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March 3, 2011
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Bowling
Wildcats’ Pannell rolls 300 at district By FRANK DiRENNA ThisWeek Community Newspapers
It was a memorable day for a pair of Westerville high school bowling programs at the district tournament Feb. 26 at HP Lanes. For the first time in program history, the Westerville Central boys and girls swept the titles, earning berths to the state tournament Friday, March 4, and Saturday, March 5, at Wayne Webb’s Columbus Bowl. Meanwhile, Westerville South soph-
omore Zach Pannell earned his first state berth after finishing second overall with a season-high 749 series to Groveport’s Chris Lane (762). Included in Pannell’s series score was his second career 300 game. Pannell, whose first perfect game came in a non-OHSAA-sanctioned event, rolled the 300 in his first game at district despite competing with an injured right thumb on his throwing hand. He also had games of 225 and 224. “All I was thinking about was throwing good shots,” Pannell said. “I’ve
been struggling with this thumb being ripped open. I was hoping that I would be able to bowl (at district) and that 300 helps out. The way I throw the ball just tears the thumb up. It started hurting a little in the Baker (games).” “After about his first or second practice shot, he had a pretty good look on the lanes and then he just started striking like crazy and never stopped,” South assistant coach Mike Craig said. Pannell had hoped to compete at state with his teammates, as the South boys team held the third and final state-
qualifying spot heading into the Baker games. However, Gahanna rallied by scoring a 1,145 in the Baker games — its top score of the season — to earn the final state berth with a total of 4,026, behind champion Central (4,168) and runner-up Zanesville Maysville (4,068). South finished fifth (3,953), behind fourth-place Circleville (4,000). Senior Jamie Robinson led Central with a 696 series to place fourth overall. “Our boys worked their butts off, not only (at district), but all year,” Cen-
tral coach Julie Wells said. “They’ve been working hard, they’ve been working as a team and they put it all out there (at district).” Gahanna will be making its first state appearance as a team. The Lions were led by senior Jacob Reed, who rolled a 666 series to finish fifth overall. “It was just a good group of kids working together and hitting their spares,” Gahanna coach Bruce Zink said. “We bowled the best Bakers we’ve See BOWLING, page C5
Wrestling
Warriors sending pair to state By FRANK DiRENNA ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Westerville North High School senior wrestler Stephen Alger knew this was his final opportunity to reach the Division I state tournament. After splitting his first two matches at the district tournament Feb. 25-26 at Hilliard Darby, Alger won his final four matches to finish third at 135 pounds and earn a berth at the state tournament, which is Thursday-Saturday, March 3-5, at Ohio State. Alger, who was 5-1 on the weekend, pinned Olentangy Liberty’s Anthony Michael (1 minute, 42 seconds) in the third-place match. Michael had defeated Alger 8-3 in a quarterfinal. “The loss made me want to work a lot harder,” said Alger, a four-time district qualifier. “I figured this is my last time, and I had to try as hard as I can.” Alger (26-9) will be joined at state by sophomore teammate Joe Herrera, who finished third at 112 at district. Herrera won his first two matches before losing to Dublin Coffman’s Ryan Murdock 8-1 in a semifinal. Murdock went on to win the title, defeating Miamisburg’s Jordan Branham 10-0 in the final. Herrera, who also will be making his first state tournament appearance, won his next two matches to finish 4-1 and secure third. Herrera (27-6) defeated Franklin Heights’ Jon Bloss 120 in the third-place match. Alger, who is ranked 16th in Brian Brakeman’s High School Wrestling Forecast, will open against Canton McKinley junior Ruben Burrows. Burrows is 34-4 and 13th in the Brakeman Report. “I’m really excited,” Alger said. “This is my first time ever at state. It’s been a life goal of mine. I want to place high. Joe and I are going to work out really hard and do the right things, eat right and rest. We’re going to do everything we can to achieve our goals.” Herrera, who also is 16th in the Brakeman Report, will oppose Oregon Clay’s Mike Screptock (35-6) in the first round. Screptock is ninth in the Brakeman Report. “I definitely wanted to go to state last year, but I’m finally there,” Herrera said. “I just want to get my face on the wall. I want to place. I just have to work harder than I’ve worked all year. I have to get my mind right and I think I’ll be good.” The state place finishers from North are recognized by having a plaque displayed at the school. The Warriors finished 14th at district (46 points) behind firstplace Liberty (128.5). Senior Ryan Ouzts was 2-2 on the weekend at 130 and finished the season at 25-4. Junior Trey Fisher (21-11) was 0-2 at 145 and senior Mitch Cousins (24-12) was 0-2 at
By Adam Cairns/ThisWeek
South’s Riley Buer competes in the preliminaries of the 100-yard breaststroke during the Division I state meet Feb. 25. Buer went on to finish eighth in 1:05.99.
