SPORTS Russo’s runners eye state title
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Hilltop Press
August 4, 2010
| YOUTH | Editor Melanie Laughman | mlaughman@communitypress.com | 248-7573 HIGH
By Tony Meale
tmeale@communitypress.com
The time is now for the La Salle High School cross country team. The Lancers return five of their top seven runners from a team that has advanced to state each of the last two years. They’ll be led by senior Travis Hawes. “He’s got the ability,” Lancer head coach Frank Russo said, “to be a top-five state finalist and could finish as high as second to (Mason senior) Zach Wills.” Hawes finished 12th at the state championships as a freshman and was GCL-South Runner of the Year as a sophomore. Last season, however, he struggled
through injury At st : and illness – and fir nce he wasn’t alone. la Senior Ethan g Bokeno, among others, also missed significant time. “It’s no secret,” Russo said. “The last two years, (the problem) hasn’t been our talent. It’s been our ability to stay healthy.” If the Lancers can avoid injury, Russo said his team has a legitimate shot at a state championship. Along with Hawes, a five-time state-qualifier, and Bokeno, a four time-state qualifier, La Salle returns seniors Kevin Kluesener
SCHOOL
and Matt Nie, as well as sophomore Jacob McNamara. Juniors Clayton Cardinal, Drew Michel and Marc Nie also figure to be in the mix. “We’ve got great talent in front and great depth in back,” Russo said. “We’re hoping to get some young guys contributing.” La Salle has been arguably the most consistent program in Ohio over the last 15 years, advancing to state all but two years since 1996. From 2000 to 2006, the Lancers won two state titles and had four state runner-up finishes. In 2007, the Lancers failed to
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qualify for state for the first time since 1998. La Salle returned to Scioto Downs each of the last two years but placed 15th and 16th, respectively; prior to 2008, Russo, who took over in 1983, hadn’t had a state team finish lower than 10th. “We’re trying to work on the intensity and quality of our work ethic,” Russo said. “We’re trying to get the guys to understand what it takes.” Russo, who has been pleased with his team’s summer workouts thus far, has motivated his runners by recounting tales of former Lancers who won state titles and earned All-America status. “What separated those guys
was their work ethic and their intensity,” Russo said. La Salle opens the season with the FinishTiming Invitational at Wilmington College Aug. 28. Other key meets include the Midwest Catholic Championship at Indian Riffle Park in Kettering Sept. 25 and the Midwest Meet of Champions at Hilliard Darby Oct. 2. The GCL Meet will be held at Rapid Run Park Oct. 16. La Salle has won league three of the last five years, most recently in 2008. “We’ve got a nice core group that has talent and a lot of varsity experience,” Russo said. “We’ll get our confidence from how well we prepare on a day-to-day basis.”
BRIEFLY
GEOFF BLANKENSHIP/CONTRIBUTOR
East bests West
Recent St. Xavier High School graduate Patrick Guetle cuts down an East runner at second base during the East-West All-Star Game at Prasco Park June 6. The East won the first game 9-0, while the second game ended in a tie.
GEOFF BLANKENSHIP/STAFF
Recent Finneytown graduate Nate Girdler works the infield during the East-West All-Star Game.
Kepley takes over St. X golf program By Tony Meale tmeale@communitypress.com
After winning a state title in 2008 and finishing as state runner-up in 2009, the St. Xavier High School golf team will be without Brian Shircliff, a 1992 Bomber graduate who had coached the team since 1998. The program, however, is in safe hands. Alex Kepley, who served as Shircliff’s
Other golfers to look out for Several other local golfers are set to hit the greens this fall: • Finneytown has a pair of second-team all league performers in junior Sam Sawyer and sophomore Matthew Sawyer • McAuley will be led by seniors Michelle Schmidt and Lindsey Decher, as well as junior Alisha Wellman • Mount Healthy will be led by junior Patrick Roper and sophomore Bradley Williams • Roger Bacon will be led by seniors Alex Meyer, Brandon Davis and E.J. Weickert, as well as junior Nathan Frock • Winton Woods High School will be led by sophomore Kevin Sand and junior Kevin Sherman
assistant the last six years, will assume the head coaching position. “Brian developed an incredible program,” said Kepley, who graduated from St. X in 1985. “I’m very excited and blessed to have this opportunity. Leading the team this year are a pair of first-team all-league performers, seniors-to-be Smith Brinker and George Rohde. “They’ve had a very extensive summer tournament schedule and have had great success in the past,” Kepley said. “As seniors, they bring the experience of playing at the state championships. I look for them to be our anchors.” Other contributors will include seniors-to-be Brady Carlson, Nick Stenger and CJ Howitt, as well as juniorsto-be Jay Brockhoff, Nick Colvin, Alex Hannan, Lee House, Jack Mitchell and Jake Clements. Joey Arcuri, meanwhile, may be the top sophomore. “We’re lucky to have so many athletes at St. X who play golf,” Kepley said. “We’ve got a lot of guys with good potential.” Despite their dominance over the last two years, the Bombers haven’t won a
PROVIDED
St. Xavier High School seniors Smith Brinker, left, and George Rohde headline a Bomber golf team that won state in 2008 and finished runner-up in 2009.
