3. Making a state-ment: Title towns will be decided in three high school sports this week: baseball, softball and track and field. Badin is the Miami Valley's lone representative in baseball, opening the Division III state semifinals Thursday in Columbus. Over in Akron for softball, Kenton Ridge (D-II) and Covington (D-IV) are state semifinalists. Covington plays Thursday and KR on Friday. All state finals are Saturday. Columbus also hosts the track and field championships Friday and Saturday. Keep an eye on the Dunbar and Versailles boys in D-II, Russia's girls and Minster's boys and girls in D-III.
4. Tee for two: Two spots in the U.S. Open are up for grabs Monday at the Springfield Country Club. The course hosts a sectional qualifier for the fourth straight year and the fifth time in six years. The U.S. Open hopefuls play 36 holes Monday for a spot in one of the PGA's majors on June 13-16 at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa. John Peterson qualified out of Springfield in 2012 and tied for fourth in the U.S. Open.
5. Happy campers: Martin Bayless and Will Allen return to their roots for the annual football camp at Welcome Stadium on Sunday. Session 1 for grades 4-7 runs from 8-9 a.m. Session 2 for grades 8-12 runs from 1-2 p.m. More than a dozen NFL pros have been invited to participate including locals Kurt Coleman (Northmont/Philadelphia Eagles), Nick Mangold (Alter/N.Y. Jets), Greg Orton (Wayne/Denver Broncos) and Jerel Worthy (Wayne/Green Bay Packers). Pre-registration is highly encouraged at www.baylessfoundation.org. Both sessions are limited to 300 campers. For more information call the camp hotline at 937-559-1304.
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