Columbus girls basketball teams advance to OHSAA regional finals

Four central Ohio teams secure spots in regional championship games

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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Six central Ohio girls basketball teams played in OHSAA regional semifinal games on March 3, and four of them advanced to the regional finals. Big Walnut and Worthington Kilbourne will meet in a Division II regional final, while Circleville and Wintersville Indian Creek will face off in a Division IV regional final. In Division I, Olentangy overwhelmed Berea-Midpark 77-42 and will play Kettering Fairmont, who eliminated Newark 64-39, in the regional final.

Why it matters

The regional finals represent the last step before the state tournament, and these games will determine which central Ohio teams advance to compete for state championships. The matchups feature some of the top teams and players in the state, making for highly anticipated and competitive games.

The details

In Division II, Big Walnut (22-4) came back from an eight-point halftime deficit to beat Teays Valley 49-44, while Worthington Kilbourne (22-4) defeated Toledo Start 46-34. The two OCC-Capital rivals will meet in the regional final. In Division IV, Circleville (22-4) beat Millersburg West Holmes 46-34 to advance, and Wintersville Indian Creek (21-5) knocked off Buckeye Valley 44-39. In Division I, Olentangy (22-3) overwhelmed Berea-Midpark 77-42, led by 15 points from senior guard Whitney Stafford and 13 points from senior forward Mia Kirtley. Olentangy will face Kettering Fairmont (25-0), which eliminated Newark 64-39. Fairmont was ranked second in the final USA Today Co. Ohio high school girls basketball Super 25 poll.

  • The Division II and Division IV regional finals will be played on March 6.
  • The Division I regional final between Olentangy and Kettering Fairmont will be played on March 6 at 6 p.m.

The players

Whitney Stafford

A senior guard for Olentangy who scored 15 points, 13 of which came in the first half.

Mia Kirtley

A senior forward for Olentangy who scored 13 points.

Regan Braaten

A junior guard for Berea-Midpark who scored 25 points.

Klarke Ransome

The head coach of the Olentangy Braves.

Janiyah Hargraves

A player for Kettering Fairmont who led the team with 23 points.

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What they’re saying

“Our press was really good and we slowed them down, then we capitalized on some advantageous turnovers and turned them into good shots, whether we made them or not.”

— Klarke Ransome, Olentangy head coach (dispatch.com)

“We got on them really quickly and I feel like everything comes from defense. On offense, we were getting different types of looks. We were driving, [getting] kick-out 3s and then we were driving to get layups as well.”

— Mia Kirtley, Olentangy senior forward (dispatch.com)

“They're really talented … and extremely connected. But it's the [regional final], so you're going to play really good teams. I think we're pretty good, too. We're excited. Our group has earned the opportunity to be here.”

— Klarke Ransome, Olentangy head coach (dispatch.com)

What’s next

The Olentangy-Kettering Fairmont winner will face the champion of Region 3, which includes Dublin Coffman, Marysville, New Albany and Pickerington Central, in a state semifinal on March 12.

The takeaway

The regional finals represent a crucial step towards the state tournament for these central Ohio girls basketball teams. The matchups feature some of the top teams and players in the state, setting the stage for highly competitive games that will determine which teams advance to compete for state championships.