At st : fir nce a gl
GOLF
league title since 2007, when they captured their fourth consecutive conference crown. Last season, St. X finished second in the state but third in the GCLSouth. Kepley anticipates another tough season - not just in the league, but in the city as well. “Moeller, Elder, La Salle, Lakota East, Lakota West and I’m probably forgetting some teams - have incredible players,” he said. Kepley added that his coaching philosophy is sim-
ilar to that of his predecessor. “Like Brian, my emphasis is on the short game,” he said. “All the guys hit the ball a mile, and that’s great; but if you can’t put the ball in the hole, it doesn’t matter how far you hit it.” Kepley hopes for a return to the state championships but said the success of this season does not hinge on that. “You can’t control how other teams play,” he said. “If we do everything that we can to prepare and be effective and efficient so we minimize our mental mistakes, that’s all I can ask of these young men.”
First glance at fall sports
The Hilltop Press is taking a look at fall sports by putting the spotlight on select high school teams as a first glance at the season, with more coverage to come on other schools. Expect to see coverage on the following dates: This week – Golf and cross country Aug. 11 – Volleyball and girls’ tennis Aug. 18 – Boys’ and girls’ soccer Aug. 25 – Football, all inclusive
lead all scoring. Rohde, Day and Wolters scored one over par. In addition, Rohde, a member of the St. Xavier High School golf team and an incoming senior, was one of 153 amateur golfers nationally to qualify for the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship. In the 36 hole, June 21 qualifier event held at Moundbuilders Country Club in Newark, Ohio, he shot four over par. The U.S. Junior Amateur Championship will be July 19 through July 24 at Egypt Valley Country Club near Grand Rapids, Mich.
College commitments
St. X football on radio
• Several La Salle High school baseball players recently committed to play for The College of Mount St. Joseph next season. La Salle High School’s Aaron Sparks, Michael Leytze and Alec Schmidt will play baseball for the Mount and will start classes this fall. • La Salle High School graduate Dominic Bosch will also attend the College of Mount St. Joseph this fall and play volleyball for the Lions. Bosch, a 6-foot-3 outside hitter, was a Second-Team All-Region player this past season as well as a FirstTeam All-GCL honoree and team MVP. He captured second honors in the classroom in both 2006-2007 and 2007-2008. Bosch, who played for Brian Meyer, is the son of Michele and Daniel Bosch. He is planning on majoring in athletic training.
Junior World golfers
Four Ohio high school golfers have qualified to compete in mid-July at the Junior World Golf Championship at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego: George Rohde III of Mount Lookout, Thomas Rooney of Loveland, Jordan Day of West Chester and Caleb Wolters of Centerville. They defeated more than 100 golfers at the Ohio Junior Qualifier in the 15 to 17 year old age bracket to secure a spot in the 2010 International Tournament. Rooney shot even par to
Clear Channel Radio recently entered into an agreement with St. Xavier High School to broadcast the upcoming regular season and post-season football games on Fox Sports 1360. The agreement also includes broadcasting all games world wide on Foxsports1360.com. “Building a partnership with Fox Sports 1360 is a great opportunity for the school in general and athletic department in particular,” said John Sullivan, athletic director for St. Xavier. “We have a chance to promote our students and their accomplishments in a unique way with these weekly broadcasts. We have a challenging schedule against some of the top teams in the city, state, and country and I feel certain sports fans will enjoy the effort and intensity of Bomber football” Besides games against GCL rivals Elder, Moeller, and LaSalle, the Steve Specht coached Bombers will play traditional powerhouses Indianapolis Cathedral, Louisville St. Xavier, Cleveland St. Ignatius. The long-time Internet voices of the Bombers Tony Schad and Ralph Nardini will handle the play-by-play and color. Fox Sports 1360 is the home of the Dan Patrick and Jim Rome shows as well as NFL Sunday Night and Monday Night Football and NCAA March Madness.
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