By Chris Valentine and Dylan Hefflinger
PBR Ohio Director and Senior Writer

No. 6 Lucasville Valley High School

Lucasville Valley is a traditional Division III power that dropped to D-IV last season. Lucasville Valley made it to regionals in D-III two seasons ago. The veteran coach of the Indians, Dean Schuler has won more than 500 games during his 30+-year career. Will Howard will look to lead the Indians on the mound.

No. 7 Sidney Lehman Catholic 

After losing to eventual state champion Minster at regionals the past two seasons, the Cavaliers look to take the next step. Six returning starters from a 23-6 team provide high hopes. The big question mark for the Cavaliers is on the mound as they return just one pitcher from last season in AJ Hemmelgarn (P-SS, sophomore) who was 2-0 with 3.20 ERA while hitting .359 last season. Greg Spearman (3B, sophomore) is the team's leading returning hitter from last season. Cole Proffitt is another talented sophomore who is the team's catcher. Proffitt batted .297 last season. Seniors Andrew Gilardi (OF), .337 AVG, and John Coppela (2B), .366 AVG, look to lead a young but talented Cavaliers squad. 

No. 8 Leipsic High School

Two years ago Leipsic failed to make it to regionals during a 23-1 season. Last season Leipsic (25-4) took the next step only to fall to Tinora in the regional finals. The loss of senior twins Travis and Trevor Schroeder, who had a combined 13-1 with ERAs of 0.74 and 1.47, respectively, will have the Tigers looking for help on the mound. Star three-sport athlete Devin Mangas, who was 1st team in the Blanchard Valley Conference and Putnam County League and player of the year in the BVC, looks to lead an inexperienced group that has three other letterwinners returning in Logan Haselman, Daniel DeLarosa and Jason Niese. The left-handed hitting Mangas, who led the Leipsic basketball team to the state finals this season after an outstanding football campaign in the fall, batted .424 with 7 doubles and 9 triples a year ago, while going 6-1 on the mound, posting a 1.63 ERA.

No. 9 Cuyahoga Heights High School

Defending state champs Cuyahoga Heights looks to reload with only three starters returning from a 25-5 team that fell to Minster in the state finals 5-4. Take a look.

Talented junior  Zac Lowther who is a 6-2, 200 LHP, throws an 86-88 fastball and 73-75 change. Lowther, who looks to lead an inexperienced group of Redskins, has had drawn Division I interest. Returning seniors include Jason Kleppel (Sr., OF, .328 AVG) and Jason Rorenlieb (Sr., OF, .295 AVG) and Nick Orlowski (Sr., P-IF). Dylan Denner is a lengthy infielder (5-10, 160) who also could help behind the dish.

Head coach Marc Lowther must replace his top two pitchers, Austin Lane and Alex Zander, who were also two of the top hitters for the Redskins. Lowther enters his 16th season at the school.

No. 10 Cincinnati Christian

Cincinnati Christian finished last season at 23-6, 9-4 MVC, before falling to Sidney Lehman Catholic in the regional semifinals. Talented senior Ryan Arington (Western Carolina recruit) batted a robust .535 with 8 doubles, 10 triples and 9 home runs. On the mound, Arington was 6-0 with a 0.46 ERA, striking out 73 batters in 46 innings and looks to take on the leadership role to propel Cincinnati Christian to the next level. Isaiah Haley is a junior catcher who could also spend some time on the mound.