SPORTS
A6 • INDIAN HILL JOURNAL • APRIL 25, 2013
Editor: Melanie Laughman, mlaughman@communitypress.com, 513-248-7573
HIGH SCHOOL | YOUTH | RECREATIONAL
INDIAN HILL
JOURNAL
CommunityPress.com
CCD rowing team a ‘big family’ By Adam Turer presspreps@gmail.com
Indian Hill junior Elena Horton prepares for a face-off. Horton played at a hockey academy this winter and plans to do so again next year with the goal of playing in college. PROVIDED
Indian Hill’s Horton ‘multi-sticks’
Junior traveled for hockey academy By Scott Springer sspringer@communitypress.com
INDIAN HILL — Prior to the postseason, coach Susan Savage lost a key runner to her cross country team last fall. It wasn’t due to injury. Instead, top runner Elena Horton had a unique sabbatical to Vermont. Outside of “Newhart,” Vermont is the birthplace of Presidents Chester A. Arthur and Calvin Coolidge, the leading producer of maple syrup, the second-least populous U.S. state and a hotbed for hockey. Horton has been strapping on pounds of gear, a facemask, stick and a pair of skates since she was 4 years old. “I left Sept. 29 right after the St. X meet,” Horton said. “I’ve been gone for five months and got back the first weekend of March. I was in Stowe, Vt., playing with the North American Hockey Academy, which takes girls from all over the nation. They take national caliber players and have 100 percent college placement.”
Horton’s experience exposed her to players from Alaska to California to Texas. The end game is find a spot on one of the few squads that offers Division I girls hockey. “I’m talking to colleges right now,” she said. “The goal is try to commit over the summer.” The love of the game came from her father, who grew up skiing in Vermont. Upon moving to Cincinnati, he took up hockey due to the lack of slopes. Her older sister, Adrian, also plays, but not at the competitive level of Elena. “I’ve been to every rink in Cincinnati basically,” Horton said. “(Indian Hill) Winter Club, Northland is my main rink, Sports Plus and The Gardens.” Younger sister, Rhian, doesn’t play, nor does her younger brother. If there will be a Horton hockey hero, it will be from Elena’s love of the ice. “I picked it up really fast,” she said. “This is the first year actually I didn’t play any boys hockey. It was kind of weird playing (with) no boys this year.” The competitiveness and skill set translates well to coach Walt Haag’s lacrosse team
where she plays midfield. Her versatility helps, though she sometimes becomes aggravated sans skates. “You have to be careful in girls lacrosse because you can’t be physical, which is frustrating for me,” Horton said. “It (hockey) helps with stick skills for sure.” After Indian Hill lacrosse, Horton will prepare for another season of cross country and hopes to stay with Savage longer before returning to the Northeast for more female face-offs. “It was devastating to leave early and not finish,” Horton said. “I was ahead of my time pacings from sophomore season. Our team was so close to going to state. If you had factored in my time, we would’ve gone.” Beyond Indian Hill and Vermont, Horton could conceivably land on U-18, U-22 or the U.S. National Team if everything works out. “The average of the women’s Olympic team is 27,” she said. “You graduate and you can play pro here or on a European team. I’ll decide on all that later. I definitely want to take it as far as I can.”
INDIAN HILL — You won’t find many high school rowing teams in Cincinnati. You won’t find any single-school scholastic varsity rowing programs that have been around longer than Cincinnati County Day School’s. Competitive rowing takes a time and travel commitment beyond what most high school athletic programs face. Those willing to put in the time and effort at CCDS find it to be a rewarding experience. “It is very unique,” said senior captain Alec Bunge. “The whole team is a big family. You can enjoy yourself and feel relaxed every time you get in the water.” The program was founded in 1982 and is thriving today as the area’s only scholastic (not club) high school rowing team. At least seven alumni are currently rowing collegiately and 2003 graduate Peter Graves represented the United States in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Bunge will row for Trinity College next year. “Of all the sports that the school offers, rowing seems to send the most to college, whether it’s to an Ivy League school or on a scholarship somewhere else,” said head coach Pedro Palacios. “That is a big, big draw for our students.” The Indians practice at private lakes in Newtown and occasionally at East Fork Lake. The season started with a regatta in Tennessee and later this season the team will compete in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. The program has also competed in England and China in recent years. At the April 24 season opener in Oakridge, Tenn., the Indians earned three gold medals. Elijah Engelke, Hanna Gottschalk, and Isabelle Hudson each placed
first in their respective events at the Dogwood Regatta. Also making this team unique is its place as a spring sport. Many competitors from other states practice year-round. Palacios works with some of his rowers in the offseason, but limits daily practices to the spring season. “This is a sport that needs a lot of preparation and a lot of technical skills,” said Palacios. “It is a big challenge to prepare for the season with just a few weeks in the spring.” The Indians row against local club competition, but have also developed rivalries with teams from New York, New Jersey, Florida, and other areas. Many of those teams have year-round programs. That requires the Indians to commit to the sport and make up for lost time each spring. “We have a great coach who helps us prepare for teams who row all year,” said Bunge, who is currently sidelined with a back injury. Once he returns, he plans on being in the water or the weight room “24/7.” Bunge’s teammates share his passion for the sport. Many of them, like Bunge, did not know much about rowing before their freshman year at CCDS. Now, they are dedicated to getting better at this niche sport. “We all fell in love with the sport,” said Bunge. It is far from easy and involves much more than rowing across a scenic lake on weekends. The athletes put in hours of weight and cardiovascular training to prepare for each regatta. “It is a highly technical sport, and it is also considered one of the toughest sports,” said Palacios. The Indians hope to again qualify several rowers for the Youth Nationals regatta this season.
