Sam Houseworth’s Analysis On OHSAA’s Division Expansion

Sam Houseworth writes for SBLive, High School FN

Thanks to Sam for allowing the article below to appear on SSN

(2-16-24) Before I go into any analysis, I must note that in Illinois, there is a 6,000-student difference between the largest school in Division 4A (Berwyn-Cicero Morton) and its smallest school (Chicago Senn.) I can’t help but laugh when the OHSAA states the driving force behind approving more divisions was a 900-student difference between Mason and Bedford.

Despite numerous OHSAA member schools opposing the expansion, the OHSAA board of directors voted to approve the move to add 3 divisions in basketball, volleyball, baseball, softball, and 2 additional divisions in soccer.

The argument that competitive balance was a concern quite work either as D-II Massillon and D-III Toledo Central Catholic were arguably the two best teams in Ohio high school football this year. Calls for the board of directors to separate public schools from parochial schools fell on deaf ears.

With more divisions, it should make trips to the state finals easier, right? Not for schools like Celina.

The Celina Bulldogs, who have tripled their win total in boys basketball and doubled their win total in girls basketball, will face larger schools in the state playoffs starting in 2025.

While Elida, St. Marys, and Van Wert all drop down to the new Division 4, Celina, based on current enrollment numbers, will be slotted into the new Division 3 with larger schools like Lima Senior, Sandusky, and Sylvania Southview.

One would think this is good news for those current D-I schools as they will get easier competition. But they had other concerns.

The biggest issue with Northwest section schools was the added travel. More divisions mean fewer teams spread across the same area. Naturally, that means more travel in the early rounds of the postseason. This dilemma impacts Northwest schools more than any other section with a wide range of school sizes from urban centers like Toledo to the black swamp rural areas of Paulding County.

Instead of Toledo area schools facing off against each other in the early round, schools like Findlay, Whitmer, and Perrysburg will likely have to travel to Cleveland for the first rounds of the postseason.

Ultimately, there is some merit to the division expansion. But when the OHSAA board of directors ignored all concerns from the 800+ athletic directors they are supposed to serve, those merits are overshadowed by years of greed and shortsightedness that the OHSAA has come to be known for.

In the link below is a breakdown of where all the boys basketball teams will fall under the new alignment, courtesy of MartinRPI.