Elder 35, Wayne 14, final

By Kyle Nagel | Saturday, November 7, 2009, 09:24 PM

UPDATE: Elder got 270 yards and three touchdowns passing from quarterback Mark Miller and 106 rushing yards and four total touchdowns from Ben Coffaro to beat Wayne 35-14 in a Division I, Region 4 quarterfinal at Elder’s The Pit.

Elder led 21-14 at halftime and got two second-half scores from Coffaro, a 5-foot-9, 175-pound junior — a 40-yard completion from Miller on which he did much of the work and a 30-yard run with 8:43 left in the game for Elder’s final score.

Wayne quarterback Braxton Miller finished with 156 yards passing, including a 47-yard scoring toss to Caleb Elkins with 6:05 left.

Wayne finished its season 7-4, and Elder improve to 8-2.

FIRST HALF: Elder scored on its first three possessions, including two scoring passes of 42 and 18 yards by senior quarterback Mark Miller, to take a 21-7 lead at halftime of this Division I, Region 4 football quarterfinal at Elder’s The Pit.

Wayne scored on its fourth play when quarterback Braxton Miller took a keeper 61 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead with 10:44 left in the first quarter.

On its next three possessions, Elder got a 52-yard pass from Miller to Tim O’Conner, an 18-yard pass from Miller to Ben Coffaro and a 10-yard Coffaro run to go up 21-7 with 10:52 left in the second quarter.

Wayne stumbled offensively, but the Warriors were also able to hold Elder for the remainder of the half.

Elder’s Miller finished the first half 13-of-18 passing for 175 yards and two touchdowns. Wayne’s Miller has 49 yards passing and 55 rushing following several losses.

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Nuggets from state cross country

By Greg Billing | Saturday, November 7, 2009, 08:01 PM

Here’s some news, nuggets and names to wrap up the boys and girls high school state cross country championships held at Scioto Downs in Columbus on Saturday, Nov. 7:

• If you weren’t at the cross country championships Saturday, you still might have known Cleveland St. Ignatius won the Division I boys title. Ignatius’ wild and enthusiastic student cheering section — complete with three St. Ignatius flags waving them to victory — blasted out the school song and chanted ‘State Champ!’ with gusto.

• Mason junior Zach Wills repeated as the D-I champ in 15 minutes, 45.11 seconds. That was slower compared to his 2008 time of 15:15.66.

• Among other local finishers in D-I, Butler senior Doug Norris was 44th, Carroll junior Chadd Kiggins 48th and Fairborn sophomore Jordan Redd 53rd.

• Peninsula Woodridge won the D-II boys title and Bay Village Bay junior Michael Brajdic won the individual title.

• Eaton junior Todd Hewitt just missed All-Ohio honors (top-15 finish) in the D-II boys meet. He clocked in at 17th, a second behind the cutoff. Clinton-Massie senior Myles Corcoran and Tippecanoe freshman Sam Wharton also logged top-25 finishes.

• Independence claimed the D-III boys title and individual title with sophomore Ryan Polman.

• Bethel senior Brandon Graves finished in the top 25.

• Russia’s boys finished 8th in the D-II boys meet, with New Bremen (11th) and St. Henry (12th) close behind.

• Sprinboro’s girls, runner-up in the D-I meet, returns six of its top seven runners next season: freshman Rachael Mahle (11th), junior Carly Hamilton (18th), junior Alex Mahle (76th), freshman Lycia Hollon (84th), freshman Sarah Smith (111) and sophomore Heather Baruxes (121). Senior Katie Kessler was 30th.

“We basically said to win state we‘re really going to have to step it up,” Springboro coach Ron Rohrer said. “We tried to be realistic with them but we knew we had a good shot at runner-up. … They all stepped up and did it.”

• Sylvania Northview senior Meredith Wagner won the girls D-I title.

• Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary won the girls D-II title and Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy junior Christina Blair took the individual title.

