(3-19-24) For the Midwest Athletic Conference (MAC) boys basketball teams it has been a long-time since a MAC team competed in an OHSAA Final Four. In the past the MAC has sent on a regular basis…at least one team to the Final Four.

The last time the MAC won a state tournament was in 2018 when Marion Local won in a classic 2OT win over Cornerstone Christian 52-51. The last visit for the MAC to the Final Four was in 2019 when St. Henry lost in the semifinal game to Berlin Hiland 57-50.

During the COVID shutdown in 2020 the OHSAA cancelled all of the boys basketball tournaments after the Regional semifinal game had been played, leaving eight teams in each division without a chance to possibly play for a chance to play the Finals…that included Parkway who was looking for its first state final appearance in school history.

The streak is now five years in a row since COVID without a MAC team to move on to the final four.

The streak could end next year when the OHSAA expands the tournament to 7 divisions.

According to the ‘unofficial’ MARTIN RPI listings….

The MAC will have their 10 schools in three different divisions (similar to the football regions) —

  • D V – Coldwater and Versailles
  • D VI – St. Henry, Minster, Parkway, Marion Local, New Bremen and Ft. Recovery
  • D VII – New Knoxville and Delphos St. John’s

The MAC teams will all move down divisions for 2024-25 and each one will now have an opportunity to win the first ever title in the three new divisions.

Bad news for the six MAC teams in D VI…Richmond Heights will also be in this division.

MAC Boys Basketball State Tournament Timeline….

The last MAC team to win a state title was in 2018 when Marion Local beat Cornerstone Christian in two overtimes 52-51.

The last trip to state by a MAC team was in 2019 when St. Henry lost in the State Semifinal game to Berlin Hiland 57-50. Hiland would lose to Crestview in the State Final game.

In 2020 the OHSAA stopped tournament play a week short of the State Finals due to the pandemic. An unfortunate turn of events for Parkway who was due to play Columbus Grove in the Regional Final…none of those 8 teams that were denied a State Final trip have been honored for their accomplishments from the OHSAA.

Related: