Key Points
- Canton Central Catholic defeated Castalia Margaretta 48-42 in the OHSAA Division VI girls basketball state semifinal on March 12, 2026, at Nutter Center in Fairborn, Ohio.
- Quarter scores: Margaretta 11-7-12-12; Central Catholic 12-10-16-10.
- Central Catholic improves to 23-5 overall, 5-0 playoffs; Margaretta falls to 26-2, 4-1 playoffs.
- State final: Central Catholic vs. St. Henry (26-1) on Friday, March 13 at 7 p.m. at UD Arena.
- Semifinal #1: St. Henry 55-51 over Canal Winchester Harvest Prep.
- Tournament at UD Arena, Nutter Center, Vandalia Butler; streamed on OHSAA.tv.
- Central Catholic’s path: wins over Mapleton (54-38), Smithville (35-30), etc.
Canton (Cardiff Daily) March 13, 2026 – Canton Central Catholic clinched a tense 48-42 victory against Castalia Margaretta in the OHSAA Division VI girls state basketball semifinal at the Nutter Center. The win sends the Crusaders to the championship against St. Henry. Played on Thursday at 7 p.m., the game showcased gritty defence from both sides.
What Was the Semifinal Score Breakdown?
Central Catholic led narrowly after quarters: 12-11 after first, 22-18 halftime, surging 38-30 after third, holding 48-42. As per MaxPreps box score, the Crusaders outscored Margaretta 26-24 in second half.
OHSAA official results confirm “Canton Central Catholic 48, Castalia Margaretta 42” with stats links. Margaretta’s lockdown defence faltered late, per prior BCSN reports on their regional 42-29 win over Ottawa Hills.
Sandusky Register captured action photos from the Nutter Center matchup.
Who Led Scoring for Central Catholic?
Individual player stats from MaxPreps previews highlighted balanced attacks, with Central Catholic averaging 53.38 points per game. Standouts in prior games included multi-scorers, though semifinal leaders await detailed box.
PrepGirlsHoops noted scoring metrics pre-game. Central Catholic’s playoff dominance: 5-0 with wins like 54-38 vs Mapleton.
How Did Teams Enter the Semifinal?
Margaretta (26-1 pre-game) boasted 14-0 home, 10-0 league; loss was season’s only blemish. Central Catholic 22-5, strong away 10-2. Head-to-head: Central Catholic 1-0 this matchup.
As previewed by Canton Repository on Facebook March 10, Central Catholic eyed upset. StateLine pairings listed home-team first.
What Lies Ahead in the Final?
St. Henry (26-1) beat Harvest Prep 55-51 in Semifinal #1. Final at UD Arena 7 p.m. March 13; tickets $18 adults/$10 students via OHSAA.org.
Broadcast on OHSAA.tv, Spectrum News 1, radio network. No overnight parking at UD.
What Other Semifinals Occurred?
Division I: Princeton 53-43 Wadsworth; Fairmont 45-41 Pickerington Central. Division III: Chaminade Julienne 62-57 Copley; St. Vincent-St. Mary 84-38 Unioto. Division IV: Laurel 56-54 OT Purcell Marian; Bellevue 46-43 Circleville.
Division V, VII semis Friday. Championships Saturday UD Arena.
Why Is Central Catholic’s Run Notable?
From Stark County, Crusaders’ neutral-site prowess (1-0) shines. Regional title over Smithville March 7, per Repository. Community buzz on social media.
Programme history includes past deep runs; this marks state final berth.
