CINCINNATI — Fort Loramie’s boys golf team earned its first district title while Botkins earned its first state berth in the Division III district tournament on Saturday at Glenview Golf Course.
The top two teams earned state berths, and the two Shelby County Athletic League schools swept the top two spots out of the 12 teams that advanced to district. The Redskins finished first with a 339 team score, while Botkins finished second with a 345.
It’s the second consecutive state berth for Fort Loramie, which advanced to the state tournament for the first time last year.
Fort Loramie was tied for third after the first nine holes but pulled away in the last nine.
“We didn’t get off to a great start,” Fort Loramie coach Brad Turner said. “We started on the tougher side (South course) and through five holes, three of our players were six over par, including our (number) one man Adam Ballas, who took a 10 on the par-five third hole on the South course.
“We weren’t making many shots and weren’t getting much to fall in the opening nine holes. …My message to the guys at that point was that despite playing bad, we were right in it and that they needed to find their games and keep grinding to get a score posted.”
Ballas, a freshman, responded by finishing with a 39 on the second nine holes and finished with an 83.
Zach Pleiman shot a 37 on the last nine holes and finished with a 77, good for first place individually.
“He played like the senior that he is and came up big for us,” Turner said.
Devin Ratermann finished with an 89 for the Redskins while Caeleb Meyer rounded out the team’s scoring with a 90.
Jameson Meyer led Botkins with an 84. Isaac Cisco shot 85, Jaydon Wendel shot 86 and Alex Bajwa and Jack Dietz each had 90.
The two teams will compete in the Div. III state tournament next Friday at Ohio State’s Scarlet Course in Columbus.
Fairlawn and Anna each had 359 team scores. The Jets earned a sixth-place finish by besting the Rockets with a No. 5 scorer tiebreaker. Fairlawn No. 5 golfer Drew Maddy had a 102, while Anna No. 5 golfer Bryce Havenar had a 103.
Skyler Piper led Fairlawn with an 84. Kyle Peters shot 89, Matt Mullen shot 92 and Jackson Jones shot 94.
Bryce Cobb led Anna with an 81. Cole Maurer shot 88, Spencer McClay shot 93 and Carter Gordon shot 97.
Cobb just missed on an individual state berth. The top two individuals not on a qualifying team earned individual state berths. Cobb tied for third along with Cincinnati Seven Hills’ Jacob Joffe and Cincinnati Country Day’s Sam Pettengill, and the three players advanced to a playoff for the second state qualifying spot.
Joffe was eliminated on the first hole after Cobb and Pettengill both hit par on the hole and Joffe bogeyed. Cobb and Pettengill then each matched pars on a second hole, but Cobb bogeyed on a third hole and Pettengill hit par to earn the state spot.
Russia’s Drew Sherman tied for 16th by shooting an 86. Riverside’s John Zumberger tied for 27th by shooting an 89 and Russia’s Ross Fiessinger tied for 63rd by shooting a 105.
Sidney qualifies for D-I district tournament
The Yellow Jackets finished third in the Division I sectional tournament on Tuesday at Reid Park Golf Course in Springfield and earned a district berth.
The top four teams earned district berths. Sidney finished third with a 350 team score, 26 strokes behind fellow Miami Valley League member Tippecanoe, which was first. Fellow MVL member Greenville finished three strokes behind Sidney in fourth. Bellbrook was second with 327.
Sidney was led by seniors Trey Werntz and Ben Spangler, who each wear bandannas while playing and have the nickname “the Bandanna Brothers.”
Werntz led Sidney with an 81. Spangler shot 88, Brandan Rose shot 90 and Kaden Abbott shot 91.
“I was really proud of the boys today,” Sidney coach Bill Rippey said. “Our goal was to make it to districts as a team and we accomplished it.
“Trey was consistent as usual. Ben really stepped up today with an 88. The Bandana Brothers came to play today.”
• Volleyball
Troy 3, Sidney 0
The Yellow Jackets lost a Miami Valley League crossover match 25-14, 25-15, 28-26 on Tuesday in Sidney.
No statistics were reported.
Jackson Center 3, Anna 0
The Tigers beat Anna 25-18, 25-18, 25-23 in a Shelby County Athletic League match on Tuesday in Jackson Center.
Deja Wells led Jackson Center with 12 kills while Shia Akers had eight and Katie Clark and Sarah Clark each had seven. Kennedy Jackson led the team with 16 assists and Ashley Mullenhour had 14.
Katie Clark had a team-high three blocks while Mullenhour led the squad with 12 digs. Ava Winner had 10 digs and Elizabeth Hickey had nine.
Macy Wiktorowski led the Rockets with 14 kills while Lauren Barhost had eight. Mary Landis had 26 assists. Liz Michael led the team with 31 digs while Wiktorowski had 25, Madison Jeffries had 12 and Landis had 10.
Russia 3, Fairlawn 0
The Raiders earned a 25-18, 25-16, 25-23 SCAL victory over Fairlawn on Tuesday in Russia.
