NEW WASHINGTON — The opponent is the same, but the stakes are even higher.

For the second year in a row, Buckeye Central and Ottoville will square off in the latter stages of the girls basketball postseason. Last year, it was in the regional semifinals. This year’s meeting will take place in the Division IV state semifinals at 1 p.m. Thursday at Ohio State’s Schottenstein Center.

The Big Green won last year’s meeting 52-36 en route to the regional championship. Ottoville fell to eventual state champ Berlin Hiland 44-41 in the state semifinals.

Ottoville advanced to the Final Four for a second straight year by virtue of 52-29 win over Leipsic in the Elida regional final. The Big Green (26-2) were ranked second in the final Associated Press state poll.

Unranked Buckeye Central (26-1) punched its ticket to the Final Four with a come-from-behind 55-47 win over Dalton in the Massillon Perry regional championship game. The Buckettes trailed 47-42 midway through the fourth quarter only to close on a 13-0 run.

“It feels like a dream come true, especially being the underdog. I love being the underdog,” said sophomore Lexi Evak, who scored 12 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked five shots. “It feels even better doing this with my best friends. I love them.”

A 6-foot-2 sophomore center, Evak had plenty of help Saturday in Massillon. First team All-Ohio point guard Jenna Karl had 17 points, 11 boards and five assists, while junior forward Courtney Pifher added 15 points and six rebounds.

“It’s amazing. Honestly I have no words for it,” Karl said after the regional final. “We couldn’t let the nerves and the crowd get to us. We did it. I’m so thankful.”

Buckeye Central boasts one of north central Ohio’s most tradition-rich girls basketball programs. The Buckettes will be making their sixth appearance in the state semifinals, but first since finishing runner-up in 1992. Buckeye Central won a Class A state crown in 1985 and was runner-up in 1982.

Ottoville is making its seventh state tournament appearance. The Big Green finished second in 2005.

The winner will play either top-ranked Waterford or No. 4 Minster for the state crown at 10:45v a.m. Saturday.

“I’m just so proud of these kids,” Buckeye Central coach Greg Moore said after the regional final comeback. “We never got our heads down. We just played basketball.”