Swimming & Diving
Central relay places at state meet By PAUL BATTERSON
junior Taylor Schwartz and soph- Staab or I am Alex Schuttinger.’” Schuttinger’s brother, Nick, 400-yard freestyle relay that won the state title in the 100 butplaced seventh in 3 minutes, 34.5 terfly last year, and her sister, seconds. Samantha, a sophomore at Wat“They’ve had swimming terson, placed sixth in the 200 drummed into them for the last free (1:52.8) and 500 free five or six years,” said coach (4:58.19) this year. Ron Staab, whose family has “My brother was a phenomproduced three state qualifiers enal swimmer and I hope to take in Austin, Hillary and Chelsea. after that,” Schuttinger said. “His “Part of them thinks, ‘I don’t power and drive keeps me mowant to let my family name tivated. He’s always been there down.’ But another part says, ‘I for me. He told me to go out and want to forge ahead. I want peo- go after everything.” ple to know that I am Chelsea The Central girls scored 35
ThisWeek Community Newspapers omore Sally Thompson in the
CANTON — After being in the shadows of their older siblings, Westerville Central High School senior Chelsea Staab and freshman Alex Schuttinger carved out a legacy for themselves at the Division I girls swimming and diving state meet that concluded Feb. 26 at C.T. Branin Natatorium. Staab and Schuttinger, whose brothers won state swimming titles for the Warhawks, joined
points at state to place 17th behind champion Upper Arlington (286), which won its seventh consecutive state title. Schwartz placed 15th in the 200 free (1:56.07) and 16th in the 100 backstroke (58.97). “My swim in the 200 free wasn’t as good as the one (in the preliminary),” said Schwartz, who was seeded 16th in the 200 free and swam a 1:55.76 in the preliminary. “I’m a little disappointed with my time, but I did move up in the standings, so that’s exciting.”
Schuttinger placed 15th in the 100 free (53.17) and teamed with Schwartz, sophomore Marissa Kramer and Thompson to place 14th in the 200 free relay (1:39.73). “This is amazing. Just the fact that we made it to states as young as we are is really good,” Thompson said. “We got to see what it was like to be one of the fastest people here instead of being intimidated by everyone.” Schuttinger just missed makSee SWIM, page C2
Basketball
North boys again must clear Gahanna hurdle By SCOTT HENNEN ThisWeek Community Newspapers
For the past two seasons, Westerville North High School boys basketball coach Kevin Thuman and Gahanna coach Tony Staib have had a predetermined date set aside in the Fairgrounds Coliseum. In 2009, Thuman and his Warriors defeated Gahanna 55-53 in a Division I district semifinal. The Lions exacted some revenge last season with a 60-54 overtime victory in a district final. At 8:45 p.m. Saturday, March 5, the teams have another appointment at the Fairgrounds in a district semifinal. “After the tournament draw, I saw Tony as we were walking out and he told me that we would have to stop meeting like this,” Thuman said. “We each have won once, so this is the rubber game.” The fourth-seeded Lions are 21-1 while ninth-seeded North is 17-5. Gahanna is led by 5-foot-11 senior point guard Stevie Taylor, an Ohio University signee who averages 16.1 points per game. Jamel Morris, a 6-2 guard, averages 10.1 points and 6-3 forward Trey Warr scores By Chris Parker/ThisWeek 7.2 per game. Aaron Jackson, a 6-4 forward, Zach Nickels of North grabs a rebound in front of Marysville’s Dillon Wilson averages 7.1 points. during the Warriors’ 62-35 victory in a first-round Division I tournament “Fortunately for us, it’s the last time we’ll See WRESTLING, page C5 game Feb. 23 at Delaware. see Stevie Taylor,” Thuman said. “It seems
Central, South coverage, pg. C2 like he’s been there forever, and he really makes them go. “But Gahanna is more than just Stevie Taylor. Everything runs through him, but they are pretty effective when they go inside.” The winner advances to a district final against sixth-seeded Walnut Ridge or seventh-seeded Dublin Coffman at 4 p.m. March 12 at the Fairgrounds. North reached a district semifinal by winning a pair of early round games. The Warriors defeated Marysville 62-35 in the first round Feb. 23 at Delaware. Jack Gibbs scored 17 points to lead North and Drake Jackson added 10 points. Taivion Thomas led North with 14 points in a 52-47 second-round win over Brookhaven on Feb. 26 at Worthington Christian Middle School. Gibbs had 11 points and Jackson, Darren Nettles and Matt Rhodes added eight points apiece. Rhodes was held eight points below his average and Gibbs was seven points below his average. “Brookhaven came out in a triangle-andtwo (zone defense) to shut down Jack and Matt and they did a nice job on it because of See NORTH, page C4