SPORTS
A6 • INDIAN HILL JOURNAL • AUGUST 29, 2013
INDIAN HILL
JOURNAL
Editor: Melanie Laughman, mlaughman@communitypress.com, 513-248-7573
HIGH SCHOOL | YOUTH | RECREATIONAL
CommunityPress.com
UA field hockey looks forward to ‘great year’
FIRST SHOT AT 2013 FIELD HOCKEY
By Mark D. Motz mmotz@communitypress.com
Indian Hill’s varsity field hockey team is, from left: Top, Madeline Siedling, Charlotte Golnik, Devon Reich, Delaney Smith, Marlee Bathalter, Grace Burnside, Rose Fessler, Ashton Irvine and coach Pamela Angel; bottom, Gibson Bullock, Abbey Froehlich, Kendall Chabut, Anna Cassidy and Rebekah Kim. THANKS TO KIESER PHOTOGRAPHY
Lady Braves field hockey looks to an Angel
By Scott Springer sspringer@communitypress.com
INDIAN HILL — Field hockey has graced the Tomahawk turf for years at Indian Hill with some success. About 13 years ago, the team finished as regional champions and state runners-up. Since then, the Lady Braves have had mixed success and many coaches. Now, Indian Hill has gone back in the history books to and called on an Angel to lead the program. Pamela Angel, a field hockey player between 1989-1993 at Indian Hill, has returned to the fold after spending years in California and Utah. Before heading west, Angel was the Most Valuable Player on Indian Hill’s 1993 squad that made it to the state semifinals. “I’ve had the warmest welcome back,” Angel said. “This is my first year coaching anything. I haven’t played field
hockey since ‘93.” The goal for Angel is to return the Lady Braves to their status of 20 years ago when the vintage plaid skirts ruled the turf. “It was a really respected sport when I played,” Angel said. “It seems like it’s almost gone off the map a little bit. I’ve had all of these parents and alumni say, ‘It’s so great to have alumni come back. We’re going to get field hockey back to where it used to be!’” It’s a tough task for Angel, though she’s been blessed with a varsity team full of upperclassmen. On the other hand, the junior varsity will be mostly newcomers. “There’s only three players who have ever played before,” Angels said of her JV team. “We only have 11 girls. We don’t even have enough to sub people. They have to sprint up and down for two halfhour halves, so they have to be in good shape.”
Assisting Angel is Tara Rose, another former Indian Hill player who returned to coaching last season. “The varsity team is willing to work really hard,” Angel said. “They’re running a mile way better than last year. The team’s getting faster. I’m excited. I think we’re going to win some games.” The Lady Braves roster consists of seniors Grace Burnside, Anna Cassidy, Abbey Froehlich, Charlotte Golnik, Devon Reich and Delaney Smith. Juniors are Marlee Bathalter, Gibson Bullock, Kendall Chabut, Rose Fessler, Ashton Irvine, Rebekah Kim and Madeline Siedling. Captains are Froehlich, Reich and Smith. After their opener at Grooms Field against Ursuline, Indian Hill begins at home against Fairmont on Sept. 3. The Lady Braves play in the Southwest Ohio Field Hockey League with Fairmont, Mount Notre Dame, Oakwood, Saint Ursula, Summit Country Day and Ursuline.
Experience key for St. X water polo By Tom Skeen tskeen@communitypress.com
SPRINGFIELD TWP. — At a school with an unbelievable swimming tradition, one would think that would translate to success for the water polo program. That hasn’t been the case in the first two years at St. Xavier High School, but coach Mike Roberts believes that trend may have changed in the program’s third year of existence. Grant House headlines a group of freshmen whom Roberts expects to make an immediate impact. According to Roberts, House has shattered the record books for the Cincinnati Marlins swim team and is one of very few accomplished swimmers to participate in water polo. “The first season we had a lot of seniors come out so we had a bunch of people who had never played before, which was great because we had a lot of mature bodies,” Roberts said. “It was the same thing last year. This
St. Xavier senior Jake Westerkamp will lead the Bombers’ water polo team in 2013.THANKS TO LUISA N. CERDA
year we have about a dozen freshmen with a lot of promise.” House, along with senior captain Jake Westerkamp and goalie Matt Doyle, has helped the Bombers to a 3-1 start in 2013. Roberts’ squad took down Worthington Kilbourne, Sylvania and Napoleon, but lost to St. Charles High School at the 2013
Sprint-Off Classic at Napoleon High School Aug. 16-17. Experience has a lot to do with the early success, and that is just what Westerkamp brings to the pool. “He’s smart,” Roberts said of his captain. “Water polo is a game that requires some strength, some athleticism, but maybe most of all, it requires some smarts. Knowing
when to take advantage of opportunities, having some guile and having played three years, (Westerkamp) has all that.” After going 4-15 in 2011 in the program’s first year of existence, the Bombers were over .500 and made a run in the Ohio south regional tournament last season. With more experience in 2013, Roberts likes how his team is coming together. “This is our third season so we finally have some guys playing with experience,” he said, “which is critical in having a successful team.” The 2013 season marks the first time where Roberts will have guys to work with for four years. With that being said, the coach sees nothing but success for his program in the future. “… Water polo takes a lot of attributes and maybe the greatest on is experience,” Roberts said. “To have them for four years, if they stay with it, will create one of the finest teams (at the high school level).”
BLUE ASH — Panic is not a word one normally associates with Ursuline Academy athletics. Yet after graduating 13 seniors from a field hockey team that lost in the state final four to eventual champion Columbus Academy, head coach Elli Workum admitted some apprehension before taking a longer view. “I was so panicked at the end of last season, losing so many kids,” she said. “While I lost 13, I gained eight (juniors) and seven (returning seniors) who really want to play. The juniors all started on the JV team last year, and they won the league and their tournament. Most of the seniors had a great ride in somewhat lesser roles behind the graduating class.” The seniors in prominent roles last season include all-Ohio forward Audrey Coler and forward Abbey Main, who return to lead the offense. Freshman Jillian Shive should make an im-
See URSULINE, Page A7
Ursuline Academy senior Abbey Main, left, returns as a starter for the Lions and is one of the fastest players on the team. NICK DUDUCKOVICH/THE COMMUNITY PRESS
PRESS PREPS HIGHLIGHTS By Scott Springer and Mark Motz sspringer@communitypress.com mmotz@communitypress.com
Boys golf
» Indian Hill beat Cincinnati Country Day by one stroke on Aug. 16 at Blue Ash Golf Course.
Girls golf
» Indian Hill defeated Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy by 16 strokes on Aug. 16 at Shaker Run. Pari Keller was medalist for the Lady Braves with a 35. Keller was again medalist on Aug. 19 at Terrace Park with a 39 as Indian Hill defeated McNicholas, Wyoming and Cincinnati Country Day.
Boys soccer
» Indian Hill tied Loveland 1-1 on Aug. 20. Senior Brad Seiler had the lone goal. » Cincinnati Country Day scored 17 goals and allowed none in its first two games of the season, 9-0 and 8-0 wins against Miami Valley School and Hamilton Badin, respectively, Aug. 19 and 21.
Girls soccer
» Indian Hill beat Clinton Massie 1-0 on Aug. 22. Senior Paige Gloster scored. » » CCD opened its season with a 10-0 whitewash of Dayton’s Miami Valley School Aug. 19.
Girls tennis
» Indian Hill shut out Turpin 5-0 on Aug. 20. Sophomores Meredith Breda, Maren McKenna and Caroline Andersen swept singles.