• Chaminade Julienne senior Lizzie Gleason (16th) and Alter sophomore Grace Untener (17th) just missed podium finishes by one second.

• Alter’s girls logged the best D-II finish at fifth, led by Untener and sophomore Olivia Albers (25th). Coldwater was sixth, Greenon eighth, Carroll 13th and Bellbrook, making its first state appearance in girls cross country, 15th.

• When Minster freshman Natalie Fausey led the Wildcats to their eighth state title and second straight in D-III, it marked the first time all season she finished first among her teammates.

“She’s run well all year,” said Minster coach Jessica Magoto. “She just had that extra umph and that courage to go out there.”

Magoto admitted the carefree and practical-joking Wildcats had her a bit nervous before the state meet with their attitude.

“Let me tell you, they almost killed me,” Magoto said. “They like to have a lot of fun and I was worried they wouldn’t know when to stop having fun and focus. Spending time with them Friday I was really, really nervous, that I was telling them remember what you‘re coming here for. Remember what the focus is. The fun comes after the race.”

Magoto thought quiet and reserved Fausey wasn’t one of the ring leaders. Oops.

“The girls were telling me she’s one of the craziest of all,” Magoto said.

That brought a smile to Fausey’s face.

“Yeah, I’m quiet around her but the whole team is pretty wild though,” said Fausey, who has two older sisters that also won state cross country titles with Minster.

• Xenia Christian freshman Bethany Norman finished 24th to crack the top 25.

• West Liberty-Salem also competed as a team and finished fifth.

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Centerville wins girls soccer regional final against Wayne

By Kyle Nagel | Saturday, November 7, 2009, 02:58 PM

BELLBROOK — The Centerville High School girls soccer team scored two goals in the final 7:35 to rally and defeat Wayne 2-1 in a Division I regional final on Saturday, Nov. 7, at Bellbrook High School.

Wayne (20-2) took a 1-0 lead with 3:04 left in the first half on a goal by Nichole Stewart that bent from left to right and curled into the right side of the goal.

The Warriors held that lead until 7:35 remained in the game, when Centerville’s Claire Falknor took the Wayne keeper away from the goal while handling the ball and passed into the middle to teammate Kacie Kumar, who scored into the unattended net.

Centerville (20-1-1) set the final margin on a goal from Delaney Thompson with 1:43 left. Elks junior Fallon Vaughan sent a pass into Thompson on the right side of the goal, and Thompson headed it through for the final score.

Centerville will play in a state semifinal for the first time since 1998 in the hope of making its first state final appearance since ‘94.

The Elks will face the winner of Dublin Coffman and Upper Arlington at 7 p.m. Wednesday. The site, as scheduled now, will be Hilliard Bradley High School.

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Cross country runners ready to go the distance

By Greg Billing | Thursday, November 5, 2009, 10:28 PM

The 81st boys and 32nd girls cross country championships will be held at Scioto Downs race track in Columbus on Saturday, Nov. 7. Here’s a list of the area competitors:

BOYS DIVISION I

Individuals: Chadd Kiggins (11) Carroll, Jordan Redd (10) Fairborn, Aaron Dinzeo (12) Sidney, Doug Norris (12) Butler.

BOYS DIVISION II

Tippecanoe (Coach: Byron Kimmel) — Ricky Andrews (9), Tyler Feitshans (12), Kevin Fink (12), Grant Koch (9), Joey O’Brien (12), Sam Wharton (9), Luke Zerkle (12).

Graham (Coach: Todd Buschur) — Danny Byers (11), Zach Hawke (12), Jon McMaken (11), Brady Newcomer (9), Caleb Pumphrey (10), Robbie Pumphrey (12), Taylor Wright (12).

Oakwood (Coach: Bryan Ammer) — Peter Hix (12), Ethan Kissock (12), Andy Lamb (11), Josh Moulton (11), Keith Mueller (11), Will Reese (12), Alec Snead (10).

