Galion Inquirer

2015-16
Spring Sports preview
2 April 6, 2016
Spring Sports Preview
Galion Inquirer
GALION
The Galion baseball team for the 2015-16 season.
Galion springs sports kick-off
By Brandon Klein
[email protected]
Baseball
The Galion baseball team have an
upbeat outlook for the season with
young but talented players.
The team finished with a 6-8 record
in the Mid Ohio Athletic Conference
and 9-16 overall. The Tigers defeated
Clear Fork in the sectional semifinals
but lost to Ontario in the sectional
championship 6-2.
Galion returns to the field with two
key players not returning: Chad Karnes
and Bryce Lybarger. Karnes earned a
3-3 record with 3.3 earned run average
and a batting average of .321. Lybarger earned a 4-3 record with a 3.3
ERA and .288 BA.
But the team will have six returning letterman: seniors Josh Eckert,
Matt Hardy and Tyler Castline; and
juniors Ryan Talbott, Garrett Kuns
and Mac Spears.
Eckert was awarded second team in
the MOAC last season. He has a BA
of .284 with a .905 field percentage.
Pitcher Hardy has a 2-3 record with
.258 BA and 3.72 ERA. Castline, an
honorable mention in the MOAC, has a
.325 BA. Talbott and Kuns return with
a respective BA of .316 and .258. Kuns
also has a 1.68 ERA. Spears returns
with a .300 BA.
“We will still be quite young, but
look to use last years’ experience to
help us compete for a championship,”
said Galion head coach Phil Jackson.
“Pitching will be deep and fielding will
be solid. We are looking for someone
to solidify the catching position and
improve our hitting.”
This will be Jackson’s fourth year
of coaching, returning with a 49-29
record. Joining him as assistant
coaches are Scott Kreger; Bart Cass
(junior varsity head coach); and Mike
O’Leary (Freshman coach). Phil Harris and Tracy Barnhart will serve as
volunteer assistants.
Favorites to win in the MOAC are
Jonathan Alder and Buckeye Valley, Jackson said.
See GALION | 3
Galion Inquirer
Spring Sports Preview
April 6, 2016 3
GALION
The Galion boys tennis team for the 2015-16 season.
Galion
From page 2
Softball
The Galion softball team joins the
new coach club this season.
Doug Hunt was hired back in July
bringing a 8-14 record. He previously
coached softball at Mansfield Christian.
Last season, the Lady Tigers struggled winning no conference games
and concluding the season with a 2-22
overall record. It was shutout in the
postseason against Mansfield Madison
10-0.
Key returning players, Doug said,
are seniors Gillian Garverick, Lindzi
Moore, Taylor Lear; and juniors Sophie
Carson, Jaime Ehrman, Madison Lawson, Alexis Link, Dani Schieber, Dusty
Thomas and Aleena Truman.
“We are a young squad that has a
positive outlook on the changes we
are making this year,” Hunt said. “We
expect to have a season full of learn-
ing and positive experiences against
our opponents. We are hopeful to be
a growing program with a succesful
future.”
Favorites to win in the MOAC are
Jonathan Alder and North Union,
he said.
Boys Tennis
Like the softball team, the Galion
boys tennis team have a new coach
this season.
Tom Pawsey, who replaces Bob
Roesch, has coached tennis for 20
years at a few local schools including Crestline and Ontario. He took
time off from serving as a head coach
because of health issues but decided to
help out as an assistant coach for the
Galion team.
“I miss tennis,” Pawsey said.
The Tigers made history with 17
members this season, the largest
number in many years, said assistant
coach Terry Gribble.
Last year, the team had 10 members
See GALION | 4
Good Luck Athletes!
Offices in: Galion, Ontario, Mansfield, Mt. Gilead,
Cardington, Shelby, Sandusky and Tiffin
4 April 6, 2016
Spring Sports Preview
Galion Inquirer
GALION
The Galion boys track team for the 2015-16 season.
Galion
From page 3
with three seniors that graduated.
Tristan Baldy returns for his second year
of playing tennis. The junior was 12-10
and an All-County All Star last season.
With the help of Gribble and assis-
tant coach Joe Baldy, Pawsey said the
team’s goals are to be competitive and
have one or two players break out of
sectionals.
The team last year had a 11-14
overall record and didn’t break past
sectionals, Gribble said.
Jonathan Alder and Marion Harding are the favorities to win in the
conference, he added.
