MADISON TOWNSHIP — The Rams will have their hands full if they are to repeat as district champs.
Madison (10-5) earned the No. 4 seed in the Willard district softball tournament draw Sunday and will open title defense at home against No. 11 Mansfield Senior (0-9) at 5 p.m. May 13 in the sectional finals.
Lexington (14-3) is the top seed in the 11-team field and took a first-round bye. Lady Lex will host either Galion or Vermilion in the sectional final at 5 p.m. May 13. The 10th-seeded Tigers and No. 9 Sailors play at Vermilion in the sectional semifinals at 5 p.m. May 10.
On the lower half of the bracket, Ontario (8-4) picked up the No. 3 seed and will host either Clear Fork or Norwalk at 5 p.m. May 13 for a sectional title. The sixth-seeded Colts (7-5) and eighth-seeded Truckers play at Clear Fork at 5 p.m. May 10.
Fifth-seeded Shelby (10-7) will host No. 7 Tiffin Columbian in a sectional semifinal game at 5 p.m. May 10. The winner will visit No. 2 Bellevue at 5 p.m. May 13.
Division I
Ashland is the area’s lone Division I softball playing school and will open postseason play at home.
The seventh-seeded Arrows (11-4) will host No. 13 Fremont Ross at 5 p.m. May 11 in a sectional championship game.
Division III
Colonel Crawford earned the No. 3 seed in the rugged Division III New Riegel district draw and took an opening-round bye. The Eagles (15-2) will host either Western Reserve or Willard in the sectional finals at 5 p.m. May 13. The 10th-seeded Roughriders will host No. 12 Willard at 5 p.m. May 10.
No. 5 Crestview (11-4) will host No. 7 Huron in the sectional semifinals at 5 p.m. May 10. The winner will visit No. 4 Upper Sandusky at 5 p.m. May 13.
No. 8 seed Wynford (8-7) opens tournament play on the road at No. 6 Carey at 5 p.m. May 10. The winner will visit No. 2 Edison at 5 p.m. May 13 for the sectional title.
No. 11 Bucyrus (1-9) will be at No. 9 Kansas Lakota at 5 p.m. May 10. The winner will play at top-seeded Margaretta for a sectional title at 5 p.m. May 13.
In the Norwayne district, No. 11 Mapleton (8-9) took a first-round bye. The Mounties will play either No. 5 Norwayne or No .22 Cleveland Campus International for a sectional title at the higher seeds home field.
Division IV
Plymouth picked up the No. 4 seed in the Division IV Galion district and will host either No. 5 Crestline or No. 9 Seneca East at 5 p.m. May 12 in the sectional finals. Crestline hosts Seneca East at 5 p.m. May 9.
No. 7 seed Lucas will open tournament play at home, hosting No. 8 Vanlue in the sectional semifinals at 5 p.m. May 9.
No. 10 seed Buckeye Central will host No. 11 Norwalk St. Paul at 5 pm. May 9. The visitor will visit top-seeded Mohawk at 5 p.m. May 12.
No. 12 Mansfield Christian will open tournament play at No. 6 New London in the sectional semifinals at 5 p.m. May 9. The winner visits No. 3 Monroeville at 5 p.m. May 12.
In the Division IV Akron district, small-school heavyweight Hillsdale (14-3) earned the top seed and took an opening-round bye. The Falcons will host either No. 11 Our Lady of the Elms or No. 12 Elyria Open Door at 5 p.m. May 11.
No. 3 seed Loudonville will host either No. 5 Canton Central Catholic or No. 8 Dalton at 5 p.m. May 11 in the sectional finals.
