SPORTS
PAGE 8 Sunday, January 24, 2016-The Early Bird, www.bluebagmedia.com
NEW YEAR... NEW FLOOR! Massive Inventory Reduction Sale Going On Now... We need to Make Room for New Products Arriving in 2016
100 OFF
$
COUPON
Material Purchase of $1999 or more. New orders only! Expires 1-31-16
Locally Owned Family Business Looking forward to serving you in 2016
602 Wagner Ave. Greenville
548-4503
www.ggfloorfashions.com
Wave’s Minnich signs to play softball at Sinclair BY GAYLEN BLOSSER SPORTS WRITER gblosser@earlybirdpaper.com
Local HOOP SHOOT boys and girls sweep Elks Districts (Gaylen Blosser photo)
Local athletes sweep Elks District HOOP SHOOT at Wilmington GAYLEN BLOSSER
SPORTS WRITER gblosser@earlybirdpaper.com
WILMINGTON – All six winners from the local Elks’ January 9th HOOP SHOOT in Greenville took first place in the District competition and move on to compete in the Elks State HOOP SHOOT on February 20th at Gahanna Middle School. R e p r e s e n t i n g Darke County in the Championship and Runner-Up free-throw shooting contest including number of free-throws made out of 25 attempts: Girls Championship: Age 8-9 Isabelle Black 21, Tri-Village - Age 10-11 Raylee Sagester 18, TriVillage - Age 12-13 Madelyn Fearon 22, Arcanum. Boys Championship: Age 8-9 Trey Sagester 23, Tri-Village – Age 1011 Camden Cook 17, TriVillage – Age 12-13 Layne Sarver 24, Tri-Village Girls Runner-Up: Age 8-9 Raylee Leeper 17, Arcanum – Age 1011 Isabella Hamilton 11, Bradford – 12-13 Taylor Gray 18, Arcanum Boys Runner-Up: Age 8-9 Seth Fearon 19, Arcanum – Age 10-11 Bryson Sharp 15, Arcanum – Age 12-13 Josh Scantland 21, Tri-Village Winners of the State HOOP SHOOT advance to
the Regionals to be held at Angola, Indiana March 19 and 20 with the Nationals to be held in Chicago April 16 and 17. The program locally is sponsored by Greenville Elks Lodge 1139 and is free to all contestants from Darke County. One boy and one girl from each division will win a national title at the National Finals and have their names inscribed in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. “The Elks membership would like thank all contestants for participating and the local Phys Ed Teachers for running contests at their respective schools,” said Fred Matix. “We are looking forward to next year and hoping every school will be involved for the different age groups.” “Special salute to the Elk members, who help host the annual event that provides our youth the opportunity to compete, connect and succeed through hard work and healthy competition,” added Matix. “Big salute to the parents and grandparents for bringing your sibling so they could participate.” To follow all of the Hoop Shoot action as contestants get closer to the foul line in Chicago, visit www.elks. org/hoopshoot for more information.
GREENVILLE – Greenville senior Allison Minnich signed her letter of intent to continue her education and play softball for Sinclair Community College Minnich, the daughter of Kelly and Steve Minnich plans to study Early Childhood Education while attending Sinclair. “I want to thank my parents for supporting me though absolutely everything I do,” stated Minnich. “I also want to thank my coach, Jerrod Newland for everything that he has done for me giving me, the opportunities that I have received over the past four years with softball.” “I also want to thank my softball coaches throughout the years of summer ball, traveling, helping me, supporting me through everything and making me successful,” added Minnich. With one season yet to play for the Wave, Minnich will take to the diamonds for her senior year having started every game in her GHS career. “I’m proud of Allison and the effort she has put forth as a quality studentathlete,” said Greenville softball coach Jerrod Newland. “She has won numerous state honors for her education classes.” “She works year around at her game and it’s become a family event over the years,” continued Newland. “The amount of time, hours and miles they have spent together working towards her goal is amazing.” Minnich comes into her final season of play with a 78-15 team record over her GHS career with a goal to lead the Lady Wave program back to Akron.” “Allison is a great leader and role model for the younger kids to see and follow,” stated Newland. “Coach Ruble and I feel she is just starting to hit
Registration open for 2016 Shawshank Hustle 7K race MANSFIELD, Ohio – Registration is now open for Shawshank Hustle: Year 2 held on June 11 at The Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield. The Shawshank Hustle, a 7K race open to runners, walkers and those who love the movie The Shawshank Redemption. Beginning and ending at the Ohio State Reformatory, where much of the movie was filmed in 1993 the race begins at 8:30 a.m. Roger Bowersock, who
operates Greenville-based, nonprofit Rocketship Sports Management, said all proceeds will support the Mansfield Reformatory Preservation Society, which operates the prisonturned-museum on Ohio 545. An event limit of 3000 participants has been posted and quickly sold out in 2015. Included in registration is a custom finisher medal, custom event number, commemorative Saucony event shirt, actor meet-