Track and Field
After a strong performance, the
Galion girls and boys track and field
team strive to improve by relying on
experience, while developing new talent.
For the Lady Tigers, the 2014-15
team placed first in the MOAC, but
were runner-ups in the districts and
regionals. The team placed ninth at the
state meet.
The girls lost Michaela Slone,
Clair Erlsten, Alasha Williams,
Lydnsey McMullen, Holly Brammer
and Addie Ziesler.
Returning players are Sydney Hunt,
two time All-Ohioan; Dani Court,
MOAC, District champion in discus;
See GALION | 6
Spring SportS preview
Galion Inquirer
April 6, 2016 5
GALION
The Galion girls track team for the 2015-16 season.
Good Luck To All Area Teams!
Good Luck to our area
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Galion Inquirer
GALION
Galion
From page 4
Taylor Valentine, MOAC champion in
300 meeter hurdles; Kylie Redman,
league champion in 4x100 meter relay;
Lauren Huggins, league placer in the
4x400; Megan Zier, league placer in
the 4x800; Callie Wildenthaler; league
placer in the 4x800; Marissa Gwinner,
MOAC champion in in the long jump,
high jump; Bri Streib, MOAC placer as
a freshman in the shot put and discuss;
and Ashlie Sallee, MOAC placer in the
4x800 meter relay.
“We will have a number of newcomers vying for open spots on the relay
teams. We are very experienced in the
field events with a majority of our athletes returning,” said Track and Field
head coach Todd Roston. “We need to
develop our young sprinters and distance kids throughout the season.”
“We will have a number of newcomers vying for open spots
on the relay teams. We are very experienced in the field events
with a majority of our athletes returning. We need to develop
our young sprinters and distance kids throughout the season.”
— Todd Roston, Track and Field head coach
“Buckeye Valley, Pleasant, and
Marion Harding are all bringing
back very solid teams and will give
us a lot of competition for the league
championship,” he said.
For the boys, the 2014-15 team
were the runner-ups in the MOAC and
were fourth out of 22 teams in the
districts. The Tigers were also county
champions last season.
The boys lost Cario Davison, Brad
Wenninger and Carson Mcle.
Returning to the team are Casey
Barker, MOAC placer in the 3200;
Drake Barnett, MOAC runner-up in the
100, 200; Jacob Fryer, who was injured
for most of the previous season but
was a district and league placer as a
sophomore; Khennter Hughes, MOAC
champion in the long jump; Colton
Moore, fourth place for the high jump
at the indoor state track earlier this
month; Nick McDaniel, MOAC placer
in discus; Gavin Ratcliff, MOAC placer
in discus; Jacob Staiger, MOAC placer
in shot put; Kevin Bowshier, MOAC
placer in the high jump; Houston
Blair, league runner-up in the 2014
long jump; Caleb Ivy, MOAC placer in
the 4x200, 4x100; Colin McCullough,
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MOAC runner-up in the 300 hurdles;
Brett May; Harrison Ivy, MOAC placer
in the 400, 4x200 and 4x400; and
Mason Weldon.
“We have a lot of experience returning
on this team,” Roston said. “Hopefully,
we can continue to train hard everyday
in practice and stay healthy throughout
the season. I like the make up of this
team, I think this could a fun group to
watch in late May, and early June.”
“River Valley is the returning League
Champions and have a lot of those
athletes returning for their senior
year,” he said. “We will have to fight
for every point in the conference meet
because it will take a total team effort
to beat them this season.”
Assistant coaches are Michael
Moore, John Anich, Brent Tyrrell,
Jaime Valentine, Kyle Strauch and Jeff
Court.
Reach Klein at 419-468-1117, ext. 2048 or on
Twitter at @brandoneklein.
Galion Inquirer
Spring SportS preview
April 6, 2016 7
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8 April 6, 2016
Spring Sports Preview
Galion Inquirer
northmor
Lady Knights looking to move up in standings
By ROB HAMILTON
[email protected]
After finishing 12-12, 8-6 in league
play, in his first year as Northmor head
softball coach, Russ Montgomery is hoping a talented cast of returnees can help
his team continue to move up in the Blue
Division standings in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference.
While the Knights graduated shortstop
Kelsie Reeder, an all-league and all-dis-
trict player currently with Bluffton University, they return nine letter-winners.
Seniors Karlee Carroll, Mikayla Briggs,
Deanna Delaney and Cheyenne Shelton;
juniors Shelbey Lilly, Lydia Farley and
Andrea Weis and sophomores Cristianna
Boggs and Kelsie Fike all are back.
