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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Eaton’s Caudill, with 1,930 yards, displays surprising power

By Kyle Nagel | Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 09:14 AM

The first contact with Eaton High School running back Dalton Caudill can be a learning experience for some defenders.

“When people hit him, they’re a little surprised,” said Eaton coach Ron Neanen. “He doesn’t look very big, but he has an amazing amount of power for his size.”

The 5-foot-10, 175-pound Caudill should be a major factor in deciding the Eagles’ fate in their Division III, Region 12 quarterfinal game against Cincinnati Wyoming on Friday, Nov. 6. He has already, though, had a strong senior season, rushing for 1,930 yards and 24 touchdowns for the 8-2 Eagles in helping them open the pass game for senior quarterback Austin Fudge.

After sharing time last season and still getting to 1,400 yards, Caudill has taken his second season as a starter to a different level in helping Eaton win its final four games — including victories against Valley View and Franklin, both 7-3 — to earn the No. 7 seed in Region 12.

Eaton now faces a Wyoming team (10-0) that has scored at least 42 points seven times this season, so the defense, led by linebackers senior Jake Tressler and junior Kyle Yoder, will hope to continue its bend-but-not-break trend of allowing yards but not as many points.

Fudge has been an impressive leader for the Eagles and a successful passer (following brother Jeremy, who went from Eaton to Ohio Dominican, where he’s a sophomore). He also has five interceptions on defense and has returned both a punt and a kickoff for touchdowns, so he’s a versatile contributor.

But Caudill has carried the offensive load with multiple 300-yard games.

“He’s strong in our weight room, has been to every one of our offseason sessions, but he’s also a naturally strong young man,” Neanen said. “He’s been that way since he was young.”

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‘Charlie Jr.’ leading Fort Loramie

By Kyle Nagel | Tuesday, November 3, 2009, 04:42 PM

Matt Burgbacher’s family members have watched his father, Charlie, coach the Tippecanoe High School football team for 21 years.

Now that they’ve watched Matt coach his first season at Fort Loramie, they’ve come up with a nickname for the 32-year-old who has led the Redskins to their first-ever playoff appearance (in their fifth season with a team).

“They call me ‘Charlie Jr.,’ ” Burgbacher said Tuesday afternoon just before practice.

After playing quarterback and defensive back for his father at Tipp and and then serving as an assistant coach there for five years, Burgbacher is making the most of his first season as a head coach. Fort Loramie is 8-2 and a a No. 7 seed in Division VI, Region 24.

Tipp, meanwhile, is 8-2 as Charlie Burgbacher prepares to face 9-1 Sandusky Perkins in the first round in D-III, Region 10.

Fort Loramie’s first-round opponent, 9-1 Lockland, provides a major test, but the Redskins can be dangerous offensively behind running back Mitch Raterman, who has gained 1,400 yards and scored 24 touchdowns this season.

The Fort Loramie defense — led by senior inside linebackers Brad Frilling and Alex Wolf — has allowed a touchdown or less in seven games this season, and the Wing-T offense, led by Raterman, has been effective, scoring 35 points a game.

It was curious, though, that when describing Raterman, Burgbacher switched from using “Mitch” to “Mitchell.”

I asked which Raterman preferred.

“I call him Mitchell when I’m mad at him,” Burgbacher said.

And how often is that?

“Not very often,” Burgbacher said with a laugh.

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