The Ohio High School Athletic Association’s state hockey tournament will bring four familiar programs to Nationwide Arena in Columbus for the 49th edition of the Frozen Four, according to a March 13 announcement. The semifinals are scheduled for Saturday, March 14, with the championship game set for Sunday, March 15.
This year’s tournament features Cleveland St. Ignatius, Sylvania Northview, Gates Mills Gilmour Academy, and Dublin Jerome—all teams with previous experience at this stage. However, only St. Ignatius is making a return trip from last season; Northview last appeared in 2023, Gilmour Academy in 2022, and Dublin Jerome in 2019. Notably, there will be a new state champion as defending titleholder Upper Arlington was eliminated earlier in regional play.
Gilmour Academy enters as the top-ranked team by MaxPreps and boasts several standout players including coach of the year John Malloy and first-team all-state forward Zachary Cox. Malloy said, “We had a core of really good players coming back…there was a large focus on having this season end a little differently than last season. It just means a lot to these kids because it will be their first time going down to the final four.”
Cleveland St. Ignatius returns after winning eight previous titles but has faced challenges this season due to injuries and illness. Head coach Pat O’Rourke said, “It’s been kind of a weird year…I just think they seem like a resilient bunch. It’s like one more obstacle in place in front of them.”
Dublin Jerome represents Central Ohio after allowing just two goals across three tournament games and is led by third-team all-state selection Luke Myers. Coach Pat Murphy said, “The kids are obviously improving their individual skills and abilities…the big thing is they figured out how to play like a team.”
Sylvania Northview makes its 14th appearance at the state final four with strong leadership from seniors and juniors. Coach Steve Elliott said, “We have strong leadership across the lineup…They’ve taken ownership quite frankly (in the) preseason.”
All games will be streamed live on the NFHS Network and tickets are available through Ticketmaster.com or at Nationwide Arena Box Office.
The outcome of this weekend’s games will determine which program adds another chapter to its championship history as Ohio high school hockey continues to grow.