Boggs was an all-league and all-district
player, while Carroll also earned allleague honors. Briggs is currently coming back from surgery, but Montgomery
is expecting her back by mid-April.
They will be joined by a handful of varsity newcomers, including freshmen Aly
Blunk and Lily Tate.
“With the addition of a few talented
underclassmen, we’re looking to improve
on last year’s 12-12 record,” said Montgomery. “Being in six 1-2 run ballgames,
we have to improve on two-out hits with
runners in scoring position. Hopefully,
our work in the offseason will improve
that aspect of the game.”
The coach noted that a few of his play-
ers are learning new positions, as he
completely revamped the outfield from
last year.
“It should be a strong defensive team
with the addition of a couple talented
freshmen,” he added.
Montgomery noted he looks for his
team to improve on last year’s 8-6 mark
in league play.
Rob Hamilton can be reached at 419-946-3010, ext.
1807. Connect with him on Twitter at @SportsMCS
The 2016 Northmor
softball team is in
the above picture.
Courtesy Photo/
Unique Images
Galion Inquirer
Spring SportS preview
April 6, 2016 9
NORTHMOR
Knights will have young team
By ROB HAMILTON
[email protected]
A young Northmor baseball team will take
the field this year. The Knights have three
seniors, but the majority of the athletes in the
program are in either ninth or 10th grade.
The team graduated four important players
in Daniel Donner, Brock Trombly, Mitchell
Whisler and Dominic Cortez. Three-year varsity player Jarod Vanderkooi also is gone, as he
turned pro in flat track racing.
Leading Northmor are seniors Jake Farley,
Bryan Hammond and Gunnar Lilly. Farley was
a first-team pick in both the Mid-Ohio Athletic
Conference and in the Central District, while
Hammond got honorable mention recognition
by the league. Head coach Buck Workman noted
that he looks at his seniors as a strong point on
the team.
Other returning letter-winners are juniors
Jordan Wiseman, Sam Eichorn and Nate Hall
and sophomores Conan Becker and Tyler Kegley. Workman also expects juniors Kade Sayre
and Dylan Timmons, sophomores Kyle Kegley
and Austin Wheeler and freshman Mostyn
Evans to contribute at the varsity level.
“We are very young and 15-of-23 kids are
freshmen and sophomores,” said the coach.
“We want to compete every night.”
Rob Hamilton can be reached at 419-946-3010, ext. 1807.
Connect with him on Twitter at @SportsMCS
The Northmor baseball team is pictured above.
Courtesy Photo/Unique Images
Good Luck to
All Area Teams!
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Galion, OH 44833
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10 April 6, 2016
Spring Sports Preview
Galion Inquirer
colonel crawford
Eagles take off for spring sports
“We have the potential
to have both some speed and
some power in our lineup.”
By Brandon Klein
[email protected]
Softball
After recently being inducted in the Crawford
County Sports Hall of Fame, Chuck Huggins returns
to the fast-pitch softball field for the 2015-16 season at
Colonel Crawford High School.
He welcomes back 11 returning winners including
eight returning starters. The team only lost Cassie
Sager, who played center field and on first base, to
graduation.
“We have the potential to have both some speed and
some power in our lineup,” Huggins said, adding that
he hopes the team can be solid and consistent in its
batting regardless of the lineup.
He also wants to cut down the number of strikeouts
from last season. The team had 176 strikeouts in 29
games, or 6.1 per game.
“176 in 015 is way too many,” Huggins said. “This
team would like to improve on the 21-8 record from
2015.”
He also anticipates the other eight teams in the
Northern 10 Athletic Conference to be more competitive than they were last season.
The roster includes four seniors: Lexi Hoepf, Jada
Klingeberger, Taylor Lutz and Mariah Scott. The team
will also have six juniors: Abbey Bradshaw, Alexus
Burkhart, Stephanie Huggins, Kirsten Lewis, Kerri
Reynolds and Abbi Teglovic.
— Chuck Huggins
Softball coach
Track and Field
The Colonel Crawford boys track and field team
intend to defend their conference title from last season.
Preston Foy has coached the team for the past eight
years. Brett Degray, Joey Bauer, Mitch Phillips, Dave
Greenich and Brad Ruffener will help the Eagles out as
assistant coaches.
