ONTARIO — Winning a Fremont district title was anything but easy.
Defending it may be even more difficult for Ontario.
The Warriors (12-8) earned the No. 2 seed during Sunday’s district tournament draw and took a first-round bye. Ontario will host either No. 6 Clyde (9-9) or No. 10 Madison (5-14) in a sectional championship game at 5 p.m. May 17. The Fliers host the Rams at 5 p.m. May 15.
Ontario won an unlikely district crown last spring and rode the momentum all the way to the Division II state championship game. The Warriors fell to Kenston 4-3 in the finals at Akron’s Canal Park.
Eight of the 11 teams in the Fremont district field have a record of .500 or better. Tiffin Columbian (13-8) earned the top seed.
Shelby (11-7) picked up the No. 4 seed at Fremont and will host No. 5 Huron (11-8) in a sectional championship game at 5 p.m. May 17. No. 11 seed Mansfield Senior (4-15) will visit No. 8 Bellevue for a sectional semifinal game at 5 p.m. May 15.
Clear Fork and Galion both slotted into the Division II Bluffton district. The Colts (16-4) earned the No. 1 seed and will host either No. 7 Lima Bath (11-11) or No. 10 Elida (7-11) in a sectional final at 5 p.m. May 17. The Tigers (13-5) picked up the No. 4 seed and will host No. 5 Upper Sandusky (12-5) in a sectional final at 5 p.m. May 17.
Division I
Ashland is north central Ohio’s lone remaining Division I program. The seventh-seeded Arrows (13-6) will host No. 12 Toledo St. John’s in a sectional final at 5 pm. May 15.
Division III
Wynford earned the No. 3 seed in the 12-team Shelby district and took a first-round bye. The Royals will host either No. 5 Crestview (10-9) or No. 9 Colonel Crawford (6-11) in a sectional final at 5 p.m. May 17. The Cougars will host the Eagles in a sectional semifinal game at 5 p.m. May 15.
No. 11 seed Bucyrus (1-15) visits No. 10 Western Reserve (3-17) for a sectional semifinal at 5 p.m. May 15. The winner will take on top-seeded Edison in a sectional semifinal at 5 p.m. May 17.
Division IV
A pair of all-north central Ohio showdowns highlight the Division IV Galion district schedule. No. 6 Buckeye Central will host No. 8 Crestline in a sectional semifinal at 5 p.m. May 14. No. 4 Lucas hosts No. 5 Plymouth in a sectional final at 5 p.m. May 16.
No. 10 Mansfield Christian will visit No. 9 New London at 5 p.m. May 14.