Stat Geekery - OHSAA State Tournament History

OK...if it's not already known, I'm a stat nerd. And what will follow is simply an exercise in total nerdiness.

(Note: How about this handsome dork guy, no resemblance at all, is there?)----------------->

Here's a nice little web find courtesy of the Columbus Dispatch.

Follow this link to view a document detailing every game in Ohio State Tournament History. Now, when I say "State Tournament," I don't mean county sectional games, I'm just talking about games at the state level (semifinals, finals).

It's truly a gold mine of data and history.

Let's shine a local light on this. From looking over this document, we learn the following....

• The first county team to appear at the state tournament were the great Northwestern teams of the 1950's. They won state in their first appearance in 1958, and were eliminated in the semifinals in 1959 (both in Class A). Up until 1971, the state only had two division in basketball (A & AA)
• Northwestern was also the first county school to win 2 state titles, adding their 2nd Class A title in 1965.
• Rittman (yes, Rittman) was the 2nd county school to earn a berth at state in 1966, but they were eliminated in the Class A semifinal round by eventual champ New Lebanon Dixie.
• Orrville made the county's 3rd appearance in 1980, losing to eventual state champ Hamilton Ross in the Class AA semifinal round.
• Triway made the first of their school's 4 appearances in 1988 (the first year the state moved to 4 divisions), losing to Tusky Valley in the Div. 3 semifinal round.
• Triway returned in 1991, losing again in the Div. 2 semifinals to eventual state champ Lexington.
• Orrville made their 2nd trip to state in 1992, and broke a 27 year Wayne County championship drought by beating Patrick Henry for the Div. 3 title. Orrville was joined by Holmes County's Berlin Hiland, who captured the D4 title.
• The Red Riders matched Northwestern's two titles with a 2nd title of their own, beating Wheelersburg 79-50 in the Div. 3 title game in 1995.
• Dalton joined the Red Riders at state in 1995, but could not advance to the title game, losing to eventual state champ Liberty-Benton in Division 4.
• Orrville returned to Columbus in 1996, won their 2nd championship in a row, and their 3rd title overall, becoming the first team to repeat as champs while moving up a division. The Riders beat Ottowa-Glandorf in the Division 2 finals.
• Dalton made a 2nd consecutive trip to state in 1996 in Division 4, but again were unable to reach the title game, losing to Van Wert Lincolnview
• Triway returned in 2005, their first trip since 1991, advancing to the title game but falling to Upper Sandusky in the title game.
• Triway earned a return trip in 2006, again advancing to the Div. 2 title game, this time falling to powerhouse Dayton Dunbar.

Wayne County Team Performance
Orrville - 4 Trips to State - 6 Wins - 3 Titles
Northwestern - 3 Trips to State - 4 Wins - 2 Titles
Triway - 4 Trips to State - 2 Wins
Dalton - 2 Trips to State - 0 Wins
Rittman - 1 Trip to State - 0 Wins

OCC Teams that have Won State
Orrville - 3 (1992, 1995, 1996)
Lexington - 2 (1989, 1991)
Clear Fork - 1 (2002)

I could do so much more with this (you know I could), but I'll stop.