Kenton Ridge, Southeastern earn top seeds in softball tourney draw

Shawnee High School junior pitcher Aleeseah Trimmer delivers the ball to home plate during their game at Northwestern earlier this season. Michael Cooper/CONTRIBUTED

Shawnee High School junior pitcher Aleeseah Trimmer delivers the ball to home plate during their game at Northwestern earlier this season. Michael Cooper/CONTRIBUTED

SPRINGFIELD — The quest for a state championship begins next week for area high school softball teams.

Two area squads — Kenton Ridge in Division II and Southeastern in D-IV — earned the top seeds in their respective districts. Shawnee is the other area team to claim a top-four seed, earning the No. 3 seed in D-III Dayton North district.

Here’s a look at where local teams stand entering next week’s postseason tournament:

Division II

Kenton Ridge (21-3), which advanced to the D-II regional final last season, earned the top seed in the D-II Tecumseh district. It will host No. 12 Meadowdale (0-5) at 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 7. The winner will play No. 11 Chaminade-Julienne (2-8) at 5 p.m. Thursday, May 9.

If the seeds play out, the Cougars could face Franklin (12-7) in a D-II district final. Kenton Ridge beat the Wildcats 11-1 in a district final last season.

The other side of the Tecumseh 1 bracket will see No. 9 Urbana (3-19) travel to No. 8 Northwestern (4-16) at 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 7. The winner will travel to No. 3 Benjamin Logan (13-6) at 5 p.m. Thursday, May 9.

The district semifinal game will be held at 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 14.

In the Tecumseh 2 bracket, No. 5 Tecumseh (10-9) will host No. 10 Stivers (4-2) at 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 7. The winner will travel to No. 4 Bellefontaine (13-9) on Thursday, May 9.

The other side of the bracket includes No. 2 Indian Lake (19-2), No. 6 Carroll (12-9) and No. 7 Tippecanoe (8-14).

Division IV

Southeastern (20-1) earned the No. 1 seed in the D-IV Dayton South district. It will host No. 10 seed Cincinnati Oyler at 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 9. With a victory, the Trojans could host No. 4 seed Cedarville (5-12) in a district semifinal at 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 14.

If the seeds play out, the Trojans could face D-IV Dayton North top seed Tri-Village in a district final on Friday, May 17, at a site to be determined.

In the D-IV Dayton North 3 sectional, No. 20 Catholic Central (0-14) will travel to No. 3 Fort Loramie in a first-round game at 5 p.m. On the other side of the North 3 bracket, No. 18 seed Triad (1-13) will travel to No. 7 seed Riverside (9-10) at 5 p.m. Thursday, May 9.

Division III

Shawnee earned the No. 3 seed in the D-III Dayton North district. The Braves will host either No. 16 Dayton Christian (5-4) and No. 15 West Liberty-Salem (6-9) in the Dayton North 1 bracket at 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 8.

On the other side of the bracket, No. 10 Northeastern (9-12) will host No. 13 Anna (7-13) at 5 p.m. Monday, May 6. The winner will travel to No. 4 Arcanum (15-7) at 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 8.

The North 1 district semifinal will be held at the highest seed remaining at 5 p.m. Monday, May 13.

In the North 2 bracket, No. 11 Graham (6-15) will travel to No. 7 Milton-Union (8-10) at 5 p.m. Monday, May 6. The winner will travel to No. 5 Versailles at 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 8.

The North 2 district semifinal will be held at the highest seed remaining at 5 p.m. Monday, May 13. The other side of the bracket includes No. 2 Miami East (17-2), No. 12 Preble Shawnee (9-9) and No. 14 Dixie (10-6).

Greenon is the No. 17 seed in the North 3 bracket. They’ll host No. 18 Northridge (0-12) at 5 p.m. Monday, May 6. The winner will travel to top-seeded Waynesville (14-6) at 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 8.

On the other side of the North 3 bracket, No. 8 Greeneview (11-9) will host No. 9 Bethel (9-10) at 5 p.m. Monday, May 6. The winner will travel to No. 6 Brookville (12-4) at 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 8.

The North 1 district semifinal will be held at the highest seed remaining at 5 p.m. Monday, May 13.

Division I

Springfield (8-13) is the No. 12 seed in the D-I Dayton North district and took a first-round bye. The Wildcats will play either No. 6 Miamisburg (10-6) or No. 14 Stebbins in a second-round game at 5 p.m. Monday, May 6. With a victory, the Wildcats would play in a district semifinal at 5 p.m. Monday, 13. The other side of the bracket includes No. 2 Centerville (18-4), No. 10 Fairborn (13-6) and No. 15 Bellbrook (7-10).

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