Perrysburg captures Blade boys poll

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This year's four divisional champions in The Blade boys basketball poll were collectively just two close losses from perfection for the season.

Perrysburg (19-1) captured the Division I poll title, unbeatens Port Clinton (20-0) and Liberty-Benton (20-0) were tops in Divisions II and III, respectively, and Ottawa Hills (19-1) takes the top honor in D-IV.

The four winners, each champions of their leagues, were responsible for a 78-2 record.

In collecting its second Blade title in three years, coach Dave Boyce's Northern Lakes League champion Perrysburg team stumbled just once, a 60-57 loss to visiting Whitmer on Dec. 29.

The Yellow Jackets nosed out Blade runner-up Central Catholic (18-2) for the top slot. The Irish won their first City League championship in 42 years.

Central, which rejoined the D-I ranks this year, won the Blade's D-II poll title last season.

Port Clinton, under fifth-year coach Troy Diels, posted the school's first perfect regular season in boys basketball, and the first for a Sandusky Bay Conference school in 30 years.

The Redskins were ranked No. 4 in the final state poll.

Liberty-Benton coach Steve Williman (443-113 record) and his Eagles

captured their fourth straight D-III Blade crown and sixth since 2000.

With Ohio State-bound senior guard Aaron Craft in the starting lineup the last four seasons, L-B has gone 79-1 in regular-season play.

The Eagles were the AP state poll champion in D-III.

Toledo Area Athletic Conference champion Ottawa Hills collected its first Division IV Blade poll title, with coach John Lindsay's Green Bears hitting just one snag along the way.

That setback was a 76-67 overtime loss Jan. 19 at Midland Athletic League champion New Riegel.