West Life SPORTS WEB: www.westlifenews.com
FACEBOOK: westlife news | TWITTER: @westlifesports
B1
ALSO INSIDE: Recipes, Restaurant Review, Theater Review, AroundTown & Classifieds
Westlake junior quarterback Kent Axcell rushed up the middle for 24 yards in the Demons’ second quarter scoring drive. (West Life photo by Ryan Kaczmarski)
Demons football: SWC down, and playoff bound! BY RYAN KACZMARSKI
Football As severe weather started to hit Northeast Ohio on Friday, bringing high winds and dumping torrents of rain, the WESTLAKE High School football team had an idea that it was going to be its night to shine. The Demons did shine through the rain and mud, both offensively and defensively, and defeated visiting Brecksville 17-0 to clinch a share of the Southwestern Conference title, Westlake’s first conference championship
since 1984. “It’s a great group of kids,” Westlake head coach Mark Campo said. “The seniors led (the team). They all came together, worked hard, showed up at practice and every gameday, and worked hard.” Westlake (9-1, 6-1 in the SWC) made its presence known on defense on the third play of the game, when senior linebacker Danny Strotbeck stepped in front of a Tommy Tupa pass and took it 22 yards to the house (PAT by Sean Bigley), to give Westlake an early 7-0 lead. “I wasn’t shocked that (the ball) was coming to me, because I saw his brother
(Brecksville wide receiver Tim Tupa) come underneath and stuck with him all the way across (the field),” Strotbeck said. “I just felt that (the interception) emotionally boosted us, and got us going. It felt great. The whole team got up and we just started pounding and pounding it.” Not to be outshone by the defense, the Demons offense kept things simple and pounded the Bees’ defense with the running game. Westlake mounted a 97yard drive in the second quarter that included a 46-yard touchdown run by senior Shawn Turk (PAT by Bigley) to make the score 14-0 with just under
three minutes left in the first half. “This was our conditions,” Turk said. “We love this stuff and we love the mud. “As soon as that (hole) opened up – God, it’s a little blurry – I just started running.” Turk finished the game with 70 yards on nine carries. Westlake added a 27-yard Bigley field goal with 2:48 left in the game to make the final 17-0. Demons senior running back Logan Paul carried the ball 26 times for 100 yards, and junior
SEE FOOTBALL, page B2
Westlake’s Golick ends high school career as state champion BY RYAN KACZMARSKI
Girls Tennis
Westlake senior Lauren Golick, pictured with Westlake girls tennis head coach Ralph Dunbar, is the 2012 Division I girls tennis singles state champion. (Photo courtesy of Kevin Golick)
Westlake High School senior Lauren Golick saw her high school tennis career come to an end on Oct. 20, but what a career it has been. Golick was a fourtime state qualifier in first-singles, and this year all of her hard work culminated with the Division I state championship. After finishing third in the state in her sophomore year and fourth in the state last season, Golick definitely feels great to get over the hump and grab that elusive state championship. “The last few years I got progressively closer, and I always felt that I was right there in the running,” she said. “So I am very happy that I was able to finally take the championship my senior year! I do think that I am the first female tennis state champion (at Westlake High School). “Last year, Colton Buffington, from Westlake, won the boys Division I state tennis championship as well. I don't know if any other school has ever won the boys and girls titles back to back before.” According to Westlake head girls tennis coach Ralph Dunbar, there are a multitude of reasons that propelled Golick to the top this season. “A lot of it had to do with Lauren’s determination,” he said. “Another big factor was her (club) coach, Eric Hodge – who’s been her coach since she was 9 years old – and each year, he really progressed her, through her teens, and he added a whole new
6x1 Yogurt Plus
level of play into what Lauren needed to do to push through and be state champion this year.” Golick did not put stress on herself this season, knowing it was her final try at the state championship. “With it being my senior year, I was really just focused on having fun and enjoying my time on court,” she said. “I knew I had prepared really well with my coach, Eric Hodge, and I felt like I had made significant strides with my mental game as well as strategy development. Winning a state championship is always the ultimate goal, and obviously that was what I was working towards all four years of high school. “I think my game has just been the product of four years of growing, both physically and mentally,” Golick added. “I've gotten stronger and more physically fit, but I've also worked extremely hard with game plans and shot selection, which is vital in tennis. In tennis, experience is almost always the determining factor, along with tenacity and the ability to win when you're maybe not playing your best.” Golick will stay in Northeast Ohio this fall, electing to attend Cleveland State University. She will play both singles and doubles tennis for the Vikings. “I am very excited to be playing for CSU next fall,” she said. “I am always eager to improve my game, and in college I will be able to compete against very talented players on a regular basis. I am excited to join the great group of girls and coaches they have and to be able to contribute my game to the program.”
