COLUMBUS — The regular season is nearly in the books, and central Ohio field hockey teams are turning their attention to the OHSAA postseason, with the regional tournament draw scheduled for Oct. 11. Coaches’ votes for seeding are due two days earlier, and the regional tournament begins Oct. 19, with regional finals Oct. 31 at Liberty, state semifinals Nov. 5 at Thomas and the state final Nov. 7.
Central Ohio will again crown two regional champions, and the two winners would not meet until the state final — setting up the possibility of an all-central-Ohio championship game.
One of the region’s most-watched teams is Olentangy Liberty. The Patriots (10-5) opened the season with a five-game winning streak and steadied themselves after a late-September skid, closing the schedule with a 5-4 overtime win at Toledo Ottawa Hills on Oct. 3 and a 2-0 victory at Olentangy Orange four nights later. Junior Ella Robison anchors the defense in goal for a team that has outscored opponents 58-29 this season.
Depth is another storyline: Liberty’s win over Orange showcased scoring beyond its top line, with senior Maria Weakley and junior Kat Beckwith finishing two corner goals while juniors Avery Garrett and Kennedy Turner — the team’s leading scorers with nine goals apiece — created chances around them. Coaches say that balance makes a team tough to defend in tournament play.
With the draw just days away, the postseason picture in central Ohio is about to take shape — and the road to Nov. 7 runs through Liberty.