playoffs.
OHSAA GIRLS SOFTBALL DIV. III REGIONAL SEMIFINALS
▶ Warren Champion 11, Norwayne 2: Norwayne completed one of the biggest upsets in recent local softball history last week when it upended Triway to win a district championship.
Beating perennial powerhouse Warren Champion was an even taller task, and the Golden Flashes proved to be too much for Norwayne to overcome in a 11-2 regional semifinal loss.
Facing Penn State commit Grady Gradishar in the circle, along with a loaded lineup, the Bobcats didn't have lightning strike twice against a state contending opponent. Gradishar struck out 16 in the win, allowing just two Norwayne hits. Kylie Hayden and Emrie Schmidt had the Bobcats' hits.
Norwayne's best chance at making it close came in the fourth inning, loading up the bases on walks to start the inning. Anna Metsker and Abby Workman drove in runs on sacrifice flies before Champion escaped the inning still holding a 6-2 lead. The Flashes wasted no time, scoring five runs in the top of the fifth to put the game truly out of reach.
OHSAA TRACK AND FIELD DIV. I AUSTINTOWN REGIONAL
The second time was the charm for Wooster's Grace Kostohryz Wednesday at the Austintown Division I Regional.
Kostohryz made the most of her second straight trip to regionals as she finished third overall to secure her first career trip to next week's OHSAA State Championships.
The senior recorded a mark of 38-feet-6 on her fifth attempt of the day to lock-up one of the fourth automatic-qualifying berths to the state meet in Dayton in a day where she fouled just once and stormed out of the gate with a pair of throws over 36-feet. Those early tosses helped the local into second place overall heading into the finals.
Kostohryz’s mark was just three inches shy of a season-best.
Boardman's Sarah Bero won the event with a 39-11, while Louisville's Sloane Sypolt passed Kostohryz late in the competition after a toss of 38-9.
OHSAA TRACK AND FIELD DIV. III HEATH REGIONAL
Hiland sophomore Myla Troyer just missed a podium finish in her regional debut at Bulldog Stadium. Troyer cleared the bar at 4-10 in the high jump on her second attempt to finish a tie for ninth overall, matching two other competitors. Lexi Tucci of Sandy Valley took the title with a leap of 5-4.
OHSAA BOYS LACROSSE TOURNAMENT REGION 5 QUARTERFINALS
▶ Wooster 18, Copley 8: Wooster continued its best season in year, rolling over Copley and into next week's regional semifinals.
The top-seeded Generals face Olmsted Falls — 15-2 winners over Medina Highland — on May 28 at 7 p.m.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Playoff Roundup: Waynedale wins district, Norwayne falls in regionals