SEE TENNIS, page B4
B2
WEST LIFE, October 31, 2012
Bay shuts out Fairview for district title BY RYAN KACZMARSKI
Boys Soccer The upstart Farview High School boys soccer team ran the gauntlet through the Division II Rocky River district bracket, not ever giving up a goal. Then came the topseeded Bay Rockets to ruin the Warriors’ ride in the district finals. Bay has a similar story, but its story is still being written. After shutting out Benedictine and Rocky River, the Rockets blanked Fairview 2-0 to take the district championship Saturday night. “Typically you start off the season with goals in mind,” Bay head coach Bobby Dougherty said. “You always want to be playing your best soccer at the end of the year. “Did we improve? Did we get better?” he asked. “We’re a lot better than when we started. In this game tonight, Fairview – it’s been a while since they been in the district final – came out and played really well. We still really struggled in trying to get a hold of the ball tonight. “This might’ve been our worst performance in three or four games. We just didn’t get a hold of it. It’s combination of the wind and the rain. It just wasn’t clicking tonight. But we managed to get through it. It’s the playoffs and you have to win
Bay High School boys soccer team will play tonight against Port Clinton in the regional semifinals game at Perkins High School. (West Life photo by Stefanie Kilnapp)
games when you’re not playing your best. We’re lucky enough to play another day.” Bay struck quickly, with Dan Linhart scoring the first goal just three minutes into the game. The second goal came off the foot of Bay’s Brady Kinsey with less than 12 minutes left in the game, to make the final 2-0.
“We haven’t won (districts) in three years, and three years ago our best team – who was ranked No.1 in the state – won the district title, and it’s huge for us to win it again,” Bay senior Ben Tepper said. After two games, at the start of the regular season, that Dougherty would rather forget, the Rockets started building mo-
mentum that could take them all the way to the state championship game. “We started off the season with two losses right off the bat, you got to regroup,” Dougherty said. “We brought the (team) together and said, ‘Look, we’re going to work on possession for three to six weeks,’ and that’s all we did. The end result came off really well.” For Fairview, the end result was just simple arithmetic. “They scored two goals, and we didn’t,” Fairview head coach Dave Snow said. “(We have) absolutely no regrets. Our boys played their hearts out, and we knew it was going to be a tight match. We didn’t take advantage of our opportunities, and they did. “(Our team) is a great group of kids,” Snow added. “They worked their butts off and we’re extremely proud of them. It’s been a hell of a season.” Bay is scheduled to play against Port Clinton High School tonight for the regional semifinals. “We went out and watched Port Clinton play already, so we know that’s our competition,” Dougherty said. “Our goal is to figure them out, obviously, and we’ll go from there, but the honest truth is we know if we play our best game people are going to have to worry about us.” The game will be played tonight at Perkins High School at 7 p.m.
Demons down Eagles for District championship BY STEFANIE KILNAPP
Girls Soccer The Westlake and North Olmsted girls varsity soccer teams battled it out for the title of district champions Saturday afternoon at Avon Middle School, with the Demons coming out on top, 1-0. Judging from the first half, either team could have come out with the win, but Westlake junior midfield Megan Konrad scored the goal that would take Westlake one step further into the playoffs. The Demons dominated the first 20 minutes of the game, making many attempts at the Eagles goal but none were successful. The ball rarely crossed into Westlake territory, but the dynamic changed sooner than Westlake hoped. North Olmsted had a lot of corner kick opportunities, but to the Demons' fortune, they were not taken advantage of. “I thought we were pressuring them pretty well, we were afraid of giving up the corner kick or a free kick, which has been our Achilles heel all year.” Demons head coach Scott Jones said. Westlake did not oversee the complexities this game would have to offer. Jones
FOOTBALL, from page B1 quarterback Kent Axcell completed two of six passes for 36 yards and ran the ball for 31 yards. “We knew we had all the pieces of the puzzle, but we just needed to see how it would all come together,” Campo said. “They just got better every week.” The Demons share the SWC title with Avon Lake, but they have the satisfaction of knowing that they handed the Shoremen their only conference loss. Westlake will make its first playoff appearance since 1989, at home on Friday, against (Mansfield) Madison High School (9-1). Around the Westshore: LUTHERAN WEST (5-5, 4-3 in the Patriot Athletic Conference – Stripes division) defeated rival FAIRVIEW (37, 3-4 in the PAC) 28-19, to close out the season. The Warriors scored early to take a 6-0 lead. The score was set up on a blocked Longhorn punt (PAT failed). The Longhorns came right back and took command of the game. Junior quarterback Greg Kunze connected with senior co-captain Chris Ranc on a 30-yard scoring strike. The extra point was blocked and the score was deadlocked at 6-6.
