The WOAC Girls Basketball League Title has been claimed by three teams… Mississinawa Valley, Tri-Village and Arcanum.
2024-2025 WOAC Girls Basketball final league standings
Arcanum, Mississinawa Valley and Tri-Village all laid claim to the girls’ basketball 2025 Western Ohio Athletic Conference title by finishing 10-1 in league play.
In the 4th year of the WOAC, it was the first that the 12-team league title ended with co-champions. The Patriots won the title outright in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
For Arcanum and Mississinawa Valley, you have to go much further back for the last time they won a league title.
The Trojans last won a title in 1999 and the Blackhawks even further back in 1988.
Heading into the season Mississinawa Valley and Arcanum were considered the front runners for a conference title.
In an early season showdown, the Blackhawks cleared one of their big hurdles in a December 5th home game scoring a 60-51 win over Tri-Village.
In order for the Patriots to have any hope of a possible shot at the title they would have to clear a big hurdle in their December 21st home game with Arcanum.
Arcanum held a lead at the half, but the Patriots rallied in 2nd half for a 50-38 win.
Now, undefeated Mississinawa Valley was in control of their own destiny, but they still had a date at Arcanum on January 4th, and a win there would almost assure an outright league title.
But almost from the start of the game, it felt like the atmosphere and energy favored the Trojans, and they would hand Mississinawa Valley their only league loss 51-46, creating a three-team race the rest of the way.
The Arcanum Lady Trojans clinched their share of the WOAC title with a solid 65-31 conference win over the Tri-County North Lady Panthers.
“Winning a league title is very deserving for this group of girls,” said veteran Arcanum coach Abbey Moore.
“BE TOUGH” has been our motto this year, and toughness has gotten us to where we are and I feel very blessed to be surrounded by an amazing coaching staff and a group of girls that have made this season a memorable one,” Coach Moore stated.
The toughness coach Moore talked about was a big key in their game with Mississinawa Valley and shined through her two senior leaders Alexis Gibbons and Brooke Anderson.
Gibbons leads the team in scoring at 16.1 ppg, came up big throughout the game, and ended with 18 against Mississinawa. Anderson gave the team a spark coming off the bench despite having a torn ACL, inspiring her teammates and coaches.
“I’ll tell you, it starts with my two seniors, they are special, and they wanted it,” Moore declared.
The Mississinawa Valley win was big, but Arcanum still had to play some tough teams to earn their share with wins over a vastly improved Twin Valley South team, National Trail, and Tri-County North.
For coach Moore, it’s been a good year, but they have much more in mind.
“There have been so many big plays and moments of overcoming adversity both on and off the court that will forever have an impact on me. This team’s story is not over yet,” Moore concluded.
Winning a league title is special… but the Lady Trojans have much more in mind as they now turn their sights toward the postseason.
Arcanum earned the #3 seed in the OHSAA D6 Southwest District Girls Basketball Tournament. They will play #10 seed Dayton Christian at Covington High School on Saturday, February 15th, at 12:30 pm.
The Mississinawa Valley Lady Blackhawks claimed their share of the league title after defeating Preble Shawnee 69-10.
The Blackhawks have experienced more success over the last two years than at any other time in their history, and much of that is due to the senior class, which has brought excitement to the community since Junior High.
“These seniors are special,” said Mississinawa coach Michael Paige. “I have had all of them for all four years, so it means a lot more to us, the seniors are special.
The six seniors are Emily Byram, Taylee Woodbury 16.7 ppg, 8 APG, and 5 SPG, Caeden Fritz, Syenna Purdin 11.1 ppg and 6 RPG, Stephany De La Torre, and Lupe Couchot.
“The things they’ve done the last four years with the records they’ve set, with the games we’ve won, WOAC Champs, District Champs.”
“They are all like daughters to us,” continued Paige. “We have a great relationship with the girls, and it shows on the floor, it shows on the sideline. They will always be a part of our lives,” Paige stated
The Blackhawks also have made tremendous contributions this year, from Brooklynn Seubert 12.9 ppg, 8.6 rebounds, and Paige Emrick 12.1 points to help them win a league title.
“Winning a Conference title is a huge accomplishment for our girls, our school, and our community. When you’re one of the smallest schools in the conference, it’s hard to get many opportunities to achieve monumental goals like this. However, being small definitely doesn’t make them any less deserving or less proud of what they have accomplished. As a coach, I’m just grateful to see all their hard work and dedication finally realized,” Paige explained.
“One Goal Achieved… now on to the next one,” Coach Paige concluded.
Make no mistake Mississinawa Valley is far from through and will now turn their focus towards making a good tournament run. They earned the #5 seed in the OHSAA DVII Southwest District Girls Basketball Tournament and will play a first-round game at Sidney High School on Saturday, February 15th, at 12:30 pm against #19 seed Emmanuel Christian.
It was no secret coming into the season that Tri-Village was hampered with a key two-year player moving out of the district and a two-year starter out with an ACL injury, and for the first time, many folks weren’t expecting the Patriots to be a league title contender.
The Patriots lacked size but not heart and grit. They were led by three players averaging double-figure scoring: Adalynn Hines, Tai Mize, and Kenna Wilcox. Hines scored 16.6 ppg, 3.5 steals, Mize 12.2 ppg, 4.1 assists, and Wilcox 12.5 points.
After an early season loss to Mississinawa Valley, the Patriots would surprise many by running the table the rest of the way in the WOAC. They had some adversity to overcome to do it. They would get a big win over Arcanum but had to erase a halftime deficit to get the win, and in their last league game with Twin Valley South, they overcame adversity and an early game injury to point guard Tai Mize for a 51-43 win to earn their share of the title.
The title for veteran coach Brad Gray, who has won nine league championships might be one of his most gratifying.
“Out of all the league titles I would clearly say this has been the most unexpected. Not only from us but across the board in the conference. If you read the WOAC preview, nobody was picking us to be in the top two. For these kids to come out here and get a share, I wish we could have gotten it by ourselves, but we’re going to take the share. It’s a huge accomplishment for these kids,” Gray said.
The Patriots are in unfamiliar territory having been bumped to DV this year. They earned the #3 seed in the OHSAA DV Southwest District Girls Basketball Tournament. They will play #8 Meadowdale on Saturday, February 15th at 11 am at Trotwood High School
Congratulations to the WOAC Girls Basketball Co-Champions, and good luck to them and the rest of the league teams in the postseason tournament.
