COLUMBUS – Girls volleyball has a new home for the state final four this fall, but it’s only temporary. Soccer, however will return to MAPFRE Stadium, which has hosted since 1999.
The announcements were made in a press release on Oct. 27.
Vandalia Butler High School will host the state semifinals and finals for girls volleyball, which will be held Nov. 13-15.
The semifinals for all four divisions will take place on Friday and Saturday, and the finals will be played Sunday. The facility will be cleared for cleaning between each contest.
The Friday games will feature Division II semifinals at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., followed by Division I at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. The Division III semifinals will be played at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturday, followed by Division IV at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.
On Sunday, the Division II final will start the day at 9 a.m., followed by Division I at 12:30 p.m., Division IV at 4 p.m. and Division III at 7:30 p.m.
Butler does not have classes scheduled for Friday, freeing up the school to host in place of Wright State University’s Nutter Center.
“We are very thankful that Butler High School stepped forward to host our volleyball state tournament,” Emily Gates, OHSAA director of Sport Management and volleyball administrator, said. “We look forward to our return to Wright State University in the future, but with the small number of fans who can attend this year, we needed to find a smaller venue that was still an exceptional site. We found that at Butler High School and are very excited to work together on this great state tournament.”
The boys and girls soccer state finals will be held in Columbus on Nov. 13-14. The four divisions of girls games will be played on Friday, Nov. 13, with the boys taking place the following day.
“We would like to thank the Crew SC for being such a great partner during these uncertain times,” Kathleen Coughlin, OHSAA director of Sport Management and soccer administrator, said. “Due to the attendance restrictions this year, we didn’t know if it would be possible to have our finals in such an outstanding venue, but the Crew SC made it happen and we couldn’t be happier to once again crown our soccer state champions at MAPFRE Stadium.”
CROSS COUNTRY
The regional and state meets will both occur on a Saturday, the OHSAA announced in the same release.
The regional meet for area teams will take place on Oct. 31 at Pickerington High School North.
The Division III boys meet opens the day at 9 a.m., followed by the girls at 10 a.m. Division II boys are at noon and girls at 1 p.m. The Division I boys race begins at 3 p.m. and the girls race concludes the day at 4 p.m.
The state meet will be back at Fortress Obetz on Nov. 7 with the same schedule for the races.
BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL
The Utica baseball team is the only team on the move. Utica moves up to Division II from Division III, the OHSAA also announced.
Mount Vernon remains in Division I for baseball and softball, Highland baseball and softball and Utica softball are in Division II again, Centerburg and Fredericktown baseball and softball will again be in Division III, and Danville and East Knox will compete in Division IV in both sports once again.