knew North Olmsted would be tough. “More than half the goals we’ve been giving up this year were off free kicks or penalty kicks or free kicks, so if we can eliminate those, we don’t give up many goals," he said. "We were worried about that, because we know North Olmsted is good at that kind of stuff.” Demons junior goalkeeper Alexis Carpenter felt the pressure coming from the opposition, but dealt with it very well. “We think she’s one of the best goalkeepers in Northeast Ohio, if not the state of Ohio," Jones said. Carpenter’s efforts remained strong throughout the remainder of the game, allowing no score by North Olmsted. The Eagles kept their cool for the duration of the first half, defending exceptionally well and making a critical save that would keep the playing field level at halftime, 0-0. After the start of the second half it was made clear that the wind and bitter cold would play a factor in this match. “With the wind and everything against a good team you’re going to give some up,” admits Jones, “and the girls stepped up and handled it.” The Demons tightened up their game
particularly in the remaining thirty minutes, showing the Eagles that they deserved to be district champions. “It feels great redeeming ourselves from last year, we’ve worked so hard to
The Longhorns took a 12-6 lead moments later, when Kunze connected again, this time to senior Kyle Masek on a 12-yard touchdown pass. The try for two failed. On the next possession, Kunze threw his third touchdown pass of the night, this time a 23-yard scoring strike to Brad Warnkin. Kunze then connected with Warnkin for the 2point conversion. The Longhorns took a 20-6 lead into the locker room at halftime. The Warriors pulled to 20-13 as the fourth quarter began, but the Longhorns answered immediately as Chris Ranc returned the kickoff 82 yards for the score. Senior quarterback Nash Hagen then connected with Warnkin for another 2-point conversion. The score stood at 28-13. The Warriors wouldn’t die easily, as they punched in a score with two minutes remaining, but their try for two failed. The Longhorns were able to run out the clock and preserve the victory. Outstanding performances were also put in by the Longhorn defensive front of Aaron Geye, Kameron Bremer, Tyler Cerny and Pat Hofener. They put constant pressure on Fairview’s quarterback Jason Kish. Linebackers Izaak Zrnich and Ryan O’Connor played stellar as usual. Geye also had several key receptions that set up several Longhorn scores.
“We are extremely happy for our whole club, especially our senior class,” Lutheran West head coach Dave Stupka said. “These seniors have built a great foundation for us to build on, that will be their legacy. It will be up to our returning players to provide the same type of leadership and class that this group has shown. We are excited about our future.” OLMSTED FALLS (2-8, 2-5 in the Southwestern Conference) defeated NORTH OLMSTED (7-3, 4-3 in the SWC) 17-7, and knocked the Eagles out of playoff contention. In a game where only three passes were completed, Olmsteed Falls senior Mike Gib carried the ball for more than 250 yards for the Bulldogs, and the Eagles had no answers to the power run game. The wet conditions seemed to impact the Eagles more than the Bulldogs. Both teams fumbled the ball away three times. ROCKY RIVER (6-4, 5-2 in the West Shore Conference) closed out the season with a 27-13 victory over Vermilion. BAY (3-7, 1-6 in the WSC) finished the 2012 campaign with a 36-30 loss to Midview. LAKEWOOD (4-6, 3-4 in the WSC) finished its first season playing in the West Shore Conference with a 21-0 loss to Elyria Catholic.