Ashley Scott led Russia with 14 kills while Jessica York had 10 and Kate Sherman and CeCe Borchers each had five. Miah Monnin had 30 assists and two aces, Ava Daniel had three aces and Kendall Monnin had two aces. Monnin had a team-high 23 digs.
Lonna Heath led the Jets with 10 kills while Jessie Abke had five. Taylor Lessing had 21 assists. MaCalla Huelskamp had a team-high 17 digs while Heath had 12 and Abke had 10.
Houston 3, Botkins 0
The Wildcats earned a 25-16, 25-13, 25-16 SCAL victory over Botkins on Tuesday in Houston.
Allisen Foster led Houston with 12 kills while Catryn Mohler had six and Mackenzie Wenrick had five. Wenrick had two aces and Alex Freytag led the team with 20 assists. Megan Maier had 10 digs and Mariah Booher had nine.
Paige Doseck led the Trojans with nine kills and 19 digs. Meg Russell had 11 assists.
New Bremen 3, Lehman Catholic 0
The Cardinals earned a 25-18, 25-15, 25-14 victory over Lehman Catholic in a nonconference game on Tuesday in Sidney.
Taylor Paul led New Bremen with 11 kills while Macy Puthoff and Josie Reinhart each had seven. Puthoff had five of the team’s 15 aces while Reinhart had four and Paul had three. Claire Pape had 26 assists.
Kaylee Fruend, Pape and Reinhart each had three blocks while Puthoff had two. Paul led the squad with nine digs while Diana Heitkamp had eight.
Lauren McFarland led the Cavaliers with nine kills while Reese Geise had five and Olivia Lucia had four. Caroline Wesner led the team with 13 assists. Lucia had a team-high 12 digs while Abby Schutt had 11, Pyper Sharkins had 10 and McFarland had nine.
Riverside 3, Mississinawa Valley 0
The Pirates earned a 25-15, 25-15, 25-8 nonconference victory on Tuesday in De Graff.
Lauryn Sanford had 12 kills for Riverside and Jenna Woods had 10. Sierra Snow had 20 assists and Allison Knight had 10 digs.
• Girls soccer
Anna 5, Miami East 0
The Rockets beat the Vikings in a nonconference game on Tuesday in Anna.
Taylor Noll and Ella Doseck each scored two goals while Amber Steward scored one. Mackensie Littlefield had one assist. Goalkeeper Savanna Hostetler had six saves.
Newton 4, Botkins 0
The Trojans lost a home nonconference game on Tuesday.
• Boys soccer
Sidney 6, West Carrollton 0
The Yellow Jackets earned a Miami Valley League Valley Division victory on Tuesday in Sidney.
Jalen Hudgins scored two goals for Sidney while Matt Joos, Devon Jones, Trey Werntz and Carson Taylor each had one. Jalen Hudgins and Alijah Jackson each had two assists while Austin Kennedy and Braden Guinther each had one.
Lehman Catholic 2, Miami East 1
It was the shot that wasn’t — and then it was. That ended up being the difference in a nonconference battle on Tuesday in Sidney.
With Lehman leading 1-0 midway through the second half, the Cavaliers’ Matthew McDonald made a run down the sideline. From just inside the corner kick area, he decided to cross the ball.
While it looked off target at first, it turned out perfect when it drifted into the far corner of the goal to give Lehman a 2-0 lead with 26:51 remaining in the game.
“I am not even sure he was shooting on that,” Lehman Catholic coach Cameron Jock said. “That was huge (to have a two-goal lead).”
Only one person could answer that question.
“Actually, I was trying to cross the ball — no, it was a shot all the way,” McDonald said with a laugh. “Actually, I thought it was going out of bounds. When it went in, I just started running around (to celebrate).”
Lehman is now 7-6-1 and Jock continues to be pleased with his team’s effort.
“We have been having problems with that (giving up late goals),” he said. “That is something we have to continue to work on. The kids are doing a great job.”
It looked like the first half would end up scoreless.
But Max Schmiesing a run late in the first half and Joshua George was able to put the ball in the goal with 1:12 to go in the half to give Lehman a 1-0 lead.
“We have given up a lot of goals like that (at the end of the half),” Jock said. “So, that was good to see. That gives you a lot of momentum (when you score late in a half).”
• Girls tennis
Lehman Catholic seasons ends in D-II sectional
No Lehman Catholic tennis players advanced in the Division II sectional on Tuesday in Troy.
For Lehman in singles, Madi Gleason lost a first-round match to Bellefontaine’s Mia Neer 6-0, 6-0. Mary Lins had a first-round bye, then lost to Bellefontaine’s Courtney Sims, 6-0, 6-0. Macie Verdeir also had a first-round bye before losing to Urbana’s Rachel White, 6-3, 6-1.
And in doubles, Ann Deafenbaugh and Taylor Reineke lost to Tippecanoe’s Lona Maybury and Lilly McDowell 6-0, 6-0, and Angela Brunner and Liann Trahey lost in three sets in the first round to Bellefontaine’s Na Lin and Gracie Middaugh, falling 6-3, 4-6, 1-0 (11).
• Cross country
Fairlawn meet canceled
Fairlawn’s meet scheduled for Tuesday was canceled due to unseasonably hot temperatures.
