SIDNEY — The difference is apparent when Sidney’s boys golf team plays Piqua.
Against most opponents, Sidney coach Bill Rippey said the players are most concerned with playing their best. Whether the team comes out ahead after nine or 18 holes is of secondary importance.
Against Piqua, though, there’s more interest in the final score.
“The boys definitely want to win,” Rippey said of facing the Indians. “They’re not as interested in the score normally, but today they were all running up to me asking, ‘Did we win? Did we win?’ as soon as we were done.”
Sidney beat Piqua 186-205 on Tuesday at Shelby Oaks Golf Club to improve to 8-4 overall. With the victory, Sidney takes a half-point lead over Piqua in the school’s all-sports trophy race. The Yellow Jackets have 2.5 points, while Piqua has two. The school’s volleyball teams will play on Wednesday at Piqua.
Rippey said it was revenge for Sidney after losing to the Indians by six strokes on Aug. 31 at Echo Hills.
“We were disappointed with how we played then and it’s very nice that we came out on top today,” Rippey said. “We still didn’t play our best, but we did what we needed to do.”
Jared Lindsey has had the best average (42.2) of Sidney’s golfers this season and had the lowest score on Tuesday, which was his birthday.
Lindsey had a 42, while Kyle Noble and Ben Spangler each shot 46. Mitchell Larger rounded out the scoring with a 52. Will Klepinger also had a 53 and Patrick McClain had a 57.
Lindsey and Noble are seniors, while Klepinger is a junior and Spanger and Larger are sophomores. Rippey said he’s pleased for the team’s improvement and is hopeful they’ll finish in the top 10 in the Greater Western Ohio Conference postseason tournament, which is Sept. 28. Sidney finished No. 11 out of 18 teams in the conference’s preseason tournament.
Rippey said he thinks Lindsey and Noble can have good individual runs in the OHSAA tournament, which starts in October.
“I truly think Jared and Kyle can come out of sectionals,” Rippey said. “They’ve been playing well and are experienced.”
Sidney volleyball on roll
Sidney’s volleyball team lost its first five matches of the season. In the first four matches, the team didn’t win a single set.
The Yellow Jackets lost to Piqua in five sets on Aug. 29 and haven’t lost since. Entering Tuesday’s match at Fairborn, Sidney had won eight matches in a row, four of which against GWOC teams.
Sidney will try to beat the Indians (7-3, 6-2 GWOC American North) on Wednesday in Piqua.
The schools are joining forces at the match to raise money for Michelle Garber, mother of Piqua volleyball senior Navie Garber, who has colorectal cancer. Michelle Garber is a Piqua alum and coached junior high volleyball in the district for several years.
The student governments at both schools are selling t-shirts for $10, and anyone wearing a shirt will be admitted for free to Wednesday’s match. Proceeds will benefit the Garber family and the Upper Valley Cancer Care Center for Colon Research.
Piqua vs. Sidney All Sports Award
The two schools are competing for an all-sports trophy for the first time this season, and the winner will be determined by a points system. In sports where the schools play each other twice, half a point is awarded for each game, while one point is awarded for sports where the schools play each other once.