The Westlake girls soccer team defeated Avon, Amherst and North Olmsted on its way to the Division I district championship. (West Life photo by Stefanie Kilnapp)
get here,” Westlake senior fullback Maddie Sandhu said. “We knew what this game meant.”
SEE DEMONS, next page
Westlake senior Shawn Turk sprinted for a 46-yard touchdown right before halftime on Friday night. (West Life photo by Ryan Kaczmarski)
WEST LIFE, October 31, 2012
B3
Rocky River wins district in double overtime BY RYAN KACZMARSKI
Girls Soccer It took the regular 80 minutes, plus a first 15-minute overtime period and almost two minutes of the second 15-minute overtime, but the Rocky River girls soccer team defeated Holy Name 3-2 for the Division II district championship. Less than two minutes into the second overtime, Pirates’ sophomore Jillian Krebs struck a near-perfect corner kick that Abby Elinsky headed past the Holy Name goalkeeper to win it for Rocky River. “I was just waiting for the opportunity,” Elinsky said. “Before the kick, I was telling myself, ‘This is my chance. I have to sink this, or whatever happens, happens.’ But I didn’t want it to go down that way. “Corner kicks; I love them,” she added. “It’s a great way to score, and I love to head the ball. I was on top of it and I knew what had to be done to get this game in our favor and to prove that we wanted it more.” “I went up to the line and I told myself, ‘I have a good kick, someone scores on it and we’re done. Don’t mess up!’” Krebs said. “I could tell where (the ball) was going, and I was just hoping that (Elinsky) finishes it, and I knew she would.” Rocky River head coach Patrick Hopkins knew going into the game that Holy Name would not go down easy. “It was an exciting game, but it was a long game,” Hopkins said. “I told the girls before the game started, ‘It’s going to take more than one goal to win tonight. Everyone wants that first goal. If we get that first goal, it will alleviate a lot of the pressure.’” Rocky River did get the first goal. It came off the foot of captain Grace Bennett (as-
DEMONS, from page B2 As for the Eagles, head coach Erika Fielder said, “We just didn’t really show up to play today like we did the last game,” but on a lighter note, “I’m just proud of them they had a lot of fun this year, great group of girls. We haven’t been this far in 8 or 9 years so I’m proud of how far they went and what they did.” Konrad’s goal with the assistance of Lauren Hurst and 27:52 minutes left on the clock, making the score Westlake 1, North Olmsted, 0, didn’t stop the
The celebration began right after Abby Elinsky, No. 8, headed in a corner kick for the winning goal to defeat Holy Name in double overtime for the district title Thursday night. (West Life photo by Ryan Kaczmarski)
sisted by captain Hallie McCue) with just under 10 minutes remaining in the first half of regulation time. Four minutes later, Holy Name freshman Sarah Krause tied it up to make the score 1-1 going into the half. The second half went much the same way as the first, with the Pirates taking the lead early, on an Elinsky goal with 33:49 left in regulation, and five minutes later, Krause got another goal past the Pirates goalkeeper,
Sara Connelly, to tie it up at 2-2. Connelly made 16 saves in the game against a quick and relentless Green Wave attack, and was the reason that the Pirates had the chance for the victory in the second overtime period. “(The game) was so crazy,” Connelly said. “I just had to keep going, because I didn’t know what else to do. I don’t even know what to say right now.”
Connelly made back-to-back saves on the same attack, right before the corner kick try. “I just knew I had to save them or else we would be done,” she said. “I just gave it my all and sacrificed everything.” The Pirates played last night against Walsh Jesuit, with the winner going on to play in the regional finals Saturday at Brecksville High School at 3 p.m.
Demons from giving their all to secure their win. Westlake would go on to make two very close attempts at North Olmsted’s goal and Carpenter would make a spectacular save with 1:26 left. Westlake Senior Fullback Shannon Kruger tells of how “great” she feels having had earned this win. She and Sandhu agree that they will be staying focused and working hard at practices. They both emphasize the importance of giving 110% with everything they do in this program. “Obviously the girls have worked real
hard and you know it’s starting to pay off now; they’ve done a great job for us all year,” Jones said, “They’re kind of putting it together right now, so it’s a good time to be peaking for us.” Westlake played Medina last night in
the regional semifinals. The winner will play for the regional championship on Saturday at 3 pm. The site of that game is still TBA. "We’ll give it the best we have," Jones declared.