ings, chip timing, chance at custom awards, on course and post-race snacks and a tour of The Ohio State Reformatory. Registration opened Jan. 1, 2016y. Registration is open online at the event website, shawshankhustle. com, and will stay open until event capacity of 3,000 is reached. For more information, contact Roger Bowersock at 937-417-5772 or by email at info@rocketshipsports. com
her peak on the mound and will excel this 2016 season.” Allison has excelled at first base, pitcher and designated hitter and has been GWOC All-League all three seasons at Greenville. Minnich carries a .339 career batting average and has worked 80 innings on the mound with an outstanding 0.95 ERA. Sinclair is a member of the NJCAA, plays in the OCCAC conference and is coached by Steve Beachler. “It’s absolutely a big step for our program,” Sinclair Coach Beachler said of Minnich’s signing. “Each year we keep trying to recruit better and better and with Allison coming in with us next year we did that. She is going to make
Call us today for a free estimate
BY GAYLEN BLOSSER SPORTS WRITER gblosser@earlybirdpaper.com
GREENVILLE – “You get excited for Christmas… I get excited for softball,” said Greenville softball Coach Jerrod Newland. The Lady Wave softball program is riding a 12th straight 25 plus win season, has won eight of the past 10 District Championships and over the past 13 years have been ranked in the State AP Coaches Poll top 10 for 71 of the last 72 polls. Coach Newland enters his 14th season as the LWSB head coach with a 343-67 (.841) record. With 2015 graduate Ally Russel moving on to play for D-1 Wright State University, the Wave return all players but Russell from last year’s team. “I love what we walked off the field with last year. It’s exciting. Kids get a little better and for the last nine months kids have had a chance to work at their game and improve.”
HOURS: Tue.-Fri 11-7 Sat & Sun 9-5
Your ONE-STOP SHOP for all your Sporting Goods Needs! Located at Niekamp Farm Market
Competitive Gun Prices
years at Sinclair, Minnich plans to continue here studies and softball career and transfer to a fouryear university. “I’ve been looking at a couple of colleges,” said Minnich. “Cedarville University has really caught my eye.”
Lady Wave Softball countdown
STANDING SEAM STEEL ROOFING
• No exposed fastner’s system • Manufactured onsite with portable roll former • 40 Year Warranty • Available in 24 ga. & 26 ga. • Many colors to choose from Stephen Stoltzfus 765-576-1436 5301 East 900 South - Lynn, Indiana
an immediate impact on our program.” “Greenville is a very good program, a good coach year after year,” added Beachler. “Top notch program… top notch team.” After completing two
Lady Wave Coach Jerrod Newland talks to 2015 Wave graduate Ally Russell (Gaylen Blosser photo)
High Quality
• Need a roof that will last the rest of your life? • Tired of changing shingles and fixing leaks?
(L-R) Lady Wave softball Coach Jerrod Newland, Allison Minnich and Sinclair softball Coach Steve Beachler (Gaylen Blosser photo)
2484 U.S. 127 (20 Miles North of Greenville)
419-925-5208
Indoor Archery Range
“A lot of young kids coming up,” Newland stated. “Last year in junior high we had 30 kids running around out there and a lot of them will come up to the high school level this year. It keeps reloading. The only thing that changes is the name and different faces, different places… same bat time same bat channel.” Coach Newland keeps a roster of 18 girls on his varsity squad. “When you have that chance to put that jersey on… you represent your school, your community and your town. There is no better feeling because you’re not just playing for yourself… you’re playing for everybody.” “Hopefully the numbers are there and we will field a JV team,” added Newland. Anyone that has ever held the title of head coach knows the baggage that often comes with selecting a starting lineup and delegating playing time for players. “It’s tough,” said Newland, “but you know… bottom line that is what my job is. To put the best kids
on the field to complete for Greenville City Schools. Unfortunately I’ve came to realize this the last 10 years you lose friends and it just is what it is. I can’t worry about that.” “Your job as a coach… you can’t be tunnel vision and you can’t root for this, that and another. I’ve had a lot of situations in the past where kids are allleague one year and the next year they lose their spot. Best kids play. You just can’t emphasize that enough. It’s just tough but that’s my job.” “It’s an opportunity,” Newland said. “Your just one pitch away or one hop away from being the kid and that’s just about preparation and next person up mentality.” Coach Newland has confidence in his players top to bottom. “We are proud of where we stand. We have 100 percent confidence in that young lady,” said Newland. “Once you have earned that spot we are all behind you. You don’t root for one kid to get a hit. We root for us to get the hit because that’s all that matters.”
WE NOW
GREENVILLE MOVING SUPPLIES
BUY GOLD
Wieland Jewelers 414 South Broadway Downtown Greenville www.wielandjewelers.com
548-3620
Fine Jewelers Since 1907
Your Authorized U-Haul Dealer
We sell propane and have all your moving needs on site!
547-9450
5269 Sebring-Warner Rd. Off 127 - Greenville