What to watch in high school sports: Dec. 21-27

Thursday, December 21

Girls basketball: Springfield at Perrysburg. The Blue Devils (5-2, 3-2 NLL) were picked in Northern Lakes League’s preseason coaches’ poll to finish second in the league this year behind host Perrysburg (6-0, 5-0).

Girls basketball: Central Catholic at Whitmer. This is a battle to keep pace in the Three Rivers Athletic Conference with preseason favorite and perennial power Notre Dame, which has defeated both teams. Central (4-1, 3-1 TRAC) was picked to finish third in the TRAC, while Whitmer (5-1, 3-1) was tabbed for second.

Friday, December 22

St. John's head coach Ed Heintschel goes for career win No. 695 on Friday, which would tie him for fourth all-time in the state of Ohio.

Boys basketball: Whitmer at St. John’s Jesuit. The visiting Panthers (4-0, 3-0 TRAC) have already knocked off preseason No. 2 pick St. Francis de Sales in Three Rivers Athletic Conference action, but upsetting the defending champion and preseason favorite Titans (3-0, 2-0) will be a tall order. A St. John’s win would be career No. 695 for 39th-year Titans coach Ed Heintschel, tying him for fourth place all-time in Ohio history with legendary Middletown coach Paul Walker.

Boys basketball: Perrysburg at Southview. If the Yellow Jackets (3-2, 1-1 NLL) hope to stay in the Northern Lakes League title chase, a win at preseason league favorite Southview (4-0, 2-0) is of great importance. Perrysburg was picked No. 2 in the preseason NLL poll.

Boys basketball: Genoa at Eastwood. Last season Genoa and Eastwood shared the Northern Buckeye Conference title, and this year there is also little separation between the rivals. The Comets (3-2, 3-0 NBC) hope to take advantage of host Eastwood (2-0, 2-0), which got a late start to the basketball season because several Eagles players were busy chasing a Division V state football championship until the title game on Dec. 1.

Hockey: Rivals St. Francis de Sales, the 2017 state runner-up, and St. John’s Jesuit face off in a Northwest Hockey Conference matchup at Sylvania Tam-O-Shanter at 9 p.m.

Wednesday, December 27

Boys basketball: Whitmer begins its three-game holiday tournament trip to Windemere Park, Fla., with a matchup against East Jackson, Ga.