Individuals: Logan Leis (12) Benjamin Logan, Sam Bench (10) Brookville, Myles Corcoran (12) Clinton-Massie, Todd Hewitt (11) Eaton, Jake Kasperski (12) Valley View.

BOYS DIVISION III

Russia (Coach: Doug Foster) — Chris Ball (12), Joel Meyer (11), Luke Pohlman (11), Trevor Sherman (9), Andy Toller (12), Blake Worthington (12), Alex York (12).

St. Henry (Coach: Mike Eyink) — Ryan Goettemoeller (11), Aaren Hemmelgarn (9), Kevin Kanpke (10), Doug Lefeld (10), Adam Rindler (12), Dillan Schulze (12), Mitchell Schulze (11).

New Bremen (Coach: Adam Topp) — Derrek Bornhorst (10), Justin Eilerman (12), Robert Franks (12), Jacob Rutschilling (9), Zach Speckman (12), Kaleb Swiger (12), Andy Timmerman (12).

Individuals: Mike Seas (10) Coldwater, Kevin Stewart (10) Mechanicsburg, Isaiah Bragg (12) Emmanuel Christian Academy, Brandon Graves (12) Bethel, Adam Loewer (12) Bethel, Samuel Prakel (9) Versailles, Josh Hemmelgarn (12) TV South.

GIRLS DIVISION I

Springboro (Coach: Ron Rohrer) — Heather Baruxes (10), Carly Hamilton (11), Lycia Hollon (9), Katie Kessler (12), Alex Mahle (11), Rachael Mahle (9), Sarah Smith (9).

Individuals: Grace VanDeGrift (11) Lebanon, Megan Wright (12) Miamisburg, Jasmine Redman (11) Tecumseh.

GIRLS DIVISION II

Coldwater (Coach: Dan Pohlman) — Veronica Bruns (11), Alyssa Brunswick (10), Leah Brunswick (10), Brittany Kaiser (10), Larissa Kohn (11), Jessica Schmackers (12), Jocelyn Staugler (12).

Alter (Coach: Matt Sableski) — Olivia Albers (10), Rebecca Esselstein (11), Grace Untener (10), Kaila Howe (11), Mary Issenman (9), Mary Ann Krebs (10), Ashley Rodgers (11).

Bellbrook (Coach: Iris Black) — Christine Delong (9), Gabrielle Etter (9), Kaitlin Gibson (10), Jenny Sanderson (9), Shelby Sigman (10), Courtney Swain (9), Mariah Yaufman (12).

Greenon (Coach: Kim Wise) — Megan Ball (9), Jami Durkee (12), Sydney Lewis (10), MacKenzie McMillin (10), Erica Miller (10), Lacey Price (11), Mary Wenzell (10).

Carroll (Coach: John Agnew) — Madeleine Devitt (12), Chiyoko Ikeda (12), Rachel Janson (12), Genevieve Marchese (9), Dianne Minardi (12), Katie Ollier (11), Taylor O’Neil (10).

Individuals: Courtney Swink (10) Brookville, Lizzie Gleason (12) CJ, Katie Landwehr (11) Tippecanoe.

DIVISION III

Minster (Coach: Jessica Magoto) —Jessica Albers (12), Averie Bornhorst (11), Hannah Butler (9), Maria Dahlinghaus (11), Natalie Fausey (9), Samantha Hoelscher (10), Sophia Richard (11).

West Liberty-Salem (Coach: Ann Vogel) — Shawnda Henault (9), Sarah Murphy (11), Savanna Shipp (9), Jasmine Smith (9), Jordan Smith (9), Meghan Vogel (9), Sarah Williams (9).

Individuals: Juli Accurso (12) Miam East, Janel Olberding (11) Fort Loramie, Allison Roeth (10) Houston, Katie Borchers (11) Russia, Tammy Berger (10) Versailles, Bethany Norman (9) Xenia Christian.

