NEWS AND NOTES

Introducing St. Xavier High School. Founded in the 1831, St. Xavier is a Jesuit college preparatory boys school with an OHSAA enrollment of 1,173 students in the top three grades. Originally located in downtown Cincinnati, it is on a sprawling campus in nearby Finneytown. Among notable St. X alums are former OSU quarterback Grey Frey, Kentucky U.S. Senator and former major league pitcher Jim Bunning, former Ohio Governor John J. Gilligan and two-time Olympic swimming gold medalist Joe Hudepohl.

Now that’s a student section! The Bombers, like the other parochial boys high schools in Cincinnati have a large and loud student section. Their cheerleaders lead creative chants and make sure that traditions continue from class to class.

Irish familiar with others still playing. North Canton Hoover, a 50-48 winner over the Irish earned a district championship in Canton. The Vikings were champions of the Federal League and knocked off Canton Timken to earn a regional berth. Timken gave #1-ranked Columbus Northland its only regular season loss. The Irish scrimmaged other teams still alive in the tournament in the summer/fall including Northland, Grove City, Toledo St. John’s Jesuit, Mentor and Columbus DeSales. Division II Elida participated in an eight-team scrimmage hosted by the Irish in November, but the teams did not play one another.

It’s tough in the tournament. Five of the top 10 ranked teams in the final Associated Press Division I poll are out of the tournament. Middletown (#3), Canton Timken (#4) and Cincinnati Moeller (#5) lost in district finals. Losing in the sectionals were Cleveland Glenville (#9) and Lorain Admiral King (#10). The teams still alive are: Northland (#1), Cincinnati Princeton (#2), Scioto (#6), Barberton (#7) and Warren G. Harding (#8).