The Cincinnati Country Day School rowing team anticipates a successful 2013 season. THANKS TO JOE BUNGE
PRESS PREPS HIGHLIGHTS By Scott Springer and Mark Motz sspringer@communitypress.com mmotz@communitypress.com
Girls lacrosse
» Indian Hill tied Pickerington North 8-8 on April 13. Seniors Nicole Gibson and Addie Fries had two goals each. The Lady Braves also defeated Rocky River 10-7 with Nicole Gibson notching the hat trick.
Tennis
» Indian Hill beat Summit Country Day 4-1 on April 15. Freshman Alex Warstler, senior Raghav Joshi and junior Ian Mandybur won in singles. The Braves blanked Taylor 5-0 on April 16 with Joshi and juniors Trevor Cohen and Nick West
winning singles. On April 18, Indian Hill shut out Mariemont with senior Will Jaroszewicz/ Cohen and sophomore Graydon Cowan/freshman Rohit Musti sweeping doubles. On April 17, the Braves shut out Finneytown 5-0 with Warstler, Joshi and senior Henry Kramer winning singles. » Moeller beat Elder 4-1 on April 16. Seniors Logan Wacker and Michael McGrath and junior Kevin Morrison won singles.
Boys lacrosse
» Indian Hill beat Ravenwood 13-6 on April 14. Senior captain Alec Taylor had the hat trick. » Moeller beat Seaholm Maples 21-3 on April 14.
Baseball
» Moeller beat Glen Este 7-6 on April 13. Senior Jimmy Rodenberg got the win and junior Zach Logue drove in two runs. They also beat Milford 3-2 in eight innings on senior Cameron Whitehead’s sacrifice fly. The Crusaders took the Beast of the East tourney with a 6-0 win over Anderson April 14. Junior Nick Voss had the win. Senior Spencer Iacovone was 2-4 driving in two runs.
Softball
» Indian Hill shut out Madeira 2-0 on April 15 behind junior Ally Hermes. Sophomore Mikayla Germain was 2-4 and drove in a run. On April 18, the Lady Braves blanked Finneytown 5-0 behind
Hermes. Junior Johanna Wagner was 3-4 with a pair of doubles.
Boys volleyball
» Moeller beat Lakewood St. Edward 25-21, 25-10, 25-21 on April 13. On the same day, the Crusaders beat Carmel (Indiana) 25-12, 25-17, 25-14. On April 15, Moeller beat Purcell Marian, 25-5, 25-9, 25-13. The Crusaders beat Louisville St. Xavier and Louisville Trinity on April 16. On April 18, Moeller beat St. Xavier 25-20, 25-14, 2725.
Sportsman voting: May 1
The fifth-annual Community Press and Recorder Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year Award voting period for the 2013 award will run Wednesday,
May 1, through Tuesday, May 22. When it’s time to vote, you’ll go to cincinnati.com/preps. Click on the Sportsman of the Year item on the right-hand side of the page. Readers will be able to vote once a day for their favorite athlete per paper. Winners for 2013 will receive two Reds tickets courtesy of the Cincinnati Reds, a certificate and a story to be published in a late June edition. Neither the articles nor ballots will count against the meter, so you do not have to be a Cincinnati Enquirer/cincinnati.com subscriber to vote on your favorite candidate. Email mlaughman@communitypress.com with questions and follow the hashtag #SOY2013 for updates on Twitter.