It's NOT necessary for the Mercer County schools to travel 3+ hours across the state-- they could take the SAME 2 hour drive down I-75 that Coldwater will make this week, to play Wyoming or Indian Hill, or Kings, or Winton Woods-- or only an ~hour South to play Trotwood, or Alter, or Fenwick, or Chaminade, or the same ~2 hour drive (as this week) North on I-75 to play Toledo St. John or Toledo Central Catholic (which makes MORE sense than Ed traveling 2 hours over from Cleveland for that mismatch, as happened this past week), or, if the MAC schools REALLY want to challenge themselves, and yet not have to travel very far, and play Division I schools (like Oak Hills-- only decent), they could go only about an ~hour South, and play HH Wayne, Clayton Northmont, Springfield, or Centerville. Coldwater is (easily) going to pass at least 5-10 better alternatives to a game against Oak Hills this week.
Regardless, it doesn't take "a day off of school" to play those Dayton or Cincy games (from Mercer County). And even to make the longest trip in the state (diagonally from Cincy to Cleveland), X and Ig do NOT take a day off of school, are stay in hotels (any more)-- they leave on Saturday morning, play Saturday afternoon, and return home the same day. It is quite feasible, if a team is truly interested in challenging itself with a cross-state rival of significance.