Gelhaus, No. 1 Cardinals out to sizzling start

The college basketball season got underway not too long ago.

And it didn't take long for many former area players to get going.

Wade Gelhaus (Fort Recovery) and the Saginaw Valley State Cardinals picked up right where they had left off last year. The Cardinals are the top-ranked team in the NABC Coaches Poll after starting the season on an eight-game winning streak, that includes a 68-66 victory over then-No. 3 Bellarmine on Nov. 11. Gelhaus has worked his way into a starting role as a senior. He's averaging 6.8 points and 6.3 rebounds. Gelhaus' season high was 15 points in a 94-53 thrashing of Ohio Valley on Nov. 19.

The Cardinals are coming off a historical season in which they earned a berth in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight. Five of their eight wins have come by double digits this year, and they even held their own with Michigan State during an exhibition in what turned out to be an 87-77 loss. Next up for the Cardinals is a game at Ashland this evening.

Carson Manger (New Bremen) is out to a sizzling start in just his sophomore season for Lake Superior State. Manger is averaging 18 points and 2.8 rebounds during a 3-2 start for the Lancers. He erupted for 31 points (11-of-14 shooting, 7-of-8 from the 3-point line) in last Saturday's 102-93 victory over Tiffin. On the season, he's hitting 64.3 percent of his three-pointers. Manger and the Lakers travel to meet Elijah Kahlig (Fort Recovery) and the Findlay Oilers on Saturday.

The Oilers, coached by Minster grad Charlie Ernst, have begun the season 4-2 with wins over Illinois-Springfield, Trevecca Nazarene, Cedarville and Ferris State. The losses came at the hands of Fairmont State and Grand Valley State. Kahlig, a junior, is averaging 8.8 points per game with a high of 17 in a Nov. 26 victory over Cedarville. He is also shooting 46 percent from the field and 48.3 from behind the three-point line.

Ryan Mikesell (St. Henry) is a steady part of the rotation for the University of Dayton Flyers in just his sophomore season. Mikesell is averaging roughly seven points per game - his season high was 12 points in a win over Alabama on Nov. 15. On Tuesday night, Mikesell tallied four points, four rebounds and two assists in 24 minutes as the Flyers defeated St. Joseph's (Ind.) 91-59. Dayton, now 6-2 on the season, goes for a fifth straight win on Saturday when it hosts East Tennessee State.

Luke Knapke (Marion Local) is making an impact for the Toledo Rockets in his first season. The big man from Maria Stein has started a handful of games over the first nine, averaging 6.9 points and 3.4 rebounds. The Rockets are 4-5 after last night's 73-65 win over Detroit Mercy.

Knapke's former high school twin tower, Ryan Bruns, is doing his thing a little south in Ada. In his sophomore season, Bruns is averaging 11.3 points and 6.2 rebounds. The Polar Bears are 3-3 and 1-0 in the OAC after Wednesday's 83-69 win over Wilmington. ONU's next game is Saturday at Mount Union.

At Ohio Dominican, Ryan Hoyng (Celina) is in his freshman year after red shirting last season. He is averaging 4.1 points in 18 minutes of action per contest. Hoyng's season scoring high was eight points in a 96-73 victory over Seton Hill on Nov. 15. The Panthers host Northern Michigan tonight.

Caleb Hoyng (Celina) is having a successful season at Marietta College. The freshman is scoring 4.7 ppg. in seven games (one start) for the Pioneers, who are ranked third in the most recent D3Hoops.com Division III national poll. Hoyng scored a career-high 11 points and grabbed five boards in Marietta's 84-64 win at No. 20 Baldwin Wallace last Saturday. The Pioneers have defeated three top-20 opponents by 20 points or more. On Tuesday, they handled Otterbein 79-54 to stay perfect on the season at 7-0. This Saturday, the Pioneers travel to face John Carroll University.

Freshman Andy Brunet (Coldwater) - last year's MAC Player of the Year - is getting his feet wet for the Walsh Cavaliers. He's appeared in seven games and is scoring close to five ppg. and pulling down 4.4 rebounds. Brunet racked up career highs in minutes (24) and points (14) in Walsh's 97-77 win over Northern Michigan last Thursday. The Cavaliers are 6-1 and return to the court tonight, hosting Ferris State.

Haley Horstman (New Knoxville) and Allie Thobe (Marion Local) have been key players for Findlay women during their 4-4 start this season. Horstman has had two 19-point games and is averaging 10 points, 3.8 rebounds and nearly two assists. Thobe is averaging 4.1 points in nearly 16 minutes of action per game. She's also racking up 2.1 assists and nearly two rebounds. The Oilers host Norwood tonight.

Emily Mescher (Marion Local), a former high school teammate of Thobe, has been featured in a reserve role for Ohio Northern, which is ranked 19th in the latest D3hoops.com poll. The Polar Bears improved to 7-0 with a 78-51 victory over Wilmington on Wednesday night. Mescher, a freshman center, has appeared in all seven games, averaging 4.0 points and 5.0 rebounds in 11 minutes per game. She scored a career-high 10 points in a Nov. 22 win over Defiance. The Polar Bears will go for their eighth win on Saturday, hosting Mount Union.

Two former MAC players, Megan Kuether (Marion Local) and Kayla Richard (Minster), now play for the Ohio Wesleyan University women's team. Kuether, a senior wing, averages 12.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.2 steals per game. Richard, a junior guard, is scoring 2.7 points in 10.2 minutes per game. The Battling Bishops are 2-4 overall and next play on Saturday, hosting Oberlin at Branch Rickey Arena.

Lastly, a bowling note of significance: Coldwater grad Cole Whitacre, now at Wright State, bowled the second perfect game of his career in late November at the Bowling Green State University Falcon Classic. Wright State is ranked third in the latest collegebowling.com power rankings.