The district champions have three key players
returning: Owen Adams, Chad Johnson and Noah
Ferguson. The team lost Brett Bakies, Dylan Gulley,
Dalton Scott and Clay Martin.
“Distance will be very strong,” Foy said. “Sprinters
will be very young and raw but have a lot of talent.”
Colonel Crawford boys will face Seneca East, who
are the favorites to win the conference title.
Reach Klein at 419-468-1117, ext. 2048 or on Twitter at @brandoneklein.
The 2014-15 Colonel Crawford softball team in action.
Callie Ruffener participates in track and field for Colonel
Crawford’s varsity team during the 2014-15 season.
Galion Inquirer
Spring Sports Preview
April 6, 2016 11
crestline
Bulldogs aim for conference title
By Brandon Klein
[email protected]
The Crestline basbeball
have a younger team this season compared with last year.
Head coach Steve Garberich
starts his fourth year coaching the Bulldogs. His record
is 32-42.
The team were 9-9 in
the Northern 10 Athletic
Conference and 13-12 overall. Two letter winners are
returning: J.R. Wolf and
Chandler Gaskill.
Wolf was All-N10 and AllCrawford County last season.
“He will pitch, catch and
play short,” Garberich said.
Chandler played second
base last year, but will play
left field this season. The
team took heavy hits by
losing key players because
of graduation.
“We lost eight seniors,
seven that started including
All-Ohioans Austin Norwood and Nate Coffman,”
Garberich said.
The team has 29 players
with one senior, and will start
with three freshman, two
sophomores and four junors
for the season.
But the team still looks to
be competitive in the Mid
Buckeye Conference.
“We will look to battle
for a conference title,”
Garberich said. “Lucas
should be one of the teams
to beat in the MBC.”
Reach Klein at 419-468-1117, ext. 2048 or
on Twitter at @brandoneklein.
Crestline baseball pitcher pitches during the 2014-15 season.
Galion Inquirer file photo
12 April 6, 2016
Spring Sports Preview
Galion Inquirer
northmor
High hopes for Northmor track squads
By ROB HAMILTON
[email protected]
With most of last year’s point-scorers back, including a state
champion in Demetrius Johnson, Northmor boys’ track coach
Kevin Ruhl is hoping for some strong performances from his
charges this year.
Johnson, a sophomore, is the returning state champion
in the Division III long jump. Junior James Walker also had
a strong year, making regionals in the 300 hurdles. Ruhl
noted that a few other upperclassmen also are poised for success, citing seniors Spencer Adams (distance), Collin Berg
(hurdles) and Josh Caudill (shot put) and junior A.J. White
(distance) as examples.
“We only lost two seniors from last year’s team,” said Ruhl.
“Just about everyone who scored points for us last year is back
this year.”
Due to that experience, the coach feels the fortunes for his
program are pretty good. “We want to compete and score more
points at big invitationals as a team,” he said. “We know that
we have several talented individuals who we expect to make it
to the state competition.”
In the conference, Ruhl expects Mount Gilead to have a solid
all-around team that should do well at invitationals.
On the girls’ team, head coach Mark Yaussy has plenty of
numbers, including 12 letter-winners. However, he notes his
team will be inexperienced in some events.
The team returns seniors Brooke Buzzard and Isabelle Ditullio; juniors Allie Borders, Selena Cortez, Kristen Duryea, Rayanna Loyer, Rachel Morrison, Karalee Patterson and Caitlin
Young and sophomores Brooke Bennett and Viv Cutrupi. Bennett was the team’s top point-scorer last year.
The team also has a number of newcomers, including senior
Deanna Delaney, junior Maria Lee, sophomore Cristianna
Boggs and freshman Sam Peters. However, they did suffer
some big losses to graduation with the departure Allie Tupps,
Tia Downard, Lauren Bood, Alisha Pletcher and Megan
Milavec. Yaussy noted that group included state qualifier and
district placers.
“We should have a very competitive team,” he said. “As a
team, we do have some events where we will have young and/
or inexperienced athletes competing. For us to have a chance
to beat some of the upper-echelon teams, we need to get better
in those events.”
In the league, Yaussy feels Mount Gilead will be tough to
beat and that Fredericktown also should be a strong squad.
Northmor’s boys’ track team is in the above picture.
Courtesy Photo/Unique Images
The girls’ track team at Northmor is pictured above.
Courtesy Photo/Unique Images
Rob Hamilton can be reached at 419-946-3010, ext. 1807.
Connect with him on Twitter at @SportsMCS