Westlake boys move on to regional semis The Westlake High School boys soccer team defeated top-seeded Strongsville 2-0 on Saturday for the Division I district title. The Demons are scheduled to play tonight against Medina High School in the regional semifinals. The game will be played at Nordonia High School at 7 p.m. The winner will move on to play in the regional finals, scheduled for Saturday at Sandusky High School at 12 p.m. (Photo courtesy of Westlake High School)
3x3 Call Me Maybe - Tammy
3x8 Cleveland Clinic Lutheran Ortho
B4
WEST LIFE, October 31, 2012
Wrestlers get a jump on the competition at Chertow camp BY RYAN KACZMARSKI
Wrestling On the weekend of Oct. 12, wrestlers gathered from across the country and spent two days at Lutheran West High School learning their craft from one of the best. Former U.S. Olympic wrestler Ken Chertow brought his traveling “Weekend Warrior” wrestling camp to the high school, located in Rocky River, to give training to kids from second grade all the way through high school. Chertow has had success at all levels of competition, both as a competitor and as a coach. After winning two state championships and Outstanding Wrestler awards, he finished his prep career by winning the Junior Nationals in both freestyle and Greco-Roman, and he also won the Junior World Championship. As a wrestler at Penn State, Chertow was a three-time Academic All-American and NCAA All-American, World Espoir champion, Pan American champion and 1988 U.S. Olympian. “When I was in college, I worked as a (wresting) camp counselor all summer,” Chertow said. “I’d go to different camps and teach everywhere I could. I filled my summers training and working in camps, so when I graduated from college, I started my own camp. “Slowly, but surely, we started to add more locations.” During the first five years of running his camps, Chertow also coached at The Ohio State University and at Penn
Former U.S. Olympic wrestler Ken Chertow recently held one of his "Weekend Warriors" wrestling camps at Lutheran West High School. (West Life photo by Ryan Kaczmarski)
State. While at OSU, he helped build the Buckeyes into a national power. In 1994, Chertow left college coaching to focus his time and energy on helping young people through his wrestling school and to devote more time to developing his camp system. “(The campers) will learn high-level techniques that work on state champion and college wrestlers,” he said. “It’s not just simple leg attacks, it’s the finer details and subtleties that will take them to a higher level. They’re going to put themselves in an environment with other serious wresters and coaches.
SPORTS Chatter Lutheran West Shorthorn Jr. High wrestling club is looking for seventh- and eighth-graders. Practices are held at the LWHS wrestling room from 5:30-7 p.m. Monday through Friday, starting Nov. 9. The cost is $150. All costs cover uniforms, transportation and tournament fees. Wrestling singlets are provided. Participants must provide headgear and wrestling shoes. Junior high wrestlers must have a completed OHSAA physical form, which can be picked up at registration. For more information, call Dave Ressler at 440-333-1660, ext. 323, or e-mail him at dressler@lutheranwest.com.