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Wayne-Centerville girls soccer regional final moved to Bellbrook

By Kyle Nagel | Thursday, November 5, 2009, 12:57 PM

The Division I girls soccer regional final between Centerville and Wayne will be played at Bellbrook High School at noon on Saturday, Nov. 7, the Ohio High School Athletic Association announced today.

The game was originally scheduled to be played at Princeton High School, but because two Miami Valley teams advanced, the game was moved.

Centerville (19-1-1) defeated Cincinnati St. Ursula Academy 1-0 on Wednesday to advance to the regional final, and Wayne (20-1-0) topped Cincinnati Turpin 3-0 to advance.

Wayne was the only team to beat Centerville this season when the Warriors topped the Elks 3-1 on Oct. 14. Wayne’s single loss came against Beavercreek, 2-0 on Sept. 16.

The game’s winner will advance to the state semifinals and play the winner of Dublin Coffman (12-5-3) and Upper Arlington (17-1-2), which will play at Dublin Scioto High School on Saturday.

The state semifinal will be played at Hilliard Darby High School at 7 p.m. Wednesday, and the state final will be played Saturday, Nov. 14, at 1:30 p.m. at Columbus Crew Stadium.

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Wilmington took its revenge, heads to playoffs

By Kyle Nagel | Thursday, November 5, 2009, 09:44 AM

What’s one way to set yourself on a playoff path?

Beat the teams that clobbered you the year before.

That was part of the plan for Wilmington High School, which finished 7-3 and will face top seed Turpin on Friday in a Division II, Region 8 quarterfinal that will also be a rematch of the teams’ Week 10 game, a Turpin win.

Part of the Hurricane’s path included games against Edgewood, Little Miami and Kings. For a glimpse into last season, when the Hurricane finished 4-6, check out the scores in losses against Edgewood (65-17), Little Miami (64-27) and Kings (38-14).

“All three whooped up on us badly,” said Wilmington coach Rob Vida. “They’re good programs, and they just embarrassed us.”

This year was different. In those same three games, Wilmington beat Edgewood (19-14), Little Miami (51-48) and Kings (35-14).

Beating the teams that embarrassed you last season is a big boost for any team. For the Hurricane, it felt a little better, as they made the playoffs for just the third time in school history and the first time since 2005. Two seasons ago, Wilmington was 2-8.

“We used those games to drive us through the season a little bit,” Vida said. “We gained some confidence, and we believed we could win.”

Now, Wilmington needs another payback game. Turpin, the first-round opponent, beat Wilmington just last week 26-14.

The Hurricane are sure to get help from running back Quinten Rollins, the Miami University basketball point guard recruit who has seen some better line play improve his numbers.

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GWOC adds West Carrollton, Greenville

By Kyle Nagel | Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 01:40 PM

West Carrollton and Greenville will join the Greater Western Ohio Conference beginning in some sports next season and fully by the 2012-13 academic year, the conference principals decided Wednesday, Nov. 4.

The principals voted at a regularly scheduled meeting Wednesday to accept the applications of the two districts, which currently don’t have conference membership. Greenville will be added to the conference’s North Division, and West Carrollton will join the South Division, GWOC commissioner Eric Spahr said.

The additions will increase membership in those two divisions to six teams each and total membership to 18 districts. The GWOC Central Division already has six members.

West Carrollton and Greenville will begin conference competition next year in cross country, swimming, bowling, track, wrestling, cheerleading and academics, Spahr said. They will begin conference football competition in 2012, and the addition of the remaining sports will be determined later, Spahr said.

“These are two great communities with two great followings,” Spahr said. “They support the characteristics of the GWOC.”

The conference last approved expansion in 2004, when it added Lebanon, Springboro, Miamisburg and Fairborn, Spahr said.

“We worked through that growth, and this was another appropriate time,” Spahr said.

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