CINCINNATI — The anticipation, suspense and drama of high school sports certainly filled 2023 with several moments that captured our imaginations.
From outstanding individual performances to state tournaments, there are countless moments to be cherished.
Here are nine significant storylines from the high school sports calendar year:
1. Purcell Marian, Princeton win girls basketball state titles; Dee Alexander wins Ms. Basketball
The Purcell Marian girls basketball team had March 11, 2023 in mind the entire winter as its opportunity to win state yet again. The team fulfilled the mission - this time in the Division II state final - as it defeated Canal Fulton Northwest 57-48 at University of Dayton Arena.
Sophomore Dee Alexander was named Ohio's Ms. Basketball during the state tournament. Alexander, just the second sophomore to win Ohio Ms. Basketball, scored 20 points and had 10 rebounds and three steals as Purcell Marian completed a 27-win journey.
Princeton defeated Olmsted Falls 69-51 to capture the Division I state title later that night at UD Arena.
Former WNBA player Dee Davis, a 2003 Princeton graduate, led Princeton to the state title in just her second season as head coach of the program. Senior point guard Solè Williams, now at Texas A&M, was named the Gatorade Ohio player of the year.
2. Harrison wins OHSAA's first girls wrestling state team title
Harrison captured the Ohio High School Athletic Association's first girls wrestling state team title in March. It occurred just 14 months after the OHSAA board of directors added girls wrestling as an emerging sport for the 2022-23 school year.
Harrison juniors Chloe Dearwester (38-0 record with 29 pins at 105 pounds) and Raegan Briggs (35-2 record at 125 pounds) captured individual state titles to help lead the Wildcats. Dearwester, who committed to Presbyterian College, won her third state title overall and pinned every opponent during the state tournament weekend.
3. Newport boys basketball makes Sweet 16 trip
The Newport High School boys basketball team earned its first Kentucky Sweet 16 tournament in March since 2010. The Wildcats lost to Lyon County 61-46 in the first round of the tournament at Rupp Arena. But, with just one senior and 10 players as sophomores or younger, Newport entered this season with a great deal of potential. The Wildcats have a 6-1 record entering the second half of December.
4. Moeller captures state baseball, volleyball titles
The Moeller baseball and volleyball teams captures state championships this past spring.
The volleyball team captured its third consecutive state title in late May including the first OHSAA-sanctioned Division I crown.
It marked the third consecutive state title and the 11th in program history for Moeller (23-4). This was the first season the OHSAA sanctioned boys volleyball. The state coaches' association hosted the tournament prior to this past spring.
The baseball team defeated Olentangy Orange 4-1 to win the Division I state title at Canal Park in Akron. The Crusaders (31-3) won 17 consecutive games to complete the memorable journey.
Moeller was No. 1 in the Division I state coaches' poll the entire season including the preseason. Moeller won its ninth state title in in its storied program history.
5. Chris Henry Jr. verbally commits to Ohio State
Withrow 2026 wide receiver Chris Henry Jr., the nation's No. 1-ranked wide receiver in his class, announced in late July he verbally committed to Ohio State.
The son of the late Cincinnati Bengals receiver became Ohio State's first verbal commitment in the 2026 class. Henry had a memorable sophomore season at Withrow when he became a Division II first-team all-state selection. He set a Withrow season mark for most recieving yards.
6. Roger Staubach returns to open Staubach Stadium
Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Roger Staubach returned to much fanfare at the opening of Purcell Marian's Staubach Stadium in August. Staubach, a 1960 Purcell graduate, grew up in Silverton and was a standout athlete at the then-all boys school.
He played football at the United States Naval Academy after high school and won the Heisman Trophy as a junior in 1963 before his memorable Dallas Cowboys career.
Staubach threw some passes to some Purcell Marian players the night before Staubach Stadium. He wore his actual Purcell jersey from the 1950s the night of the first football game against Deer Park.
7. Kings, Mercy McAuley capture girls volleyball state titles
Kings and Mercy McAuley captured girls volleyball state titles for the first time in their respective programs' history.
Kings defeated Olentangy Orange in the Division I state final at Wright State's Nutter Center to complete a 28-1 season including 24 consecutive match wins.
Kings became the first Greater Cincinnati Ohio Division I public school to win a girls volleyball state title since Lakota High School in 1994.
Mercy McAuley defeated Gates Mills Gilmour Academy 25-22, 22-25, 25-18, 22-25, 16-14 in the Division II state final earlier in the day. It was the first state team championship in the history of Mercy McAuley High School, which opened in 2018.
8. Ohio and Indiana Mr. Football recipients - Jordan Marshall and Josh Ringer
Moeller senior running back Jordan Marshall and East Central senior running back Josh Ringer won Ohio and Indiana Mr. Football awards, respectively, after the season.
Marshall, a Michigan commit, became Moeller's first Mr. Football recipient since the award started in 1987. He became the third player from Greater Cincinnati to win the prestigious statewide award in the past five years.
Ringer, a Miami University commit, became the second Mr. Football recipient in East Central's 50-year football program history.
Ringer helped to lead East Central (15-0) to an undefeated season this year as the Trojans won their second straight Class 4A state title in late November. East Central was the only Greater Cincinnati team to capture a football state title in 2023.
9. OHSAA in discussions to add divisions in seven sports
The Ohio High School Athletic Association board of directors and staff are in discussions about expanding tournament divisions in baseball, basketball, soccer, softball and girls volleyball.
A proposal could be enacted in 2024 with possible implementation as early as the 2024-25 school year.
The OHSAA did not state the proposed number of expanded divisions for those sports. However, it could potentially impact the number of state finals events at locations around the state.
There were two classes in the boys basketball state tournament from 1923 to 1970. A third class was added in 1971 and the tournament changed from classes to four divisions starting in 1988.
The girls basketball state tournament had three classes from 1976 to 1987. In 1988, the tournament changed to four divisions.
There will be opportunities for school administrators to share feedback on expansion with the OHSAA at statewide meetings and virtual calls in January.
