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Carroll was the only area boys team to bump up one division in basketball. Members of the Greater Catholic League Co-Ed North, the Patriots will compete as a D-I program next season.
“You just have to embrace it and use it as motivation for your kids and take that as a challenge and honor and opportunity to play the best teams in D-I,” Carroll coach Tim Cogan said. “We have 379 (boys) compared to some schools having 800 boys. That’s going to be an uphill climb.”
Bumped down a division were area boys teams Wilmington (to D-II) and Fort Recovery (to D-IV).
» RELATED: GMVWA D-II All-Area teams
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Also notable, Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary, a two-time defending D-II state champ that defeated Trotwood-Madison in this year’s state title game and in a state semifinal last year, was bumped up to D-I.
The area girls teams affected were National Trail, which moved up to D-III, and Dayton Christian, which fell to D-IV.
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Divisional status for all sports is revised annually by the OHSAA. Factors are an EMIS count and a competitive balance formula.
The EMIS count is enrolled students in grades 9-11 as reported by the Ohio Department of Education. Competitive balance is a numerical formula that accounts for where roster players – from the previous season - reside and where they were enrolled to begin seventh grade.
»RELATED: All-Area boys basketball
Many area basketball boys and girls teams had adjusted competitive balance and EMIS numbers, but were not affected in divisional status.
The board also approved by a 7-2 vote to extend the baseball season one week, beginning next year. The allowed regular-season games, 27, was not adjusted.
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The 2019 state baseball final fours will be from June 6-8. The extended season was proposed by the Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association.
Total attendance increased by nearly 7,000 from the previous season for the state football championships, which shifted to the new Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton last season from Ohio Stadium in Columbus. The seven divisional title games drew a combined 61,312 spectators.
»RELATED: All-Area girls basketball
However, attendance throughout the state decreased by 34,106 for all five playoff rounds combined. Last season was the first the OHSAA went to all playoff games for rounds 1-4 to be played on Fridays only.
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The 12,054 spectators who attended the cross country state championships at National Trail Raceway in Hebron was the second most in history.
BOYS BASKETBALL CHANGES
Carroll: Up to Division I
Fort Recovery: Down to D-IV
Wilmington: Down to D-II
GIRLS BASKETBALL CHANGES
Dayton Christian: Down to D-IV
National Trail: Up to D-III
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