TENNIS, from page B1 “I think her overall skills, her mental toughness and her court presence is continuing to grow,” Dunbar said. “The one area of her game that she’ll need to address and work on is her doubles game – she’ll still be playing singles – which she’ll work on in the offseason.” Having two Division I state champions in a single calendar year should prove to pay large dividends for the tennis programs at Westlake High School. “Westlake is a great school system to play for because of the endless encouragement and support that athletes receive from the administrators and staff,” Golick stated. “I don't think that any other schools have won back-to-back tennis championships in girls and boys tennis, so for one public school to achieve that is a great feat.” The Demons' girls program will still have a Golick on the roster for the next few years with Lauren’s younger sister Lindsey, who had a phenomenal freshman season this year. “Lindsey had a great freshman season,” Golick said. “She is always eager to improve and is a very hard worker. She definitely has the talent and desire to go all the way, and she has been my best supporter and encourager ever since I started playing tennis. I have tried to help her with her game and give her little tips or ideas, and I have no
Westlake High School will be holding its sixth annual Mattress Fundraiser benefiting Westlake High School wrestling on Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. in the high school cafeteria. Watch for kids holding signs on the street corner, and a few lucky kids who get to wear the “mattress suit” while promoting the sale to passersby. The cafeteria will transform into a mobile showroom so curious shoppers can test-drive any of the Consumer Best Buy award-winning beds on display. For more information contact Melissa Burdick at Melissa@melissaburdick.com or call 440-454-5147. doubt that she can do whatever sh sets her mind to do.” Finally, Golick knows that she could not have achieved the state championship alone; she needed coaching and the support of family, friends and peers. “I am very grateful for everyone who has helped and supported me over the years,” she said. “My parents and sister have been through a lot of traveling and long days when I'm playing in tournaments, and they have always encouraged me and helped me get through hard times. All of my grandparents and aunts and uncles and neighbors and friends have always been there for me as well, whether it is offering words of encouragement or cheering for me at my matches. And my high school coach, Coach Dunbar, has never failed to show up to a practice or match without a smile, and his coaching is insightful, but he has always known what I need to hear in order to play my best. “My private coach, Eric Hodge, has been with me ever since I started at age 10," she added. “He's spent countless hours with me, patiently explaining strategies and never letting me settle for anything less than I am capable of. His guidance and encouragement are something I could never have gotten from anyone else, and I cannot thank him enough for all he has done. There are so many others who have always been there for me as well, and I am so appreciative of everything people have done in order for me to be able to be successful.”
“Everyone will leave our camp with the willingness to go home and work hard consistently to pursue very high goals.” Area coaches were on hand to help run the camp, and they hold Chertow’s teachings in high regard. “Typically, what they learn at these camps is not so much about wrestling, it’s about developing friendships within the wrestling community,” Scott Slater, director of the Hudson Youth Wrestling club, said. “They come out and they meet kids from all over the country. They learn different styles of wrestling that they wouldn’t see training with just one coach. In their own wrestling room, they only learn one style from their particular coach. Here, there are multiple coaches from all over the country, with kids from all over the country, showing them different styles.” Having such a prestigious camp come to Lutheran West High School should have a positive effect on the
Longhorns’ team and other local squads. “Getting the kids out in October is really important,” Lutheran West varsity head coach David Ressler said. “The kids who are really focused and want to excel are going to put the preseason work in. To bring in someone like Ken Chertow – an Olympian – and his staff is great for Northeast Ohio, Lutheran West included. We have a bunch of guys here. “Ken covers everything in his camps, including nutrition, (weight) lifting for different age groups, technique and the importance of having good grades,” he added. “He even spent a half-hour with the parents talking to them about all those things as well. The kids will go away with a lot of information from this weekend.” Some of the parents present at the camp just marveled at how much the kids were learning. “This (camp) has introduced different techniques my son has never seen,” North Olmsted resident Greg Tucholski, father of camper Luke, age 8, said. “This is a different level of intensity than at the local club. Just seeing the better wrestlers coming from all over, and seeing more experienced wrestlers, has progressed him from the level at the North Olmsted club.” The high-school-level campers showed the younger campers how to do things the right way. “It’s great to have these older guys here to show the younger guys how to execute the drills,” Erie, Pa., resident Paul Wojcik, father of camper Alex, age 8, said. Chertow will be conducting his next “Weekend Warrior” camp at his home training center in State College, Pa., Nov. 23-25. For more information regarding Chertow’s camps, go online to www.kenchertow.com, e-mail the camps at camps@kenchertow.com or call 814-466-3466.
Bay girls qualify for state cross country meet The Bay Girls Cross Country team placed third at the Division I Tiffin regional on Saturday, qualifying as team for the state meet at Hebron National Raceway on Saturday. The Rockets were led by junior Maddie Britton, who finished third (18:46) in a very competitive race and was followed by freshman teammate Abby Christel who placed 16th overall with a time of 19:26. Junior Hallie Bechtel was third for the Rockets and finished 24th overall with a time of 19:53. Freshman Olivia Bechtel (46th) and sophomore Maddie Voiers (47th) crossed the line together at 20:15 and rounded out the scoring runners for the Rockets. Junior Alyse Arko (61st) and freshman Hailey Russell (67th) had very impressive finishes as the Rockets 6th and 7th runners. Bay junior Hallie Bechtel is part of the girls cross country team that will be competing for the state championship. (Photo courtesy of Kristina Purdy)
3x4 Sportsplex